BnA Alter Museum

We LOVED our stay at BnA Alter Museum and would happily stay again. I originally booked our stay here because my niece, who’s creative and works in style and artistic production, was traveling with us and I knew would appreciate the unique art rooms, created each by a different artist. We first were in a quirky, whimsical room with Murphy-style pull down beds. It was such fun. We extended our stay an extra day and were moved to a beautiful, calming room by a sculptural artist with gentle warm lighting, minimalist wooden pieces and 5 yen coins flowing along portions of the walls, floor and ceiling, with opportunity to add your own. This hotel provides a unique and modern experience while still offering distictive Japanese features (robes and low beds, dense mattresses, bathrooms you want to transport home with you, etc). The hotel was comfortable and quiet, the location was fantastic… a very close walk to beautiful, narrow traditional lanes along the river and Gion with its picturesque Kyoto charm, vibrant, modern shopping thoroughfares and massive covered market “maze” offering a mix of old world and new, food lanes, thrift shops, every kind of thing you can imagine, and frequented by locals and visitors alike (a place to spend a day and get happily lost, especially if the weather is challenging). Just beyond all these things, across the river and easily reached by foot are the famous temples and gardens of Kyoto. Hospitality is huge in Japan, but I can’t say enough about the staff at BnA Alter Museum… warm and approachable while still offering impeccable hospitality. In particular, my elderly mother joined us our third night there. The only room available (the beautiful 5-yen coin room) had very low beds. The staff made sure to put a good, stable chair in the room for her as requested specifically to aid her getting in and out of bed and offered to do more.

WOW! If you are looking for an experience...look no further. For me, 50% of every vacation is the hotel, so I choose our hotels very carefully. I am so thankful that I chose BnA Alter Museum for our 3 day stay in Kyoto. First of all, the staff are EXCELLENT. Thank you to all of the staff that made our stay so memorable, especially Kuni, the bartender! We were able to switch rooms each night and have a different art experience each day. The staff graciously allowed us to tour various rooms and choose our next night's stay. Our final night, we upgraded to Eye's "Boredom" room which is designed like the human ear. All I can say is....WOW! If that room is available, do not hesitate to book. By far the most unique and amazing art experience. My husband and I stayed in three rooms: the shrimp basket, heterotopia, and Boredom. All the rooms were unique and fascinating, and I loved supporting the artists with our stay. At the time of our stay, we were also given complimentary drinks at the bar each night! An extra bonus! The staff were so kind to my mother-in-law as she celebrated her birthday, and BnA Alter Museum was a great pick for our Kyoto stay. The location is excellent for walking and the amazing staff recommended a very affordable parking lot for us to use during our 3 day stay. Right down the street from the hotel is an AMAZING gyoza place. You will know it by the line outside! The hotel is also within walking distance of shopping (Teramachi Kyogoku and Shinkyogoku) as well as the Gion district and train stations out to the Inshari shrine and the bamboo forest. Thanks, BnA Alter Museum for an awesome and memorable stay in Kyoto!

The breakfast here was genuinely great—I'm a bit of a tough food critic, but it really hit the spot and was a great way to start the day. The rooms had a fun, artsy vibe with lots of personality, which I really enjoyed. The staff were also super friendly and helpful in letting me know great places to eat around Kyoto.

The concept was really cool! I appreciated the “living in art” idea. The room I stayed in connected beautifully with the location, The Tale of Genji, and the shifting lighting. It thoughtfully framed sleep as a dreamlike state, which I found both inspiring and meaningful. That said, as a hotel, it offered just okay comfort. The space was quite small, and I even bumped my toe on the concrete bed frame (concrete relates to the artwork’s concept). Still, the location was fantastic for the price.

Great location, it's within walking distance to malls and shopping centers. Very nice breakfast, friendly staffs, and interesting room designs.