Tsukinoyado Sara (Kyoritsu Resorts)

Our room was modern, clean and comfortable, with a private open-air bath that made our first stop on our honeymoon feel special. It was easy to get around, and the hotel is beautifully set beside a flowing river, a short walk from Hakone-Yumoto Station. No luggage storage or escort to the room was needed, everything was intuitive. They also provide yukata to wear around the property, which adds to the relaxing ryokan feel. We arrived after 11:00 PM, flying in from Dallas via HND and taking the train to Hakone-Yumoto. The staff still welcomed us warmly. Most mainly spoke Japanese, but they connected us to a live Japanese-English interpreter on video chat. It was an actual person, not AI, and worked really well. I especially liked the complimentary self-serve drinks lounge on the 3rd floor. It had whiskey, tequila, vodka, bourbon, liqueurs, mixers, ice, sodas and coffee, so you could make a drink and relax whenever. Dangerous, but wonderful 😂. On the 6th floor, the bathing and relaxation area was also well set up, with impressive amenities and toiletries. Public bathing isn’t really my thing, but I appreciated it. The hotel provides different footwear for different activities: disposable indoor slippers, wooden geta clogs for the private onsen, and regular sandals around the property. Tattoos aren’t allowed in the public baths, so keep that in mind. Late-night ramen was delicious. Breakfast was half incredible and half a mystery to me. Natto, or fermented soybeans, and fermented squid weren’t for me, but trying them was part of the cultural adventure 😂. The bathroom had a high-tech toilet with a bidet, heated seat and wash features, an absolute game changer. Every staff member we met was kind, respectful and attentive, with lots of bows, smiles and thank-yous. We’re grateful for the stay and for such a lovely start to our honeymoon. this review was mine but cleaned up by chat gpt to make it better.

The meals were top quality, and the multi-course set dinner came in very generous portions. It’s a great onsen hotel, with a private thermal bath on the deck, public baths on the 6th floor, and a rooftop viewing area. The staff were friendly and helpful, though they didn’t speak much English. Our only complaints were the distracting whistling sound from the ventilation and the annoying Musac.

Hakone Tsuki No Yado Sara Review 2025 June This was my first full onsen and ryokan experience. For context, my family owns a 4-star resort in Bali Island Indonesia, kanvaz resort seminyak, so I’ll try to review it professionally. The in-room onsen is the signature feature I focused on, since I wanted privacy with my girl. It’s spacious, and the layout of the bath area and bedroom is good. The surroundings made it feel comfortable and private, even without clothes, including for a woman. I’d suggest trying it in mid-afternoon during summer, perhaps after a tiring walk, or around 11 pm to 1 am if you want more privacy. We didn’t try the public onsen, though we did find the ice cream and milk storage, which I think adds a lot of value to the place. If you don’t drink much, like my girl and me, they also have signature tea and fruit drinks. We found the bedroom and onsen room clean, with no small creatures, marks or odd spots that I noticed. The other facilities also seemed clean and well maintained. The interior is somewhat old-fashioned, but the room is comprehensive, spacious and well laid out. It was calm too, and we rarely heard disruptive noise or odd behavior from other guests. The ryokan also provided plenty of hygiene essentials, and I liked the vending machine. Enjoy responsibly, though. The design mixes modern Japanese minimalism with retro Japan. The grounds felt peaceful, near a long, large creek and a huge forest. The front staff and hotel crew were professional and friendly. I’d say try speaking some Japanese with them. I believe Japanese people tell you more if you can speak even a little, but make sure you learn basic formal grammar first. The journey is part of the experience. If you like exploring small, Ghibli-like towns, Hakone is a good place to visit. My girl and I took the train from Tokyo station. The scenery gradually shifted from modern Tokyo to more rural landscapes, until we reached Hakone. It felt like stepping into a different era of Japan, and I think it’s worth experiencing with someone you care about. Food and drink were my favorite topic. You have to try dinner here. We had shabu shabu with a range of drinks, and my favorite was their special yuzu mocktail. It felt perfect for a couple’s getaway. The staff seated us in a corner, so my girl and I could talk, laugh and joke together for hours. I’d choose shabu shabu if you like dipping the food into sauce. There were appetizers before the main course, then rice, udon and konyaku vermicelli. The soy, sesame and peanut sauces were among the best I’ve tried in Japan so far. For me, the location rated 8.9/10, staff and crew service 8.5/10, building and facilities 7.8/10, amenities 9.0/10, food 7.0/10, drinks 8.8/10, room and in-house onsen bathroom 8.0/10, and ambience 8.2/10.

We slept really well on the soft, comfortable mattresses in our room with twin double beds. There was also a private onsen, though we were too busy enjoying everything else to use it. This was easily the best ryokan I stayed at on my Japan trip. The place was newly built, very clean and well maintained, with a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. I especially liked the snack bar’s wide drink selection, including a draft beer machine and ingredients for making cocktails. The public bath has indoor and outdoor sections and a small sauna. There are two private baths, and a light at the entrance shows when one is in use: if the light is off, it’s available. After using the onsen, you can have free ice cream. Dinner, late-night snacks and breakfast are served in the restaurant, which was convenient. We had sukiyaki for dinner, and our server, Shin, was so friendly and attentive that the meal stuck in my mind. The free drink service had everything from beer to different kinds of sake, and we got tipsy pretty quickly. Dining time is about an hour and a half, and last call came sooner than expected, so the meal felt a bit rushed, though it wasn’t a big problem. The late-night ramen was delicious and easy to get: just head downstairs, eat and come back up. Breakfast was a tasty kaiseki-style meal with generous portions. I’d highly recommend this ryokan to anyone after a clean, quiet place with drinks and a relaxing onsen experience.