Odakyu Hotel de Yama

The room gave us views of Lake Ashi and the manicured grounds, while we could see Mt Fuji from the restaurant. The interiors were beautiful and Japanese in style, and having a private onsen was lovely. This was the most expensive hotel of our Japan trip in mid April, so our expectations were high. Dinner was included, and since two of the four in our family don’t eat pork or beef, we chose French food instead of Japanese. It was a set seven-course menu. On one night they substituted chicken for beef, but the second night we had lamb that wasn’t cooked through and was inedible. We’ve enjoyed French cuisine before, but this was either raw or undercooked, and we were left hungry and unsatisfied. That was a major letdown. I expected a reputable hotel to cater to different guests better. A buffet or à la carte option would have been much appreciated.

The garden is open to the public, so there’s no need to stay overnight if that’s all you want to see. We loved the onsen, and the hotel’s location is superb. Staff were amazing and the service impeccable. Be sure to reserve dinner if you want to eat there in the evening. The carpet in our room needs replacing, but aside from that, this was a 10/10 stay.

The hotel is right beside Lake Ashi, and the shuttle from Motohakone-ko was excellent. It has an unapologetically old-fashioned look, perhaps even dated, but the staff are courteous and attentive. The baths are peaceful and relaxing, and the food really was excellent.

We weren’t guests, but the staff helped us a great deal when we couldn’t work out where or when to catch a bus back to our hotel. The ferry we’d taken to this part of the lake had no return service. The doorman, whose name I can’t recall, and the concierge, Iyanagi, stepped in straight away. While waiting for a bus, we had sweets in the beautiful bar area with a view of Mount Fuji. When the bus passed us because it was too full, they went above and beyond to find us another bus or a taxi. Hakone was difficult to navigate, but their help made it much easier and less stressful. If we return, we’d definitely look into staying here, and I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a great view.