An expert list based on thousands of customer reviews and knowledge of Japan
Overview
Hakone is the most popular onsen destination in Japan, renowned for amazing views of Mt. Fuji, beautiful volcanic lakes, and world-class hot springs. But choosing the right accommodation can be difficult, especially with so many options available. Instead of giving you a generic top 10 list with sponsored content, we've combined our expert knowledge of hotels, the Hakone area, and a thorough analysis of customer reviews to bring you a reliable list of the best luxury hotels and ryokans in Hakone.
To ensure there's no disappointment, all of the options on this list must adhere to our strict criteria:
- An average review score above 9/10
- A minimum of 100 reviews
- A minimum price of $350 per night (off-peak)
- The property must have quality photos
Our listing for each place has a convenient summary including a:
Gallery
Description
Highlights
Average Price (peak and off-peak)
Review Score
Review Example
The Best Luxury Hotels In Hakone
The Honbako — 9.4
The Gora Karaku — 9.2
The Ashinoko Hanaori — 9.0
The Nol Hakone Myojindai  —  9.0
The Best Luxury Ryokans In Hakone
Yoshimatsu — 9.7
Kinnotake Tonosawa — 9.4
The Suiun  —  9.4
The Kyuan — 9.3
The Best Luxury Hotels In Hakone
1. The Hakone Honbako
The Hakone Honbako is the highest-rated luxury hotel in Hakodate and one of the coolest boutique hotels in Japan. The hotel describes itself as an interactive book-themed media hotel and comes complete with luxurious rooms and beautiful onsen facilities. Every book found in the hotel is available to borrow or purchase. It features its own short-film theatre room that often screens film festivals, a lifestyle artisan shop, and a famous fine-dining Italian restaurant that specialises in organic and healthy cuisine. Even if you're not into reading, the atmosphere, the amazing onsen, and the incredible restaurant are well worth the experience.
• Highlights:
─  Has its own mini-theatre screening short-film festivals.
─  A famous fine-dining Italian restaurant that specialises in organic and healthy cuisine ─  Boutique hotel with a focus on art and knowledge, featuring thousands of books available to read or purchase.
• Price Range: $450 - $800 per night
• Review Score: 9.4 ★ (200+ reviews)
• Review Quote:
"The nicest hotel I've ever stayed at. The food was impeccable. They explain the story and background behind each dish. In the restaurant, everyone gathers around the counter and there is a unique sense of togetherness. The onsen bath on the terrace was amazing. Everything was very calming and beautiful. Nice to have free coffee and snacks throughout the day. Although expensive, it was worth the money for the service and experience, and we are already talking about returning next time we visit Japan."
Rooms often sell out fast, you'll find the best prices on Booking.com
2. The Hakone Gora Karaku
The Gora Karaku is an ultra-luxury hotel in a convenient and beautiful location only 5 minutes' walk from the cable car and train station. It features a large open-air onsen designed specifically to provide expansive views of the landscape. Their two restaurants serve incredible and innovative Japanese cuisine. The rooms are truly magical, with gorgeous views, private onsen baths, and plenty of space for the whole family. As an ultra-luxury hotel, customer service is their highest priority, the staff are always there to take care of your every need, and will go beyond to make sure you're happy during your stay.
• Highlights:
─ A stunning open-air onsen with gorgeous landscape views.
─  Ultra-luxury hotel with highly attentive staff that always seek to go above and beyond. ─ Beautiful and convenient location only 5 minutes' walk from the cable car and train station.
• Price Range: $750 - $1300 per night
• Review Score: 9.2 ★ (400+ reviews)
• Review Quote:
"This hotel is absolutely beautiful - it's worth the price you pay - it was definitely our entire group's favorite hotel during our 12-day trip to Japan. Wish we stayed longer! The rooms with the private onsen were fabulous, the lush forest as the backdrop was breathtaking. The staff were also amazing. Dinner set is magical, many thanks to the staff for providing options for kids menu and breakfast bentos."
Rooms often sell out fast, you'll find the best prices on Booking.com
3. The Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori
The Ashinoko Hanaori has possibly the most convenient location out of any luxury hotel in Hakone. It's located right next to the Hakone Pirate Ship port, overlooking the famous Ashinoko Lake. One of its standout features is the water basin terrace with expansive views over the beautiful Hakone landscape. The main onsen is huge, with a variety of natural mineral waters and a massive open-air bath with an unrestricted view. The rooms are large and luxurious, and customers constantly praise the variety of food available at their two onsite restaurants.
• Highlights:
─  Large and luxurious onsen facilities with open-air baths and unrestricted views.
─  Spacious room options with balconies and private onsen baths.
─ Beautiful and convenient location, right next to the pirate ship port and overlooking Ashinoko Lake.
• Price Range: $300 - $750 per night
• Review Score: 9.0 ★ (2500+ reviews)
• Review Quote:
"Excellent location with beautiful views and easy access to rope way, bus stops, and cruise ships. The bath with the mountain view is very enjoyable, staff will kindly offer to help take photos. Male/Female Onsen will rotate and change locations at night and day for different views and facilities. Both the dinner and breakfast buffet were terrific with the range of food provided, staff were all very attentive despite the large amount of people at dinner time. Shuttle bus service is also very convenient for travels from Odawara station."
Rooms often sell out fast, you'll find the best prices on Booking.com
4. The Nol Hakone Myojindai
The Nol Myojindai is the perfect option if you want to escape the crowds and spend your time in a peaceful retreat. They provide an exclusive hotel shuttle that escorts you between the train station and cable car, and only takes 10 minutes. Their innovative fusion restaurant offers Italian-Japanese cuisine and is constantly praised by guests, with a focus on healthy food and fresh ingredients.
• Highlights:
─  A peaceful retreat for escaping the crowds, with an exclusive shuttle service providing access to and from the cable car and train station in 10 minutes.
─  Features a gorgeous pool with mineral water and a luxurious onsen area.
─ An innovative fusion restaurant offering Italian-Japanese cuisine, with a focus on healthy food and fresh ingredients.
• Price Range: $300 - $700 per night
• Review Score: 9.0 ★ (300+ reviews)
• Review Quote:
"The hotel’s design and aesthetics were amazing. The vibe of the hotel was calm and relaxing, perfect to recharge your batteries. The staff were very attentive and very friendly. It has good wellness facilities. We spent hours in the beautiful spring water indoor pool which was very large and luxurious. The free drinks area was fantastic and you could avail yourself to refreshing cold beverages, a wide selection of hot teas and delicious coffees. Most of all, the food and service at the restaurant were beyond perfect."
Rooms often sell out fast, you'll find the best prices on Booking.com
The Best Luxury Ryokans In Hakone
1. Yoshimatsu
Yoshimatsu receives the highest review score out of all the ryokans in Hakone, maintaining an astonishing 9.7/10 across hundreds of reviews. Its popularity means it can be hard to secure a booking, and they don't accept reservations more than 3 months in advance in order to prevent cancellations. The rooms are spacious, beautifully designed, and authentically traditional. Their full-course kaiseki cuisine is among some of the best in Japan, and they're natural onsen baths contain a variety of rejuvenating mineral waters with the option to book private bathing sessions.
• Highlights:
─ Amazing onsen baths offering private reservations.
─  Incredible full-course kaiseki cuisine served in your room.
─  Warm and friendly staff with high attention to detail.
• Price Range: $600 - $750 per night
• Review Score: 9.7 ★ (400+ reviews)
• Review Quote:
"This place is incredible. We had never stayed in a ryokan before, but Yoshimatsu exceeded all our expectations. It's located close to a number of transport links for the Hakone area, so it's a good base to explore. It's set back from the main road and is peaceful. The rooms are spacious and traditional, but with modern comforts. The tatami mats were very pleasant to walk on. The three main highlights are the food, the onsens and the staff. The multi-course kaiseki dinner was incredible - beautifully presented traditional dishes served in the comfort of your own room. They went above and beyond to accommodate my wife who doesn't eat meat. The onsens are beautiful and relaxing. The staff here are super kind and their attention to detail is impeccable. I really can't recommend this place enough."
Rooms often sell out fast, you'll find the best prices on Booking.com
2. The Kinnotake Tonosawa
The Kinnotake Tonosawa is a stunning ultra-luxury ryokan. It's one of the few ultra-luxury ryokans in Japan, offering a unique experience that you can't get anywhere else in the world. The high price point ensures you have an unmatched level of service, impeccable facilities, world-class cuisine, and a beautifully charming atmosphere. All the rooms are spacious and aesthetic, offering private onsen baths, a terrace, and bamboo forest views. Their exclusive restaurant specialises in the finest teppanyaki cuisine. Their spa service is tailormade according to your mood and desires, offering herbal baths, massages, and rejuvenation treatments. It's one of the few ryokans that features everything you'd expect from a 5-star hotel, including a pool, gym, and sauna. Although they're outside of the budget for most people, you can see why they exist at this price range and yet always receive perfect reviews.
• Highlights:
─  A unique ultra-luxury ryokan, one of the highest rated in Japan.
─  An exclusive, world-class teppanyaki restaurant, and fully equipped facilities including a pool, gym, sauna, and tailor-made spa treatments.
─  All rooms are spacious and aesthetic, featuring private onsen baths, a terrace, and bamboo forest views.
• Price Range: $900 - $1500 per night
• Review Score: 9.4 ★ (200+ reviews)
• Review Quote:
"A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. The hospitality is unmatched. The dinners were incredible, especially the teppanyaki, so I highly recommend taking that option. All staff were incredibly kind and welcoming. So much detail goes into making this a wonderful luxury experience. We wished we could stay longer. Room is gorgeous with lots of bonus amenities. Without doubt, this ryokan was THE BEST hotel during our entire 4-week trip in Japan, and one of the best I've ever experienced in the world. All the staff went above and beyond, super friendly and very caring for the guests."
Rooms often sell out fast, you'll find the best prices on Booking.com
3. The Suiun Hakone
The Suiun is an absolutely gorgeous ryokan perfectly located only 2-minutes' walk from the cable car and train station. The onsen baths are beautifully designed and offer an authentic and traditional atmosphere. Room options include private onsen baths and private gardens, and all rooms come with beautiful tatami decor and shoji screen doors. Their exceptional restaurant offers classy Japanese cuisine along with private dining quarters. Free snacks and drinks are offered throughout the property, and free late-night noodles are available if you feel hungry after soaking in the onsen.
• Highlights:
─  Perfectly located only 2-minutes' walk from the cable car and train station.
─ Free snacks and drinks offered throughout the property, and free late-night ramen served by the staff.
─  An amazing onsite restaurant offering classy Japanese cuisine along with private dining quarters.
• Price Range: $400 - $1100 per night
• Review Score: 9.4 ★ (300+ reviews)
• Review Quote:
"This is a spacious and lovely ryokan. The location is close to the transport loop that goes from the railway, the cable car, and the boat. I believe I booked a smaller room, and it was incredibly spacious, like a small apartment with a private onsen and deck. Tatami mats are all around and very comfortable and Japanese. Beautiful space. Great staff. The amenities were wonderful. The free snack area had a good selection. Free late-night noodles served by the staff. Plenty of beer and alcohol so that you don’t have to go out to shop. So nice! Breakfast was wonderful."
Rooms often sell out fast, you'll find the best prices on Booking.com
4. The Hakone Kyuan
The Hakone Kyuan is one of the most uniquely beautiful ryokans in Japan. The architecture and nostalgic design of this property is immensely charming, focussing on traditional japanese easthetics seemlessly integrated with modern amenities. It's a peaceful retreat away from all the tourism of Japan, the staff collect you from the station and take you into the mountains, making sure any stress you had instantly disappears. All rooms are spacious and feature private onsens, lovely balconies, and gorgeous views.
• Highlights:
─  Beautiful property with traditional Japanese aesthetics seamlessly integrated with modern amenities.
─  Private pick-up from the station.
─  Features a boutique cafe serving a variety of teas, craft beers, and modern Japanese cuisine.
• Price Range: $650 - $1700 per night
• Review Score: 9.3 ★ (500+ reviews)
• Review Quote:
"Stunning ryokan with exceptional service. Staff were so warm and helpful. They picked up from the station, took care of our luggage, offered us several welcome drinks, and made us feel very relaxed. The room was stunning. The hot spring bath was amazing with beautiful sounds of nature and views of the mountains. The balcony with the bath was very private. The food was expertly made. We were seated in our own private dining room, when the staff delivered our food and they gave an explanation about each dish. And it was all delicious. They made us feel like the only couple at the hotel. The whole experience was so personal. I would absolutely recommend this ryokan to anyone visiting Japan. It was the highlight of our honeymoon."
Rooms often sell out fast, you'll find the best prices on Booking.com
