Hakone Gora Karaku

Hakone Gora Karaku: A Michelin One-Key Ryokan Blending Luxury and Tradition

Hakone Gora Karaku, a Michelin One-Key property nestled in the picturesque Hakone region, offers guests a luxurious and serene retreat that seamlessly blends modern elegance with traditional Japanese hospitality. Opened in 2020, this ryokan consistently receives high praise for its exceptional service, stunning design, and, most notably, its exquisite hot spring facilities and dining experiences.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for Hakone Gora Karaku is overwhelmingly positive, with guests consistently rating the property highly. Reviewers frequently give it an "Exceptional" rating, with overall scores often reaching 9.2 to 10 out of 10 across various platforms. The sentiment highlights a truly memorable and luxurious stay, often described as a "once in a lifetime experience" and ideal for couples or those seeking a peaceful getaway.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently laud several aspects of Hakone Gora Karaku:

• Onsen Experience: The private open-air baths available in many rooms are a significant highlight, offering a relaxing soak with scenic views of the mountains or a bubbling brook. The property also features public hot spring baths, a sauna, and a cold plunge, which are often uncrowded. The baths in guest rooms are confirmed to be sourced with natural spring water.
• Exceptional Service: Attentive, warm, and hospitable staff are frequently mentioned, with guests appreciating service provided "at the right timing before you request."
• Design & Ambiance: The hotel's modern yet traditional Japanese design, incorporating natural materials like granite and wood, creates a tranquil and beautiful environment. The "Water Terrace" and "Forest Terrace" further enhance the serene atmosphere.
• Dining: Both the Japanese kaiseki dinner and breakfast are consistently praised for their deliciousness, exquisite presentation, and high quality.
• Complimentary Guest Lounge: The guest lounge, offering complimentary drinks and mini-snacks, is a much-loved amenity where guests can relax outside their rooms.

3. Room Quality

Hakone Gora Karaku offers 70 elegantly appointed rooms, many of which boast private outdoor hot spring baths on the balcony. The rooms are described as modern, clean, spacious, and comfortable, with some offering amazing views of the valley. Both tatami-style and Western-style rooms are available and are noted for being unusually plush and stylish, with muted colors and focused design. Standard amenities include air conditioning, heating, an in-room safe, flat-screen TV with digital channels and Netflix, refrigerator, bathrobes, yukata, slippers, and complimentary bottled water. Private bathrooms feature separate bathtubs and showers with rainfall and hydromassage showerheads.

4. Dining Experience

The dining experience at Hakone Gora Karaku is a significant highlight for many guests. The property offers Japanese cuisine, with both breakfast and dinner often included in meal plans. The Kaiseki dinner is highly rated for its quality, deliciousness, and beautiful presentation, reflecting the seasonal scenes of Hakone through natural flavors and aromas. The breakfast is also a standout, though some guests accustomed to buffets found the set menu format to be a bit rigid, particularly if they are not big breakfast eaters. The restaurant is designed to offer a relaxed atmosphere with views of the water terrace, and a sake sommelier is available to recommend pairings. However, a recurring criticism is that the restaurant can feel too small to serve all guests, leading to rigid dinner and breakfast times and occasionally a feeling of inflexibility regarding spontaneity. Some guests also found the price of extra food and drink to be considerably higher than outside options.

5. Service & Staff

The service and staff at Hakone Gora Karaku receive widespread acclaim for being attentive, warm, and hospitable. Guests frequently mention the staff's ability to provide service proactively and their politeness. Reviewers have described staff as ensuring a seamless check-in process and offering a warm welcome. However, some guests have noted instances where staff could be more attentive, or that pre-arrival guest service was not as helpful as expected for a hotel of this rating, particularly concerning rigid mealtime arrangements. There was also a notable complaint regarding a lack of English proficiency among some staff and an unsatisfactory response to a guest's issue with bedding, which led to a very negative experience for one family with a baby.

6. Location & Accessibility

Hakone Gora Karaku boasts an excellent location, rated 9.4 for convenience and accessibility. It is conveniently situated just a 3-minute walk from Gora Station and about 0.6 km from Hakone Gora Park, making it easily accessible via railway connections. A complimentary shuttle service is available, including connections to Hakone-Yumoto Station, which is 8.3 km away, and Odawara Station at certain times. While the location is sometimes described as being a bit removed from the hustle and bustle, this contributes to its peaceful charm. Nearby attractions include the Hakone Open-Air Museum (1.1 km), Goro Onsen (5-minute walk), and the volcanic Owakudani Valley (2.8 km away).

7. Value & Pricing

Hakone Gora Karaku is considered a high-end property, and its pricing reflects the luxurious amenities and exceptional experience it offers. An average price per night is around $994 per room, with rates varying based on room type and season, though deals as low as $316 have been observed. It is noted that the hotel typically charges per person, and meal plans often add to the total cost. Despite the high cost, many guests feel it is "worth to celebrate a special occasion" and provides "exceptional value" for a truly unforgettable and opulent experience. For those seeking a truly exceptional getaway, the investment is seen as creating lasting memories rather than just accommodation.

8. Common Complaints

While generally highly praised, some recurring issues and criticisms include:

• Rigid Meal Times: The restaurant's size can lead to very rigid and early dinner and breakfast times, which some guests find inconvenient and restrictive, especially for a holiday stay.
• Lack of Laundry Service: Some guests expressed disappointment that a hotel of this quality does not offer laundry service.
• Impersonal Feel (for some): Despite being a ryokan, some guests felt it leaned more towards a large hotel experience, occasionally feeling impersonal.
• Staff Attentiveness and Language Barrier: While most staff are highly praised, isolated incidents of less attentive staff or difficulties with English communication have been reported.
• No Turndown Service: For a hotel at its price point, the absence of evening turndown service was noted by some as an unexpected omission.
• Child Policy Concerns: Although children are welcome, there are no cots or extra beds available, and children are not permitted to stay free of charge, with additional fees potentially applying. One severe complaint highlighted a negative experience with a baby's allergic reaction to bedding and what the guest perceived as an inhumane and unhelpful response from staff.

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