A hidden gem in the mountains – truly unforgettable! I had the chance to stay at Lalaca Onsen during my trip to Japan, and it was an absolute dream. Each room includes 30 minutes of private onsen time, which was the perfect way to unwind while surrounded by beautiful nature. There's also a public onsen, which I had all to myself — incredibly peaceful and calming. Tucked away from the noise of the city, you can literally breathe in the relaxation here. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, making the whole experience feel personal and warm. The food was another highlight — a delicious and authentic Japanese dinner and breakfast that made me feel fully immersed in the culture. Highly recommend if you're looking for serenity, nature, and a touch of traditional Japan.

Lalaca was a perfect choice for exploring Hakone. The family room we booked was spacious, with a separate tatami area where our children slept. There were also board games to borrow and a ping pong table that could be reserved. The meals were exquisite—more food than we could finish, reflecting many local seafood specialties, along with wagyu beef shabu shabu at dinner. The chef also made a beautiful vegetarian bento for my vegetarian tween and at breakfast swapped out the fish elements of the traditional Japanese breakfast for vegetarian alternatives while otherwise keeping the meal the same, which was perfect. The food is served in the dining room overlooking Hakone, though they do offer in-room meal service for one room each night for a fee. A private open air bath was available for each room to reserve for 30 minutes after dinner, although because the ryokan is small, the communal baths were often close to private as well. The cloudy sulphuric hot spring water helped our teen feel at ease for a first onsen experience. The location is an easy walk to the cable car stop, Gora Park, and the shops and restaurants in Gora. It was also a great spot for a single night’s stay because it falls right along the Hakone Loop at a good breaking point for the day if you go clockwise. The next morning we walked to the Hakone Open Air Museum and then took the train back to Hakone-Yumoto station to continue on our way.

No complaints!

The staff were extremely friendly and were able to answer our questions as English speakers, no matter how silly the questions were! Onsen on-site yay! Dinners were kaiseki style in the dining hall and were excellent (if you've had kaiseki before in a ryokan, you know how good those multi course meals are! First night was wagyu shabu shabu omg). About a 6 to 8 minute walk from both Gora station and Koen-Shimo station. Reasonably priced overall!

Not really a negative, but please be aware of the location - check-in instructions clearly state how steep some of the streets to get to Lalaca can be, they can indeed be "heartbreaking" for the uninitiated! Don't let this stop you from experiencing the Lalaca experience, it's worth it :)

Our room was delightful with a tatami tea area, seating area, the beds, and private bathroom. Dinner and breakfast were both SO impressive and delicious! And having the private Onsen time was wonderful. The staff was so friendly and made our visit even better. So glad we decided to splurge to stay here — even though we were only able to stay for one night, was definitely the highlight of our trip to Japan!

Only real complaint was a lack of outlets in the room, and for the ones that existed, stuff kept falling out of them. I guess to be expected for a not recently renovated property.

Great views from the lobby Exceptional staff, very polite and warm. They all speak English Kaiseki dinner and breakfast were delicious and elegantly served Women’s onsen was only indoors, probably because of winter time they closed the glass partition that separates the outside garden. Blankets were amazing

The interior design is old-fashioned It takes some efforts to reach the hotel from Gora station, but only the last 50 meters are really steep. Taking the cable car can be a solution, but the waiting time can be long. Do not bring heavy luggage with you unless you come by car.

Everything was spectacular. When I walked in, I was floored by the view in the lobby and in our rooms. Overlooking a mountain of trees, the room was beautifully Japanese, and looked even better in person than in the pictures. The meals were amazing, beautifully balanced, and huge! Staff had english speakers which made it easier to communicate. And of course, the onsen... absolutely lovely. We took advantage of both the private and public onsen and it was so relaxing, it was really quite the perfect Hakone experience. And oh yeah, the location is wonderful. I booked this ryokan specifically for the location. Just a few minutes walk and on the 'loop' it's the perfect location for a Hakone trip. As others said, I would definitely take the recommendation of the ryokan and reviewers of getting off at the cable car to avoid the hill. :)

Nothing!

This Ryokan was a real gem and our absolute favorite from our recent trip to Japan. The food was exceptional—sometimes a bit too much, but undoubtedly the best we had during our stay. The place is incredibly calm, and the staff is top-notch, providing "au petit soin" service, as they say in French. Sleeping on traditional futon beds might seem a bit daunting at first, but it was actually a wonderful experience. The onsen was also excellent, adding to the authentic experience. They even managed to arrange a birthday cake for my son on very short notice—thanks again for that!

The only downside is that they only accept cash payments. While this wasn’t a problem for us since we had cash on hand, they should definitely inform guests about this policy at check-in. It’s likely mentioned in Japanese, but not in English, which could cause issues for some travelers.

A smaller boutique type hotel with Ryokan Experience. Food service included is amazing. Dinner (which included grilled fish and waygu shabu shabu) and Breakfast were extraordinary affairs. Very clean. Private onsen offered (1/2 hr time slots that you need to sign up for) was amazing for a newbie. Easy to get to by train from Tokyo. Need to make a few transfers. The final trains to the hotel was really neat. Very small and quaint. Need to take a cable car up the mountain to the first stop and then walk a few hundred meters, If you take the same cable car up to the final stop, it takes to you to the rope car that goes up the mountain and across the valley to the lake. Generally an easy walk with rolling luggage to get to. We had an amazing view of the mountainside. Beds were comfortable. A very quiet facility. Value wise, I think it was mostly in the food and private onsen experience.

While it is in a more modern building (circa 90's?), the facilities were a bit tired. The bathrooms (think pastels) could use an update. Would be hard pressed to stay more than one night as it is in a smaller town. Authentically Japanese, but don't expect to be waited on by geisha, lol.

We got to experience traditional Japanese hospitality and kaiseki style dinner without breaking the bank. Love that they also cater for kids and adjusted dinner slightly for my son. I absolutely loved the hotel staff : guy at reception and the ladies who were serving dinner/breakfast and doing housekeeping. Especially the lady who spoke very good English, she made us feel very welcomed, was very helpful with all my questions.

You have to pay extra for table tennis game, JPY 300 for 30 min. I found that odd.

The staff were kind and accommodating. Dinner was a 7-course feast, inclusive of shabu-shabu beef that was of the highest quality, and breakfast was extremely filling. Loved playing dress-up in beautiful yukatas and tried on several colors. Guests get to book a 30-min private outdoor onsen time at check-in, and the indoor public single-gender onsen was open for most of the day. Chair and foot massagers were a plus and we tried out every one of them. The place is family-owned, and has a pleasant 70s vibe, although some furniture could be upgraded. The owners speak very good English. Location can't be beat - right by the Gora stop on the train/cable car.

Nothing! Everything was great.