Hakone Yutowa

Fabulous

✓ very good breakfast good location good onsen staff free alcohol, ice cream and sweets in the evening

A wonderful experience. I hope to return.

✓ Every area of the complex feels very comfortable and welcoming. I wish I was there longer to spend more time using the many facilities available.

Exceptional

✓ Service was outstanding and went above and beyond. Unfortunately we missed the final bus of the day due to significant traffic delay of the bus services at the interchange, and were trapped at the bus stop which is 23 mins walk to the hotel. The staff were very accommodating and kindly picked us up from the bus stop to the hotel.

✗ No

100% would stay again if my room didn’t smell

✓ This is a very nice onsen hotel with lots of perks. The location is a few minutes down the road from the station and is easy to get to but does feel a little bit out of the way. However, the benefit is that the walk is mostly flat and it’s closer than other hotels to Lawson, one of the only convenience stores in town, and a lifesaver if you don’t want to spend ¥7000 on the hotel dinner. Much of the shops and restaurants are closed in the evening (at the the time of writing) so visitors are forced into eating at their hotels or get food from Lawson. The rooms are large and the futons in the Japanese rooms are thick and comfortable. The ensuite bathrooms are a little small and could use a little more counter or shelf space. I did not use the shower because I went to the onsen every night. Everything is very clean and well maintained. I liked the lounge areas where small desserts are complimentary every night and there are spaces where travelers and/or families relax together. The onsen is also nice and I enjoyed the variety of bathing, skin, and hair products to try. The onsen outdoor terrace and foot bath area was great and I wish I could have spent more time there but I am a mosquito magnet (I didn’t get bitten by any when I did go out there briefly). I especially enjoyed the complimentary popsicles in the onsen lounge area and tried all the flavors. The breakfast buffet is pretty good and has a lot of variety but feels slightly touristy at times. I do like that there were some home style dishes offered, and a local pork dish was offered.

✗ Some things I didn’t like was that room 408 often gets a sulfur smell in it and it’s sometimes persistent. Sometimes the hallway immediately in front of the room door also smells like sulfur but the rest of the hotel does not. I don’t know if this happens in other rooms. I told the front desk about it and they said that it’s from the onsen, but they onsen didn’t smell like sulfur either. What did smell like sulfur was outside a little ways away from the hotel toward the station. I’m not sure if it was something related to the hotel or a natural geothermic vents or hot springs. I’m not entirely sure I’d this is related but I feel it might be but when I came back to my room after a full day of sightseeing, I found my door propped wide open. Fortunately room 408 is tucked away in a corner and there is no reason for anyone to go past it, but it felt a little less secure in an otherwise very safe hotel and country. The dinner buffet was expensive (also a little touristy) and I should have asked what type of meal it was before I paid as I thought it might have been kaiseki. I also wish there was a different dining option (maybe there was but I didn’t ask) that is cheaper and not a buffet, since options in the town are limited. I also wish there was a coin laundry available to non-condo guests.

Happy and relax

✓ Good location , clean and relax atmospheres

✗ None

A very pleasant stay. The Onsen facilities were excellent.

✓ Breakfast was good. There were many traditional Japanese food items that you could choose from. Toast and croissants were also available if you felt so inclined. Coffee, various teas and fruit juices were in plentifully supply What one needs to understand is that Hakone Yutowa like quite a few other establishments in the Hakone is basically a hotel complex with its accommodation rooms set up to resemble what you find inside a traditional ryokan, ie bedding on the traditional tatami floor. Never the less it was a pleasant experience

✗ I found the evening meals to be lacking in quality and with only a few to choose from. they should have been of a higher standard considering their value itemized in the tariff A nice touch was the after-dinner deserts and free drinks available downstairs after the main meal was concluded

Fabulous

✓ The location and free-flowing snacks and drinks are exceptional. The staff were courteous and accommodating.

✗ It can take a bit of a wait to use the private baths/shared shower..

Peaceful stay with all facilities at Gora.

✓ The mood and vibe. The facilities and all services/equipment provided. The personnel. I had a lovely stay in Hakone Yutowa. The facilities are a mix between modern and ryokan. I was worried it’d be too modern, but the facilities and surroundings are so peaceful that the modernity of the hotel makes you believe you are at a ryokan. The room are clean with a perfect tatami. If your room is facing the garden the view is beautiful and at night with the bonfire it is very peaceful. Drinks and snacks are provided in different areas all day long. Nice library too and spa service with friendly staff. Location at Gora is great, only 5 min away from Gora station

✗ The restaurant only has a fixed menu for dinner and needs to be reserved in advance. It is very quiet in the surroundings with no other restaurants/options around for dinner. So to keep in mind.