Livemax Resort Hakone Ashinoko

The salmon sashimi was the most alarming part. It was so orange that it seemed to bleed orange all over the plate. You can judge that for yourself. Dinner cost 4400yen per adult for a buffet, but by 7pm many dishes hadn’t been replenished. The cooked food was dry and overdone, and the steak had that bicarbonate taste you get from tenderizer being used to disguise cheap cuts. We had to keep asking for more food. It felt like they hadn’t expected many diners and wanted to cook as little as possible, despite charging for a buffet. At check-in, staff tried to upsell us on the “public onsen.” If it’s public, why is there an extra charge? We came for the private onsen, but the room had a clay tub. I’m not sure the water was anything special, and the wooden fittings were rotting. The room smelled a little old and the furniture was dated.

The room had loads of space, and the bed was comfortable with plenty of extra pillows and bedding. We stayed just after Golden Week 2025, and the in-room onsen was amazing. Good service too. It felt perfect for a honeymoon, especially with the toilet, shower, and sink in separate rooms for privacy. The room did show obvious wear and tear. There were also so many light switches, and none of them were labeled.

The place looks pretty worn, even though the day-to-day staff were always around when needed and happy to go the extra mile. The location is great, near a major stop on the Hakone loop, with lovely natural scenery from the rich volcanic ground. Breakfast was decent and had something for everyone. Dinner didn’t feel worth it for us since we’ve had much better for less, though the buffet did have some good dishes. There aren’t many other options in the neighborhood. The general feel is more family resort than couples retreat.

The dining staff and concierge were very kind, but cleaning was lacking. The plates in the dining room were dirty, and the hallway and dining room smelled moldy, though not as bad as my room. My carpet was soaking wet and the bathroom was covered in mold. I had planned to stay three nights but left after one. By morning I felt dizzy and my eyes hurt from the mold, so I checked out early. They promised a 50% refund.