Foodicles: Overnight at the new Ritz Carlton Kyoto

Food is the main feature in every city I travel. Equally important is the hotel. It's where I spend a third to half of my time so it's crucial that the hotel is clean, well maintained, and centrally located to the better parts of the city. If it's a reputable brand name hotel, that adds points. And massive points go to brand new hotels all with the above criteria.

One of my favorite things to do online is to research new hotels, more specifically new luxury hotels in cities I'll potentially visit in the next couple of years. If it's a new city to visit, it's all the more important that the hotel is new, or opened within the last two years, to guarantee clean comfort.

The Ritz Carlton Kyoto is the newest in the city. It was actually supposed to open after the Four Seasons, but the Ritz Carlton stayed mostly on track while the Four Seasons is still delayed. So on February 2014, the hotel opened along the Kanagawa River.

For one night (thanks to a lot of accumulated Marriott Rewards points), my family and I enjoyed the Zen luxury in one of Japan's most beautiful getaways. Any time of the year is great to visit Kyoto. Early fall was perfect as the trees were still lush green and the temperature was perfect for walking.

The hotel's Japanese architecture influence is evident all around in the simplicity, and the establishment's pampering is evident in all the detailed luxury in the rooms and around the hotel grounds, including the friendly service of all the staff. This overnight break was the perfect pause between the busier cities of Osaka and Tokyo.

Unfortunately, I completely didn't take any room shots - just photos of the rooms details like the coffee and tea sets. I got to lost in being impressed with the luxurious details, like Christofle silverware, two kinds of tea and coffee stations, and the beautiful Zen surroundings.