A conceptual drawing of a standard room commanding a view of Higashiyama (provided by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company)

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, an American company, announced at a press conference in Tokyo on May 7 that "the Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto" will open on February 7, 2014 in Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, on the former site of Hotel Fujita Kyoto. Sekisui House, Ltd. will construct the hotel. Featuring a total of 134 guest rooms, including one 212-square-meters suite, the Ritz-Carlton is making inroads into Kyoto.

The hotel will have five stories above ground and two below, with a latticework interior design. The other guest rooms include 123 standard rooms of 44 to 71 square meters, and 10 suites of 99 to 140 square meters. The rooms will be among the largest in Kyoto City, and more than half will be arranged to command a fine view of the Kamo River and Higashiyama. There will also be a 20-meter indoor pool and spa facilities.

The Ritz-Carlton also introduced newly appointed General Manager, Yuji Tanaka, who served as the Interim General Manager at the Ritz-Carlton, Osaka. He expressed his aspirations, saying, "The great tourist city, Kyoto, has a great number of hotels and inns, but foreign-affiliated ones are few. We can offer a new option for the market." He has been posted to the preparatory office, which will be set up in Shimogyo Ward in June.

The Ritz-Carlton is an American luxury hotel brand. The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto is their forth hotel in Japan. On that day, Don Cleary, the COO of Marriott International in Asia Pacific, the parent company of the Ritz-Carlton, was present at the press conference.