Review: The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

If room views made up their own category, this Ritz-Carlton, set along the shores of the Kamogawa River, would be in a class all its own. Beside its prime real estate by the water, the hotel also offers views of the nearby Higashiyama mountains (you can also opt for views of a traditional Japanese Zen garden, or the city of Kyoto itself). Rooms have impeccable detail, like shippo (a type of cloisonné, or painted metalwork that the city is proudly known for); try the Garden suite, where you can sit on the balcony after a soothing bath with Shabonya handmade soap, and kick back in your Imabari bathrobe and slippers.