Hotel Kajikaso

We had a wonderful time, and it’s easily the best onsen town stay we’ve had. The other facilities were fantastic too, including public Onsen areas, a foot bath overlooking the river, and complimentary drinks and snacks. Garbin-san gave us such a warm welcome at check-in. Our room was much nicer than we expected, with two futon beds, two Japanese-style futon beds, a dining table, a sitting area with a couch and TV, and an open-air Onsen in the room with real Onsen water. Nonaka-San made the stay especially memorable. She helped with dinner and breakfast and was so friendly. When we got talking about our shared interest in whisky, she kindly let us try a sample from her collection.

The staff were attentive and friendly, and even the late massage was a lovely experience. The masseuse was kind, gave me a relaxing massage, and spoke very good English. I also loved starting the morning at the outdoor foot bath with the free coffee machine. If you’re after a traditional Japanese ryokan in Hakone, Hotel Kajikaso is a great pick. The onsens were clean and luxurious, and the Kaiseki dinner was delicious and decadent. I’ll definitely come back.

The public onsen was great, though our room didn’t have a private one. Dinner came as a multi-course menu with Japanese specialties. Some dishes and parts of the meal weren’t great, but overall it was a nice experience. It’s about an eight-minute walk from Hakone Yumoto station. The rooms are roomy and have a proper ryokan feel, and we had a pretty riverside view. The hotel is quite old, and that shows in places. Our room had a slightly stale, old smell, but we got used to it.

The food was great, and I’d like to vacation here again next year. It’s a traditional Japanese hotel, so there aren’t beds, but the spacious rooms gave me a real sense of Japan’s past. The hot springs were good too.