The facility was extremely cozy, and I loved the feel of being in a private home throughout the property. The multi course dinners based on local ingredients and specialties were out of this world.

Stayed in September 2025

Staff were very kind, friendly and guided us to deep Japanese culture. Chef explained every dishes. There were two kind of onsen and nice view from the room.

Stayed in July 2025

No particular issues.

The beautifully curated and enjoyable bookshelves, along with the dinner where I could learn about Japanese history and culture, were particularly excellent. The healthy breakfast was also good.

Stayed in May 2025

The towels needed updating, especially in the onsen

The staff was so helpful and friendly. The accommodations were minimalistic, but very comfortable. The whole vibe was comfort and relaxation. The dinners were FANTASTIC

Stayed in June 2025

Nothing, all good

The location and the dinner

Stayed in June 2025

Nothing really, it’s a traditional-like Japanese hotel and a great getaway from all the city noise.. not fancy but that’s what we went for !

The place is quiet and peaceful in hakone.. the staff were very helpful, kind, and gave us a lot of history lessons on Japan! The dinner experience was out of this world, definitely recommend!

Stayed in May 2025

Nothing!

We loved our stay at this hotel, it’s super peaceful and relaxing with lovely views. The food was incredible and the hotel make such an effort to accommodate allergies/dietary restrictions. The staff were so kind and thoughtful too.

Stayed in June 2025

Nothing it was perfect.

The hotel is so aesthetically pleasing with an industrial design, set amongst the hills of Hakone. It felt comfortable and cosy, particularly with having your own private onsen! The dinner & breakfast service was a wonderful experience as the chefs explained every dish. An exceptional stay and highlight of our whole trip!

Stayed in May 2025

Nothing.

The room was excellent, the food was great including the dinner which was prepared by an excellent chef. The staff was great and made vast efforts to make the stay even more enjoyable. The onsen was very nice indoor and outside. The books atmosphere was amazing.

Stayed in May 2025

The onsen in my bedroom,

Stayed in March 2025

N/A - amazing stay

Facilities, food was exceptional and above our expectations! Amazing staff, private bath with onsen in the room.

Stayed in May 2025

Everything. This was a very special experience.

Stayed in May 2025

I was apprehensive about this initially as information and photos online were limited but I absolutely loved this hotel. I couldn’t recommend it more if you’re looking for an intimate boutique hotel experience. For any food enthusiasts, this is a MUST STAY. The breakfast was by far the best we had on our 3 week trip and the dinners were equally phenomenal. Felt like authentic Japanese farm to table cooking. My only complaint is the hotel doesn’t make it clear enough when booking about how good the food is! Really special stay and would really encourage others to do the same.

Stayed in April 2025

No western breakfast

The private onsen

Stayed in April 2025

Rooms would benefit from additional storage space/shelves

Honbako Ryokan is fantastic! Rooms have all facilities, amenities and private en-suite Onsen tub. Additional indoor & outdoor gender-separated onsen facilities in basement. Extensive multi-lingual library and reading areas. Wonderful exquisite dinners and breakfasts with delicious wine pairings. Staff were outstanding in attention, explanations and highly courteous. I strongly recommend this hotel to Hakone/Gora visitors

Stayed in April 2025

N/A

Dinner was amazing Every thought was given into the room, nothing was needed The in-house onsen is great and even the short movies at the movie theater were amazing. Staff amazingly helpful.

Stayed in April 2025

It was exactly as in the photos, a book-lover’s dream, so peaceful and serene. The armchairs were comfortable and perfect for reading. The private onsen was great. I was afraid the outdoor shower would feel too cold (we’re from the tropics), but it was fine. The food was delicious, both dinner and breakfast. I appreciated the explanations given for the 10-course dinner. The servings may seem small but it was just right for a tasting menu and was filling. And I must repeat that the food was really good. I also appreciated the help provided to us to get a taxi to go to Gotemba (we had big luggages and I was recovering from a sprained ankle). It wasn’t easy to get taxis, but they kept trying and were able to get one for us. There was also a nice shop with artisan goods among books and writing paraphernalia.

Stayed in April 2025

NA

Amazing food and relaxing spot. Perfect if you want complete zen and a spectacular dining experience for a night or two.

Stayed in April 2025

Nothing

After the chaos of the city it is a wonderful calming space

Stayed in April 2025

Very industrial looking room with bare concrete walls, could be dressed up a bit to be more inviting.

The location is located along the cable car, very good location.

Stayed in April 2025

The location is a little difficult to travel to due to the many train changes required, although staff provided great directions. I would highly recommend use of a luggage transfer service to deliver luggage to the accomodation beforehand. Contact through booking.com was also often very delayed which made it a little difficult to plan our trip. There is not much space for keeping luggage open in the rooms (although plenty if you don't mind being a little cramped), so I would recommend having necessities in a carry-on to avoid clutter.

Hakone Honbako was the highlight of our 4 week trip to Japan. The staff are lovely and helpful, and the accommodation was minimalistic but had everything we needed and was exceptionally clean. The private onsen in our room was also amazing and staff were happy to adjust the water temperature for us when necessary. I also loved the library that was available to borrow from. Whilst there were not many books in English, there were more than enough books to learn about traditional Japanese arts such as ikebana, as well as books by Japanese authors about philosophy, architecture, and architecture. The dinner meals were exceptional and provided insight into traditional Japanese ingredients made in creative ways that honoured seasonal produce. The menu changed daily, and whilst every dish may not have been to everyone's taste, those who enjoy experimenting with food will appreciate the thought and care put into each plate. The cost of our stay was well worthwhile and we would 100% return.

Stayed in April 2025

Great place , excellent meals

Stayed in April 2025

Nothing it was all great

Unbelievable hotel it was so relaxing and perfect. The dinner and breakfast made you feel like royalty. Everythjng is fresh and made with such care. We weren’t expecting the breakfast to be fancy and it was! The private onsen is amazing as well

Stayed in April 2025

The shower is out on the patio. It’s very private so I was not worried about anyone seeing anything but it was sold and rainy so I never wanted to go out there. :P And I loved the food at the restaurant so much but there was a bit of it that didn’t sit well with my stomach. That isn’t their problem, but be aware that if you eat the standard American diet, you might have a little stomach shock from the organic food. Lots of fish, mushrooms and soy based items. Any pescatarians will have a great time but not for me sadly. Again, the food is delicious, just was not for me. And keep in mind you can have them edits, I just didn’t in hopes of widening my horizons.

This is an introvert’s dream. I would come back here again after learning more Japanese. The concept is just amazing. Books, reading nooks every where. Borrow any book you want, buy it if you want. They focus on being organic and natural. The pajamas were so comfy. All the hotels in Hakone are kind of self contained from what I have picked up. This one has their own restaurant that is just flat out amazing. They do very well if you give them a list of allergies (or just don’t like). I didn’t restrict anything and left with a new appreciation for food I would not have tried otherwise. And honestly, some food I just still don’t like (certain mushrooms and fish). We did not try the onsen as I have many tattoos, so I didn’t want to even ask about it.

Stayed in April 2025