Hotel Laforet Shuzenji

There were great parts to the stay, but some things really sucked too. The outdoor onsen rooms are amazing, though some face the carpark, which I think are the Mt Fuji ones. Breakfast is decent rather than amazing, and the views are great. The lounge has free drinks and snacks, but the food is definitely on the lower side for Japan. Try the hot stone sauna. It may seem underwhelming, but it really works if you stick with it. I took AirPods in and was fine. You need a car to leave the resort, and even getting to the other resort is a trek. Google Maps may make it look like you can walk to town, but you can’t. Bike rental hours are restrictive, only until 4pm, and the shuttle to the train station runs once an hour and stops at 6pm. The swimsuit onsen is basically a kids’ pool, not remotely hot and too shallow to swim in. Staff were hit and miss, and I’ll leave it at that. We had a great experience overall. I don’t think I’d go back, but it was good to experience once.

The rooms have all the facilities you need, and ours had an in-room onsen. It’s spacious, the views are nice, and just spending time in the room was good. There’s also a laundry area, and the staff are nice and kind. The hotel is on top of a mountain, so you need a car to get around. It’s a four star property, more like a courtyard properly but a little nicer. There’s an open air onsen at the hotel next door, reachable by car or shuttle, but that’s inconvenient. Marriott should have an open air onsen on the property. They have a mixed bath, but you need to bring your own bathing suit. We didn’t use that onsen because we prefer outdoor ones, so we had to drive all the way to the other hotel, which defeats the purpose of staying at an onsen resort. One drawback: they start blowing leaves at 7.30 am. If you sleep with the windows open, it’ll wake you up. The zipline costs 2500 yen per person and is a nice activity.

It’s a peaceful, well-kept property, great if you want to unwind in the Shuzenji area. The rooms are modern, spacious, and thoughtfully laid out, and a private onsen bath is an option that adds a luxurious touch. There’s a large public onsen, a fitness center, and lounge areas, all in keeping with Marriott’s consistent quality. A refined, relaxing stay surrounded by the natural beauty of the Izu mountains.

The room was quiet and spacious, with a Mt. Fuji view and a private onsen bath. The water in the bath ran nonstop through the night, though. The hotel is uphill, but easy to reach by car.