Designed by renowned architect Yukio Hashimoto, Kyoto Yura Hotel Nijo Jo Bettei MGallery boasts a signature restaurant led by Chef Susumu Okubo, who trained under Alain Ducasse and Pierre Gagnaire.​

A distinctive and intriguing luxury boutique hotel has started welcoming guests in Japan’s enchanting city of Kyoto. We take a closer look.

A design-led triumph

Accor’s latest offering, Kyoto Yura Hotel Nijo Jo Bettei MGallery, is a 25-key luxury boutique hotel situated in one of Japan’s most popular destinations.

It’s a design-led offering conceived by Yukio Hashimoto, who has crafted an enchanting property around an atmosphere rather than an aesthetic. His sophisticated design takes its cues from the nearby Nijo Castle and is organised around a central courtyard that changes with the seasons, giving guests different experiences throughout the year.

Yuko Sato, general manager of Kyoto Yura Hotel Nijo Jo Bettei MGallery, said: “We are very excited to introduce this truly special hotel, which is sure to become one of Japan’s most mysterious hideaways. We look forward to pursuing the highest levels of excellence and crafting an array of authentic experiences for our guests on their next visit to this historic city.”

MGallery ups the ante in Japan

Only the second MGallery hotel in the Land of the Rising Sun, the property comprises 25 well-appointed rooms overlooking Japanese gardens. Some rooms even have balconies affording guests spectacular views of Nijo Castle, one of the historic monuments of ancient Kyoto, which was inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1994.

The property is home to Singular, a signature restaurant led by Chef Susumu Okubo, formerly head chef of Osaka’s Michelin-starred Pierre. Okubo brings his mastery of French cuisine to Kyoto Yura Hotel Nijo Jo Bettei MGallery, and pairs them with Japanese cooking techniques to create a truly unique dining experience.

Patrick Basset, chief operating officer for Accor, Upper Southeast & Northeast Asia and the Maldives, said: “The opening of our second MGallery hotel in Japan signals our confidence in this brand to offer something truly distinctive to travellers. We know that our guests are continually seeking authentic and original experiences, and we predict this to be an even stronger trend in the years to come.

“With the opening of Kyoto Yura Hotel Nijo Jo Bettei MGallery, we look forward to welcoming guests to come and experience many memorable moments in Kyoto, a charming city with countless unique stories to tell.”

According to the TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION online database, 74 hotel projects are currently in the pipeline in Japan: