Suihouen

The rooms were fine, and we chose one with its own outdoor onsen, which was lovely since we could soak whenever we wanted. Our dedicated butler's service was out of this world. She knew her English wasn't very good, but patiently did her best to explain everything, and I really appreciated the effort. She also told us about the fireworks during our stay, even though she didn't have to. The food is the big draw here: the kaiseki meals follow a sequence of appetizers, steamed dishes, grilled food, boiled items and so on. Breakfast was intricate, dinner was superb, and on our last night they even served a refreshing western and Italian-inspired dinner. I think this ryokan is worth staying at. My only gripe is that there's no shuttle to the train station after 11am, and service doesn't start again until 2pm, so there's no transport in between.

The room was on par with other luxury ryokans in Hakone and Bessho-Onsen, but the dining and hospitality fell short of what this place emphasizes. The kaiseki-ryori food was fine, though nothing exceptional, and lacked finesse. Service felt rushed and didn't match our pace. Our meal had more than 15 courses but was over in less than an hour and a half. At one point, three more courses arrived in two rounds while I was still partway through the previous one. A restaurant of this caliber should have asked the chef to adjust the timing so each dish could be enjoyed at its best. By the time I tried it, the lobster miso soup was cold, which was sad.

It was a trek up the hill, but worth it, and they can send a car to pick you up. This was the best stay of our trip. The rooms were clean, spacious and private, and the dinners and hostesses were wonderful both nights. I hope to come back someday.

Gero Onsen is a peaceful, quiet place where you can enjoy nature and Japan's real surroundings. We loved the hotel's beautiful atmosphere, and the service, room and food were all first class.