This is probably the nicest onsen hotel in Hakone, so if you're looking for the best - book it! Beautiful traditional rooms, kimonos, slippers and even socks - all provided by the hotel, you don't need to bring anything. We had our own bath in our private garden which we enjoyed, as well as the Grand Baths. We especially loved the food - it is proper fine dining kaiseki twice a day (breakfast and dinner) served on beautiful plates, in your own room. On our check out day, we got a private drive from the hotel to one of the rural sushi restaurants which we appreciated. The staff at the reception were very kind and helpful, and spoke good English.

Unfortunately our experience was influenced negatively by our host, who was very young (in his early 20s) and hardly spoke any English. We had to explain everything many times and misunderstandings occurred from this. He felt like he's on training rather than a proper host. We would have appreciated to be assigned to an English-speaking staff member. The shower in the bathroom was old and chalky. I pointed it out, to which I got an answer that the room is very old. Well if you can update the prices, surely you can update the bathrooms too. And more about the price - it is extremely expensive, which of course we knew, however did not expect the 10% charge on top of our stay for an extra hour of check out time.

Beautiful hotel grounds, beautiful room! The onsen is stunning! feels like you’re in a movie. Best onsen experience for sure.

Not good value for money. Check out is at 11 - and this is no acceptable for a 5 star hotel. If I was staying at and airbnb or some lower star hotel - I would understand - but this is simply not ok for a hotel with this level and price. We checked out an hour later, and they charged us a steep price for staying an hour longer. This is simply not ok and this is not hospitality! This made me leaving with a bitter taste. Details like this matter.

Absolutely luxury place from the beginning to the end - beautiful location, customer service, comfort, facilities, and kaiseki dinner plus breakfast - top notch. Public baths (separated by gender) spacious, having both indoor and outdoor hot spring “pool”. Amenities - highest quality. All in all - this place belongs to top 10 onsen places in Japan. My recommendations.

One comment - and that is not hotel fault however maybe there should be more explained to some kind of tourists. During our stay there was a group of people from US. Very loud, especially at public baths where you expect silence. Also going to hot spring without washing themselves - what is against all etiquette and rules in onsens. Not sure - that was because of lack of knowledge or else, but it was rude.

EVERYTHING!!! Absolutely loved my stay at Gora Kadan! My parent were also very delighted with the facilities and welcoming staff :)

I had an unforgettable stay at this incredible ryokan in Japan. From start to finish, everything was absolutely perfect. The hospitality was outstanding – the staff was exceptionally kind, attentive, and professional, always making sure every detail was taken care of. The facilities were flawless, beautifully maintained and offering the true essence of a traditional Japanese experience. The gastronomy was on another level, with every meal carefully prepared and full of flavor – a real culinary journey. They even provided transportation to a nearby museum and kindly took me to the train station afterward, which made everything even more comfortable and seamless. I truly recommend this place to anyone looking for an authentic and high-quality ryokan stay. They were wonderful from beginning to end – thank you for such a memorable experience!

The property is perched in the silent town of Gora. We loved the service. The classic Japanese style meal was a wonderful experience. Everything was done to make us comfortable. They have an indoor pool, outdoor jacuzzi, and baths for men and women. There is an outdoor and indoor bath. It’s amazing. They also offer a very reasonably priced in room shiatsu massage. It does happen after 9p so it puts you in the mood to sleep.

Honestly everything was great. It just rained during our stay so we couldn’t explore too much but the room was great and the view was great and it was peaceful.

Gora Kadan was stunning, the property was very luxurious, and the onsen was super clean and well-maintained. They also gave a wide variety of toiletries and facilities for the guests. Service was fantastic, everyone went beyond to make you feel taken care of. Also had the chance to book a massage, and it was incredible. The food was fantastic. We booked a room with a private bath, and the views of the garden were stunning. Would highly recommend!

It was a bit hard to reach with public transport, and we didn't know this in advance. So make sure to book a taxi from the station to avoid having to change buses!

Gôra Kadan exceeded all expectations. From the moment we arrived, it was a total disconnect from the outside world in the best possible way—serene, luxurious, and deeply relaxing. The attention to detail in both the design and service is exactly what you’d expect from a true 5-star hotel. Every element, from the exquisite meals to the immaculate rooms and private onsen, felt carefully curated for comfort and elegance. A very special shoutout to Kenji, who went above and beyond to make our stay unforgettable. His warmth, professionalism, and thoughtful touches added so much to the experience. We can’t wait to return!

The estate of Gora Kadan is immaculate and beautiful. It also snowed during our visit and made it even more romantic. I loved walking around in the traditional wear (the vest for winter was an excellent touch). I loved how spacious the hotel was and multiple rooms (lounge, reading room, onsen, hallways) to explore and enjoy the serenity. The onsen (both private and public) were well stocked with towels, drinks, brushes, lotions and everything you would need. I went every day to take advantage of the amenities. The staff and service was incredible. Our host stayed with us the whole trip and made sure our stay was perfect. Language was not an issue for us! We were a family of 6 (split into two rooms) but they accommodated a banquet room for us to enjoy our meal together. While the price is premium, i truly believe it was great value - considering the history of the estate, the breakfast and dinner kaiseki was 5 stars in quality and presentation and the services they offered (public bath). I would absolutely return

The description of the room (at the time of booking) read "private onsen". However, this is a bit misleading as the private onsen is not attached to the room but an option for you to book. While not a big issue (as we were able to book once during our stay - although the times were limited by the time we did), it should be clarified that this is not attached to the room.

The service was sublime. The in-room meals were an incredible experience; attention to detail like no other meal I've ever eaten. A few flavours less palatable for the westerners, but overall we just loved it. We particularly loved the Japanese breakfast. Special thanks to Shizuka for taking such good care of us. The outdoor onsen was also lovely - especially when dark outside.

It's a pricey experience! Could have used more comfortable furniture for during the day. The beds were amazing though.