Hakone Kowakien

I booked this hotel expecting a genuine 5-star experience, but unfortunately it fell well short of that standard. The staff were consistently professional, welcoming, and friendly throughout our stay. They are undoubtedly the hotel’s greatest asset. However, the property itself feels dated and is clearly in need of refurbishment. The rooms are clean but very basic, with outdated furnishings and little of the comfort or elegance you would expect from a luxury hotel. The biggest disappointment was the buffet restaurant. It felt much more like a cafeteria than a 5-star dining experience: guests carry their own trays, there are no tablecloths, the atmosphere lacks any sense of refinement, and the food selection and quality were average at best. It was functional, but certainly not memorable. Overall, the hotel seems better suited to large tour groups and package holidays than to travelers looking for a true luxury experience. While the service deserves praise, the facilities and dining do not justify a 5-star rating.

Hakone Kowakien Tenyu wasn't quite the experience we had hoped for. We were expecting a more relaxed, intimate atmosphere with a strong focus on quality, but instead the hotel felt more like a large-scale tourist destination. The environment and landscape of the hotel are wonderful, as it is sourrended by big mountains and built in the middle of the forest. The Onsen experience provided by the hotel is unique and the staff is very helpful and speak good English, which helps a lot with communication. The hotel offers others other amenities, like a water park and free ice creams, which is nice for kids. There is also an arcade, or so it is called, but this is more of a mix of games (shooting and hoops), appropriate for younger kids. The breakfast is quite diverse, with several options between Japanese and Eastern food items. I would have preferred quality over quantity though. The Kaiseki dinner should have been one of our trip's main highlights, but it completely missed the mark. The appetisers were of substandard quality and the fish plates were overcooked (lobster and squid were rubbery). The meat dishes kind of saved the meal, but for the expensive amount paid this was really disappointing. Another aspect that needs to be revised is the power adaptors provided. The room has no USB plugs and providing only an adaptor for a family of four is obviously a challenge.

We were expecting a premium ryokan experience, but unfortunately it fell well short of that. The breakfast and dinner buffet were good, with a nice variety and quality of food. However, everything else was disappointing. The rooms were very ordinary and felt like a standard hotel room rather than an authentic traditional ryokan. Aside from the public bath, there was very little that made the stay feel unique or immersive. The most frustrating part was the checkout experience. We accidentally left the key card in the room when we checked out, and instead of simply retrieving it during housekeeping, the staff wanted to charge us for it. That left a very poor final impression and felt unnecessarily unfriendly for a property that markets itself as a premium hospitality experience. Overall, if you’re looking for a genuine, high-end ryokan experience, this property is likely to disappoint. It feels much more like a regular hotel with a traditional bath than an authentic ryokan.

Before I start my personal review of this hotel, once again the staff have been so nice, helpful and friendly and we could not fault them. My husband and I have been in Japan for a month and this was our last hotel. It was not for us. It was too busy and clearly family oriented, which is fine if you dont mind that. The room we had on the 4th floor with rear garden view was very nice, comfortable and spacious. It had a balcony with an outside bath which could be filled with hot spring water. The water was a nice hot temperature and if too hot there is a tap to add cold water. Clothing provided to wear around the hotel and eating areas. The food was of a large choice but for us too much fried food. It was not very hot. We did not use the onsens as my husband has 2 tattoos but it seems they have lovely onsens if you read other reviews. This is a ryoken style hotel and Im sure this will be great for many users. They run an efficient shuttle bus service.