Buffet breakfast, large variety of food. We booked also dinner which was excellent, kaiseki type carefully selected by local chefs, a bit pricey but an experience in itself. Onsen very good both private and public. We tried both and it was excellent, highly recommended. Good English among staff which was very helpful and looking to make our stay comfortable. In the last day we checked out and left luggage at front desk so we can explore a bit more the region. From the entrance in the hotel you can see Mt Fuji when clear. Access by foot to Togendai and lake Ashi for the boat and ropeway.

Relatively long journey by bus to reach the hotel from Odawara and back. It takes around 90 min with many traffic jams, some 50 stops along the way so in case you re standing in the bus could be demanding. Limited space for large suitcases in the bus. We used bus labelled T which goes from Odawara Togendai and back. However we learned that some T buses have shorter line and we had to get off and take the train at Miashita. Recommend to take local transportation map upon arrival in Odawara. Complement with google maps or similar.

The staff were very friendly and allowed me to check in early (which, after arriving via ropeway, was very much appreciated). They explained when the local restaurants closed and how I can book a table with them. The private baths were also very relaxing and they had a wide selection of wash products to go with it. The hotel is located right next to a beautiful view of Mt Fuji and a bus stop. One thing to note: I accidentally left behind a postcard to my family before I checked out. The postcard had a stamp and address on it, and the hotel posted it for me without me having to ask. Very much appreciated.

Minor nit-pick, but when the staff cleaned my room they opened the blocking curtains. There were nights where I forgot to close them and woke up early to the bright June sun. Not something to blame, but my advice is to remember to check your curtains.

We stayed in an unrenovated twin room with tatami area and garden view. As others have noted the decor was a bit dated. However, the room was huge with panoramic windows and a view to the hills. If the weather is clear you can see Mt Fuji from the gardens in front of the hotel. The buffet breakfast was very good with western and Japanese options. The evening meal is not cheap, but is excellent and a real experience, so much so we had it twice (with different menus). The hotel is out in the country with no local shops or restaurants. It does however have a small combini of its own with drinks and food. It's only a short walk through the woods to Lake Ashi and the ropeway and pirate ship. The hotel has 4 private and 2 public onsens.

The dinner was made by a chef, incredibly delicious and made us feel special. It was a bit expensive but it was worth it. We were there around late April and we were cold in the room in the mornings, so bring extra layers. Somehow the air con did not work well during the day, but had no problem in the evenings. Our room was pretty close to the female onsen so we had a great time just chilling there. We also tried the private onsens that are free, and absolutely loved the experience.

We must have booked a smoking room cuz it was smelly, but we barely spent any time in the room so we did not care much. The hotel staff does not know english well, but we communicated through their translation tools. The location they sate on booking.com did not match with the hotel's real location so they ended up picking us up from the hotel the booking.com address was directed to. Please double check the address before you go there.

Close to lake and ropeway terminal. Lovely Onsen

A bit isolated from other facilities especially restaurants

Four person room was clean and spacious with en suite toilet and shower facilities. Good breakfast buffet with Western and Japanese food options. Odakyu Highway Bus from Shinjuku stops right at the front entrance of the hotel (南温泉荘 / Minami-onsen station). Great for travellers with luggage 24 hour hot spring facilities including private hot spring baths that can be used at any time with no reservation required.

Hotel was a little bit old fashioned and run down in places Far from most of Hakone's attractions although there are several public transportation options (but check the timetables because most lines stop fairly early) No restaurants open close by so best to book dinner in hotel or bring in food from outside to eat in room.

A nice hotel that sits near to Togendai ropeway and cruise ship stations. It’s clean and the staff are friendly. It still retains its 60s/70s architectural style so expect to see a clear clean entrance and reception are with obvious interior features of that era. The upgraded room was nice and the tatami area gave it a pleasant, open feel. Lovely views out to the trees and mountains- plus Mount Fuji clearly in sight from the garden. Lots of walks around the area too. Quite a way on the bus from Odawara station but that means that you’re in the thick of it the next morning so can get a jump on the crowds. Didn’t try the food so can’t comment. The onsens were great- one male, one female and 4 private. Seemed great to us and we enjoyed a dip every night of our stay.

Everything was good.

The hotel feels grand with a big lobby and large rooms. It's a bit dated with stains on the rugs but I loved the setting. There are 4 private onsen tubs with hot spring water. Was great to be able to have your own private space. The private baths didn't cost extra. I also went to the large public onsen upstairs and no one else happened to be in there. The private onsens were a great temperature. Hot without being uncomfortable. They were very clean, only mineral stains from the water of course. The public one had a very hot bath and a cooler one. The buffet breakfast was amazing! So much food and lots of different options. I loved tasting the Japanese food (pickled plums, fish, dumplings, pickled veggies, fermented bean curd, etc.) and of course they had eggs, sausage, breads. Was just delicious! While getting there on the first day took a while, we found the buses to be very convenient. We bussed everywhere and found dinner easily a few stops away. Too bad the roads don't have great sidewalks or we would've walked. This location is close to the boat that goes across the lake to Motohakone and to the end of the ropeway. It's a really cool area. We did a hike nearby for great views. The price here was reasonable which was the biggest selling point compared to other places. The staff here are friendly and accommodating. It wasn't very crowded when we were here in early January.

There was some hair in the bathroom when we checked in. My boyfriend was bothered by it and asked them to clean it, which they did. They offered to give us a different room, but we stayed after they did a more thorough cleaning. The hotel is older and they haven't made some of those renovations or cleanings to the chairs and rugs where there are old stains. This didn't bother me. It did bother my boyfriend who has OCD, not so much the stains, mostly the bathroom. I might've stayed closer to a town if I had to do it again for easy walkability to restaurants, but it was easy to get around via bus and they come often and on schedule.

Location- central to so many attractions, we had a car and spent 2 days exploring, we could easily have stayed another night, as there was so much to see and do. Touristy, but we loved it! -You could easily walk to bus stop and visitors centre if you don't have a car Room- huge, and recently renovated on the top floor, with a Tatami area for sitting, dining and bedding supplied for 2 extra persons sleeping on Tatami). Bedding- 2 Single Beds which felt like King singles, and 2 ?Futon/Tatami beds Bathroom- modern, separate toilet. Vanity mirror with seat in main bedroom, as well as 2 chairs and small table can in handy for sitting reading, coffee and a drink in the evening. Storage cupboard- we could store our suitcases easily, and had a safe to lock our valuables. Lighting- many options from overhead on bedhead, mirror etc, and even dimmable in Tatami area The view out onto the front garden was beautiful, and made more beautiful from fresh snow overnight. Breakfast- standard buffet that we found elsewhere in Japan, large range of Western and Japanese hot and cold choices. For Japanese standards (we have experienced several times) this room was great in size, room to comfortably move around, for 2 tall Australians, we had several comfortable seating options. Its 'the little things' that make a stay special, such as the cookies, and tea set, not to mention the beautiful gowns to wear in room, I haven't even mentioned the 3 private onsens, which we never had to wait for, which we loved after a cold rainy day. Would stay here again!

Disliked · Although our room was non-smoking, you could still smell cigarette smoke on our floor. Shower was a tiny cubicle, with door, limited room to move and no toiletry space, so had to put items on the floor

Love the location! Although it is further up in the mountains and a bit remote, it is only a 40 min comfortable and scenic bus ride on the Hakone Tozan Bus. The bus stops literally in front of the hotel (Bus stop is called Minami Onsenso) but the best thing is both the port/station for the Hakone Ropeway and the Pirate Ship Sightseeing cruise is only 5 mins away on the same bus line (or an 8 min walk away) which are must do activities in Hakone. The rooms are spacious - you can choose Japanese or contemporary rooms. The Japanese room we booked is quite quaint. The onsens are quite a treat but I think they need a revamp as they are quite old and dingy now.

No laundry washroom or service which is actually a massive disappointment (not as advertised). I don't know how any tourist and hotel stayers can survive in a hotel with no laundry. Laundry is a must for travellers! I had to lug around dirty laundry when we left. I mean there aren't even laundromats around because the place is quite remote so you are really stuck with dirty laundry (and could end up having nothing to wear). Also they can do better with the cleaning. The shelf in the bathroom was all dusty I had to clean it myself. The cleaners didn't even bother to remove the bag of rubbish I had left next to the tiny bin they provide.