The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu

The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu

Morning here starts with temple bells rather than traffic. The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu sits in Higashiyama Ward, close enough to Kiyomizu Temple, Kodaiji Temple, Kenninji Temple and the Three-Year Slope that the cobbled lanes and incense smoke of the old temple district are a short walk rather than a taxi ride. It is a small property, 48 rooms across four floors, built as a design hotel rather than a chain box. Rooms are individually decorated with minibar, flat-screen television, premium bedding and a private bathroom with a separate bathtub and shower, and several categories, including the Deluxe King and the Standard Suite with panoramic view, come with lounge access. Downstairs there is a bar, a restaurant, a garden and terrace, and a spa with massage and an on-call doctor, alongside a fitness center, a library and multilingual staff who work in English and Chinese. It runs on wind, solar and geothermal power, a detail most Kyoto boutique hotels do not mention. Breakfast is available daily for a fee, and a city tax of JPY 200 to 1000 per person per night applies locally. Children aged 0-5 are not permitted in the restaurant and breakfast is served in guestrooms instead, and guests under 16 cannot use the fitness facility, so this is not the easiest base for families with small children. Pets are not allowed on the property. The hotel is wheelchair accessible, including access to the restaurant. It suits travelers who want to be inside Kyoto's temple quarter without staying in a ryokan, and who value a hotel that treats its own energy sourcing as seriously as its bedding. Those chasing a hotel with a pool deck or a big kids' club should look elsewhere. A design hotel steps from Kiyomizu Temple, running on wind, solar and geothermal power, with lounge-access suites and a small spa. Better suited to couples and solo travelers than families with young children.