You'll have your challenges getting to this place (which is part of the appeal), but it's super awesome once you arrive. It's very authentic, historic, and very Japanese. Its rough around the edges in places (been around for 360 years) but don't let that stop you. The rooms, services, and especially the meals are nothing short of memorable! If you want a real Japanese Ryokan experience, this a great choice.
Arrival to this delightful hotel is by a 45-minute bus ride (on a public bus), but worth it.
Rooms are enormous, with everything one could possibly wish for, including a private onsen in the room in the form of a large bathtub full of the same thermal water as the larger onsen in the property. Beds are supremely comfortable, and everything is designed with the guest in mind.
Food, service and the facilities are all impeccable.
The place is full of little details (drinks, rest areas, sitting rooms).
We booked private onsen for both nights we stayed there, and they were delightful, tasteful and very enjoyable.
If I had to say anything negative, it would be that the stairs all over the hotel are very steep, with tall steps, which might make it challenging for some guests.
The hospitality shown to us made it an unforgettable experience. We definitely want to come back.
We stayed for one day in December 2023. When we arrived in the late afternoon, we were seated in the waiting room and brought tea and light snacks. A staff member named Koji greeted us. He was not very comfortable with English, but it meant a lot to us that he tried his very best to speak English, rather than shying away. He patiently explained the history and features of the ryokan to us. And he even tried to get to know us, asking about our purpose for visit (birthday celebrations) and where we're from.
The room itself is so spacious and has everything you could want. I particularly enjoyed the warm electric blanket that was thoughtfully set up so that when we checked in, we could defrost. The coffee, tea, and snacks within the room were delicious and high quality.
There are private and public (separated by gender) onsen. The private ones require reservations, which we did not have trouble making at all. There was a room available whenever we wanted to go.
The lobby has various beverages including juice, beer on tap, sake, and coffee.
The dinner and breakfast were incredible. There were so many courses, and a lot of variety. The presentation was beautiful also, very instagram worthy. We enjoyed every single dish, and were impressed that there was premium sushi and waygu beef also. Koji had informed the restaurant about our birthdays, so they surprised us with a birthday dessert! It is these little personal touches and acts of thoughfulness that really made us enjoy our stay.
TLDR: Incredibly hospitable staff, thoughtful details, wonderful accomodations and food. Highly recommend
This place was AMAZING. I've been back for about a week now and still cannot stop thinking about this place. Hospitality here was top notch and everything you would hope for at a Japanese onsen ryukan. We had a great private onsen with our room, but they had a public one that was also just as good. There was a Thai woman there (name was Rappa), who was also very lovely and offered great suggestions for us. Too bad we were only there for one night! I definitely plan to go back again.
My friend and I stayed for 1 night at Matsuzakaya Honten and thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of our stay.
It started off with a warm welcome from the staff and welcome tea and snacks in the lounge, after which we were guided to our room and given a brief room and hotel tour. We booked the standard room but was surprised by the spaciousness and comfort, from heated blankets to comfortable bedding. The kaiseki dinner and japanese breakfast were also delicious and we really enjoyed both of our meals.
For the onsen, there was both a public and private onsen, the latter which you can book after check in. A nice morning onsen and post-dinner onsen were just what we needed.
What made the stay extra enjoyable was the warm hospitality and the festive decor. With several lounging spaces to choose from, there was plenty of choice for us to relax and spend our time. Thank you to all the staff who helped and served us - your hospitality was the icing on top of the cake!
All in all, I would definitely recommend Matsuzakaya Honten to anyone looking for a ryokan in Hakone. This ryokan nails Japanese comfort and is your perfect home away from home! I’m looking forward to my next visit here.
