- How to Fill in Your Visit Japan Web Arrival Documents for Japan - 18 March 2026
- The Beginners Guide to Getting on the Shinkansen - 16 March 2026
- How to Use Buses in Nara - 11 March 2026
‘Have you seen this place?’ read the message from my friend. ‘We don’t need to stay there, but just look at it.’
It was BnA Alter Museum, an art hotel in Kyoto’s downtown district. Every room has been designed by a different artist, and there are 17 unique looks to choose from. If you stay, you, too, become part of the art.
After twenty minutes of discussing which rooms we would book if we stayed there, which we absolutely weren’t, we decided I’d have the room with the floating bed and flamingoes, and she’d have the one with the black walls and round bed. And then, because we absolutely weren’t going to stay there… we booked them!
And that says everything you need to know about my willpower!
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
I admit I was fully expecting the room to be a triumph of aesthetics over functionality, but upon checking in, I was pleasantly surprised.
Staying in Room 904
My room, no. 904, was called Dream of a Trip, Journey of a Dream and was designed by artist Lulu Kouno. It reflects her experience traveling around the world, during which she started painting murals on walls to earn a little extra money.
The brightly coloured images on the wall represent something that meant something to her on her travels and, you’ll find everything from the aforementioned flamingo to burgers and onigiri. In fact, there’s a lot of food so don’t go in here hungry.
The other surprising good news was that even though it looked like it was hanging and would swing every time you turned over, the bed didn’t move. This was reassuring to me (although upsetting to my friend, who was looking forward to a good laugh the next day) as I tend to throw myself around at night, but it’s firmly fixed at the bottom. Although it is quite low, just be aware of that if you find it hard to get up from close to the floor.
I did wake up in the night, but the only thoughts going through my head when I did were, ‘This is like sleeping on a cloud.’ It was so comfy, and even though it doesn’t look like it in the pictures, it even had a decent-sized headboard, which made reading at night easier.
I was staying solo, so the bed was a great size for me, but it is only a double – if you like a bit more space, then look at the Queen rooms.
The one thing that did tax me was plug sockets. It took me a while to find them, but they are located right by the door near the slippers. This makes it a bit hard to use your phone in bed. There wasn’t any USB charging, so you’ll need an adaptor/plugs if you stay here.
The plug situation was also a challenge when plugging in the kettle the following day. I ended up using that in the bathroom, but that was the only slight logistical challenge.
They supply green tea and coffee. There is even a tiny fridge hidden away in the room – the location of these varies in each room, but they will tell you where it is when you check in – mine was in that little open cupboard below.
If you want to sit or work in your room, there is a small table and stool – it wouldn’t be the most comfortable place to base yourself, but it is a space away from the bed at least. They also throw in a tablet to use as there’s no television.
The bathroom was well-appointed, and the bath was designed for Western-sized bodies, which made a welcome change! Most of the business hotels I stay in in Japan have small baths where I have to sit upright, but this actually allowed for a leisurely soak.
The bathroom also had a full-sized sink, a magic Japanese toilet, and a decent amount of storage space.
The room was big enough for a large suitcase (although it will ruin the aesthetics!). However, note that there wasn’t a proper wardrobe, just two small hanging rails with two hangers each.
That’s actually pretty standard in most of the cheap Japanese hotels I stay in. Plus, I was only there for one night, so I didn’t need to unpack much, but if you like to unpack fully and have a few outfits to choose from, it would not be enough space.
RELATED READ: If you’re an art lover, don’t miss out on visiting Naoshima on your trip. It’s amazing. Check out our guide to Japan’s biggest art island here.
The biggest surprise, though, came the following day. I’d checked in at night, and so hadn’t seen the view, but the room is on the 9th floor facing the Kamo River. As I woke up and opened the curtains, I saw a sunrise over the whole of Kyoto, with landmarks like the famous pagoda and the statue at Ryozen Kannon (one of my favourite places to escape the Kyoto crowds) spread out in the distance in front of me. It was a lovely way to wake up.
Staying in Rooms 802/702
Because my friend and I are the epitome of the phrase ‘opposites attract’ when it comes to style, while my room was white, bright, and one step away from a child’s first bedroom, hers was way more goth!
Called 1993, the artist, Aiko Yuno, took their inspiration from a Japanese love hotel with dark colours, swirly carpet and a round bed. The hotel told us that initially, they wanted the bed to revolve, but they couldn’t make it work!
It also had a giant black doll’s house in it, which was kind of random.
If it appeals, the hotel has two rooms with this design – numbers 702 and 802, on the 7th and 8th floors respectively.
Again, she said her bed was very comfortable despite looking like it was on a hard stone base. Her only negative comment was, ‘the power outlets were a bit inconvenient, but that’s the price you pay for art.’
Her room faced the other way from mine, so she didn’t have the amazing view I had and her window was small in comparison. If the outlook is important to you, book one of the rooms facing the Kamo River.
I did like the fact that while our rooms had the same amenities, my kettle was a saintly white, while hers was black not to ruin the look!
The staff spoke excellent English and were incredibly friendly and helpful. They could have arranged for us to see some of the other rooms if we’d had more time there, but our schedule was jam-packed.
Where in Kyoto is the BnA Alter Museum?
The hotel’s location is very convenient. The shopping area, Gion, and Higashiyama are all within walking distance.
It’s also great for transport to go further afield. It’s a short walk from Kyoto Kawaramachi station which was the station we needed to catch the pretty Kyo Train Garuku to Osaka after our stay. The line here can also take you to Arashiyama and the Saiho-ji moss temple which we also visited.
If Fushimi Inari is on your itinerary, you’re also close to Gion Shijo station on the Keihan Line, which will take you there. It’s also on several bus routes with a stop just over the road.
In the evening, you’re a short walk from the Pontocho dining district, downtown and Gion. And there are plenty of small restaurants in the streets nearby.
There is also a bar in the hotel if you can’t be bothered to go too far. If that’s a phrase that makes you nervous, we didn’t hear anything from it. When we arrived to check in at about 8pm on a Saturday night there were just a couple of people having a quiet drink in there.
Are There Any Downsides?
It’s not the easiest to get to from Kyoto Station. Your best option would be to get a taxi. Otherwise, you’ll need to get the train to Shijo Station, which is a 13-minute walk away. That’s a bit of a hike if you have luggage so, you might want to send your luggage ahead.
The uniqueness of the rooms could also be a potential downside. We booked the hotel very early, and it was more expensive than I usually pay for a hotel in Japan: AU$333 a night (around US$220).
I have seen it a lot cheaper if you wait a little closer to booking, but because each room is unique, if you have your heart set on, say, a room with flamingoes and a floating bed, it’s not as easy to cancel and rebook if you see the rate fall as it might be in a hotel where all the rooms are the same.
If you’re not that worried about the exact room you get though just keep an eye on pricing.
Finally…Don’t Make This Rookie Mistake!
When you check in or if you go for a drink at the bar, note that the parcels in the foyer are an art! I just thought FedEx had dropped off and no one had noticed, but when they were still there the next day, I was glad I hadn’t mentioned it!
So much for understanding art!
Need Extra Planning Help?
Our Japan trip planners can help. You might like our First-Timers Japan Planner, which will help you plan your trip to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka step-by-step, including tips on everything from picking hotels to sightseeing and dining. Or our super-duper Tokyo Disney Planner makes arranging your park trip MUCH easier. Find them in our Planners store – printable and digital versions are available.
