We stayed at Hakonenomori Okada for just two nights and honestly regretted not booking a longer stay. The hotel itself is a bit older but well-equipped and comfortable. The traditional onsen spa was a real highlight — you could book private family time or enjoy the public baths, which are separated by gender. It was never crowded, and one evening I had the entire onsen to myself, which was an amazing experience. A small disappointment was that the outdoor pool was under maintenance, so our son couldn’t enjoy it — but in the end, it didn’t matter that much. Breakfast was generous and varied, offering both traditional Japanese dishes and Western-style options. The hotel is located about a 20-minute walk from Hakone-Yumoto Station. If you’re arriving with luggage, I strongly recommend taking a taxi — the road leading to the hotel is quite steep and not really walkable with suitcases 😄

The rooms are huge, clean, and comfy. The onsen experience is really good too, as with the meals provided. Great value for money. Small suggestion for improvement: perhaps some information on the available transport options could be sent to guests in advance. There are basically 2 options: (1) take Shuttle A (¥200/person) > alight at Hotel Okada > walk the sheltered path on the 8th floor to Hakonenomori, (2) take Bus K (fare is distance-based, covered under the Hakone Free Pass) > alight at Oku Yumoto Iriguchi > walk ~5min to Hotel Okada > walk the sheltered path on the 8th floor to Hakonenomori.

Generously sized room, beautiful view of the valley all the way down to Odawara and the sea, wonderful facilities particularly the extensive onsen with different options for heated pools indoor & outdoor - a special experience sitting in the rock pool up a level, surrounded by forest and with snow falling down. Hotel staff were also very helpful and welcoming.

Google Maps will try to lead you right to the top of the hill, so would be good as part of the booking to advise that if you're arriving on foot (walked from the train station, though there is a shuttle), you can make your way through the hotel entrance further down (marked on map as Hotel Okada, with the upper building marked as Hakonenomori Okada), using the elevator and escalator to easily reach the top. Thankfully we did discover this on the first day.

Onsen, Ryokan Style

The Hotel should give more Information about how to get there. There is an orange Bus driving Direct to a Hotel next to this one and there is a short cut though the other Hotel to come to this one without having to pull all your luggage up the step Hill. Check my photos with Google translator for instructions.

Size of room was good, room was clean and everything worked. Onsen was really nice. Breakfast and dinner which were part of the package were very good.

Futons were very thin, we had to ask for additional bases to make the futon acceptable.

Friendly and helpful staff, good sized room, exceptional onsen facilities. Air conditioning was powerful and effective. Close to centre of town. Easy check in and out process. Pricing reflected quality.

It wasn’t a big deal to me as we spent most of our time wandering around town and day trips but be aware it does look dated and tired, even though we stayed in a renovated room which we paid extra for. To reiterate what most people have said, the location is walking distance from town on a cool day but if it’s hot don’t bother - get a taxi and save yourself the trouble and time. Same goes for if you are wheeling suitcases. The plus side is there are plenty of taxis about and they are very cheap.

The room was huge and had plenty of room to spread out. There was a lovely view down the valley. Our son enjoyed the novelty of sleeping on tatami mats, but there were also western style beds provided. We chose not to include meals with our stay. Our family made use of a private onsen booking, and I also used the outdoor onsen which was a unique experience, beautiful in the early morning.

The hotel is a little dated, which is okay for the most part, but the bathrooms could do with some modernisation and the slippers need to be replaced. Beware the hotel is located up a steep hill which would not suit those with mobility issues if on foot. Make sure you take the short-cut through Hotel Okada. A little far from any restaurants or shops so bear this in mind - you'll need to walk down to the town for most things.

The room was spacious, the views were spectacular. We could just sit in our room looking out the window. Room was very clean. The open air Onsen was amazing, had many different baths and a sauna.

Could be nice if the breakfast had more options. The pool area which was closed looked really neglected, swampy and somewhat off putting. The location of the hotel is beautiful but not that close to the train station. There is a shuttle bus but it’s not a free shuttle and doesn’t arrive that often. So if you’re planning to travel using public transportation it’s something to think about.

The Japanese-style ryokan was clean and the experience was pleasant. The Onsen was zen and well-appointed. We loved the massage, manga and video games rooms. The restaurants offered some Western options and the waiter was very friendly.

The infrastructure is getting old. The hotel reception was mediocre. A curt welcome in incomprehensible English. The place is quite far away with a mountain to climb. I highly recommend taking a taxi to get there, it cost us 1000 yens from the train station. For the departure, there is a shuttle, but the instructions from the reception to take it are really not clear. We finally found the stop, it was complicated. Calling a taxi in the morning took 1 hour of waiting. I simply recommend walking back to the station, it takes around 20 minutes and is easy to do.

We really enjoyed our stay at Hakonemori Okada! The staff were kind and helpful, and the room was impressively large with a nice view. The beds were very comfortable, and the easy access to a beautiful onsen spa made for a perfect Hakone experience. Dinner might not be to everyone's taste, but we thought it was tasty and the portions were generous. The breakfast buffet was excellent. A bit of a walk from Hakone-Yumoto Station, but the hotel shuttle or a quick taxi made it easy. A lovely getaway!