Odakyu Hotel de Yama
by the TopOfHotel team
Odakyu Hotel de Yama is a classic resort that stands out for its large Japanese garden — on Lake Ashi, with an onsen, scoring 9.3.
Odakyu Hotel de Yama is a classic resort that stands out for its large Japanese garden — on Lake Ashi, with an onsen, scoring 9.3.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The number-3 pick on our list, Odakyu Hotel de Yama, is the one we steer toward anyone after "quiet and a genuine Japanese garden" rather than the modern trend. It is a classic Western-meets-Japanese resort, with rooms running roughly 30 to 40 sq m, thick older carpet that is kept in good shape, and large twin beds. The building has been part of Hakone since 1948 and still carries a five-star mark from the Odakyu group — the same company that runs the Romance Car train out of Shinjuku — so from the moment you board the train to the moment you reach your room, it is all one operator.
Food and amenities
There is a communal onsen drawing on Hakone's clear hot-spring water, and the main restaurant covers two very different tables: Japanese kaiseki sets and full French courses. Real-guest scores back up the experience at 9.3 (Agoda 9.2, Booking 9.1, Trip 9.3), which is a strong showing for a hotel 70-plus years old. Free parking, free Wi-Fi and breakfast round out the practical side.
Location and getting there
The hotel sits on a hill on the Motohakone side of the lake. It is a 5-minute drive to Hakone Shrine and the red torii standing in the water — the picture everyone comes to Lake Ashi for — and 6 minutes to the pirate-ship cruise pier. Walk about 15 minutes along the south shore and you reach a traditional soba shop. The garden looks its best when the leaves turn, so aim for late October to early December to catch the maples in full color.
Things to know before booking
This is a classic place, not a modern one: the carpet and fittings show their age, and the building is past 70 years, which will not suit anyone chasing a sleek, contemporary look. Prices land in the mid-to-upper band of this list, from about $170 a night up to roughly $340 for higher room types. And rooms go quickly in high season and across the autumn-leaf weeks, so the prime maple dates need to be locked in early.
Our take
Odakyu Hotel de Yama fits couples, families and older travelers who want a calm stay in a real Japanese garden on Lake Ashi. Anyone who rode the Romance Car from Shinjuku will recognize the Odakyu standard at once. We would book it for the momiji season or for the cherry blossoms in early April — the kind of atmosphere and garden that is genuinely hard to find anywhere else in Hakone.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The big draw is the garden: a carp pond, a wooden bridge and over 200 maple trees that turn red, yellow and gold together in November — the atmosphere-and-garden category scored 9.5.
- Quiet hillside location right on Lake Ashi on the Motohakone side, a 5-minute drive from Hakone Shrine and 6 minutes from the cruise pier.
- Has a communal onsen drawing on Hakone's hot-spring water, plus a main restaurant that serves both Japanese kaiseki sets and French courses.
- A classic resort that has been part of Hakone since 1948, run by the Odakyu group that also operates the Romance Car train from Shinjuku — one company from the train to your room.
- Real-guest scores are high at 9.3 (Agoda 9.2, Booking 9.1, Trip 9.3), confirming a 70-plus-year-old hotel that has kept its quality.
- The look is classic, not modern: rooms have thick older carpet and the building is over 70 years old, so it will not suit anyone after a sleek, contemporary feel.
- Rates sit in the mid-to-upper part of this list, from about $170 a night and up to roughly $340 for higher categories.
- Rooms fill up fast in high season and during the autumn-leaf weeks, so the prime maple-viewing dates need booking well ahead.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Hakone
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Hakone — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
See activities in HakoneAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Insider Tips
- Walk the hotel's own garden — guests single it out as the highlight, and a 30-minute morning loop can catch a heron crossing the carp pond.
- Hakone Shrine and its red torii in the water are only a 5-minute drive away, so pair the visit with the lakeside cruise pier 6 minutes off.
- The maples peak from late October to early December — book ahead for that window, or aim for the cherry blossoms in early April.