Hotel check in/check up – our intrepid writer booked a room at this colourful boutique art hotel in the heart of Kyoto’s downtown, and why you should, too.
Art is at the centre of everything at the BnA Alter Museum in Kyoto, Japan, including an impressive 10-storey vertical art gallery, ‘SCG,’ showcasing Japanese contemporary art, and a bar, ‘untitled’, on the main floor where weekly art and music events are held.
Where you stayed:
BnA Alter Museum, 267-1 Tenmacho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto-fu.
Any history to the place?
The BnA Alter Museum. opened in 2019, is the largest of the BnA hotels to open outside of Tokyo. It has 31 permanent art exhibitions (aka hotel rooms) – which guests also sleep in, created by 15 Japanese artists.
PHOTO: BnA Alter Museum Hotel
The BnA Museums in Tokyo and Kyoto are each different, however, there is one thing universal across them all, the BnA Revenue Share System. A percentage of each room booking provides direct income for the artist who created the permanent exhibition in each guest room. This system creates continual income and exposure for the artists working with the hotel. By just sleeping in a room, I became a patron of the arts.
What brought you to this hotel?
When I was searching for a boutique hotel in a prime downtown Kyoto location, photos of the wildly colourful hotel rooms at the BnA Alter Museum popped up, and I knew I just had to stay there.
PHOTO: BnA Alter Museum Hotel
When did it open?
After opening two facilities in Tokyo’s Akihabara and Koenig districts in 2016, the BnA Alter Museum opened in Kyoto in 2019.
Location, location, location:
Right in Kyoto’s downtown, BnA Alter Museum is within a five-minute walk to many attractions including the famous restaurant street, Ponto-cho Alley, Nishiki Market, Kawaramachi and Gion Districts, and Kiyamachi for nightlife and restaurants. I also was able to stroll along the banks of the Kamo River, located a couple of blocks from the hotel.
The Hankyu Subway Terminal is located just a 5-minute walk from the hotel. I used the subway to visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Osaka-Umeda.
Designed for everybody?
PHOTO: BnA Alter Museum Hotel
This boutique hotel might not appeal to guests who are accustomed to larger, more traditional hotels with multiple restaurants, room service and a variety of amenities including a spa. If you are inclined to stay at the BnA, there are 31 incredible artist-designed rooms to suit all tastes.
Breakfast in bed?
Sigh! Breakfast in bed is not available. Reservations must be made in the café/lounge between 08:00 and 10:30, and you must choose your preferred breakfast time and food choices from a menu of hot and cold items the night before.
The café is Scandi is contemporary with tables and chairs made with blonde woods ideal for the warm and bright space.
Some rates include breakfast, other rates are room only; rates vary depending on the plan selected. Breakfast is an additional 1,650 JPY/person ($16.00 CAD) and includes salad, soup and a drink. The avocado and fermented mushroom panini was beautifully presented.
What you loved:
At the time of booking, I was asked to choose which “gallery” I preferred. Each hotel room is a gallery with the artist’s name and background available on the hotel website.
Before making the choice, I also visited the site at On The Trip, where I saw artists’ interviews for each room and how their concepts came about.
I chose gallery #601, a far cry from the typical beige or white hotel room. It was called the NEXTEFX room, and the artist’s Instagram page here.
What you thought could be better:
It’s not a big thing, but I would love to have had a chair in the room to sit on while I got dressed! The beds were simple mattresses on the floor with a large bean bag. I did mention this to the staff when I checked out and they said that had I asked for a chair they would have happily put one in the room.
Need to Know:
- Check In 3:00 pm; check out 11:00 am
- On-site restaurant and bar. It is small and you must reserve a breakfast time and food order the night before.
- Free WiFi throughout.
- Luggage storage.
- All rooms have the following amenities: fridge, electric kettle, coffee and tea, dental kit, shaving kit, comb, and hair dryer.
- A tablet with Netflix installed is in the room for entertainment instead of TV.
Reserve directly or info@bnaaltermuseum.com; +81 075 748 1278.
