Located within the Higashiyama district, we had a wonderful stay at Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion. Elegant and contemporary, the beautiful hotel is in a great location for exploring Kyoto!
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We share our experience at this boutique-style Kyoto hotel from our two-night stay. Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion has a stylish atmosphere yet also reflects the traditional culture beautifully.
In addition, in the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Hotels in Kyoto, Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion is awarded “1 Michelinquie – Special Stay”.
Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion: Location
Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion is in the heart of Gion, ideally located for first timers like us in Kyoto!
It is in a quiet neighbourhood with many sights and historic places only a short walk away.
Notably, we felt safe walking to and from the hotel each day, and the prime location made it a great base for exploring.
Also, we wanted to be walking distance from the historic and beautiful area of Sannenzaka! In fact, we booked a private photo shoot with Flytographer, which started at 6:30 a.m. to capture our time in Kyoto!
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Free Hotel Transportation
We took the Shinkansen train from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station, which only takes about fifteen minutes!
A great perk staying at the hotel is the free shuttle bus to and from Kyoto Station! It is worth noting that not all Kyoto hotels have this complimentary transportation as well.
At Kyoto Station, the bus boarding area is by the “Hachijo Exit” where the shuttle buses that go to and from hotels are located.
TIP: Kyoto Station has two main large exits: the “Hachijo Exit” is on the south side. The “Central Exit” is on the north side by Kyoto Tower.
We did not wait long for the hotel shuttle which runs throughout the day. The transfer was convenient and comfortable!
Access to this free hotel service saved us money from having to take a taxi. The transfer to the hotel is located approximately ten minutes away.
No reservations are required to use the hotel shuttle bus. However, confirm directly with the hotel for the shuttle schedule which is subject to change.
Additionally, for your reference, our return trip from Kyoto Station to Tokyo was just over two hours direct by shinkansen.
Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion: Nearby Attractions
The location of the hotel is great for exploring the area. We walked to many places and attractions from Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion!
Nearby attractions include the following and more:
- Hōkan-ji temple (Yasaka Pagoda) ~ 500 m (~8-minute walk)
- Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka ~ 10-minute walk
- Kiyomizu-dera temple ~ 1.0 km (~17-minute walk)
- Yasaka-jinja shrine ~ 1.1 km (~ 16-minute walk)
- Pontocho Alley ~ 1.2 km (~16-minute walk)
- Nishiki Market ~ 1.4 km (~20-minute walk)
Also, since it was our first visit to Kyoto, we highly recommend this 6-hour private tour in Kyoto with a Government-Licensed Guide! We chose our local guide and what to see and do during our tour!
*Check back for our more detailed review and article! Also explore the Viator link below for hundreds of positive reviews:
In fact, we booked a 6-hour private government-licensed guide in both Tokyo and Kyoto!
Our local guide met us the morning of our tour in the hotel lobby, for both tours. Well worth it, especially for first timers like us in Japan!
Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion: Highlights & Amenities
Hotel highlights
Property amenities include the following, and more:
- 4-star luxury hotel with elegant ambiance
- recommended in the new 2024 Michelin Guide Hotels Kyoto: 1 Michelinquie – Special Stay
- 24-hour front desk
- free shuttle bus between hotel and Kyoto Station for guests
- restaurant and bar on-site
- Wi-fi: complimentary for guests
- air conditioning
- private parking lot for guests (surcharge)
- Check in: 15:00 (i.e. 3:00 p.m.)
- Check-out: 12:00 p.m.
Ambiance
We loved the ambiance of the hotel! Overall, Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion is elegant and modern, in a tranquil setting.
The ambiance is very relaxing with nature always a main aspect throughout the hotel including the lobby, hallways, and decor.
The garden, pictured below, can be seen from the lobby and walking through the corridors.
And from the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and were provided exceptional customer service.
Front Desk
We arrived at the hotel by the free shuttle bus from Kyoto Station, available for guests of the hotel. Upon arrival, hotel staff welcomed guests and we were led to the beautiful lobby.
As I have mentioned in other reviews, we still prefer booking hotels that have 24-Hour Front Desk like Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion. It is particularly important for us when English is not the primarily language in the country we are visiting!
Check-in was easy as a hotel attendant sat with us in the lobby. Everyone we dealt with at the front desk throughout our stay was friendly and most importantly spoke English. This was very helpful and gave us comfort during our stay knowing we could always seek assistance if needed!
At check-out, the front desk helped us book our luggage transfer to our next accommodation. We had no issues with the luggage transfer and highly recommend using it in Japan!
Restaurant
There is one restaurant onsite, Yasada Endo, which serves breakfast and dinner.
There is a variety of food offered at breakfast, serving both Japanese and “Western” options.
We enjoyed an excellent buffet breakfast daily during our stay. The restaurant always had seating available and delicious options to choose from.
In the evening, Yasada Endo offers a Kyoto-style menu which varies based on the season. Unfortunately, we did not eat dinner at the hotel but we can highly recommend the convenient and tasty breakfast served daily.
BAR Omi Sakae & Guest Lounge
We visited the guest lounge once during our stay which offered complimentary coffee, tea, juice, and snacks during the day.
There were several other guests in the lounge as we had tea and cookies before heading out again for the evening.
It was nice to have refreshments available while we stopped in at the hotel during the day.
The guest lounge is available from 13:00 to 18:00 (i.e. 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
In the evening, BAR Omi Sakae offers drinks and alcohol from 19:00 (i.e. 7 p.m.).
Hotel Public Bath
There is a public bath in the hotel, free for guests to use. And since we definitely wanted to try a public bath in Japan at least once for the experience, it was convenient to have this amenity and tranquil setting in the hotel!
The room key cards are required to enter the public bath. And like many public baths in Japan, men and women bathe separately.
We decided to use the bath in the evening. My husband and I went to and from the bath in the yakata and geta (i.e. robes and indoor Japanese slippers), provided in our hotel room.
The large public bath was a new and interesting experience! Guests could sit and relax in the shallow pool, pictured above, and then shower and cleanse in the area with stalls.
The change room was large, bright, and clean. There were lockers, hair dryers and complimentary toiletries available for guests to use.
There was only one other woman finishing when I arrived. As such, I had the relaxing bath to myself. The warm bath was a great way to end a day of sightseeing!
The hotel public bath is open from 15:00 to 10:00 (i.e. 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.). No reservations are required.
Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion: Accommodations
Our expectations were high after looking at photos and reviews of Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion from our research prior to arriving.
Wonderfully, our room and the hotel overall surpassed our expectations!
We booked a Superior Queen Room for two nights at Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion on Booking.com.
The contemporary room was spacious and comfortable, with natural light from large windows looking into the garden.
The restroom was also spacious with separate rooms for the toilet and bathing. Complimentary toiletries in the drawer were also available and appreciated.
Room Amenities
The room included the following amenities and more:
- TV
- refrigerator
- air purifier with humidifier
- Nespresso machine
- tea and electric kettle
- safe
- complimentary mineral water
- yukata (robes), slippers
- complimentary bathroom amenities
- minibar (additional cost) – alcohol & snacks
- We ate the entire package of wasabi snacks (additional cost) -they were delicious!
Additional types of rooms and suites available to book at The Celestine Hotel Kyoto Gion also include:
- Junior Suite
- Executive Twin
- Deluxe
- Superior Twin
- Moderate Queen
- Superior Queen
- Accessible Twin
Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion: Conclusion
The tranquil ambiance and service from this modern, refined boutique hotel was wonderful!
Combined with it’s prime location, our stay at Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion was perfect for us!
We booked our stay at Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion through Booking.com – check the link below for availability and more reviews!
Happy travels and enjoy Japan!
Official website: https://www.celestinehotels.jp/kyoto-gion/
*Also check out our related articles on Japan including foods to eat in Kyoto, foods to eat in Osaka , foods to eat in Tokyo, and our other Japan hotel reviews!
Additional Information: Popular Tours
Kyoto Guided Tours
Explore Kyoto popular tours from Viator here, or explore the tours below with hundreds of positive reviews:
Kyoto Sake Tours
Also, Kyoto is known for sake! Although we planned on visiting a sake brewery, unfortunately we were not able to fit it in…we hope to return to Kyoto and surely tour at least one!
If you are visiting the Fushimi Inari Shrine, check out Kyoto’s sake district. The traditional district of Fushimi is also known for its sake breweries!
Check out these guided Kyoto sake tours or visit on your own!
Additional Kyoto Hotel Information:
For other accommodations in Kyoto, explore Booking.com for hotels, more reviews, and availability in the link below:
Kyoto Ryokan Accommodations
Since it was our first time in Kyoto, we definitely wanted to stay at a traditional ryokan in Kyoto!
We recommend the traditional Japanese experience and the lovely ryokan we stayed at:
- Toshiharu Ryokan
- 3-star beautiful historic ryokan for a traditional experience with modern amenities.
- read our Toshiharu Ryokan review here with photos!
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