This hotel was recommended to us by Japanese friends who have stayed here. The temple is part of the Chion-in temple complex, being situated just in front of the Sanmon Gate leading up to the rest of the temple grounds. On the wall of each hotel bedroom there is an alarm which will sound at 520am each morning, unless one turns the alarm to silent. This is because all hotel guests are welcome at the 6am service which starts in the Amida-do and continues in the Mieido. The rest of the temple complex is not officially open until about 9am each day. The grounds of the Chion-in temple are beautiful – there are 2 separate gardens to visit, both of which have a very peaceful atmosphere. We especially liked the Hojo garden. We stayed at the hotel on a half board basis with a different set menu for each evening meal and breakfast. The food was all Japanese food, and was delicious. Few staff spoke English, and the menu was in Japanese, but with google translate we usually worked out which type of fish we were eating – and the wagyu beef was really tender. The food was so beautifully presented – as well as tasting good. Our ensuite bedroom was comfortable, and very clean. The hotel has a gallery which hosts temporary exhibitions – we enjoyed meeting a group of artists from another part of Japan who had come to show their art. There was a launderette recommended by the hotel only 10 minutes walk away. This area of Kyoto was so pretty to stay in – with other temples (and gardens) to visit nearby (including Kiyomizu-dera where from the top part of the complex we looked down over Kyoto as the sun set; and Kodaiji where the temple gardens were lit up at night; and Heian Jingo Shrine Garden which had an extensive garden with many peaceful areas, and stepping stones).

Amazing temple hotel right on the premises of beautiful Chion-in temple. Room was clean and comfortable. We stayed at the traditional Japanese room. Breakfast was traditional Japanese and was very tasty. We attended the Buddhist ceremony which was such a unique experience! Grounds of the temple were so peaceful at 6am in the morning! We were able to enjoy the most crowded streets in peace after the ceremony ended!

We had to set up the futon and make the bed ourselves! It would have been nice if they did it for us. Also, there was a big group of high school kids so Onsen use was restricted to limited hours to accommodate this group!

The location is fantastic, near temples and Ninenzaka where you can find lots of restaurants and shops. The staff is friendly. There is a restaurant in the hotel with wonderful Japanese breakfast. There is a prayer ceremony that guests can attend at the nearby temple, we didn’t get a chance to go to the prayer but the Chionin Temple is breathtaking. It is a nice option to have, you just have to wake up really early to go, wake up call is at 5:20am and I believe services are at 6:00am. We stayed in the Japanese style rooms, very spacious. A relaxing place to stay especially after running around Kyoto with a ton of other tourists.

My son didn’t like the wake up calls for the prayer ceremony but I was fine with it since I usually woke up before the calls. For me personally everything was great.

Loved our stay here. In a beautiful area surrounded by trees with a view of the mountains The temple complex was very peaceful and to be staying next to it was special. We walked thru the park to reach the historical areas of Gion or crossed the river to walk into the more modern areas. The room was large, minimalist and futons very comfortable. Onsen amazing . What makes the place special was the reception staff and Manager ,who were kind, caring and professional. They genuinely want you to have an experience to remember. Which we did . I highly recommend staying here in if you are after peace and serenity in our crazy hectic world . Thank you

Nothing

Location was stunning with good bus links. The western style rooms were spotlessly clean and huge in Japanese terms with plenty of bottled water and tea, replenished daily. Staff were extremely polite and very helpful, even holding luggage after checkout as we had an evening flight. The local area was very quiet, the Temple was beautiful, I would recommend the hotel to anyone looking to stay in Kyoto.

Not really a dislike but…..Breakfast was a traditional nutritious Japanese meal, which was delicious and plentiful but could do with an explanation as how to eat (and which order) for western travellers.

this is a beautiful location. close to many temples, the main streets, the river, and the Nishiki market....truly a heavenly spot...parks, ponds, mountainside..... the hotel itself offers Japanese-style rooms as well as Western...we opted for the Japanese-type room and it was lovely. The option to attend services in the early morning is wonderful. The staff are wonderful, helpful, and friendly. There is an onsite restaurant, gift store, food trucks, and cafe....truly a one of a one-of-a-kind place...so so happy to have been at a conference that was held there and so was introduced to this magical place

the wifi was struggling a bit because of some construction in some areas of the hotel, but honestly...not a huge deal at all..everything else was so impressive...

Wow, what an amazing experience it was to stay here! The staff were super friendly and helpful and made all the information really clear, with leaflets to explain things like how to make the futon and how to use the baths. We stayed in a traditional Japanese tatami-floor room with futons and we attended the early-morning Buddhist service. We also loved walking around the park next to the temple as the sun went down, and using the hot bath. These were all such special experiences. We also had a Japanese breakfast in the restaurant (rice, miso soup, pickles, etc) which was unusual for us as Europeans but again, a brilliant experience. We had assumed that the breakfast would be vegan because of it being a Buddhist temple, but that was not the case. However, when we explained that we don’t eat animal products, they quickly swapped a few things for plant-based options without any issues.

If you’re looking for a ‘normal’ hotel, this is not for you. Check in times are limited to a relatively narrow window and there is an 11pm curfew. However, we were looking for something different and were happy to plan around the time constraints (we even welcomed the excuse for a rest), so we loved staying there for one night.

Very clean and comfortable. Staff is very helpful and kind. Beds comfortable, elegant feel, great amenities. Coffee shop on lobby level has espresso and plant based milks. There is a beautiful communal bath (not mixed). It’s in the mountains, lots of nature, but only a few feet away from the amazing shopping streets like NininZaka. And only 2 blocks to the bus and public transport. Nice clean bathroom, shower and bathtub in the rooms, beautiful decor.

Peaceful location right next to Chion-in temple but a good location for many other spots. Everything clean and staff friendly. You can choose Japanese style or Western style rooms. Nice gift shop and restaurant. Onsen is clean and spacious. Enjoyed getting up early to attend a service at the temple.

Wi-fi didn’t work for us (not a big deal). Onsen was lovely but smelt of chlorine which was a little off-putting.

The rooms are spacious and very clean. Even though the place is very close to Maruyama park, it's very quiet and relaxing. The staff was incredibly kind! They are able to provide vegan food here, which is wonderful!

We were a little disappointed that we couldn't use the bath with our tattoos. We have been living in Japan for 10 years now and we are still waiting for the day that tattoos are not seen as an inconvenience or trouble...