NNuonuokafeiLet's get the most important thing out of the way first: Fujiya Hotel offers both Western and Japanese Kikuka-so dinner options. DO NOT choose the Western dinner. It will ruin any positive experience you have at Fujiya. I saw reviews saying it wasn't good, but I thought, 'It's been open for so many years, surely it can't be *that* bad, maybe just mediocre.' I was terribly, terribly wrong. It was the worst Western meal I've ever had in Japan. Luckily, I booked the cheaper JPY 12,000 set menu. The appetizer, a seafood terrine, made me want to vomit immediately – it had a strong ammonia smell. The next course was another terrine, this time meat, completely bland, and the vinegar inside was rancid. The soup was carrot soup, which had an off-putting body odor smell when served, though it tasted okay. The three pieces of bread were cold, the baguette wasn't toasted, lacked any wheat aroma, and was tough. Only the butter was decent. For the main course, I chose duck. Again, completely unseasoned. There were no salt or pepper shakers on the table. I forced down one piece, but it was so bland I couldn't eat the other. The dessert, Mont Blanc and ice cream, was excessively sweet – a lethal dose of sugar that masked all other flavors. Just a small bite sent my blood sugar soaring. The ice cream was still rock-solid. Truly an eye-opener. I barely touched any of it; nothing was edible, and each dish was uniquely awful. The Western restaurant has two dining areas – a main restaurant and the small one I was in – sharing the same menu and kitchen. Avoid it at all costs. They don't even serve lunch. The chefs here aren't fit to tie the shoelaces of the chefs at the more affordable Hotel Nikko Kanaya in Chuzenji. That place, for only a little over a thousand yen, offered a fantastic half-board experience – fresh, delicious, and unforgettable. The Fujiya Western restaurant chefs must have lost their sense of taste and smell to spend so much time preparing such an inedible and foul-smelling meal. Absolutely nothing redeeming about it. For breakfast, I chose Kikuka-so, which was a simple and delicious meal. I ate everything. The seasoning at Kikuka-so was spot-on. The complimentary tea and coffee bar for guests was pretty average, nothing special, similar to cheaper hotels. Regarding the rooms, Fujiya Hotel consists of three buildings. The cheaper Forest Lodge looks like staff quarters. The Western Building, with its white and Western-style design, is very elegant. Of course, the most iconic building is the yellow, Western-style 'Hanagoten,' which is quite luxurious. There are high, medium, and low-end rooms to suit all budgets, and the quality matches the price. I stayed in Room 17 in the Western Building, and I was extremely satisfied. The room had high ceilings, was spacious, free of any odors, and had large, numerous windows with beautiful views. The only minor drawback was that the bathtub was only for soaking; there was no high fixture for a shower. It's very well-maintained. Overall, I didn't want to leave. The service was warm and attentive. Next time, I'd like to stay in a room in the Hanagoten. For transportation, there's a bus stop right outside, and a convenience store next to Kikuka-so. Overall, it's worth a stay.
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