Ryokan Kiritani Hakoneso

This is one of the best places I stayed! Thank you very much! The hotel is located a little bit far from the train station and I think this is the only downside (and I didn't suffer from it). The price is expensive, but it is worth it because 2 meals are included, and they have great service. The staff is from Nepal so if someone comes here and expects Japanese, they may be disappointed by that. But in fact, this is way better as they don't have those strict Japanese traditions and are more flexible for guests. The atmosphere and hospitality make you feel like you are at home. There are 2 buildings and I was in the second building that has a big onsen. The names of guests are written on a board, so you get a feeling they were waiting for you. I was checking in a few minutes after check-in hours (18:06 or so), so I was nervous. Fortunately, I didn't have any problems with that. Also, I didn't expect any meal for dinner because of my previous bad experience with the Japanese staff. And then I was surprised when the owner said that the dinner time starts at 6 PM! So I had the meal after 30 minutes. This is really convenient for tourists because you can see Hakone and come to the hotel on the last train from Gora station (that's what I did) and then you will have a great dinner! After I finished the meal, they gave me a dessert! Overall, it felt like a regal banquet. I really like it! After that it was already dark, so I walked around the hotel and took pictures. It looks nice and comfortable. Then I needed a rest before the public bath. The owner said I can use onsen any time I want, it is 24 hours open. I didn't check that though I used it 10-11 PM. There are 2 pools with serum and some minerals from the volcano. The pool inside is hotter and more comfortable. The pool outside is almost body temperature. Actually the water from the spring is hotter, but the water temperature in the pool decreased. There were private baths, but I was tired and didn't go to check them. After you finish bathing, you can drink cool water from the cooler near the entrance. The breakfast that was included in my plan and the staff again pleased me with that. I like the variety and quality of the food. After checking-out I had a free transfer to the train station. So, I had a wonderful experience with this hotel, and it is one of the reasons I want to visit Hakone again. Thank you very much!!!

Overall, the impression is positive, and we thank the staff for their care. However, the ryokan is quite old, and inside all the rooms there is a smell of age, which makes it not very pleasant to stay there. The Japanese food is very specific — it’s just my personal taste, but I couldn’t have breakfast or lunch there. Considering that this was the most expensive “hotel” during our 14-day trip around Japan, our expectations were a bit higher. In any case, we thank the staff for this unique experience.

It’s up in Gora, so I have to be non biased on this one. The location is not fantastic, but there are shuttle services ferrying you to the train station. The buildings kinda old, and there are 2 separate ones where you have to go over for onsen and/ or dining. Onsen is small compared to other ryokan. Overall, it was a memorable experience for me, if not the best one yet.

Very nice ryokan, food is delicious and onsen is great! However, it’s located is on an upslope and difficult to get there with luggages/ rainy day.