Rating and Review: Fuji-Hakone Guest House, Hakone, Japan

Fuji-Hakone Guest House in Hakone, Japan






Rating:

Location (4 / 5 )

Food / Amenities (2.5 / 5 )

Hot spring (3 / 5 )

English Info / English-Speaking Staff (4 / 5 )

Overall: (3.5 / 5 )

Review:

TheFuji-Hakone Guest House is located in the vicinity of Hakone, in the hot springs town of Sengokuhara, not far from majestic Mt. Fuji. It is a quick two hour or so trip from Tokyo by car, bus, or train. Hakone National Park is within walking distance of this property, where you can walk on mountain trails and nature paths. It is among a cluster of many other inns and hotels, each with their own attractions and hot springs. This property is located along a quieter section of the town's main street.

It is a basic accommodation without many of the extra services and amenities of more traditional or more modern style inns (that come with additional charges on top of higher room rates). The building has a plain exterior; there's no grand entrance or valet parking. It looks more like a small lodge than a ryokan (Japanese inn). Rooms are in the traditional tatami mat style, with no bathroom or toilet in the room. Such facilities are shared in a separate room down the hall. Smoking and non-smoking rooms are available for booking. They have internet access, though no computer on the premises. There was a small, undecorated sitting lounge, and a nondescript dining area for breakfast. If you want breakfast, you need to request the breakfast plan. They do serve a Western breakfast (eggs, toast, maybe a meat side and coffee or tea), as well as a Japanese breakfast. If you do not choose the breakfast plan, it's a short walk down the street to get coffee and something to eat at the nearby restaurants, cafes or convenience store. This is a facility that does not have in-room set up of any meals, which is not typical for ryokan. I love those meals, they are beautiful and delicious, and I do recommend that you book a reservation at a true traditional ryokan sometime to experience that.

You have several options for enjoying hot springs at the Fuji-Hakone Guest House. They have indoor baths open 24 hours a day, for men and for women, separate gender only. There are outdoor baths as well. I had a wonderful experience in the indoor hot spring. The water was very hot and didn't have the strong smell you get with some mineral spring compositions. It was not crowded at all, which appealed to me very much. I noticed that hot spring baths are the only type offered at this inn--there is no facility for public bathing (without the hot spring water).

Be aware that a "shared" hot spring as it is described in some print and online brochures means it is for use by all of the guests, as opposed to a hot spring bath that is in your own room and private. Unless otherwise stated, you can expect to share the bath only with your gender.

This simple property has pleasant surroundings and a quiet retreat feel to it. With no crowds and little noise, it was an easy place to relax and unwind with friends. Years ago when I visited, no one there spoke English. This was true for many small hotels and inns around Japan at the time. Now, though, things have changed. According to the a listing for this accommodation on the Internet, English-speaking staff are employed to welcome Western visitors and make them feel at home. This budget-friendly accommodation gets high marks for the friendly staff. Cost per night for a room averages about 8,000 to 9,000 yen per night.

Address and contact information:
912 Sengokuhara Hakone-machi
Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken
+1-248-325-6636 (US)
072-756-6242 (Japan)
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, JST

This property is accessible by car and by train. From JR Tokyo station, take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen to JR Odawara train station. This train ride takes about 40 minutes. Another route is from Shinjuku station in Tokyo. Take the Odakyu train line to the Odawara train station. That trip takes about 70 minutes.For more information about this property or about the inns and hot springs in the Hakone area, click here.

Here is a link to a downloadable PDF with information on buses to the Hakone area:
http://www.odakyu-hakonehighway.co.jp/common/pdf/english.pdf

See Related Post:
"A Visit to Fuji-Hakone Guest House and Onsen"