Merveille Hakone Gora

We booked directly on the website and stayed two nights, using the hotel as our base for Hakone. The room was huge, and having a bath on the balcony was absolutely worth booking. The view was lovely and it was so relaxing. Our rate covered breakfast and dinner. Breakfast was buffet style; dinner had six courses and unlimited help-yourself alcoholic drinks. It leaned heavily on fish and seafood, so keep that in mind if you don’t enjoy seafood, though we found it tasty and tried some new things. We also liked making our own herbal tea at the medicinal bar, along with having more gin and whisky. There’s a gender-separated onsen at the hotel that stays open late. Gora station is a short walk away, as is 'gora brewery and grill', which I recommend for lunch. Getting up the hill from the station can be a challenge, but we managed with our suitcases. Check-in was easy, and a friendly staff member helped us with the iPads.

The rooms were comfortable and roomy, with a lovely mountain view. There’s a public onsen, but it’s a little small and entirely indoors. For the price, it wasn’t bad. The meals tasted good, though they weren’t the best I’ve had. The hotel is close to Gora station on foot, but the steep slope makes that walk less appealing with luggage. There’s a convenience store nearby and a few restaurants.

Dinner was amazing, and the tea and coffee bar was good and free. My room was spacious too. Breakfast was fine, just the kind of buffet you’d expect, nothing special.

The onsen was beautiful and well cared for, with both warm and cold baths and a sauna. My room was clean and spacious, and some rooms also have a private outdoor bath. A really lovely hotel, right in the city center and easy to get around from.