Hakone Gora KARAKU (ORIX HOTELS & RESORTS)

The room was a highlight: clean, modern, with a private onsen. We booked a Japanese-style room on the sixth floor, and waking up to the sunrise while soaking was amazing. The restaurant dinner was good, though I was still hungry afterwards. Staff at both the front desk and restaurant were excellent. I stayed one night on October 5th, and the hotel was just steps from Gora train station. They also run a free shuttle to another station. The area gets very quiet in the evening.

The room was pleasant and had a lovely view from the private deck bath, but spotting a giant hornet inside quickly spoiled that. We called reception. After a wait, a reservationist came with a broom and bug spray, which she sprayed around the room. She said maintenance wasn’t on duty and thought the insect was “probably dead.” I was outside the room with a cane because of an injury, and my daughter was in the hall; only one chair had been brought out. We had to ask ourselves for another room because the insecticide smell was strong. The woman who sprayed, who I think was named Odette, helped us move. Dinner was another problem. The hotel set our reservation for 5:30 pm the next evening. We’d been to the Open Air Museum, which was wonderful, and got back around 5. They wouldn’t move dinner later or bring it to our room around 6:30 or 7, even though we’d prepaid. They also had no alternative restaurant or meal service. When we asked for another dinner suggestion, the desk recommended a gyoza place said to be open until 9:30, but it closed at 7:30. Fortunately, our cab driver suggested a local sushi restaurant. At checkout, I couldn’t find anyone to help with luggage. I’m in my mid-70s and use a cane, and at least two male hotel workers saw me struggling but didn’t offer. That felt shocking after the courtesy we experienced elsewhere in Japan. As we were leaving for the cab, a young woman at the desk, the same woman who’d handled the hornet, did offer to help. Breakfast was terrible: minestrone soup at 8:30 am, a tiny spoonful of eggs that I had to ask to have topped up, bread served neither toasted nor warmed, and three small bites of fruit, mostly grapes. We’d spent two weeks in Japan at very nice hotels, and this was easily the worst breakfast. Dinner looked lovely and was better, but mediocre at best. I asked for a refund for the dinner we hadn’t eaten and got a robotic “we don’t give refunds.” I don’t understand the five-star rating. The location is nice, but the service didn’t match what I expected from an upscale Japanese onsen with a Michelin rating. If it weren’t for Odette, I’d give the place zero stars.

Getting around was effortless thanks to the complimentary shuttle to the main train station, which was a huge help. The staff were thoughtful and the service was outstanding, and every meal was excellent. I’ve stayed in hotels around the world, and Karku Gora Hotel is easily one of my favorites. I’d gladly return and recommend it to anyone visiting.

Both restaurants served really good dinners, as you’d expect at a five-star hotel. The amenities, snacks, and open lounge bar were well stocked, and service was impeccable. It’s a new, nice property in a great part of Hakone, if you can manage the high price. I did miss some character here. The hotel seems very aimed at Western guests, and there were a lot of snobby, wealthy Western travelers. It loses some of the Japanese feel, so it may not suit you if you’re after Japanese charm.