Japan's best hotels, spas and pools in 2026
The Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2026 winners for Japan, as voted by readers.
Last reviewed · Sep 2026
Japan's perfectionist approach to luxury — omotenashi, or selfless and heartfelt service, plus traditional design and cinematic settings — puts it in a league of its own. This year's top-10 lists mix global and Japanese brands, united by a strong sense of place.
Best beach, island and upcountry hotels
No. 1, Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono (Hokkaido): ski-in/ski-out access to Hanazono powder, BAR Studio design, 100 rooms and 28 suites, eight restaurants including a Pierre Hermé patisserie, a stone-clad onsen, and treetop trekking courses in summer.
- Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, Hokkaido
- ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa, Oita
- Club Med Kiroro Grand, Hokkaido
- Rosewood Miyakojima, Okinawa
- The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa
- Amanemu, Shima Peninsula
- InterContinental Sapporo
- Halekulani Okinawa
- The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
- Azumi Setoda, Seto Inland Sea
Best city hotels
No. 1, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto — a three-time winner. Zen-inspired wood, bonsai and sumi-e ink paintings, Chef's Table by Katsuhito Inoue, a heated pool and La Prairie spa, all on the Kamogawa River close to Gion and Higashiyama.
- The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
- Park Hyatt Kyoto
- Dusit Thani Kyoto
- The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka
- Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo
- Aman Tokyo
- Park Hyatt Tokyo
- Patina Osaka
- Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills
- Bellustar Tokyo, a Pan Pacific Hotel
Best hotel spas
No. 1, Harnn Heritage Spa at ANA InterContinental Beppu: traditional Asian medicine and naturopathy, with hot-spring tea blends and products from local artisans.
| # | Spa | Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harnn Heritage Spa | ANA InterContinental Beppu |
| 2 | Yu, The Spa by L'Occitane | Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo |
| 3 | Evian Spa | Palace Hotel Tokyo |
| 4 | AO Spa | Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills |
| 5 | Spa Izumi | Hyatt Regency Hakone |
| 6 | Thermal Spring Spa | Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto |
| 7 | The Spa | Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo |
| 8 | Fukuzumiro | Hakone |
| 9 | La Prairie Spa | The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto |
| 10 | Thermal Spa S.Wave | Oiso Prince Hotel |
Best hotel pools
ANA InterContinental Beppu's hillside infinity pool, looking over green hills down to the sea, has been voted Japan's best for three years running.
- ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa
- Halekulani Okinawa
- Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo
- Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills
- Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto
Best general managers
- Manabu Kusui, Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto (also GM of the new Mitsui in Hakone)
- Mari Takara, ANA InterContinental Beppu
- Masaru Watanabe, Palace Hotel Tokyo
- Shiho Ikeuchi, Ace Hotel Kyoto
- Radu Cernia, The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka