山中湖旅館 梁山 — Attraction in Yamanakako

We loved staying at Ryozan Yamanakako Ryokan whilst at the Fuji Five Lakes area. The price can’t be beat, especially compared to other accommodation around the area.||Pros: |- spacious family room (it cost the same as a double room so I booked it, even though for just the two of us). The double room would have been sufficient for two anyway!|- super clean - every sink had hand soap and paper towels. Not common in the many Japanese guest houses we’ve stayed at...!|- the lady at the reception was very friendly and helpful :)|- good internet (good enough for Skype video calls) |- homey feel- like a cross between a good backpackers hostel and a ryokan because it still had free amenities like green tea, towels and toothbrush/toothpaste and toiletries|- Good price - about 7,500 yen per night for two people. Good price for one of the Fuji five lakes and last min booking. |- Owner speaks great English (spent some time living in Australia) and has a cute dog (Australian kelpie!). |- Has in room fridge and the kitchen area (however it only has microwave and kettle) is open between 3-9pm and 7-10am to reheat your meals. |- Lots of info re buses and getting around. |- Cheap bike rental: 1,500 yen per day compared to at another place we saw charging 2,500 yen per day. |- Has vending machine for drinks and she sells some instant noodles and coffee pods at a reasonable price.||Cons: |- a bit far away from bus stop (10 minute walk) and is away from main shops on the Main Street. Not a problem if you have a car. |- 20 min walk to the nearest kombini (7-11). |- Unfortunately does not serve meals: otherwise this would be perfect! (For the convenience) |- check in / staffed only from 3-10pm but allows baggage storage. |- Only shows up in Japanese characters on Google Maps.|- Public bath available from 7-10pm, best just after 7 when the water is freshly drawn. Otherwise it’s a bit cool later in the evening (logically, because the bath water is just sitting there). But you can also have a shower (Japanese public bath style) from 6-9am. If you’re not used to not having your privacy when you shower, this might be a problem... however other guests weren’t in the shower when I showered.||All in all a great stay for a great price in the Yamanakako area which is much less busy than...

It started badly, and ended badly... The person in charge of the guesthouse is probably the least amiable staff I have ever had in a hotel. We wanted to climb the Mount Fuji during our last night. Therefore, we asked if it was possible to delay the checkout from 10am to 11 or 12. Which we got declined quite rudely. Then, we went from surprise to surprise : the bathroom is opened only from 6 to 9 am and from 6 to 10pm. The rest of the time, there is no hot water. There is no private bathroom, only a room with 4 non separated showers and a bath. My 75 years old grandmother went to ask if there was a private shower. The owner replied with contempt that this was the traditional Japanese way. I've been living in Japan for a year. First, traditional Japanese way will imply politeness and the most elevate sense of careness. Second, there is always the choice between private and public bath. Third, stinginess must not be misunderstood with tradition. Nothing was free. We had no aircon in the room (and it was 35°C during the day). Coffee was 200¥, while there was not enough tea in the room for the number of persons. Ironically, the person in charge was here quite randomly during the day. Thus, even if we wanted to pay for a coffee, we never got the opportunity to have one, everything being locked in the hotel. The fridge in the room was super loud, the fan would work only 180min during the night. We even had to ask the owner to turn on the light in the toilets. Else it was left in the dark all day. The overall feeling that comes out here is an uncomfortable feeling of not being welcome in a cheap place where you have to ask and/or pay for every little thing. The only advantage is the fair price. Still, I would strongly recommend to avoid this hotel, especially its owner. Seeing previous comments on booking, I believe the owner changed recently.. Which would...

We stayed here seeking a traditional Japanese experience and we got one! The host was very friendly. The room was large and the space heater warmed the room quickly. There are plenty of floor mattresses and blankets. I used two mattresses. There were some small holes in the paper of the sliding door that let cold air in, but we were able to cover these with pillows. The sink in the room only has cold water, but I used the kettle to heat water to wash my face. The onsen was a wonderful experience. It is a communal shower and bath. Traditional kimono type robes for pajamas are available . Read the direction before entering so you use proper etiquette. The location is a bit off the beaten path and requires an 11 minute walk uphill from the nearest bus stop. The town is quaint but has some options for dining. Most are not open all day so be shre to check the hours! There is a lake with swan boats and other water activities for the summer time. The host was lovely and even bought us coffees from the vending machine before we checked out. The coffee is hot from the...