Roku Kyoto LXR is in Hilton's family of hotels, sharing the premier mantle with the Conrad and the Waldorf Astoria. While not as numerous as the other two, you can expect outstanding service and luxurious facilities when you visit one. I've previously had an experience with its Vegas cousin, the Crockfords LXR, which was at best uneven, so I did not know what to expect. But the service being generally superior in Asia, especially in Japan, and the availability of in-room hotspring fed bathtub dictated my choice, and in the end, I was not disappointed.
I used two free night certificate from Hilton for this stay, so as far as the accommodation, it did not cost me anything out of pocket. We did spent some money in the restaurants, both in the hotel and outside, and had a great experience.
As a Diamond member, I was upgraded to the garden onsen room. I had a choice of a pool deck room as well, but at my wife's insistence, we chose the garden onsen room. A garden onsen room has a garden as you might expect, but also large, tile-lined bathtub that gives you the onsen experience since it is hotspring fed. The water gushes out energetically and it takes no time to fill the tub, but be aware that the water is extremely hot.
As for the layout, the room resembles the traditional kyo-machiya, or a Kyoto townhouse, as it's long and narrow, with the garden in the back. I don't know if it was a design choice chosen specifically, or something mandated by the building footprint, but it was a pleasing design nonetheless.
How the shower is situated is a bit awkward and does not necessarily give all the occupants the privacy they might need, but it makes showering and immediately heading to the tub very convenient. There are sliding doors that can be closed for more privacy as well.
The bed was comfortable and the sheets were outstanding. I didn't look up the bed manufacturer or asked about the thread count, but we had very good sleep the both nights.
Housekeeping service was prompt and and invisible. It was almost like, we turned our heads for a moment and the room was clean. It was such a contrast from our experience in the US even at the premier hotels where the housekeeping services are yet to be restored to the pre-Pandemic level.
Going back a bit, we were checked in at the tea house, with a serving of tea and a traditional Japanese sweets. If you're from the US, and probably most Western countries, it might be a slightly uncomfortable experience, as the person checking you in will try to keep her head below yours, and as you're sitting at the moment, she will kneel in front of you. Cultures differ, I understand that, but it was slightly unsettling for my middle-class, Midwestern sensibilities.
Other than that, Roku Kyoto has a fabulous concierge staff who will do everything they can to make your stay as welcoming and comfortable as possible. One task I kept entrusting them with is to find availability and book reservations on many of the excellent restaurants around the area. They were great at this task, and in the event where they couldn't find an availability (as we were asking pretty last minute) they were quick to suggest alternatives.
Roku Kyoto also partners with the nearby resort and restaurants and you can bill your room for the meal at several of them. We dined at the Louran and the Wakadori and were able to bill the room. The Wakadori in particular was great, but the reservations are qucik to be snatched up, so ask the concierge staff as soon as you check in for a spot. It's a quick walk (less than 3 min) so it's convenient as well.
Louran is slightly further away but not so far as to make walking difficult, but the concierge arranged for a gold cart to take us. Later on, we figured out just how close it is going the backway, but it's through a gravel road, and at least coming back from dinner, the ways are dark, so the golf cart service was very appreciated.
The grounds at the Roku Kyoto are serene and beautiful. A large part of the grounds are taken up with a reflecting pool that gives that impression. There are gravel paths that leads to restaurants and a resort. I saw workers maintaining them, with electric leaf blower set to the minimum as to not disturb the guests. It looked like they were coaxing the fallen leaves gently to the side. I thought it was one of the hidden examples of the service you can expect from the Roku Kyoto. Not as visible as something from the housekeeping or the concierge, but just as thoughtful.
We opted for a prix fixe menu at the hotel's main restaurant our final night. Our daughter stayed in the room with a room service which was delivered promptly and set up expertly. We had originally planned for the Chef's Table but heard some conflicting reports about it, so we decided against it, at least this time. I don't know if that was the right choice, since we found the prix fixe menu amazing and in fact, quite revelatory. We never would have thought to pair scallops with matcha ice cream but it was incredible. And sashimi with soft cheese was excellent too. If that kind of imagination and expertise guides the chef's hands at the Chef's Table, I feel like maybe we missed our chance. Or maybe, we should be satisfied with what we had because objectively, without comparing to what may have been, it was one of the finest dining experience we've had in last 10 years or so. The only "miss" was the steak and not because it was bad. Quite the contrary, I found the steak perfectly seasoned and cooked. But it was too familiar. They say the familiarity breeds contempt, and as preposterous as it sounds, it was the only disappointment of the meal.
The dessert deserves a special mention. They served a crispy piece outwardly resembling a cannoli which is to say, a creme-filled tube, but the pastry part was light and crispy and the creme was rich and satisfying. It was the perfect way to end the meal.
We walked the grounds after the meal and even though it was raining, the covered walkways allowed us to appreciate the serenity. It was a perfect dinner.
Only knock: we were charged for some mini-bar items we did not consume. The Roku Kyoto made some changes beginning April 1, 2024. Previously, as a Diamond benefit, the hotel have 10,000 yen credit for the first day and 5000 credit for subsequent day(s). And the breakfast option extended to 3 guests, But as of that date, the experience credit was eliminated and the breakfast benefit was trimmed to 2 guests. In exchange, certain items in the mini-car became free, namely the water, the Coke products, and a local beer. We made sure not to touch the for-fee items but were charged nonetheless. In the end, it wasn't enough to make an issue of it, as it was around 5000 yen.
Another thing, the breakfast was spectacularly middling, especially for the price: 6000 yen. Any worse, I wouldn't waste the stomach space. I've had a better breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn Shijo Karasuma.
Overall, it was one of my favorite stays in last 3-4 years. I think comfortably within the top 3. Factoring in the dinner, I think #1 but since I didn't eat dinner at the other two hotels, that's kind of unfair to them. All I know is that we'll be back the next time we're in Kyoto, and maybe for a much longer stay. It's true there's not much to see immediately surrounding the area except maybe at Obon for the Gozan Okuribi. But the parking at the Roku Kyoto is free, and we can rent a car and range far from the hotel. Not deeper into Kyoto but other areas not as well serviced by the trains and the busses.
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