Hoshino Resorts Kai Sengokuhara

The onsen surrounded by nature was a lovely part of a beautiful, peaceful stay. Every meal was special and delicious, and we were able to explore all that Hakone has to offer. We'd highly recommend staying here when visiting the area.

The rooms were fantastic, beautifully finished and serene, with wonderful views and an excellent private onsen. But the rest of the place felt odd and unwelcoming. The lobby was the only shared space, with no bar or tea and coffee shop, just Nespresso-style coffee at reception. There was plenty of expensive-looking marble, but little warmth or genuine customer service. For a property costing £600+ a night, the overall stay fell far short. Many staff seemed to be doing their best and following instructions, but the experience was poor. Hakone is stunning and we'll return, just not to KAI Sengokuhara. The service was the biggest problem across our two nights. On arrival we waited 25 minutes at reception, with nobody else checking in or out, and got almost no information or updates. The only staff member told us that our 7.30 dinner would be very busy and advised us to move it to 5.30. We declined because that didn't suit us and we'd booked 7.30 weeks earlier. In the end, dinner at 7.30 was eerily quiet, which made us wonder if they were trying to seat everyone in one early sitting. Ten minutes later, before we'd even checked in, the same staff member asked if we wanted fresh towels every day. We also asked for a cab to Odawara station for departure and were told it was 'very hard'. Later we were told it was arranged, but over the next six hours, including twice at dinner from two different employees, staff kept asking if we needed a cab that day or the next. These basic details should have been taken off our minds, but instead we lost confidence that they could handle them. We later saw other guests describing the same check-in conversation about moving dinner earlier. It seems to be an unsettling hotel policy, not a one-off. The food wasn't good enough either. The fixed menu offered no flexibility and, despite being called 'gourmet', much of it was inedible. We're used to trying local food and enjoy unfamiliar dishes, so this wasn't a matter of being 'westerners with delicate palates'. Rice was dried out, fish didn't taste fresh, tempura was soggy. The food looked fancy but was fussy and bland. One person in our party requested no beef or pork, but the hotel said changes had to be requested at least five days ahead. That's a basic accommodation. Breakfast on the first day was bleak and inflexible, so we skipped it the second day, though we still paid, which seemed fair. Dinner felt ghoulish, with tables isolated from each other and hesitant staff serving food they didn't seem to like themselves. The wine list was primitive, just one undrinkable local white and red by the glass. There was more choice in a UK Travelodge.

The rooms, private onsen, location, and food were all excellent, but dinner service took a star off the stay. It was meant to be the highlight, yet everything felt rushed. The waiter sometimes tried to clear our food before we'd finished, even though we weren't taking unusually long. I understand there may be a time limit, but a little flexibility would help. Staff also seemed to miss requests for more water or other drinks. It felt like their job was simply to move us through dinner as quickly as possible, without pauses. Maybe this is how kaiseki works here, but we've had similar meals at ryokans of comparable standing and never felt hurried like this. If eating in the dining room is what makes the schedule so tight, perhaps the dinner timeline could be adjusted to give guests and staff more breathing room.

We stayed two nights in annex room 109, which felt like just the right amount of time. It was quiet and private, and we used the personal onsen several times a day, so never felt a need to try the larger public bath. Changing into the sumae and relaxing around the facility was a treat. On our arrival afternoon, we tried making art on a themed towel. It was relaxing and fun, even for someone with little artistic talent like me. One evening we upgraded dinner and got a memorable hot rock cooking experience. Both dinners had eight courses with lots to try, and breakfast came as a large platter of different items. The staff were very accommodating. They coordinated our arrival through earpieces, researched our home city so they could chat about it at dinner, and even noticed we were visiting near a birthday and made a special gesture without being asked. The hotel isn't near much, which is part of the point. We took an afternoon bus to Togendai Station, only 15 minutes away, and rode the Hakone Ropeway. We could have taken the lake cruise too, but wanted more time at the hotel and onsen. It was a wonderful rest between Tokyo and Kyoto, and I'd gladly return.