Hotel Okada

The buffet breakfast was really good. The coffee was my one small complaint: even though it came from a machine, both the “regular coffee” and “espresso” had a strong instant coffee flavor and tasted much the same. We stayed two nights at the end of January in a tatami room, and sleeping on the floor was surprisingly nice. The hotel isn’t too far from the train station, though the many turns can make it tricky to find on foot the first time. The paper screens let in a lot of light from the parking lot, so darker curtains would help at night. The bathtub was a little worn but usable. There’s also a nice public onsen with separate indoor and outdoor pools for men and women. We had a restful stay.

The kaiseki dinner was one of the best I’ve had. We had our own private booth, and every dish was beautifully presented and tasted phenomenal. Breakfast had lots of options, and the dining room wasn’t too busy when we went, considering how big the hotel is. Our room was fantastic, spacious, and had everything we could need. We chose a private onsen and loved it. The main onsen is massive, and it was so relaxing for our aching muscles halfway through our travels. The shop also has amazing sake and sweets at very reasonable prices. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay again.

The buffet was good, so we were happy with dinner, but I’d thought I’d booked the regular dinner instead. That was my mistake, since websites can be hard to understand when you’re translating the page. Double-check what you’re ordering. One other tip: finding a taxi through an app is difficult, so ask the staff to order one if you need it. We had a fantastic stay at Hotel Okada. Our traditional Japanese room had tatami floors and a futon, and it was so comfortable. The hotel is spacious and clean, the staff were friendly, and the surrounding area and little town were pleasant to explore on foot.

The staff greeted us pleasantly, and communication in English wasn’t a problem for us, despite what other reviews say. But the musty smell in the hallways was intense, and the bathroom was clearly covered in mold. The room’s built-in onsen would have been wonderful if it wasn’t moldy. It felt so icky. As someone with asthma and mold allergies, I became sick within an hour of arriving and had an extreme flare-up. I slept badly while congested, with a sore throat and sniffles. I wanted to love this hotel, but I can’t overlook such a serious health and safety flaw. We stayed one night, and the buffet wasn’t great. Some dishes looked good and had good flavors, but dinner and breakfast were both quite cold, which didn’t feel worth what we paid. Breakfast service started at 7:30 at the earliest. By the time we took the shuttle and reached the station to explore Hakone, it was 9, and it was packed. The buses had very long waits and the storage lockers were full. The location was really inconvenient. We didn’t know about the shuttle from the station until we arrived, and had already waited an hour for the K bus. The shuttle doesn’t serve only this hotel, so it was quite packed on the way back to the station too.