Ah, Kyoto ♥
The first time I visited this beautiful city was in 2016 with mom and Jess, but it was only a one-day trip, with no overnight stay. This time though, I spent 4D3N and I stayed at two different hotels. So, today I'm going to share my review on the first hotel, Hoshino Resorts L'Hotel de Hiei.
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| Pic cr: matcha-jp.com |
Hoshino Resorts L'Hotel de Hiei is one of the properties of Hoshino Resorts group (a leading luxury hotel chain in Japan), and it is located on the hillside of Mount Hiei, the tallest mountain in Kyoto.
Upon arriving, you will be welcomed by friendly and professional staffs and aesthetically pleasing lobby which has a European design appeal.
If you felt tired from the trip getting here, your mood would instantly be lifted up by the welcome food and drink!
The welcome food tasted from savory to sweet, and each one was accompanied by three different cups of "Oumi Tsuchiyama Tea" —the tea that has the longest history of all Japanese tea, and was said to be good for your heart health. Each cup of tea was prepared using different techniques to best complement each food.
Room
The size of the bedroom is relatively spacious compared to average Japanese rooms and the interior come in several designs inspired by French cities, like Provence, Savoie, Normandie, and Paris. My room was the Savoie room. I really loved the use of high-quality wood around the room! 😍
The bathroom is also spacious, equipped with the latest bath amenities and a bidet with heated toilet seat.
Anyway, as I've mentioned earlier, they have several designs for the rooms, and this one is the Paris-themed room. ↓
There is also a painting that represents each country in front of the room (how cute is that!)
The total number of guest rooms is only around 30, so rest assured you will get individualized attention :)
Dinner
I've got to say the dinner at Hoshino Resorts L'Hotel de Hiei is the most unforgettable experience from my stay. The meals were made using local ingredients that had been picked carefully straight from Lake Biwa and Omi area, an area around Lake Biwa. Then they were prepared using French technique.
The results? EXQUISITE!
My personal favorite was the Potage/Soup - Chicken Consommé with lever paste, but the steak was a close second.
The meals were accompanied by a glass of champagne, white wine and red wine.
After dinner, you can take a walk outside the restaurant to enjoy the beautiful view of Kyoto. Don't forget to grab a blanket so you won't get cold ↓
There is also a complimentary wine that you can enjoy while taking in the view 🍷
Morning After
A refreshing view from my room 💖
There are several activities that you can enjoy during your stay at Hoshino Resorts L'Hotel de Hiei, such as wine tasting, afternoon tea, and morning prayers at Enryakuji Temple.
I didn't get the chance to experience the first two, but I was lucky enough to join the morning prayers—the one I had anticipated the most! 💫
So, I went on the hotel shuttle bus early in the morning (6AM) along with other guests to the Enryakuji Temple area. There was no photography allowed inside the temple, but I can say it was such a unique experience to just sit there listening to the monk chanting in Japanese (even though I didn't understand a word), and surrounded by Japanese elementary students who, I assumed, were having a field trip to the temple.
A bit info of the Enryakuji Temple:
It was founded in 788 A.D. and is one of the most significant monasteries in Japanese history. As such, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.
There are numerous important temples and stupas gathered in this area, and the prayers were held at Konpon Chu-do, the most important temple in Hieizan where the hidden Buddhist icon Yakushi Nyorai is enshrined.
On our way back to the hotel, we passed by this spectacular view of Lake Biwa (Biwa-ko), the largest freshwater lake in Japan and one of the oldest lakes in the world—at least 4 million years old! This lake can also be viewed from the hotel.
Back to the hotel and it was breakfast time already! Everything was so fresh and tasty!
Outside of the restaurant, you can enjoy the green nature, fresh air, chill atmosphere and calming silence that surrounds the place. Just standing there made me feel very peaceful :)
Library
There is a library on the basement floor where you can take pleasure in browsing up to 200 books while savoring different kinds of tea.
Gift Shop
As Hoshino Resorts L'Hotel de Hiei is located on the border of Kyoto and Shiga prefectures, you will find many items that were produced in Shiga prefecture that you can buy at the gift shop, as well as Hōjicha (roasted green tea).
How to Get There
You can get there either by a private car, taxi, or a scheduled shuttle bus from the hotel that will pick you up at Kyoto station. I chose the shuttle bus option!
Okay guys, that's all for today! I hope you find this post interesting and helpful. See you in my next post 😘
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