Hakone Honbako

I gifted my mother a stay here for her 75th birthday.She’s a real foodie who’s always trying restaurants, and she came home excited, saying, “The restaurant was simply amazing!” and “Dinner was especially outstanding!”They even celebrated with a dessert plate, and I’m truly grateful to all the staff.She also thoroughly enjoyed the snacks placed around the property and the great variety of books—making it the perfect celebration.This isn’t the kind of place that serves flashy dishes or relies on lavish luxury ingredients, so I hesitated a bit about giving it to my elderly mother—but it turned out to be exactly right for her!She said, “I was tired of the typical meals you find everywhere, so this was really wonderful,” “I hope more people learn how special it is,” and “It makes total sense that there are many international guests. It’s a truly rare restaurant where you can genuinely experience Japanese culture.”Looks like my choice as her daughter was spot on (lol).*On the other hand, if it’s not your style, it really won’t be—so please keep that in mind if you’re giving this as a gift!!!

Thank you for such a wonderful experience.The books throughout the property were so fascinating that one day was nowhere near enough.The meals were delicious and truly impressive. Also, the bar opens from 20:30, and I loved that drinks are all-you-can-drink there. I’m a wine lover, and there was a great selection of Japanese wines—I ended up having quite a lot. It was genuinely a happy time.The amenities were from an organic brand, and the Room had beer, water, and small snacks, which made it easy to relax in complete comfort.There doesn’t seem to be a convenience store nearby (probably), so if you’d like to drink more in your Room, it’s best to buy what you need before arriving.The large public bath is great, and the open-air bath in the Room is amazing. The water stays warm all the time, so it’s wonderful to be able to soak as soon as you wake up.More than half of the guests seemed to be solo travelers as well, which made me feel comfortable too. I’d love to come back again.