Hotel the Celestine Kyoto Gion

The hotel's location is excellent, just a 5-minute walk from the popular shopping street and the iconic tower. There's a shuttle bus to and from Kyoto Station every 40 minutes, and the stop is easy to find. It's super convenient for half-day trips to Arashiyama and Uji. The breakfast is really good, with fried shrimp, corn tempura, various breads, shumai, shrimp dumplings, and fried chicken. The fruit selection is also plentiful.

After extensive research on various social media and travel apps, I chose this hotel, and my experience far exceeded expectations – it was truly worth it. The airport/station transfer was convenient, and the front desk staff provided excellent service, making me feel right at home. The room was spacious, and all amenities were exceptionally complete. The hotel's location is also superb; it's quiet at night, and various attractions are within walking distance, just across the street from the luxurious Capella. The public bath was a delightful surprise, much cleaner and more professional than many hot spring resorts in China. A soak before bed truly helped me recover and recharge. Regarding some reviews mentioning preferential treatment towards white guests and ***, I didn't experience any of that, except for one odd instance during breakfast where my half-eaten meal was cleared away prematurely. The breakfast selection was incredibly diverse and plentiful. Overall, a fantastic and worthwhile stay!

A truly delightful stay! The hotel is located near Gion, offering a quiet environment with a distinct Kyoto charm. The overall atmosphere was very comfortable, and the room was clean and cozy. I especially appreciated the complimentary shuttle service to and from Kyoto JR Station; it made getting to the hotel incredibly convenient, which is a huge plus when you're traveling with luggage. The hotel's location is also excellent for visiting places like Gion and Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The staff were very friendly and provided great service, making my overall stay extremely satisfying. I would definitely consider staying here again on my next trip to Kyoto.

This hotel definitely lives up to its Michelin recommendation – both the facilities and service are top-notch. The location is also very convenient, and they even offer a shuttle bus to Kyoto Station.

I booked a king-sized bed room, but when I arrived at the hotel, I was told only twin rooms were available. After some discussion, they changed it to a twin room. The mini-fridge snacks in the room were all complimentary. You can also enjoy the hot springs for free in the evening, though I didn't get around to trying it. About 80% of the guests were Westerners, and the housekeeping staff were all from Southeast Asia. The hotel staff's attitude was excellent, which I really appreciated, but I noticed their attitude was even better towards Western guests... Most people walking around seemed to be Western tourists. The hotel isn't too far from nearby attractions; walking to Shijo and Kiyomizu-dera Temple is quite manageable. If you have the means, you could hire a car to visit other attractions, but it's not very friendly for those with luggage, as the sidewalks are incredibly narrow and you have to dodge both cars and people.

This place really captures the essence of Kyoto, and it seems to be a popular choice among international travelers. I actually just popped in once to escape the rain, so I haven't stayed here myself, but I was quite impressed by the overall design. They even have a hot spring bath and kimonos available, as you can see from the photos I've shared.

This hotel is incredibly comfortable and super close to the Gion district and Yasaka Shrine – you can easily walk there. It's a bit of a distance if you're relying on public transport, but I just used Uber and it was always easy to pinpoint the location right outside. The highlight for me was definitely the large public bath (onsen)! After walking 20,000 steps every day, soaking in that bath was pure bliss and completely refreshed me. The onsen is open from 3 PM until 10 AM the next day. If you're a bit shy, heading there around 12 AM might be perfect as it's usually empty then, so you can enjoy a private soak.