4-Star Hotels in Hakone

I took a bus from Odawara Station, got off at the “Verde no Mori” bus stop, and reached the property in about an 8-minute walk. As it was my first time visiting Hakone, walking uphill from the bus stop while carrying a suitcase made me feel a bit uneasy at first. However, once I arrived, I was warmly welcomed with a welcome drink, and they kindly accommodated an early check-in, which was a big relief. The room was spacious with a beautiful view, and I was thrilled to finally experience a semi-open-air bath, something I had always dreamed of. The location is extremely quiet, making it a perfect place to truly relax and enjoy a peaceful escape from everyday life. There isn’t much around the property. If you have a car, this won’t be an issue, but for those without one (like me this time), I recommend bringing some snacks just in case. Although I didn’t use it, the hotel also seems to offer shuttle service to nearby bus stops. Dinner, which I reserved in advance, was served in a private dining room and featured a kaiseki-style menu. During my stay in late January, the sashimi course originally included bluefin tuna, amberjack, and ark shell. However, because “a Japanese guest (me!) was visiting,” they thoughtfully prepared usubahagi, a fish I had never encountered before. I was truly impressed by this considerate gesture. The sakura shrimp rice cooked in a small clay pot was another highlight. When I couldn’t finish it all, they kindly made rice balls for me to take, which was such a warm and thoughtful touch. Breakfast was also confirmed the day before, and I was able to receive some additional service. Both meals were excellent in quantity and flavor—I enjoyed everything immensely. The flowing hot spring bath in the room requires mixing in cold water and adjusting the temperature yourself, but by running the cold water about 5–7 minutes before bathing, it was not inconvenient at all. Honestly, this is a place that may divide opinions depending on personal preference. For me, however, it was a wonderful stay, and I definitely plan to return. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch his name, but the Japanese male staff member who took care of our meals was gentle, polite, and answered all my questions clearly, which made me feel very comfortable. There was also a young Southeast Asian female staff member; while there were minor communication misunderstandings, she worked very hard. As someone who also works abroad, I sincerely hope she continues sharing the beauty of Hakone and Japan with international guests visiting this inn. Next time, I will definitely stay for multiple nights!

This time, I booked two rooms for my child and me. The hotel's services and facilities were quite satisfying, a true example of standard Japanese hospitality. Especially noteworthy was the lovely and enthusiastic Hong Kong lady who served us dinner. Her detailed and thoughtful explanations of the dishes made our dinner experience incredibly pleasant. On the downside: Since we planned to explore Hakone during the day, I didn't book transportation in advance before leaving my country. That morning, I tried calling and emailing the hotel to arrange a pick-up from Gora station, but I couldn't get through. The phone number kept showing up as incorrect, it was a 0570 number, and Ctrip's website seemed to show 5700, so I might have misunderstood. In the end, we had to take a taxi from Gora station. Also, after check-out, the hotel only offers transfers to Sounzan or Gora station, not to the Hakone Open-Air Museum. While it's true that it's only one stop on the Hakone Tozan Railway, we had to carry all our luggage, navigate the station, go up and down slopes ourselves. The hotel's reason for not providing the transfer was that the two places are very close. I didn't want to inconvenience the staff, but for a hotel at this price point, the guest transfer service was disappointing.

The Hakone Fujiya Hotel is really conveniently located. You get off at Hakone Tozan Line's OH51 terminal, walk straight, turn left, take the direct elevator down, walk forward past the red railing bridge, turn right, and a little further on your left, there's an elevator leading up to the main entrance, which is also the parking lot. The cold water from the tap in the room is drinkable. The hot springs are on the second floor, and the recliners in the lounge are very comfortable. They offer hot and cold tea, and you can buy milk and yogurt from vending machines if you have some small change. Breakfast on the first floor at 7 AM is super crowded. Dinner at the hotel took over an hour. Dining at 8 PM on the second day was too late. The original flavor dango from a street vendor near the entrance was very soft and reminded me of rice cakes grilled on a gas stove when I was a child. The rusks here are quite tasty, and there's also a visually appealing ice cream shop, but you have to eat your purchase inside the store. It was very crowded, so I didn't buy anything. It rained for both nights we stayed, luckily we had a private car tour. Our first stop was the Hakone Open-Air Museum, which opens at 9 AM; it's more enjoyable to wander around when there are fewer people. We bought tickets for the pirate ship for 2500 yen, and with fewer people, we were prioritized for boarding – a smart move on a rainy day.

Yama No Chaya has its own beauty and serenity. I personally don’t find it hard to locate - 2 bus stops away from Hakone Yumoto station + a 5 minutes walk are worth the stay. (Bus service stopped for one of the days due to bad weather and we walked for 20 minutes to Hakone Yumoto Station - all good) The team is very hospitable - they also have some English and Chinese speaking staff otherwise simple English is not an issue to communicate. Our butler - Sandip always carry a smile with him, and he ensured we are very well taken care of. Every morning, the team will prepare heat pack and umbrellas for us (it was raining and snowing). In the evening, they made tea and prepared snacks (vary from mochi to sushi) for us upon our returned. The room we booked is Yamano Ichigo (main wing) - just nice for 2. The viewing platform was where we relaxed every evening and we soaked our tiredness away in our very own private onsen at the basement. Despite of having our own private onsen, I still went to visit 3 other public onsen within the Ryokan - you will not be disappointed. Our room came with daily breakfast and we added on dinner for 1 night. I must say the chef and culinary team put in their passion and effort to prepare all the dishes. It’s not common for a visitor like me to taste Kaisekai cuisine which I enjoyed very much. You need to take time and an empty stomach to full experience it :) However, my partner and I weren’t used to heavy breakfast and our butler noticed it - we get to change to western style for the rest of the stay which was equally delicious. We are thankful that we minimised food wastage. Overall, we felt pampered during our stay at Yama no Chaya :) I will return again in the future when I visit Hakone.

Surrounded by mountains, the hotel offers stunning views. The Japanese garden-style architecture is very elegant, and the rooms are clean and tidy. The front desk staff were very polite. In the evening, there are several restaurants within walking distance, making dining very convenient. This onsen hotel certainly didn't disappoint! The hot spring baths were very clean, divided into several areas with different water temperatures, and there was even complimentary ice cream for guests. The Japanese breakfast provided by the hotel on the second day was exquisite and delicious, and I could enjoy the scenery outside the window while eating! I really didn't want to leave! I'll definitely come back next time!

A relatively old hot spring hotel, run by an elderly Japanese couple, and an auntie-like waiter. The overall experience is average, mainly because it is too old, the facilities are very old, and the hot spring is very small; it is far from Yumoto Station, the shuttle bus does not operate after 5 pm, the hotel does not have a pick-up service, the suitcase is large, and it is difficult to bring children Not recommended by tourists.

First off, let me explain why I chose this hotel. A colleague highly recommended it. Her Japanese relatives had taken her there when she visited Hakone before, and she said it was mostly frequented by locals. After checking in, I found this to be true, so I booked it. Now, about the location. It's right next to Kowakien. The bus stops in that area are all very close, with three stops within two to three hundred meters. You can take a bus from Hakone-Yumoto to Horaien, and the hotel is directly across the street. Buses run every 15 minutes, are very punctual, clean, and convenient. It's also very close to Ten-yu and Mori-no-yu, just a short walk away. As for the service, it was absolutely impeccable. There was a handsome, glasses-wearing gentleman who spoke Chinese and had an incredibly good attitude. There was also a slightly plump Chinese lady who was very kind. After check-in, she even escorted us to our room and explained everything. Throughout our stay, everyone we encountered had an excellent attitude. They even meticulously explained our itinerary for the next day and proactively helped with our luggage. As my son said, ”They're genuinely good.” Regarding the meals, I booked a half-board plan. Dinner started at 5:30 PM and was a Japanese kaiseki meal. I didn't realize at the time that some dishes could be swapped. My son was very hungry before eating, and we both pretty much finished everything. The wagyu beef was especially delicious. For breakfast, the staff asked us the day before what we preferred. My son chose the Western style, and I opted for the Japanese. The rice was delicious, and the salmon portions were generous. About the onsen (hot spring baths): We arrived in the afternoon on our first day and immediately went to Mori-no-yu for a soak. The hotel provided free tickets, along with four arcade coupons. In the evening after dinner, we booked a private bath. Here's a note: I had read online that you could reserve private baths, but that's not actually the case. You need to check with the front desk, and if one is available, you can use it. You can't make reservations; you just have to wait. My son asked earlier and was told one would be free at 5:30 PM. We went at 6:20 PM after the previous occupants left. There are three private baths, and each session is an hour long – very comfortable! As for the main public bath, there's one indoor pool and one outdoor pool. I went early the next morning when no one else was there, so it was like having a private bath with an even better ambiance. Cleanliness and the room: The room was very spacious with a balcony, offering views of lush green mountains and clear water. My son said the bed was very soft and comfortable. There was water provided, but no shower in the room itself. Although the hotel is older, it was very clean. Overall, I was extremely satisfied. My son said he wants to go back again, but unfortunately, my wallet isn't quite ready for it!

Important note: You absolutely must call for the shuttle bus from Hakone-Yumoto Station to this hotel. Walking up there will exhaust you! I didn't do my research properly and on the first day, I dragged my large luggage all the way from Hakone-Yumoto Station. It was like climbing a mountain, all steep slopes – I was completely worn out. The hotel service is excellent. It's an old-fashioned onsen hotel, but very clean. The hot springs are super comfortable, and the staff are incredibly nice. Almost every time I went, it was a private bath, so you can soak in them daily. The half-board (dinner and breakfast) is very exquisite; the taste is subjective, but I felt dinner was a bit better. Breakfast had a good variety but was just okay taste-wise. Experiencing the tatami room was a very good experience; the futons were soft and comfortable.

Hi everyone, It was very beautiful place to stay, very peaceful, clean and comfortable. Large room, beautiful view and onsen was very good. To those not travelling by car, you need to get a bus Hakone freepass to get around. You can purchase it online, this is a big help. One of the biggest problem was when we arrived the bus station at bus stop no. 252 ( Sengoku-kogen), we called the hotel to arrange to be pick up from the bus station no. 252, we have terrible language problems. They don't understand where was bus stop 252. They don't recognise there is a coffee shop, Lawson and little police station. Finally we have to pull our luggageas all the way to the hotel. Majority of the road was uphill and very little lighting ... Near bus stop number 252, you can see Lawson, a coffee shop and little police station. On the second day, the shuttle bus service took us out to the musuem. We walked back from the museums, it took about 90mins to walk back to the hotel. We were told the bus ticket have to purchase at the counter Tokendai. We were stucked in the hotel for two days, because we really don't know where to apply which bus tickets. On the third day, the hotel shuttle took us to another musuem, we were very thankful a lady from a musuem inform us we can get the ticket Hakone free pass online. On the fourth day, we just realised Tokendai ( cruise) very close to the hotel. Luckily we managed to get around for the last day of our stay. Overall we enjoyed the stay. The receptionists were very polite and tried to help. We have communication breakdown, they were continually apologises. Big thank you for the trip.com to solve the problem.

We stayed here for one night as a group of three and had a wonderful experience. The hotel is a bit old-fashioned, but it was clean, well maintained, and had a charming, traditional atmosphere. We booked a Japanese-style room with futons. The room was spacious and divided into two separate areas, giving us plenty of room to relax. We had a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji from our room, and the hotel’s Japanese garden also offered great views of the mountain. Setting up the futons ourselves was easy, and the room was equipped with yukatas, towels, and slippers for visiting the onsen. The staff were friendly, spoke good English, and made us feel very welcome throughout our stay. Both the onsen and the dinner buffet were included in the room rate, which made the stay feel like excellent value. We enjoyed the buffet before heading to the onsen. There was an impressive selection of dishes—almost too many to choose from! Most of the food was Japanese, and while not every dish stood out, everything we tried was good. Alcoholic drinks were available for an additional charge and were not included with dinner. The onsen was definitely the highlight of our stay. There are separate bathing areas for men and women, and the rules were clearly explained, making it easy to use even as first-time visitors. The facilities were clean and included both indoor and outdoor baths. From the outdoor bath on the men’s side, we had a fantastic view of Mt. Fuji. We had read reviews saying the mountain was only visible from the women’s side, but that wasn’t our experience. Relaxing in the hot spring while looking at Mt. Fuji was unforgettable. The changing and washing areas were clean, and the opening hours were generous. Tattoos are not permitted in the onsen, so it’s best to bring your own tattoo cover stickers if you need them. They are also available for purchase at the front desk, although we found them to be a little expensive. The hotel is located quite far from central Hakone, so it’s worth allowing plenty of travel time. However, it’s easy to reach by bus, and it’s also located right next to the Hakone Ropeway station, making it very convenient for visiting the area’s main attractions. We didn’t use the hotel’s shuttle service because the walk from the nearby bus stop was only a couple of minutes. One thing to keep in mind is that there aren’t any convenience stores or other shops within walking distance, so it’s a good idea to buy anything you might need before arriving. Overall, we were extremely happy with our stay. Compared to many other hotels in the Hakone area, this one was noticeably more affordable, and we felt it offered excellent value for money considering everything that was included. If you’re looking for a traditional onsen experience with incredible views of Mt. Fuji, this hotel is an excellent choice.