Absolutely everything!! The service, the facilities, the rooms - it was all top tier. We stayed 2 nights and were very close to booking it again for the back end of our trip. Could not recommend Nol Hakone enough! Beautiful Onsens inside and outside and breathtaking views from sun baking balcony.

The local village Gora was a little inaccessible from the hotel, as the shuttle bus service is only really for train station pick up. I would recommend either booking the restaurant in advance, or if you would rather do something cheaper buy a bunch of meals from the kombinis before heading up the mountain to your luxurious retreat!

Beautiful location and beautifully maintained property. Amazing staff who were extremely helpful and knowledgeable about Hakone. Shuttle service to and from Gora station was very reliable. And of course the spa facilities are exceptional. The cleanliness of our room and the entire hotel were spotless.

No English channels on tv

Beautiful property despite the dreadful weather outside. Loved the onsen, especially the one outside, with the rain falling all around. With the weather it was a shame we couldn’t enjoy the outside spaces more.

The dinner was lovely but we thought it was over priced. Breakfast was great. The hotel is a distance away from anything, we arrived at lunchtime after an early morning train and taxi ride from Kobe, and were therefore disappointed that there wasn’t lunch available. I really think the hotel should at least be able to provide a selection of sandwiches. Despite the fact that there was a storm outside, their only suggestion was to go back down the winding road to a restaurant, either walking or with a taxi!

The rooms were spacious and beds were amazing. The tatami part of the room was very nice and with relaxing views in the garden and forest. Staff was very nice and the hotel had overall very nice atmosphere. Facilities included nice swimming pool with steam room and onsen.

Main issue could paradoxically the location. It is very hard to get there without taxi / hotel shuttle (which only operates at certain times) and there are practically no food options around the hotel. Taxis in general are very hard to find/book in the area. The only option at the hotel is an Italian restaurant which was quite expensive, you need to book in advance (two time slots only) and has limited capacity. As a European you also don't need an Italian restaurant while in Japan... Sometimes it was difficult to explain even basic requests at the restaurant.

The private bath on the balcony was fantastic, and the food at the restaurant was beyond exceptional. The onsen was also very nice, and I had the space to myself when I was there. The room was also very comfortable and I found the property to be overall very beautiful.

It was far away from everything, about half an hour drive from the main part of town. And it’s quite difficult to get a taxi up there. Especially at night. I had to walk up the hill on two occasions because I was unable to get a taxi. That was around a 30 minute walk from the only restaurants that weren’t the one on the property.

Cleaness, staff, pool

I really enjoyed my stay — the place is clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. The pool was a highlight, especially for the kids — they had a fantastic time. It’s also well located in the mountains, offering beautiful views and a peaceful atmosphere. That said, it’s a bit removed from Hakone village, so you’ll need a car or plan on using a taxi to get around. One thing to note: if you’re looking for full immersion into Japanese culture, particularly when it comes to meals, be aware that both breakfast and dinner are European in style. The food is tasty and well-prepared, but not traditional Japanese. Overall, a great option depending on what kind of experience you’re after!

The breakfast was very good. While there was a salad buffet, the main course was a choice of 2 options. We would have preferred a buffet for the ability to choose. The onsen was wonderful and we enjoyed the pool. I do feel the public onsen should have an age restriction. On one occasion, there were 2 younger children in the onsen and they were treating it as a pool. We were there to relax, not have children playing. We also thoroughly enjoyed the private onsen in our room.

Beyond the restaurant, there are no close food options. We ate at the restaurant our first night. We enjoyed it but it would have been too pricey for another dinner for my family of 5. We took a taxi to a restaurant a few minutes away and picked up carry out for our family. I wish the shuttle ran more frequently and made a couple of stops.

The room, public spa and swimming pool and the restaurant were very modern and elegant, clean and tidy. We also used the laundry and microwave facilities and they were excellent. The open bar, non alcoholic drinks only, had an incredible range of hot beverages. Alcoholic beverages were available upon small charge. The breakfast was elegant and change every day. The staff was helpful. The private spa was private and well equipped.

Only few staff members knew English well enough to communicate with customers. The location is a bit far way from restaurants and a car is needed to arrive to the hotel, as the road is too narrow to walk safely alongside cars

The heated pool and sauna were great. It was relaxing. Complimentary herbal water, tea and coffee were conveniently available in the lounge. I also appreciated the gift of the original bottle. The hot spring bath set up on the balcony of the room was great, but I was concerned that the balcony fence was too low and would be visible from the outside. Please note that you need to make a reservation for dinner at least one day in advance and that the starting time of dinner is fixed in two parts. The only food available at the hotel is Western food, so if you want Japanese food, you will need to go elsewhere.

The hotel is located on a hillside, so getting to nearby convenience stores is a bit difficult without a car. Not many staff speak English, but you can use a translator.

By far our favourite part of our Japan trip! We stayed here one night to rest in between cities and it was a fantastic choice. The shared onsen is stunning in the early morning with the sunrays shining through the trees and illuminating the steam from the hot water...it really was a dreamy experience. We chose a room without a private onsen and it was a great choice for us. We had a lovely view of the hills and the room was fairly quiet. Absolutely loved having the lounge wear to wear throughout the resort. It meant we could wash the clothes we had come in and just fully relax. The beds were comfy, the room was clean and spacious. It was nice sitting by the firepit with a hot chocolate in our nol cups. The breakfast was lovely and really plentiful. We were very lucky with the weather, which I'm sure made the experience better, but even still, it's such a nice place to relax.

I wish we had stayed longer!