Hakone Suimeisou

It was so convenient to the train stop and had modern amenities yet the ryokan old fashioned charm. Loved having our own open air onsen and also experienced the public onsens there and they were beautiful as well.

This was a beautiful onsen hotel with a beautiful room. We went for our anniversary with our son. Our assigned staff person, Kaoru, was wonderful. She set us up with tea and a snack when we arrived and asked when we were going to dinner so she could set up my son's futon while we were out. She is also the one who set up our lovely breakfast in the morning. My husband's and my beds were in a separate room on a raised surface, and my son slept on a futon in the main room. We had a patio with two chairs and two pairs of sandals on the patio. The patio looked over the river and to a forest area. There was a man made waterfall that went into the river, so the sounds were so peaceful. We had the room with the private bath and that was outside on a patio as well with a view of the trees. We could put hot spring water and regular hot and cold water into the tub. We chose to do the breakfast at the hotel in the private dining room; we did not do the dinner there and instead went out. The breakfast was a typical Ryokan breakfast that was very tasty with lots of options and more food than we could finish. The onsen was wonderful. The one I went to for the females had two sections, indoor and outdoor patio behind a wall for privacy. It was a wonderful experience and I had the pools to myself for quite awhile. (My husband said his pools had two sections as well.) They switched off the male and female spas later, but I didn't go to the other one as we also had our own private tub to use. My husband woke up early and tried out the other side of onsens, so he went to both sets, and he said they were pretty much the same as the ones he had gone to the day before.

Staff were super attentive. We only stayed for one night, but were very well looked after. Checked in early which we were grateful for. Our room overlooked the river which was beautiful. Loved that the bath was outside so we could relax while listening to the river and the trees. Dinner and breakfast were both Japanese style, not something we were used to but definitely did not leave hungry. One of the staff was allocated to us for both meals, and although she didn’t speak much English and we didn’t speak much Japanese, we felt very well looked after. Yukata are recommended for meals, which was a lovely experience. Close to everything in Hakone.

The highlight was the staff. Everyone was so kind and helpful, making our Hakone stay unforgettable. Especially staff member Shoko, who was incredibly warm and welcoming! She took good care of us, and ensured we were always comfortable. Her service, along with the rest of the staff, was thoughtful and truly sincere. The food from breakfast was delicious and well prepared. The room itself and open air bath was also amazing. The view from the bath was truly breathtaking and the sounds of the water was extremely peaceful. Our family wished we stayed longer here (:

Just steps from Hakone Yumoto Station, this ryokan is a more economical option compared to others in the area. Rooms were spotless with a lovely river view, and we enjoyed the clean onsens, fully equipped with toiletries, hairdryers, and other amenities. Comfortable yukatas were also provided, and the staff were friendly and attentive. If you opt for half board, meals are served in the room, so staff will enter to set up and put away the table and futon in the evening and morning—something to note if you value privacy. The meals were beautifully presented, though portions were quite large and tended to be on the salty side. Overall, a relaxing and authentic ryokan experience!