5-Star Hotels in Hakone

Great experience! From the receptionist in the parking lot to the front desk and lounge are first class As soon as I entered the wooden house, I smelled a faint woody fragrance, and my whole person suddenly relaxed a lot. You have to take off your shoes when you enter the hotel, and the front desk will take care of them, so you directly step on the tatami with your feet, soft and comfortable. The room is very large, there are three doors from the main door of the room to the position of the bed, so the room is very quiet. The bed is very large, moderately soft and hard. There is free water, beer and juice in the small refrigerator. The electric kettle has hot water that has already been heated, and there is also a pot of room temperature water to drink next to it The room is heated and air-conditioned at the same time In addition to shampoo and other products, there are also toners, makeup lotions, and lotions that can be used. There are also hair loops for long hair. The whole arrangement is very careful. The view of the room is first-rate, and soaking in a daze in the open-air hot spring is a first-class enjoyment. Dinner and breakfast are in the restaurant on the second floor. Arrange a time with the waiter to go to the first floor and they will show you where to eat. Dining is in a semi-private room with tatami mats, and no other guests will be seen. The waiter for both meals is the same person, needless to say, polite, with a bright smile, very hard to explain the dishes in simple English. It is suitable for people who like to be quiet, slow, and [not to see people]!

When checking in, the hotel will explain the tourist route of Hakone. It's a no-brainer to check in and just follow the map provided by the hotel. The service exceeded my expectations. I felt like a princess returning home during my stay. I thought this was the standard Japanese service. But later I stayed in other hotels and found that the service of Gora Kadan is far better than other hotels of the same price. The room is a bit old and the shower is also very old, but it is cleaned quite well.

The hotel's shuttle service made getting around incredibly easy. We pre-booked it on Ctrip, and the shuttle to/from Odawara was right on schedule. It also offered flexible pickups and drop-offs at several attractions. After returning to the hotel, a soak in the hot spring was the perfect way to unwind and wash away the day's fatigue.

The forest-view rooms are located in the wing built in the 1960s. The decor isn't just retro; it's genuinely vintage. You can tell they used quality materials and had good taste, but it definitely feels dated. The public bath is conveniently located on the 6th floor of the forest wing. The shower stalls have dividers, so privacy is decent. If you're not comfortable using the public bath, the hot water in the room's bathtub is actually hot spring water, so you can enjoy a private soak in your room. The hotel itself has a lot to offer. There's a hiking trail behind it where you can see Mount Fuji, but it takes about an hour, and I didn't have time for it this trip. For breakfast, you can choose between Western or Japanese. The Japanese breakfast requires a reservation. Our timing didn't work out, so we had Western breakfast for two days. The menu was exactly the same both days, and while the dishes were standard, they were meticulously prepared. As a hotel that was once a showcase for Japan's opening to the West, you can feel the high standards of design and service everywhere. Most of the guests are older, which reminds me a bit of China's Friendship Hotel. For families with children, the hotel provides kids' yukata and toiletries, and you can buy fish food for 100 yen to feed the koi, which made the kids very happy.

This was my second stay here. My previous visit with my child was so enjoyable that when a friend came to Japan, I brought them here for a night. Throughout our stay, the staff were incredibly kind and thoughtful. Both breakfast and dinner were very satisfying. However, at check-out, one particular staff member's attitude absolutely floored me. 1. For self-check-out, there were three machines. One was free, and there was no queue, so we just went ahead and used it. 2. After checking out, I wanted to inquire about the hotel shuttle and public bus routes and schedules, as we didn't have a car this time. Both manual check-out counters were busy with guests, so I stood behind them, waiting my turn. 3. Suddenly, a staff member came out from the side to guide guests queuing for check-out. She noticed I was inadvertently standing in front of the line she was directing. She gestured for me to move, and I apologized and immediately stepped aside. Then, when she had a moment, I asked her where I should queue to inquire about the hotel bus schedule. For some reason, she seemed extremely annoyed. She spoke to me with a blank expression for a couple of sentences, then realized I didn't speak Japanese, and that she couldn't explain it to me quickly. Our conversation wasn't even finished when she angrily turned and walked away... At first, I thought she was in a hurry to attend to the queuing guests, as it was peak check-out time, and that she'd get back to me. So I waited in a spot where I wouldn't bother her or her line. But then I realized she completely intended to ignore me! I just stood there waiting for her, hahaha. Eventually, I thought, 'This isn't right. Is getting a schedule really this difficult?' She was the only person available to ask, so I went up to her again and asked in English. She froze, looking at me with a surprised expression, perhaps not expecting me to come back after her impolite demeanor. So, she had to patiently, albeit reluctantly, quickly reply to me in English. I asked if she could give me a copy of the schedule. She didn't even say ”please wait a moment.” She just turned directly to the counter, grabbed a schedule, practically slapped it into my hand with a ”Pia!” sound, said absolutely nothing, and then spun around and walked away, hahaha. I even managed to say ”thank you” to her. I was stunned. A 2600 yen per night hotel, and in my two years in Japan, this was the first time I'd experienced such shockingly poor service. I suggest that during peak check-out times, more staff should be assigned, or essential information like schedules should be placed in a conspicuous location, which would also save staff the trouble. And while the hotel indicates Chinese-speaking service is available, if staff who only speak Chinese are discouraged from asking questions, then I suggest the hotel shouldn't be on platforms like Ctrip trying to attract Chinese customers in the first place.

Yes, the hotel provides breakfast and dinner. The Japanese food is exquisite and the service is also very good. If the price/performance ratio is higher, it will be more enjoyable. I will go there again in the future. The private hot spring is very good and the service is very good.

The hotel is located in a very secluded mountainous area. I stayed in an open-air hot spring villa with a large courtyard, and soaking in the hot spring was incredibly relaxing and wonderful, whether it was cloudy or sunny, day or night. The courtyard was beautiful on rainy days. The entire villa area was almost completely silent; aside from occasionally seeing people at mealtimes, I barely saw anyone else, which was very pleasant. The hot springs were also excellent, leaving my skin feeling smooth and moisturized. The room had a living room with a fireplace and a Bluetooth speaker, making it spacious and warm. This was the hotel's biggest draw. However, some small details were lacking. Some villas don't have parking, like mine, and walking to the parking lot was quite a trek. The bathroom area wasn't well-heated; the shower and toilet rooms were very cold unless the door was left open. The hotel's toiletries need improvement; the cotton pads were unusable, of very poor quality, falling apart into shreds when I tried to wipe my face. The bedding was also quite mediocre, not comfortable at all, and the mattress felt saggy. However, the linens were very clean and fresh, which was good. Cleanliness was so-so. Both the hot spring pool and the shower room, being made of wood, are prone to mold, and the hotel should clean them more thoroughly. The Kaiseki dinner was very ordinary. The taste and ingredients were unremarkable, though the price was also reasonable. There's no need to eat the hotel's Kaiseki if you have other options. The service was decent. They thoughtfully sent champagne for our anniversary, which was a nice touch. Check-in and check-out were handled in the room, and other services were quite proactive.

Stayed at gen fufu. This hotel is the last one in Hakone. Fortunately, it is the last one because it is a bit far from the attractions in Hakone. Although it is only 10 kilometers, the transportation in Hakone is not convenient. The hotel is located halfway up the mountain. The bed is a bit too soft. The bathroom is stuffy because there is no ventilation. The temperature of the hot spring is high. There are water droplets on the entire bathroom wall. Overall, if this hotel is located in the city center, it can be considered. The breakfast is Western, but the taste is very ordinary. Although the dinner is a one-star Michelin hotel, it is still a little disappointing. The only classics nearby are the reed marshes and the Hakone Nemoto Hot Spring Town. Friends who come to Hakone for the first time should stay near Gora.

The famous house is over 300 years old and well maintained. The decoration of the waiting area is more English style, with free drinks and a comfortable fireplace. The waiting area for each group of customers is relatively independent and undisturbed, which is good. On the way from the waiting area to the room, you will pass through several rest areas with different functions, with beautiful window views of different scenery. This time I stayed for only one night, and it was a pity that I couldn't feel the tranquility in front of the window. The room I booked has an outdoor private bath, and it is quite comfortable to enjoy the courtyard view while soaking. The Kaiseki cuisine is standard and there is no surprise. The check-out time of Hakone Hotel seems to be 10 am, too hurried 😂

Pros: The terrace is very photogenic! The hotel is bright and spacious. It was my first time in Hakone. I could see a beautiful sunrise in the morning. The room was beautiful when I took photos. The facilities and equipment were relatively new. The highlight was the cafe in the lobby. There were a lot of coffee, tea, drinks, and wine for free. The juice was very delicious. The oat milk was also organic. Unlike other hotels, the refrigerator only had a few bottles of drinks. Disadvantages: 1. The hot spring pool was not clean enough. Many places were yellow or moldy and not cleaned. 2. The hot spring was not constant temperature. It was very troublesome to add water by yourself. 3. In addition, the room was actually quite cramped. It was not as big as it looked. The toilet was very small. 4. The bed and bedding were really uncomfortable. The pillow was very small and the quilt was a bit short... 5. The partitions of the hotel were all made of stone. They were very hard. In addition, the room was not big. My friend's hand was scratched. 5. The food was really not delicious... too Japanese. Many things were very rigid. You must eat breakfast at 8:30. The waiter would go into the room and turn on the lights regardless of whether you were sleeping or not. When you took a nap, he would knock on the door repeatedly to confirm all your itineraries for the day. Time: departure time, use shuttle time If you can't confirm, just keep asking...