Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori

Rooms and decor

This is our #2 pick, and Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori is the answer for travelers who want an onsen but not a night on tatami mats in an old ryokan. Hanaori breaks clearly from the classic ryokans on this list — the architect uses light wood, raw stone and terracotta linen alongside modern Japanese furniture, and the lobby is floor-to-ceiling glass that opens the full lake view. Standard rooms run about 42 sq m, with a low Japanese-style bed and a sofa by the window. If you're in your 30s or 40s and you like the Japanese feel but don't want to be stuck on the floor, this is built for you.

Food and amenities

The heart of Hanaori is the top-floor communal onsen, which faces straight out over the lake. The hot-spring water comes from a Hakone source — clear, without the heavy sulfur smell of Ōwakudani. On a clear morning at 6 a.m., we soaked for nearly half an hour with the peak of Mt Fuji rising over the water. Some rooms — the suite tier — add a private onsen on the balcony, pushing the rate to roughly $315–370, which is worth it if you're marking a special occasion. The kaiseki is good, and every category scores a steady 9.1–9.4.

Location and getting there

The hotel sits on the Tōgendai shore of Lake Ashi — 700 m from the Hakone Ropeway and 800 m from the pirate-ship cruise pier. Use it as a base to ride up to Ōwakudani for the black eggs boiled in the sulfur pools, take the ropeway over to Sōunzan, then drop onto a Lake Ashi cruise back to the south shore — an easy one-day loop. Staying here makes the most of the 2-day Hakone Free Pass, since it bundles the ropeway, cruise and buses. In the evening it's a 5-minute walk along the lake to a 7-Eleven for snacks and an Asahi beer to bring back to the room.

Things to know before booking

The trade-off is the side of the lake: you're on the Tōgendai shore, about 7 km (a 15-minute drive) from Hakone Shrine and Moto-Hakone, so it's not the pick if those are your main targets. Pricing lands in the mid-to-upper part of this list — standard rooms from about $185, suites up to roughly $315–370. And rooms go fast in high season, so book ahead for the fall foliage. One more practical note: check whether your rate includes dinner before you reserve.

Our take

Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori fits working-age couples and families who want a good-looking, modern onsen hotel with a lake view, and who'll lean on the ropeway, cruise and buses with the Hakone Free Pass. We'd book a southwest-facing lake-view room for the morning shot at Mt Fuji — it's the stay that balances onsen spirit with modern comfort, and the overall guest score of around 9.5 backs that up.