Just in time for summer travel plans, Ace Hotel Kyoto opens in Japan’s very own temple town, promising cutting-edge accommodation and world-class dining experiences.
If you’ve not yet visited Kyoto, you’re missing out on one of Asia’s most alluring cultural destinations. Home to ancient temples and palaces, intimate and authentic restaurants (many Michelin-starred), and an avant-garde mixology scene, Kyoto fuses the past and the present to perfection.
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Now you’ll have an additional choice when it comes to stylish digs with Ace Hotel Kyoto, the brand’s first property in Asia, opening in early June.
Designed in partnership with legendary architect Kengo Kuma – known for his understated, poetic designs that emphasize humility and quality of material – and longtime Ace partner Commune Design, the striking new hotel is home to 213 guest rooms set in a partly new, partly historic structure (which once housed the Kyoto Central Telephone Office).
Blending elements of east and west. Blissfully residential-style guest rooms feature Japanese soak tubs, robes by wings + horns, bath products by uka, Tivoli radios, curated minibars, and original artworks by local talents.
In fact, the whole project of a symphony of design elements, some traditional, some contemporary, that offers a kaleidoscope of cultural influences. However, you’ll also dine well at the new hotel, which promises a showcase of culinary experiences across its three distinct restaurants.
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Widely considered one of the best Italian chefs in America, Philadelphia’s Marc Vetri is the owner of the acclaimed restaurant Vetri Cucina, which has set the standards for modern Italian cuisine since opening its doors in 1998. In 2018, Marc debuted Vetri Cucina’s much-anticipated second location at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, and he’s recently opened Fiorella, a pasta restaurant in Philadelphia. At Ace, he will oversee Mr. Maurice’s Italian, an Italian-American osteria with a captivating rooftop bar.
James Beard Award-nominated and Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Award-winning chef Wes Avila, who hails from Los Angeles and is the owner of the critically acclaimed Guerrilla Tacos and author of the cookbook, Guerrilla Tacos: Recipes from the Streets of L.A. Wes draws on his Mexican-American roots and fine dining culinary training to bring a fresh, contemporary and international take on tacos, and is considered one of the pioneers of Alta California cuisine. At the Ace Hotel, Avila will operate PIOPIKO, a cocktail bar and taco lounge overlooking the hotel’s lobby. Named for the elementary school Wes attended as a child in Pico Rivera just east of L.A., with a slight twist for native Japanese spelling, the restaurant’s menu draws inspiration from Mexican-American tradition, international travel, and the global influence of Japanese street art and music.
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An Oregon native based in Portland, James Beard Award-winning chef Naomi Pomeroy champions market-driven and locally focused fare at her award-winning restaurant Beast, and is the co-proprietor of the lauded cocktail bar Expatriate with husband and partner, Kyle Linden Webster. In 2018 and 2019, Naomi was awarded a grant from the Toshiba Foundation to develop and teach recipes utilizing traditional Japanese ingredients with western cooking techniques. At Ace Hotel Kyoto she will operate a refined American restaurant (name to-be-announced) with an adjoining outdoor garden space that will deliver classic fare elevated through expert technique and an inventive spirit.
Each outlet features original art and custom works by Japanese artisans, from woven light fixtures to handmade Karakami frescos, exalting the region’s rich history of craftsmanship.
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Centrally located, the neighborhood around the hotel sits on the former grounds of the imperial palace and is rumored to once have been the home of Japanese samurai. Ace Hotel Kyoto will live just a stone’s throw from cultural treasures like the Nishiki Market, the Kyoto National Museum and Kyoto Art Center, and surrounded by classic shops such as Kamesuehiro (confectionary store), Shoyeido (incense store) and Miyawaki Baisenan (fan store).
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