Hotel Dengan Pools di Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Hakone Hotel Kowakien, a natural onsen hotel offering dinner and breakfast that I'd rate 90 out of 100. It's not easy to impress me in Hakone, the famed hot spring town in Kanagawa Prefecture, but this hotel truly excelled across all criteria, showing a consistently high standard. Both the front desk and restaurant staff were attractive, with fluent English and standard accents; notably, they didn't employ any Southeast Asian staff. The hotel facilities are relatively new and well-designed, and the cleanliness is exceptional. The public areas offer plenty of sofa seating, and the temperature control is precise, allowing guests to comfortably wander around in traditional yukata without feeling cold. The air is fresh with no strong artificial scents, embodying a 'Natural and Pure' concept. The restaurant, named Fontainebleau, lives up to its name with authentic French pastries. The 'all-you-can-eat' style still maintains high-quality ingredients, and there's an unlimited supply of Sapporo Asahi draft beer and Gekkeikan sake. What's more, the self-service alcohol bar is also open during breakfast, which seems quite common for Japanese guests – their physical resilience certainly differs from ours! Observing Japanese dining concepts, you'll notice several characteristics: a wide variety of dishes, comprehensive nutrition, low-temperature preservation, minimal oil and seasoning, and avoiding high-temperature cooking to prevent nutrient loss. The sauna is also quite professional, featuring a 12-minute sand timer, anti-scald mats, humidity and temperature displays, and powerful heating elements that ensure you won't waste any time. Whether you prefer mountain views, garden vistas, or indoor hot springs, there's an option for everyone. For those interested, the address is: 1297 Ninotaira, Hakone-machi, Kanagawa Prefecture 250-0407

This hotel is conveniently located. It is a traditional Japanese hotel with a lot of facilities. It is very beautiful, particularly the garden which is big and serene. The hot spring having both indoor and outdoor pools is impressive. The dining experience is fantastic because the setting is cosy and the food is extremely delicious. The mattresses, neither too soft, nor too hard, are very comfortable.

The room was quite spacious; we had no problem opening two 28-inch suitcases. The bathroom had a separate wet and dry area. The hotel is right above a subway station, just two stops from Yokohama Station, and a taxi ride costs about 1000-ish JPY. Right next to the hotel, the Mark Is shopping mall has a good selection of outdoor brands like Arc'teryx, Descente, Salomon, Oakley, Montbell, etc., plus a supermarket where you can grab lots of tasty snacks. It's also a short walk to the Red Brick Warehouse. Overall, it's great value for money if you're staying in Yokohama.

We enjoyed the rather spacious room and the view of rolling hills. With large beds and a tatami room, it felt rather luxurious. The entire place has an 80s vibe, but good thing we liked the nostalgia it brought for us. The room was quick clean too. Only that the outside balcony and windows had a few rather large spiders and spider webs. Good thing we don't have arachnophobia. They have two locations for their onsens at different timings. So that needed some getting used to. The onsens themselves are decent enough. Getting to the place was a little tricky as we didn't know what was the best bus to hop onto. We hopped onto the bus that Google Maps indicated was the most direct, only to realise as we were boarding that that bus was not covered under the Hakone Free Pass. On hindsight, to utilise the Hakone Free Pass, one should take the bus to Yunessen, the hotel next door and walk a short distance uphill. For the price we thought it was quite worth it, especially compared to some of the other hotels nearby.

My stay at this hotel was truly exceptional. The view of Mount Fuji was absolutely perfect, creating a breathtaking and unforgettable experience. The hospitality service was fantastic—staff were incredibly attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to ensure a comfortable stay. Every detail was well taken care of, making it a truly relaxing and enjoyable visit. Highly recommended!

The hotel's location offers pretty convenient transportation. While the building itself seems a bit dated and the overall environment is just average, the front desk staff were notably friendly and welcoming. The room was quite small, but it did come with all the basic amenities, including an air purifier and a refrigerator. The main downside is that prices double on weekends, which makes it feel quite overpriced and not great value for money. However, its convenient proximity to various attractions is a significant advantage. Sakuragicho Station, from where you can take the ropeway to the Ferris wheel, is just a few minutes' walk away. It's also not far from Yamashita Park and the Red Brick Warehouse, making all these popular spots easily accessible.

First, I was very happy to get such big Japanese-style room. It has 2 big rooms and much space. You can easily lie there if there are 8 of you. Hotel is kind of tired, but staff keeps it in a good condition. Dinner is a set menu, not kanseki. But it still was good. I was full and happy. Breakfast is a buffet. A bit about how to reach the hotel. There are shuttels from Hakone-Yumoto. It should cost 200 yen. They bring you to Okada hotel. But it's not your hotel. Stuff will give you a map and you need like 3 min to reach the right hotel. There are several onsens. Open and closed. All were good, warm. With good view on mountains. You can take yukata at the reception. And you need to make bed by yourself, but it's only cover mattress but sheet. Nothing difficult.

The hotel has a lovely little garden that's beautiful both day and night. The dinner buffet was excellent, with a wide variety of dishes, including seafood, crawfish, and king crab – much better than breakfast. On the first floor, there's free ice cream; just ask the front desk for tokens. There's a good selection, and it's delicious. The chocolate cones were especially crispy.

The hotel's location is super convenient; there's a direct walkway from Minatomirai Station right to the lobby, and it's only two stops to Yokohama Station. Plus, there are tons of shopping malls nearby, making it perfect for shopping. The room was spacious with a beautiful bay view, and it was quiet and comfortable. Excellent value for money!

Whenever I visit Yokohama, I always stay here. The rooms are clean and tidy, and I'm very satisfied with their size and layout. When I have a lot of luggage, the staff even help me carry it to my room. Transportation is super convenient from here, and there's also a parking lot downstairs. As long as they keep up this standard, I'll continue choosing this hotel.