Hotel Shikinoyakata Hakone Ashinoko

For our honeymoon, this was a peaceful little escape in Hakone. The room was beautifully designed and felt luxurious, and having a private onsen in the room was a huge plus. Staff were so warm, thoughtful, and attentive throughout our stay. Breakfast and dinner were elaborate, fancy meals, with a different course each night and really good fish and meat. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect romantic stay. We'd love to come back.

The room felt new and cozy, with lots of art around that made it look lovely. The hot spring was great and not very crowded. Dinner, though, was just so-so, maybe one of the worst meals of my Japan trip lol. It took the staff a long time to bring the dishes out. Breakfast was better, and the homemade jam was tasty.

The private onsen on our balcony overlooking Lake Ashi was the best part, easily an 11/10. We didn't try the shared onsen, so can't comment on that. We spent two nights here, and our room was far bigger than the photos suggested, with a lovely tatami floor. It was spotless and seemed brand new. They provided Samue (?) to wear around the hotel and to meals, which most guests did and which we recommend for the atmosphere. There were pajamas too, plus lots of free items like toothbrushes, hairbrushes, ties and clips for keeping hair dry in the onsen, coffee, tea and treats. The food was great. The meal format stayed similar each day, with things like soup, fish, meat and dessert, but the dishes changed daily. They asked about allergies at check-in. You could choose from two seating times for both dinner, around 17.30 or 19.30, and breakfast, around 8 or 10. We enjoyed the wines we tried, though staff didn't seem especially familiar with the list. The menu named Chablis 2018, but we got a 2023 bottle and were told the list was "a bit outdated." That didn't bother us at all, and the Chablis was excellent and fairly priced at 9,900¥, about 60€. Maybe check first before ordering the Romanée-Conti at around 700.000¥, or 4000€ 😉. Staff in general were friendly and helpful. One person spoke very good English, others knew enough basic English to help, and we used google translate when needed. There's a small bar, which we skipped because our room's view was nicer, and a little shop selling drinks and souvenirs, including beer, sake and highballs for the room. Getting down to the lake takes about 20-30 minutes on foot. You can pass Hakone Shrine and its famous red Tori gate, or take the road, and either way reach the harbour for the pirate boats. Going back uphill, the bus takes around 10 minutes or a taxi about 5 minutes, costing 1,500 ¥, roughly €9. The nearest bus stop is still 500m uphill from the hotel, which could be tough with heavy bags, a stroller or mobility issues. Taxis were easy to find or call through Uber-app. From Hakone-Yumoto Station, the H bus takes about 40 minutes and usually comes every 20-30 minutes. A taxi is around 30 minutes and 5,600 ¥, roughly €35, and was much easier with our luggage. Buses can be packed with tourists, though there's a little luggage space at the front. There's also a shuttle to Odawara Station around 9:30 a.m. and in the evening, but you need to book ahead. We needed an earlier train, so took a taxi via Uber-app instead, around 30 minutes and roughly 9000¥, or 50€. An extremely pleasant hotel, with thoughtful amenities, amazing service and a fantastic view. We would've loved to stay another night or two, and would definitely return.

Chef Sinozaki Yusuke's food was absolutely amazing, and everyone on staff was attentive. The balcony's private Onsen was relaxing, with a great view across the lake and mountains. It's also a short walk from the bus station, so getting around is fairly easy. Fantastic hotel.