Gyokutei

Very authentic experience I liked the onsen and especially the staff which were very accommodating. The food was excellent!

It needs a little maintenance, particularly in the bathroom and it was difficult to figure out the private onsen

Great Ryokan experience. The staff are very accommodating. The dinner and breakfast were excellent.

It’s a bit of a hike if you do not have a car.

Location, traditional setup, Sunny who was absolutely phenomenal in offering her services and just general positivity, amazing food (well done chef!!!)

The property is lovely, but slightly dated - I feel it would benefit from a littler refresh. The spas (both private and the public ones) aren’t too clean and aren’t too welcoming (we ended up using different onsen

This was one of the best experiences of our trip. The traditional Japanese-style room was incredibly beautiful, spacious, and spotless. The lady who served us dinner and breakfast was absolutely lovely. Although she spoke very little English, she used a translator to explain everything perfectly, making us feel very welcome. There is a shared onsen for all guests, but what we loved most was having our own private bathtub filled with natural onsen water. Our room overlooked a beautiful garden with a peaceful pond full of colorful koi carp. The room had two Western-style beds, but we also had the option to sleep on traditional futons. We chose the futons and we slept well. The best way to enjoy this place is to disconnect from the outside world and simply relax. However, if you do need internet access, the Wi-Fi works perfectly, better than in many modern hotels we stayed at in larger cities. If your budget and schedule allow, I would recommend staying for two nights. That gives you enough time to fully enjoy the ryokan while also exploring the many attractions and activities around Hakone. One night is still a wonderful experience, but it felt far too short, and we definitely wished we had stayed longer.

Not so easy to find the entrance. We also weren't huge fans of the traditional Japanese breakfast. The quality of the food was excellent, but it simply wasn't the kind of meal we would normally eat in the morning (see the pictures). There were also so many different dishes that it was impossible for us to finish everything. That said, it's all part of the authentic experience, and we'd much rather have a traditional Japanese breakfast than a standard French croissant or American pancakes. Just be aware of what to expect, especially if you're traveling with children or picky eaters.