Cc.lee.bStayed 4 nights at Celestine with my mom in a Twin Room. We chose this hotel due to it's location in Gion - and after walking around Kyoto and seeing other areas, we are happy to have chosen Gion. The early morning walks and after-sunset walks are magical in this area and we did them every day.
Hotel staff are great - always willing to help. They assisted us with checking availability of tea ceremonies and restaurants. Public bath is great - I used it nightly. Very warm, very peaceful and discrete. A highlight.
Breakfast was another reason we chose Celestine - great reviews online. Most places in Kyoto open 10/11am, some even at midday. Finding breakfast is difficult, unless you're happy to eat 7-eleven. Breakfast was varied and delicious. The tempura was fantastic. Salmon, miso, salads, yoghurt, honey, fruits, pumpkin, broccoli, eggs, pastries, sausages, bacon, mini toasts with toppings, coffee, mixed juices. Worth it to have the convenience of breakfast included, especially with early mornings, the breakfast starts at 6.30am. Only downside was the harsh lighting overhead - directly in eyes and over faces. Lighting needs to be indirect/redirected for it to be enjoyable and calming.
If you're a morning matcha-needing person, Kafe Coffee is a 7 minute walk away - they open at 7am with amazing matcha.
From the hotel, we walked mornings and evenings. and proximity to Kiyomizu-dera was a few minute walk away. Seeing the temples and winding streets almost exclusively before and after crowds was highly valued.
Concierge services and taxi assistance is needed in Kyoto - easy to get assistance with at Celestine.
Aesthetically, the hotel tends to be quite dark. It's a 'hushed' tone more than a peaceful one. Skews more towards business hotel than holiday retreat - materials, lighting, furniture. Personal insight.
Hotel beds were comfortable enough and pillows typical Japanese small pillows - oh what we would pay for oversized soft pillows for a good sleep :)
The shower bath area would be the primary drawback - dark black plastic is more masculine than peaceful. Room TV was tiny - didn't expect to comment on the TV as we don't typically watch it but after 25,000 steps during the day, you want to put a movie on and zone out. For an overwhelmingly foreign clientele, all electronic fixtures like remote, AC are in Japanese. TV has an English menu when you can navigate to it, however there are only local channels with one CNN channel. Movie channel, like other hotels, would be most welcome.
Celestine is recommended for location in Gion. The upside is proximity to Kiyomizu Dera and gion streets. Very clean. Great breakfast. Wonderful staff. Public bath a highlight.
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