Visiting a hot spring is a must to experience in Japan. Hakone is a perfect destination to do this since it's only about a 1.5-hour train ride away from Tokyo.
Husband and I stayed 1 night at the Hakone Airu Ryokan, which is a hot springs resort. It was a great, relaxing getaway from the bustle of Tokyo. The Hakone area is well-known for its hot springs and views of Mt. Fuji.
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| Standard room at Hakone Airu |
What is a ryokan?
A ryokan is a Japanese inn that typically highlights Japan's traditional hospitality and lifestyle. This is shown at Hakone Airu with its tatami flooring in the rooms, and futons guests sleep on. The cost to stay at a ryokan usually includes a kaiseki-style dinner and breakfast with the room stay.
Hakone Airu provided yukatas and slippers for guests to wear around the resort. I highly recommend staying at one during your travels to Japan!
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| Outdoor bath |
All of the rooms at Hakone Airu had a private outdoor bath, which piped in water from the local hot spring. The mountain views were magnificent, and so serene to view while soaking in hot water. There are only 15 rooms, so the service is impeccable. Here are other amenities of note:
- Private bathroom
- Yukata and slippers provided
- Spa-quality toiletries
- Wifi
- English menus/room instructions
- In-room TVs
- Turndown service (while we were at dinner, our futon was laid out for sleeping)
- On-site bar
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| Google Maps location |
Getting to Hakone Airu
Hakone Airu Ryokan and Hot Springs Resort is located in Hakone, which is 1.5-2 hours away from Tokyo depending on which train you take. We took the Odakyu Romance Car limited express, which got us from Shinjuku Station to Hakone-Yumoto Station in 90 minutes. The Romance Car was 2420 Yen. If you take other train routes, you can get there cheaper at around 1300 Yen.
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| Hakone Yumoto Station |
From Hakone Yumoto station, we hopped on a shuttle bus that stops at inns in the area, Hakone Airu included. The shuttle bus waiting area was across the street from the train station (pictured), and there was a sign for each shuttle that listed which inns it would stop at. The shuttle bus ride was 100 Yen per person, so be sure to have coins on hand. Otherwise, you can walk 10 minutes to the resort (we opted to not do this since we didn't want to walk up inclines with our bags.)
Check-in process
The check-in time at Hakone Airu is 3PM. We arrived a bit early at around 2PM, so we walked around, visiting a shrine and konbini while we waited.
Once 3PM rolled around, we were greeted with a refreshing welcome drink at check-in. There were dedicated desks with chairs for each guest group to check in at. The staff at Hakone Airu speaks English, but I spoke Japanese at check-in to go faster. Your check-in agent will ask you what time you'd like to have dinner and breakfast and then escort you to your room.
The room
The room was gorgeous and very spacious. There were double sinks in the bathroom with spa-quality toiletries and anti-aging products, which were used at and available for sale at Hakone Airu's spa. Yukatas and slippers were waiting for us in the room's closet, which we changed into.
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| Seating on balcony |
Each room has a great-sized balcony, where the bath and a lounge chair + couch is located. There's also a direct door to the shower (as you're supposed to wash before getting in the bath). Since this onsen is private, it's a great option for those with tattoos or for couples.
When we initially entered, there was a table and chairs at the center of the room. While we were at dinner, staff came in to set up our futon for bedtime (moving the table and chairs to the side).
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| Dinner at Hakone Airu |
Meals
Dinner and breakfast were included in our rate at Hakone Airu. After we had relaxed a bit in the bath and room, a hotel employee knocked on our door to escort us to the dining area. He was right on time, based on our pre-planning at check in. Seating was private by group(!), which was a pleasant surprise. My husband and I sat side-by-side and had a nice view outside through the windows. Dinner was around 8 courses (including dessert), and there was a button on the table if we needed to call our waiter.
Prior to arrival, Hakone Airu messaged me asking for any dietary restrictions or allergies. I informed them of my allergy, and when I arrived, they assured me none of that ingredient would be in my meal.
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| Breakfast at Hakone Airu |
The next morning, we walked ourselves down to the dining area for breakfast. Everything was set out and ready since we arranged our dining time beforehand. It consisted of a traditional Japanese breakfast with rice, grilled fish, and smaller dishes.
Final thoughts
While I've visited Hakone hot springs on a day trip, Hakone Airu was my first overnight ryokan experience, and it was absolutely amazing. I loved visiting the mountain town and relaxing in a private onsen. The service was impeccable, and I highly recommend this resort for anyone looking to stay overnight in Hakone. If you're looking for activities during the day, I have visited Hakone's Open Air Museum and Hakone Shrine in the past.
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