It was very handy to have availability for breakfast and dinner at the guesthouse. We tried both! I booked because of Rum the host’s dog and she did not disappoint. Signs up in my language not to feed the dog which was handy because her eyes and body language were very appealing. Thermal bath onsen was simple but terrific after a day of walking.

There is a local bus that is included in Halone pass that gets closer to the house: we tried to walk it in the rain on our first day and that was a bit of a mistake. So do your research on travel options to get closer to the guest house because its location is hilly.

Great place to stay. Lovely, kind helpful guys and loveable Rum the Labrador! Homely place. Definately try the Plum wine...yummy and warming. From Hakone Train Station...Cross over to bus stop...no 2....stop uesokokura. From bus stop the walk up hill bend to hostel not too bad! From the guesthouse you can walk to the train station to get to Gora.

Sinks and toilets could do with a good clean. Breakfast was disappointing, not exceptional for me , sadly......one mini bread roll, mini crossiant,one little jam and butter satchet, one hard boiled egg....orange juice and coffee/ tea extra. Two eggs on toast would be better, or cereal, yogurt.....quick easy convenient .

The guesthouse was warm and welcoming. After a busy week in Tokyo and Sapporo this was the perfect spot to slow down and relax, this was possible in the quiet guesthouse and the bar which served food and drink. We also liked how you were able to bring your own food and drink (e.g. from 7/11 down the road) and eat in the communal area. We absolutely love Rum, she is a lovely dog who reminded us of our Labrador at home. The room we had was the largest we’ve had in the 3 weeks we’ve spent in Japan. There are 2 showers and a bathroom, we never found ourselves waiting to use one of these facilities. The staff were great and gave us some brilliant tips! Overall in an incredibly expensive area this guesthouse provided an affordable and comfortable option. We would go out of our way to stay here again!

There’s very little to say about negatives. The location was slightly far from Lake Ashi but that can be seen on the map and we knew it would be before booking. The bus is frequent but expensive so it is absolutely worth paying for the Hakone Free Pass even if you’re not travelling from Tokyo.

The staff were an absolute delight and Rum (the dog) was easily the best part of the hostel, I love the way she spins in circles when she's excited. She also likes to dig at the floors, and steal slippers, haha all the slippers had teeth marks in them. 🤣 She was such a delight and helped me when I was missing my dogs, the only problem is that now miss her! 😭 I had an absolute fantastic time here and spent much of the trip just lounging in the lobby chatting with other guests, hanging out with the dog, and talking with the owners. I honestly was really tempted to stay longer, and I honestly wish I had but my time in Japan is limited so I had to get moving to my next destination.

My biggest gripe is that the beds were horribly uncomfortable, definitely one of the roughest sleeps I've had backpacking here. Sleeping on plywood with little more than a blanket under you doesn't conjure much sleep. Other than that this place was great, it felt alot like a cottage, complete with the woodsy smell.

This is a very charming place. It’s basic, but that’s what makes it nice as Hakone is surrounded by posh resorts. Rum is delightful and our daughter spent a lot of time in the front bar playing with her. Staff are friendly with great English.

Unfortunately we couldn’t utilise the onsen because it was too hot. We were told to add cold water, but after 5 mins of waiting plus scooping out hot water, it was still too hot. The hill is quite a climb with luggage. Catch the bus or train one stop further up the mountain and walk back, then you are at least walking downhill for most of it. There aren’t many restaurants around that were open Tuesday or Wednesday, (or they are so teeny tiny they couldn’t fit us in). But you can get food at 7/11 and the lovely staff will reheat it for you.

A fantastically valued stay, with lovely staff, surroundings, food and dog! Dinner in the evening was delicious, and the whole surroundings were great. The onsen was warm, and effectively a bath, but was a lovely treat. Everything was clean and a nice 15 minute walk to either train station in either direction, and into town.

The walls are very thin, so bring earplugs! We also found the beds slightly uncomfortable, but shouldn't detract from a genuinely lovely stay!!

Fantastic atmosphere and everyone was super nice. The room exceeded my expectations and the futons were actually very comfortable. It was perfect for a solo traveler wanting to avoid commercial hotels and experience a Japanese guesthouse.

Location was beautiful, but it is up a mountain. It is quite hilly to walk with luggage, and the bus can be expensive if you want to get anywhere. Highly recommend a pass of some sort for transportation. Do note that some of the rooms are not in the main building and you must walk outside to access facilities. It is not far and I did not mind the additional privacy but some people might.

-The location was easy to find. It was just a short bus ride + a very short walk to get to the place. -The breakfast was delicious and clearly made with love. ごちそうさまでした！ -I really liked the decorations and details of this guesthouse. They give it warm, friendly vibes and make it look more cozy and welcoming. -The bathroom was real interesting haha -The owner was super kind and respectful. The doggy was sweet. Moreover, locals came to have a drink there so I can say that staying at this guesthouse provided me with an opportunity to talk to local people.

If I am to be super strict, I’d point out two things. These are not major problems though. To those who are a bit claustrophobic: My bunk bed was situated at the corner of the dorm room and mostly enclosed by walls in such a way that it kind of made me feel suffocated at first, but then I got used to it. One more thing to keep in mind: The shower is located in the main part of the building while my dorm was in the annex. If you take a shower on a cold, windy night and then come out to go back to your bed you might tremble a bit. If you catch cold easily, beware of it.

A lovely stay at the Hakone Guesthouse Toi. The staff are really friendly and accomodating. There is a private onsen you can use for 20 minutes which is a nice touch and I enjoyed sleeping on the tatami - my first time but had really decent sleep. The shared spaces and bathroom were nice and clean and had toiletries if need be.

It is on a hill, so be mindful if you have a bit of luggage with you that the incline to reach the guesthouse is quite steep. But there’s a bus stop right down the bottom of the road that will take you to Odawara station :) be mindful that the shower/toilet is separate, in the main house and you’ll be needing to walk through the main bar and lounge area.

The guests spoke good English. The guesthouse was divided into two buildings, which helped to reduce the noise while keeping the welcoming guesthouse atmosphere. The room was quite traditional, with tatami mats and futons. The dog, Rum, was very friendly. There is a bus stop 4 minutes walking and a train station 14 minutes walking.

Walls were thin. The room was a bit cramped, especially if you have two suitcases. The edges of the room and the heater were very dusty.