Onsen Ryokan Mitake

They do have two private onsen and yukatas, which were nice, but several things made the stay uncomfortable. The corridors have no heat, so opening the room door brings in a blast of cold air, even though our room itself stayed toasty. The tatami room futons weren't padded enough for us. We've slept on plenty of futons, and these didn't work for our comfort. The place felt run down and below the usual Japanese cleanliness standard. Most of the food was edible, but the pickles were so salty everyone spit them out. We didn't go hungry, but I can't recommend the food.

THE BEST MEAL I've had in Japan!!! The full board stay was a bit pricey, but the food was superb and the staff were incredible, so it felt like we got what we paid for. The whole experience was amazing. The place is clean, quiet, and cozy, with a really relaxing atmosphere. The public and private onsens are open 24 hours, and trying the private one was easily my favorite part of the trip. Everyone was accommodating and friendly and answered all our questions. There are cats at the property who act as a welcome committee, so cat lovers will be happy here. It took us about an hour to get here from Odawara Station. The road to the ryokan was scenic and enjoyable. This was one of my best experiences in Japan.

The weather in Hakone was awful, so we ended up staying at the ryokan, but still had a wonderful time. The traditional touches were great, from tatami mats, futons, and paper sliding doors to the dinner and breakfast. Both meals were delicious and filling. Friendly cats with different personalities lounged near the front desk, and there were shelves of manga to borrow for reading in your room or the common area. They have indoor and outdoor onsen on a first come, first served basis. We were lucky to find one free when we wanted it. Soaking was great for relaxing our bodies and easing the fatigue from all the walking. Kimonos in different sizes were available to change into. We had a really good stay and hope to come back soon.

We arrived at mitake at 2pm and asked whether we could leave our bags. They agreed and said check-in was at 3pm. Dinner was paid for through the booking site, and its website says dinner is from 6-7. After sightseeing, we got back at 4:43pm and were told they couldn't serve us dinner, as if we hadn't already paid. They said it was impossible to accommodate us. Nobody had told us we were late, and we could see them cooking for other guests. We were simply told we hadn't said when we'd be back. The dinner and private onsen were the only reasons we came here. Definitely go somewhere else.