Fujikawaguchiko Onsen Hotel Asafuji

There is an Onsen, and in the evening staff lay out Japanese-style beds on the floor. The room itself just has two small chairs and a small round table. You can see the lake, but the view of Mt. Fuji from the hotel really wasn't great, despite what we'd hoped. At AUD951 a night, I didn't think the price was worth the view. If I'd known earlier, I'd have paid another $200 for a better view and room.

My daughter and I loved our two nights at this ryokan hotel. The best part was breakfast, with 8-10 small dishes, each prepared just right. Our room had lovely views of Lake Kawaguchi and Mount Fuji, and all the staff were friendly and helpful. Before we arrived, they asked about our travel plans and offered a free pickup from the station or somewhere else nearby, though we didn't need it. They also run regular transport to the station for onward travel. We didn't end up using the onsen, but there are separate baths for men and women. I hope to stay at this great hotel again!

The staff were kind and helpful, but we were surprised we couldn't leave our luggage after checking out so we could explore the area. Having stayed at several other ryokans and tried multiple kaiseki dinners in Japan, we found the standard here well below what we'd experienced elsewhere. The hotel and rooms feel dated and poorly maintained. The food was below average, and some dishes, at least the desserts and fruit, seemed prepackaged or convenience-style. There was so much food that it was hard to enjoy it. Mount Fuji is visible from the rooms, but only from a corner, not with the direct view the photos seem to suggest.

We asked for a refund after refusing the New Year’s Eve dinner, but ended up moving to the hotel next door, which cost a third as much and had similar facilities. This was one of our most disappointing ryokan stays in Japan, despite the high ratings. We’d paid 87,xxx JPY for half board, compared with 45,xxx JPY for a room and breakfast, because of the food reviews. Breakfast was good. Dinner was just beef sukiyaki, something Agoda hadn’t disclosed, and nobody asked about dietary needs. My mother doesn’t eat beef. The staff member in charge was rude and dismissive, with no solution. After another staff member intervened, my mother waited a long time and got just two small pieces of pork. We didn’t eat the meal. The hotel and rooms were clean, but dated and poorly maintained, and the condition didn’t justify the price. The food was below average, like what you’d expect at a low-standard ryokan. Poor value, poor communication, and unprofessional service. Not recommended.