宿坊 金光院ほたる庵

What was there not to like about this lovely property! The place is in a very peaceful area of town and the owners are absolutely the best. From the time we checked in when the owners brought in an interpreter to the time we checked out we had an amazing time staying at Konkoin! We made beautiful meaningful bracelets and had a beautiful Japanese breakfast too! We had a great snack basket and drinks in the refrigerator too! Refilled daily and they noticed every detail as my family was sick so they added a nice box of tissues and an additional garbage can as we were making more trash than normal. Staying on this amazing temple home helped us experience a special time in Kyoto as the space they have created has every detail taken care of and we also were able to enjoy the absolutely gorgeous garden too!! I can’t say enough about our stay. Oh and we had 5 people in our group so they opened up the prayer room for 2 of us so we wouldn’t be cramped in our space! The hospitality was spectacular!!! Don’t miss this beautiful experience

There wasn’t anything we didn’t like

This lodging is located in the sub-temple within a larger temple complex. When you go out you step into your own private, beautifully maintained garden, pass through the old gate and now you are met with this stunning view of the temple grounds with it's beautiful historic buildings. Honestly, it feels unreal that you are even allowed to stay here, like people buy tickets just to visit a place like this. The room itself is in Japanese style with tatami floors. The shoji screens are facing the garden and are made using kumiko - traditional Japanese woodwork art, and they are stunning. The futons and pillows were comfortable and plush. There is also a nice bathroom, all spotless. In general, you can see that a lot of thought and care was put into the room like when you build for yourself and not for somebody else. Hosts are the head-priest and his wife - nicest people, very accommodating. They don't speak English but it was very easy to use google translate with them, so no problems with communication. One of the highlights is that you can join the morning prayer. I highly recommend to join even if you are not Buddhist - it is a beautiful spiritual experience. I know of the other temple stays that offer to participate in a prayer and, unfortunately, many people in reviews report that it felt fake and touristy. This was nothing like that, it felt personal and sacred. I cannot wait to return on my next holiday, and I wholeheartedly recommend this stay to anyone looking for a peaceful, authentic, and special experience.

We love our stay at this 宿坊. The host family is very friendly and nice. It is located at a quite neighborhood, walking distance to Philosopher's Path and other temples. The room is very clean and cozy, it has private backyard, you can see beautiful maple trees through the screen and hear birds chirping in the morning. Such a wonderful experience!