Ajisai Onsen Ryokan — Hotel in Hakone

tldr: cute onsens, bad everything else- skip this place, even if you have tattoos and want private.

onsens: 4/5 food: 1/5 service: 2/5 value: 2/5

The good: The only plus is the private onsens- which are a big sell to those of us with tattoos or just want something more intimate. The onsens are nice and booking was fairly easy- but make sure you arrive early on your check in day, or else you risk not being able to get any times.

The bad: Location here is on the outskirts of town, taking long bus rides and then a long walk down steep slopes to access. The beds. We slept on the tatami mats- which at our other ryoken, were super comfortable. The ones here felt incredibly thin and you could feel the hard floor right through them. We ended up doubling them up before bed, but still woke up with sore backs. -The rooms, no showers, cheap laminate materials, hard floors, single ply TP; everything just felt extremely budget especially considering the price. The Food: We ordered room service because there werent any restuarants nearby open late enough- and the food was awful. We had the indian curry and udon, both of which were lukewarm, small, flavorless portions, which I expect were microwave meals. The staff also neglected to explain the drinks we wanted weren't covered in the set price and quickly charged us separately. We had the japanse breakfast and it was okay- I think it was actually cooked in house. The coffee was terrible and the staff made us order it through them, despite it being a nespresso in the corner? That felt pretty weird. When we asked what some of the breakfast items were- some of the staff quickly said dim sum as if to shut us down; and then the cook came out to explain further. It seems like he may be one of the only japanese people working here as he was notably nicer than the rest of the staff.

The service. This was one of the last places we stayed on our trip, and it was the only place where the staff was actively cold to us instead of warm and inviting as we had come to expect. Upon check out, it seemed that none of the staff communicated because they kept holding at the desk while checking the bill; even though we had paid for everything up front/ at time of order.

I have no way to verify; but some of the other comments suggest ownership changed to non-japanese. This is exactly how it feels. From the moment we got there something felt very different from the rest of our time in japan.

To summarize: Even if you are looking for onsens that accept tattoo'd folk, this place is a bad deal. I would recc just booking a cheaper room and going to the public bath which...

Wonderful! Best meal of our trip and relaxing private onsens. Comfortable beds and strong wifi. We would definitely return. Ajisai is a ryokan or traditional Japanese inn tatami-matted rooms, futons and private onsens or natural hot springs. Upon making a reservation, the hotel sent us a detailed email with directions and advice to drop our luggage on our arrival before check in and make onsen reservations. The managers/owners are lovely and very helpful. When you arrive, you can feel the peaceful atmosphere. Inside you do need to remove your shoes and leave them in cubbies in the main lobby – slides are available in various sizes. Then you select a yukata or light cotton robe in a variety of colors and designs. The rooms are located on the 2nd floor. Our family studio had a queen and a twin bed raised with 2 extra futons in the closet. The other room choices: Japanese style room and deluxe family suite only have futons on the tatami-matted rooms. The rooms are spacious with a traditional table and seats. There are bathrooms in the rooms but no showers – showers are part of the private onsens so you should reserve one for the morning. We opted to add the “half board” which includes kaiseki or a multi-course dinner and your choice of Japanese or Western breakfast. The dinner was an entire experience – just as you finish a course, another one is served. Our favorite course was the cook your own beef on your own mini cooking device – it was both fun and delicious. There were 3 choices of private onsens: indoor and outdoor, indoor with sauna, or outdoor. They were a very relaxing and rejuvenating experience. Hakone is challenging to get to/from. We took the RomanceCar from Tokyo (you’ll need 2 train tickets – one for the train and specially booked one for the RomanceCar). Then Hakone Tozan Railway, part of the Hakone Free Pass, from Hakone Yumoto to Gora is a scenic ride. To leave, we had the ryokan reserve a taxi to take us to the Odawara Station – it was well worth the cost to save the time ¥7000 - ¥9000 or USD $50-$60. You will love the serenity and overall experience of Ajisai...

Wonderful! Best meal of our trip and relaxing private onsens. Comfortable beds and strong wifi. We would definitely return. Ajisai is a ryokan or traditional Japanese inn tatami-matted rooms, futons and private onsens or natural hot springs. Upon making a reservation, the hotel sent us a detailed email with directions and advice to drop our luggage on our arrival before check in and make onsen reservations. The managers/owners are lovely and very helpful. When you arrive, you can feel the peaceful atmosphere. Inside you do need to remove your shoes and leave them in cubbies in the main lobby – slides are available in various sizes. Then you select a yukata or light cotton robe in a variety of colors and designs. The rooms are located on the 2nd floor. Our family studio had a queen and a twin bed raised with 2 extra futons in the closet. The other room choices: Japanese style room and deluxe family suite only have futons on the tatami-matted rooms. The rooms are spacious with a traditional table and seats. There are bathrooms in the rooms but no showers – showers are part of the private onsens so you should reserve one for the morning. We opted to add the “half board” which includes kaiseki or a multi-course dinner and your choice of Japanese or Western breakfast. The dinner was an entire experience – just as you finish a course, another one is served. Our favorite course was the cook your own beef on your own mini cooking device – it was both fun and delicious. There were 3 choices of private onsens: indoor and outdoor, indoor with sauna, or outdoor. They were a very relaxing and rejuvenating experience. Hakone is challenging to get to/from. We took the RomanceCar from Tokyo (you’ll need 2 train tickets – one for the train and specially booked one for the RomanceCar). Then Hakone Tozan Railway, part of the Hakone Free Pass, from Hakone Yumoto to Gora is a scenic ride. To leave, we had the ryokan reserve a taxi to take us to the Odawara Station – it was well worth the cost to save the time ¥7000 - ¥9000 or USD $50-$60. You will love the serenity and overall experience of Ajisai...