Hakone Hoshi No Akari

We booked a room with a private onsen, and it was absolutely worth the price. At first, one night seemed a bit expensive, but seeing the room and having dinner and breakfast included changed our minds quickly. The food was amazing, and the staff were exceptionally polite and helpful. They even shuttled us back to the nearest bus stop. With its traditional look, great location, and warm hospitality, it made for an unforgettable stay. Highly recommend.

This has been the highlight of my trip so far. The views were gorgeous, the food was delicious, and the service was excellent. Everyone on staff was warm and helpful. I also had a lovely massage and facial at a reasonable price. Definitely worth it for a relaxing, high-end stay.

The location needs some planning. Coming from Hakone-Yumoto, the hotel is about halfway through the Hakone Round Course, so it makes sense to split the route over two days. I found luggage forwarding from the station well worth paying for, since it saved us from carrying our bags around the course. Bring cash for that service, as it’s cash only, and the nearest ATM is up the street from the station at the 7/11. Getting to the hotel means taking a bus and walking about ten minutes from Togendai station, which we found manageable. They can shuttle you to the bus station the next morning. We were delayed checking in because bad weather shut down the nearby cable car, but everyone was understanding and kind. As a couple who speak English and very little Japanese, I was worried about communicating, but staff who knew English met us when we arrived and showed us to our room. They explained everything kindly, too. We were called by phone at 6:30 for dinner, served in a private room on the first floor. Yukata were provided, and the meal was enormous and delicious, especially the Fuji hotstone beef. Breakfast was at 8:30 in the same room. Our room’s balcony had a private bath with an amazing view, and the water was just the right temperature. The semi-public onsen is separated by gender, open to all guests, and great, though much hotter than the private bath. The rooftop footbath and onsen both stayed open until midnight, which was handy. I loved the hot spring, but couldn’t stay in it too long. The futons were very comfortable, and after dinner and a soak we slept great. Perfect for a Ryokan stay, and an amazing experience. Highly recommend.

The private bath was the best part for me. It was on my balcony, with an outdoor shower and a spectacular view of the distant mountains. The water, enriched with minerals from local natural hot springs, felt especially silky on my skin. I used it three times in one night because I loved it so much. It was quite hot, especially bathing outdoors on a hot summer day, but soaking while looking at the mountains was a trip highlight. The multi-course dinner was delicious, unusual, and creative, with fresh, high-quality ingredients. It included orange sake, an appetizer platter, sashimi, shrimp and okra in a bowl dish, half a salt-grilled lobster with green onion and miso paste, wagyu cuts to cook on a hot stone, a chicken and clam mini hotpot with green onion and carrots, and desserts. Breakfast was great too, though it was a lot of food early in the morning, including a mini hotpot. The woman who served me was very polite and friendly. I came back in July and really enjoyed staying at Hakone Hoshi no Akari. My room was nice but nothing special, and the staff were all friendly. With my limited Japanese it was a bit tough to navigate, but I managed. The private bath and delicious food left me very satisfied. I’d recommend the place.