Susukinohara Ichinoyu — Hotel in Hakone

We stayed at this hotel for 1 day in June 2025 but boy did it impress that 1 day. Let’s start with the pros: This hotel is located right next to a konbini so it was nice to be able to get snacks even in the middle of nowhere. The room was BEAUTIFUL. I loved sleeping on the traditional futon, using the traditional table, experiencing tatami flooring etc. It was really a cultural highlight of our trip. The included meal was pretty good. The parts of the meal that I did eat were excellent. I did skip some dishes but that’s just because I am a picky eater. They already had the table set up for us when we showed up at our reserved time and our waiter explained every dish to us in great detail which all felt very fancy. I hate that we had to miss our breakfast reservation because I think that would’ve also been great to experience. The private onsen was amazing. The pictures do not do it justice. It was deep and pretty large. The view of the woods was beautiful and the outdoor shower was a nice touch. It was a very relaxing experience. There was a very cute shopping area/drink bar in the main office that was full of free amenities like robes but also souvenirs you could buy which I thought was cool. I liked that our room was in the main building of the hotel. I noticed that there is a separate building away from the main office, dining area, and public onsen and I’m not sure if we would’ve enjoyed that as much as you’d have to commute across the parking lot to get to these main amenities. The only “con” I can think of is the location of this hotel. It’s about 40 minutes via bus to the Hakone station that you enter into. Thankfully, there is a bus stop close to the hotel but unfortunately, at the time that we had to check out, there wasn’t many buses running yet so we had to hike about 20 minutes to a more centrally located stop to catch our Shinkansen. I realize that that is a planning issue on my end more so than a hotel issue, but as a first time traveller to Hakone it was hard for me to plan out how long the public transport would take. I will say the front desk staff was very helpful is trying to book us a taxi but unfortunately the taxis book up far in advance so we were pretty much stuck walking.

Overall, I would not recommend trying to stay in Hakone for one day like we did (just so that you have time to actually experience the hotel and its amenities and don’t have to worry about travel time because the public transit is definitely a lot slower in this part of town). BUT, I would recommend staying at this hotel a million times over if you’re on a budget.

TLDR: This hotel is a great affordable option for a private onsen...

It is an interesting place to stay.

Meals for breakfast and dinner are numerous and overwhelming. Don't think you will go hungry. I regretted having food left over on my plate as it felt so wasteful. And if you like alcohol they seem to have an open bar during the dinner hour plus other decent pop selections.

The onsen facilities are decent and seem new. I stayed in a suite on the second floor with a private onsen and it was great. Waking up at 2 or 3 in the morning and having that option was fantastic. Tuna a little small, but the public onsen is much bigger and nicer. Only downside is it isn't 24/7. Something I enjoyed at other ryokans.

Design. The rooms are nice and smell great. With a nice wood smell because everything is some kind of Japanese wood furniture with tatami mats. The facility is weird though. It's like a hotel was trying to mimic a motel in layout. It's still great but it was a interesting choice. Does offer lots of parking though.

Area is near the lake and gondola by bus, but getting to it from odawara station is annoying. And good luck getting a taxi as I could not for the life of me. There is a train you could take but honestly take the bus there to see the area, then the train back. It will be better.

Travel light because that bus while frequent is small and when there are lots of check-ins and outs you will be thankful you have limited luggage.

They do have lots of English menus and signs, and the staff are friendly.

My only noteable hickup is my last night my hotwater ran out and I couldn't clean up to use my private onsen. Something I was looking forward to. I had to wait till morning to get a hold of someone who could turn it on because the front desk is closed. There was a bell to ring but no one came when I rang it in the middle of the night.

This is a great place, but it's also got room to grow. Good for couples, and people who don't mind using the bus. Prefill your suica cards before you leave...

We chose this onsen for its excellent reviews, and it truly lived up to them. The ambiance is quiet and serene, making for a wonderful experience.

Cons: The location is a bit out of the way. After finishing our itinerary at the Torii Gate around 5:30 pm, it was already dark. Apple and Google Maps directed us to a bus stop on the street, but when the bus arrived, it didn’t stop—turns out it wasn’t an official bus stop. Fortunately, we managed to catch a passing taxi, but it cost around 55 CAD as it was quite a long drive. Be mindful of your timing and itinerary if you plan to visit.

That said, the onsen is conveniently close to an official bus stop and a Lawson convenience store, both just a 3-minute walk away.

Pros: The food here is truly fantastic! We loved the sukiyaki night—it was so filling, we barely had room for the fish. The yuzu sorbet and grape jelly were also delicious!

Our room was quiet, cozy, and comfortable, with a table and chairs if you want to dine in. We also had a private onsen, which was a highlight, but we tried the public one as well since it uses a different type of water. Although it was public, I had it all to myself as the previous guest was just leaving, which was nice given the privacy concerns around being fully undressed. I didn’t notice any signs about tattoos, either.

In the lobby, they offer free ice cream, DIY kakigori (shaved ice), and a variety of drinks, which was a fun touch.

Overall, we thoroughly...