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Tranquil urban spa opens in heart of Kyoto with spring water onsen

02 Dec 2020 Marriott International has opened a new Luxury Collection hotel in Kyoto, Japan, complete with a spa and selection of traditional Japanese onsen baths.

Located in a historic building which was once the private residence of the aristocratic Mitsui family, the spa opened as part of the new Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto and is supplied by a geothermal spring 1,000m under the destination.

The new opening is claimed to be the only luxury property in Kyoto’s city-centre supplied by natural spring water. It features a 1,000sq m spa with a thermal onsen spring, four treatment rooms, a gym and two private onsen facilities fitted with living rooms, private gardens and outdoor hot spring baths.

Onsen is an age-old Japanese tradition of hot spring bathing and is pitted to benefit circulation and recovery from injury, relieve stress and skin conditions, help with better sleep and act as a natural pain reliever.

The spa menu features a selection of shiatsu massages, facials and Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment options, plus guests are offered an exclusive facial which is the product of the spa's partnership with French family-run product house, Alaena.

Open to both hotel guests and day visitors, the spa’s design and philosophy draws inspiration from the ancient Chinese dualism concept of yin-yang and how this intertwines with the five natural elements.

Nature is a prominent theme throughout the spa and guests remain connected to the outdoors throughout their journey as designers created a spa with a variety of perspectives of the hotel’s new landscaped Japanese gardens.

Hotel GM, Manabu Kusui said: “Our Thermal Spring Spa is a one-of-a-kind facility, offering guests a sanctuary to relax, unwind and be rejuvenated after exploring Kyoto.”

Complete with two restaurants, the new hotel was designed to blend tradition with modernity by an international team of architects and designers, including Akira Kuryu, André Fu, Shunsaku Miyagi and Yohei Akao.

The hotel’s 161 guest rooms and suites feature natural materials shaped by traditional artisanal skills and have been created as an ode to traditional Japanese tea-rooms.