Laforet Hakone Gora Yunosumika

The staff in the hotel was an exceedingly friendly people, especially a beautiful girl from Taiwan. They would clean your shoes and suitcases after your arrival. I enjoyed 露天風呂 very much. You can feel the cool fresh scent of the morning, and the night was unnaturally quiet, close to silent.

My husband and I stayed here for two nights during a long stay in Japan, and it was more than worth it for the price point. The staff were so welcoming the entire time. You will find the further out from Japan you get, the less fluent English speakers you will find, but everyone is just as kind and accommodating as everyone else we were fortunate enough to encounter during our travels. We did have a snafu with the shoe lockers as no outdoor footwear is allowed in the hotel, but it was mainly due to our own confusion and inability to speak Japanese. All was well in the end and the concierge was kind and apologetic (although it was definitely our fault). We were in a Western style room with beds pushed together, tatami mats, and an open air onsen. The onsen was definitely the best part after averaging 9-13 mile days in Tokyo. The view was also incredible. Everything was clean and very easy to use. I also personally used the women's public onsen and greatly enjoyed the outdoor cedar bath. The shop is very cute with local crafts, beverages, and food items. Concierge staff was very accommodating every time we wanted to purchase something. The breakfast buffet was very worldly and fresh, including Western and Japanese offerings. Do not skip this as it is incomparable to any Western buffet you would find otherwise. My one complaint was that some items on the main buffet got cold if you weren't quick enough. Some heat lamps would be very beneficial. This was quite an uphill hike from the bus station my husband and I got off on, but I'm not sure it has to be. We were weary and unfamiliar with the public transit at the time. The hotel offers a scheduled shuttle service to Gora station which we used the day we departed. Many other locations are quite a distance from this hotel, but the local bus transportation is incredibly easy to use but does stop running around 8 p.m. All in all this is a beautiful place to stay with excellent amenities. I think everyone should make a 1 or 2 night stop in Hakone a priority.