Homestays in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

I haven’t stayed in this kind of hotel before, so I don’t have much to compare it to — but our experience was great. We did the typical sightseeing route around Hakone. While you can get closer to the Mount Fuji, it takes more time and an earlier start. The hotel had everything we needed, so we didn’t even need to go to a store. Breakfast and dinner were both filling and had a good variety. The rooms were clean, spacious, and had a nice view of the station and mountains. The hotel is right next to the station, which made getting around very easy — and the trains didn’t bother us at all, the sound was even kind of calming. The public onsen baths were excellent, so we didn’t actually need a private bath in the room.

Not bad. I can see they are trying to make this property more known to international guests from different countries. Two dire problems: the food was extremely salty. With the exception of the Teppan dinner, all of the meals we had here had so much sodium content. Also, their food in general is not of high quality and tastes pretty much the same across all dishes. Please make improvements. And another thing I would highly recommend is that the manager lady learn English so that next time I visit this property and have to communicate in English and ask for some help, she doesn’t get sassy or mad at me for requesting another staff member who can speak English. I really needed some help with golf reservations and understandably it is not her business that we had to go golfing the next day. However, I didn’t realize it was such a rude thing to ask for another employee who could understand what I was saying when she couldn’t understand my requests specifically because of her lack of English proficiency. For this property to become popular with international guests, it would be a wholesome idea for the chief manager to learn to speak better English anyways. I guess she knew that she was being rude by hitting the desk because she came up to me and gave me her business card (without my asking and finally in a nice manner) when I merely asked a younger staff member if the angry lady was the manager. She must have known that she was giving me attitudes. When you are in the hospitality business, please don’t forget that guests are there to enjoy their trip—savoring each moment—not to feel uncomfortable or be bothered by staff’s attitudes.

The staff were all incredibly friendly, always greeting us, and even proactively offered to take our empty drink bottles to dispose of for us. Our room was spotlessly clean. During the day, it served as a comfortable living space with a table, and then promptly at 6 PM each evening, the staff would come to lay out the futons. The three of us slept comfortably on the futons laid out on the floor. Haha, it was a fantastic experience! The hotel's location is superb, right opposite Hakone-Yumoto Station and just across the bridge, making it incredibly convenient and a wonderful place to stay. If you turn left from the hotel, you'll find a row of shops and restaurants to explore, though do note they tend to close quite early. The hotel's food was also quite good. Breakfast is a buffet, but the selection remains largely the same each day, so it might get a bit repetitive if you're staying for an extended period. 😄 We also enjoyed some delicious sushi at the hotel one evening.

The random hotel I booked was a complete success. Take the H line to Penglai Garden and it's just down the stairs. The hotel is small but beautiful. Meals are not provided, so breakfast is divided by room and you can take it back to your room. The room was spacious, Japanese-style, with maple trees outside the window. The hot springs were also amazing, rarely crowded on weekdays!

An extremely satisfying experience. The bus stop is conveniently located about a five-minute walk from the hotel, along a wide main road that's easy to navigate even with luggage. The Japanese-Western style room with a semi-open-air bath I booked had its own private entrance, situated just outside the main lobby in an adjacent building. This offered fantastic privacy and sound insulation. The room, at 72 square meters, was much larger than I expected and impeccably clean. The private hot spring bath also featured natural onsen water, with a detailed description of its mineral content conveniently displayed by the tub. Outside, there was also a beautiful small Japanese garden. As there didn't seem to be many restaurants nearby, I opted for the half-board plan (dinner and breakfast). The shabu-shabu beef served for dinner was superb; all three of us ate until we were completely full. This family-style Japanese onsen hotel offered incredibly high value for money!

The bathroom is a bit small, the sheets are average, the balcony is very convenient for hot springs, and other facilities are also complete. It is very quiet to sleep. There are two options for dinner: barbecue and hot pot. I feel that hot pot is more filling. Breakfast is Japanese. Take the bus from Odawara to Ninodaira entrance, and walk 350 meters to the hotel. The distance is not far, mainly uphill.

Finally, I stayed in a Japanese-style room. I'd only seen it on TV before, so it was a novelty. The staff were all very nice and welcoming, and several spoke Chinese. The hotel is in a great location, with direct bus access, which is crucial. This area is navigating mountain roads, and trekking there would be quite tiring if the bus stop was far away. I also enjoyed the hot springs. This must be a local resort, as I saw many locals driving there. As for the kaiseki meal I ordered, it depends on personal taste; I wasn't a huge fan. However, I did enjoy the Japanese breakfast the next day. I had originally planned to book a two-day stay, but the second day was unavailable, so I only managed to book one night. So, I ended up visiting two attractions: the volcano cable car and the glass museum. Personally, I found the glass museum unremarkable and not worth seeing. Here's a tip for those who might be planning to visit later!

The location is a bit remote. From Hakone-Yumoto Station, you need to cross the pedestrian bridge and then take the H-line bus. Get off at the second-to-last stop, and the hotel will be directly opposite. The bus ride takes about 40 minutes, so it's a good idea to have motion sickness medication prepared. The surroundings are beautiful, and the pirate ship cruise is conveniently located right next door. There are no convenience stores nearby, making it perfect for relaxing and unwinding. If you're looking for peace and quiet, this place is absolutely ideal!

Absolutely love this place! The staff are very friendly, and the onsen is clean and well-maintained. There are 3 outdoor pools and 2 indoor pools, along with a steam room and sauna, which make for a relaxing experience. The facility is open for both day trips and overnight stays, but staying overnight is much better for a more chill and leisurely time. There’s a massage chair available, but it requires payment. Breakfast is also delicious and definitely worth it. The only downside is the location—it’s not very convenient and requires some walking. If you’re traveling light, it’s manageable. They do have a payable shuttle bus, but the timing isn’t great. Walking can be pleasant if the weather’s nice, or you can opt for a taxi. Overall, I’ll definitely book this place again for the relaxing atmosphere!

I really liked the Japanese-style room! The balcony offers a wonderful view! The room for 4 has a kitchen. Its own bathroom. On the first floor there is a wonderful onsen with a view of the trees, birds singing outside the window. There was no one in the women's room either in the evening or in the morning - it was beautiful! The ryokan is located right next to the funicular station - convenient. In the morning you can order a free transfer to the train station. Unfortunately, there were some downsides. We knew about some of them in advance, but those who are going to book should keep them in mind. During the day, at the most convenient time for arrival from Tokyo, the reception is on break, so guests find themselves in front of closed hotel doors. We were lucky: someone was leaving the hotel, and we went in and left our things in the lobby on the first floor, and did not drag them up the hill to leave them somewhere else. There are no shops or restaurants near the ryokan, which means you either have to take the funicular and hurry back (it stops running very early), or walk up the steep slope. You can't leave the ryokan in yukatas, there is no tea or plates in the kitchen in the room, but they are given to you at the reception upon request. You have to lay out your own futons. But the most unpleasant thing is that there was a dead cockroach on the stairs between the floors. Overall, it's a chance to experience something very Japanese, but you won't be surrounded by the same care as in many other ryokans.