Originally Posted by od_sf

Yes, some private roads in Gion are now inaccessible. And yes, some restaurants in Gion won't serve tourists - but that has always been the case.

You can keep your hotel booking, just be aware that Gion is one of the spots in Kyoto that tends to get overrun with the tourist hordes. I love Kyoto but Gion is one of the areas I avoid like the plague, it is just not pleasant. I avoid these areas at all cost:

Gion
Kiyomizu-dera Temple and surrounding areas after 7am (I recently went at 6am opening time and it was already too crowded for me...)
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and surrounding areas after 7am
Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine after 8am
Ginkaku-ji Temple and Kinkaku-ji Temple
Nishiki Market

Thankfully, this is where you'll find 90%+ of tourists in Kyoto, so if you avoid these locations you can have a relaxed, peaceful Kyoto experience.