Hotel Kanra Kyoto was born in the autumn of 2010, through the conversion of a 23-year-old educational facility located north of Higashi Honganji Temple in Kyoto. The name 'Kanra' (written with the Japanese characters 感洛) is imbued with the hope that guests will feel the essence of beauty, wisdom, and the spirit of hospitality that Japan has cultivated.
The guest rooms feature a distinctive elongated "machiya style" design, a modern interpretation of traditional Kyoto townhouses, making use of the existing building's structure. Many rooms include tatami mat areas, creating a modern yet stylish Kyoto-esque atmosphere that has been highly praised by both domestic and international guests.
On October 17, 2016, the hotel underwent a renewal and expansion, adding 39 rooms. With "Inheritance and Innovation" as its design concept, a select shop, three restaurants, and a spa were newly opened, transforming it into a 68-room machiya-style luxury hotel.