Best Hakone Hotels

"The hotel itself is not bad - beds are comfortable and large, and the dinner is okay, but nothing too special. This hotel overwhelmingly caters to families, which is evident when staying there: there are many children, and a lot of the amenities cater to them as well. For example the sauna is not very hot and there’s a lot of candies in the free snack bar. I wish the hotel was better at communicating / marketing this on their website, as I’m not the intended audience and it’s very expensive for a mediocre experience. As well, the breakfast timing is questionable - only available from 7am - 8:30am, along with a 10am checkout time this is quite an early start and not very relaxing."

"Hakone Hotel Kowakien, a natural onsen hotel offering dinner and breakfast that I'd rate 90 out of 100. It's not easy to impress me in Hakone, the famed hot spring town in Kanagawa Prefecture, but this hotel truly excelled across all criteria, showing a consistently high standard. Both the front desk and restaurant staff were attractive, with fluent English and standard accents; notably, they didn't employ any Southeast Asian staff. The hotel facilities are relatively new and well-designed, and the cleanliness is exceptional. The public areas offer plenty of sofa seating, and the temperature control is precise, allowing guests to comfortably wander around in traditional yukata without feeling cold. The air is fresh with no strong artificial scents, embodying a 'Natural and Pure' concept. The restaurant, named Fontainebleau, lives up to its name with authentic French pastries. The 'all-you-can-eat' style still maintains high-quality ingredients, and there's an unlimited supply of Sapporo Asahi draft beer and Gekkeikan sake. What's more, the self-service alcohol bar is also open during breakfast, which seems quite common for Japanese guests – their physical resilience certainly differs from ours! Observing Japanese dining concepts, you'll notice several characteristics: a wide variety of dishes, comprehensive nutrition, low-temperature preservation, minimal oil and seasoning, and avoiding high-temperature cooking to prevent nutrient loss. The sauna is also quite professional, featuring a 12-minute sand timer, anti-scald mats, humidity and temperature displays, and powerful heating elements that ensure you won't waste any time. Whether you prefer mountain views, garden vistas, or indoor hot springs, there's an option for everyone. For those interested, the address is: 1297 Ninotaira, Hakone-machi, Kanagawa Prefecture 250-0407"

"The staff was very friendly and the amenities included use of the onsen for one hour was great as it was included within the price. The room was clean peaceful and had a nice Japanese vibe. Unfortunately, the room is not en suite. I would say the location wasn’t great as you should note it isn’t actually in the main area of Hakone but rather by the lake where you take the boat ride. You also have to walk up a hill to get there."

"A truly enjoyable hotel experience with friends! The family room, located one floor up the stairs, was quieter, with a spacious tatami area and a view of the nearby art museum. The hotel staff spoke English better than most hotels in Tokyo, and we enjoyed a casual chat every time we met. The basement common area was very comfortable, with chess and poker boards available for borrowing. There was also a shared kitchen and laundry room. Unfortunately, strong winds and heavy rain hit both days of our stay, and the Hakone Tozan train was out of service, so we had to go to the hot springs resort. Be aware that nearby restaurants only serve lunch, with most closing in the afternoon. In such inclement weather, we had to rely on convenience stores for food."

"Great location, only 3 minutes from the train station. There are supermarkets and restaurants nearby. The hotel is the low budget part of the hotel opposite. However, you can use the onsen and the facilities of the other part of the hotel for free. The Onsen is a bit small, but nicely designed and wasn't too crowded. The service is really nice and helpful. The room was really small, but sufficient for one night. The air conditioning is unfortunately directly above the bed and the bathroom is really extremely small. There was some mold visible in the bathroom, otherwise it was very clean. The price was very low. I can only recommend the hotel."

"This hotel is nestled in the mountains of Hakone so it's very peaceful and quiet. Room and amenities are new and extremely clean. The surroundings are also worth checking out, with a park just opposite and a waterfall nearby. Major bonus if you go in autumn as the maple trees will turn flaming red. Another big pro is the free access to the Yunessun onsens (free rental of towels and swimsuit upon showing that you're staying at the hotel). The indoor onsen has funky pools like coffee, red wine and green tea, but the real gem is the Mori no yu outdoor onsen. Once in the onsen, remember to go down the steps to discover many more pools below with nice surroundings and mountain view. Also a shoutout to the hotel staff who are incredibly kind and helpful. It's a small hotel with only 3 levels. No escalators or lifts but the staff will help to carry your luggage upon check in and check out. A kind staff even checked whether I have an umbrella when I was about to go out because it might rain. I daresay this is my favourite hotel amongst all the hotels I've stayed in."

"The hotel has a lovely little garden that's beautiful both day and night. The dinner buffet was excellent, with a wide variety of dishes, including seafood, crawfish, and king crab – much better than breakfast. On the first floor, there's free ice cream; just ask the front desk for tokens. There's a good selection, and it's delicious. The chocolate cones were especially crispy."

"The room offered expansive ocean views, perfect for watching the sunrise. We could also catch the fireworks display from the rooftop. The room size was decent, but because of the large communal onsen bath, the en-suite bathroom was quite small, especially the toilet. It might be uncomfortable for larger guests. The breakfast buffet exceeded expectations, and the miso soup was particularly delicious. Service was almost entirely in Japanese, so be prepared with a translation app. The sound of the waves at night was a bit loud, and interestingly, the hotel entrance is on the rooftop."

"The service was excellent. The hot springs were very enjoyable. They have different types of hotsprings (regular, carbonic acid, cold). The food was excellent. We were stuffed. The portion was huge and the variety was wide.  Hygiene was great. The room was spotless and the balcony was very romantic under the moon light. Well worth the money."

"This hotel is conveniently located. It is a traditional Japanese hotel with a lot of facilities. It is very beautiful, particularly the garden which is big and serene. The hot spring having both indoor and outdoor pools is impressive. The dining experience is fantastic because the setting is cosy and the food is extremely delicious. The mattresses, neither too soft, nor too hard, are very comfortable."