Where to stay in Hakone

We're repeat visitors to Hakone and can confirm that it is one of the easiest and loveliest weekend breaks you can make from Tokyo. But you'll need somewhere to stay and the first thing you need to know about Hakone before you start looking for accommodation is that, although Hakone is often described as a "hot-spring town", it's not actually a town. Put "Hakone" into Google maps and it will show you a wider district with a few little hubs centred on Lake Ashi. This complicates your search for a hotel or ryokan, since accommodation is spread out all around the lakeside and up into the mountains. We've been right the way round lake Ashi numerous times and have our favourite spots, but where you overnight depends very much on the experience you want. Below is a breakdown of the best places to stay in Hakone, whatever your budget or interests.

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*Any prices quoted below are subject to change

Choosing your Hakone base

The good news: Hakone isn't so vast that you're going to be far from attractions, no matter where your accommodation is. But the differences in atmosphere, pricing, and access can be significant. Let's break down your options.

Yumoto

Yumoto is where most visitors land when they arrive by train, and it has the highest concentration of onsen ryokans and hotels in the region. The main street is lined with little souvenir shops, restaurants, and izakayas. This is as close to a "centre" as you get in Hakone and it has that "onsen town" atmosphere that Japanese weekenders come for. We think this is the perfect base for first-timers in Hakone because of the convenience factor.

Yumoto is pretty budget-friendly - with decent rooms starting around ¥5,000 to ¥8,000 a night - making it a haven for solo travelers looking for a social, welcoming vibe. The best part is that you've got everything you need within a ten-minute stroll of the train station. Plus, unlike the sleepier corners of Hakone, the local bars and restaurants stay open much later in Yumoto.

However, Yumoto's accessibility comes at the expense of tranquility. Peak weekends and holidays bring a heavy influx of tour groups, making the main streets feel highly touristy. If you are planning to head deeper into Hakone to visit the Open-Air Museum or Owakudani, be prepared for longer, crowded bus rides from this end of the valley.

Best for: first-timers, budget travellers, solo travellers

Gora

Sitting at a higher elevation, Gora is a step up (ahem!) from Yumoto in various ways: it's pricier, it's quieter, it's considered more upscale and it comes with views. We like Gora because it feels like a retreat - Japanese mountainside village life - but is well-connected, so you don't feel completely cut off. And of course it's home to several top Hakone attractions, such as the Open-Air Museum, the Museum of Art and the ropeway. There are plenty of restaurants scattered about, from a Nobu to coffee shops and gyoza joints. But here's the point: everything's a wee bit more spread out that Yumoto and you're on the side of a mountain so you can expect a lot of steep slopes. Keep this in mind when looking at accommodation, too. Mid-range accommodation is available from ¥10,000–¥15,000 per night, but there are a lot of absolutely gorgeous, luxury 5-star stays up here, including the famous Fujiya - a 150-year-old ryokan whose guests have included Charlie Chaplin, John Lennon and Albert Einstein.

Best for: Museum & culture lovers; luxury onsen hotels and ryokans

Hakone-Machi

Hakone-Machi is known for its quiet, historic charm and postcard-perfect views. Situated right on the banks of Lake Ashi, this hub also sits on the old Tokaido road connecting Edo (now Tokyo) and Kyoto. Well-preserved sections of the route still exist, and it's not hard to feel centuries of history beneath your feet. Hakone-Machi is incredibly well-connected thanks to its bustling transit hub, featuring a major bus terminal and sightseeing cruise port that makes getting to and from Hakone-Yumoto and even to the ropeway easy. There are plenty of eateries down here but it's altogether a lot sleepier than Yumoto and there's little going on at night.  

Accommodation is somewhere between Yumoto and Gora, pricewise: there are a couple of budget spots but you'll mostly find good mid-range hotels and ryokan. One highlight is the beautiful Yoshimatsu ryokan with Japanese-style tatami-mat rooms, open-air onsen, a gorgeous garden and fabulous kaiseki dining. A lot of the rooms are suitable for families or groups of four, so it's good value too.

Best for: Mid-budget, quiet getaways; Fuji views; young families

Moto-Hakone

Moto-Hakone is down in the corner of the lake and tends to be overlooked by tourists - mostly because a lot of the accommodation is set up in the hills, which is super for hiking but otherwise a bit far out of the way. But we think it's definitely worth staying here because it's really scenic and, especially with the big-ass torii down the end of the main street, feels very, authentically like small-town Japan. Like Hakone-Machi, there's not a lot going on here in the evenings, so it's more of a get-up-early-sightsee-dinner&onsen sort of place. But the bus connections are good, the views are beautiful and you have the best of both worlds, being at the lakeside but with the mountains and its historical trails rising up just behind you. We've stayed in this area several times and it simply feels very "Hakone" to us.

Best for: History fans; hikers; early birds

Hotel de Yama: our family's go-to choice

While we're in the area, let us tell you about the hotel we like to stay at when we're in Hakone and why we can heartily recommend it (this post isn't sponsored by Hotel de Yama - we just think it's great!).

Hotel de Yama is a comfy three-star hotel in the Odakyu chain, down at the lakeside on the far end of Moto-Hakone. That might sound like it's a bit out of the way - and it is, but in a good way. The hotel has its own bus-stop, so you can just change to the bus in Yumoto and jump out on the hotel doorstep, but its quiet, the scenery is amazing (views of the lake and of Mount Fuji) and - one of the highlights for us at least - it's just minutes away from the famous waterside torii gates of Hakone shrine, meaning you can walk over early in the morning and get those iconic photos (like the one at the top of the page) well before the tourist buses arrive and you have to queue for 40 minutes.

Hotel de Yama is an onsen hotel with a spa and public and private onsen baths (and free ice-lollies to help you cool down after your soak, of course). The in-house toiletries smell so good that we never leave without buying an assortment at the gift shop before we leave. There's an observatory on the top floor with panoramic views of the lake and a vast azalea garden with stunning Fuji views. The azaleas bloom in May - we've never been at that time of year but the garden is impressive in any season.

Plans are available that include dinner and breakfast, and are well worth it: the seasonal kaiseki dinner is amazing and you can choose between a Western or Japanese-style breakfast.

A small word of warning: the hotel is in a historical building and the furnishings look a little worn in places, but in a charming, mid-century way. Everything is impeccably clean and comfortable.

Our tips for hotels and ryokan in Hakone

Book early

Our best tip is to book early for peak seasons (especially March-April and November) and if you'll be staying on a weekend - Hakone isn't just popular with foreign tourists and is much loved by Japanese families, couples and tour groups as a quick-break destination. On the other hand, if the ryokan you really wanted doesn't seem to be available for your dates, try again later on, since some only accept bookings a month or two in advance.

Check accessibility

Before you book that gorgeous hotel with the elevated views, make sure that access is easy. Hakone is a rural, mountainous destination with reliable public transport but a hotel that is just 200 metres from the nearest bus-stop could be 200 metres virtually straight up from the bus-stop. Do a quick Google Street Maps walk-by before you book, especially if your mobility is restricted.

Meal Plans: Confirm whether meals are included (most are). Breakfast/dinner kaiseki is typically worth the extra cost.

Cancellation: Confirm cancellation policies, especially if booking during peak season.

Look for meals-included plans

Some of the best hotels are a little secluded and might not have a wealth of restaurants close by, but most have their own restaurants and these might be cheaper with a dinner or breakfast plan.

Take a look at our guide to booking hotels in Japan for more, general tips on choosing accommodation.

Ready to plan your Hakone trip?

Take a look at our other Hakone posts:

• Get an overview with our complete first-timers' guide to Hakone

• Work out if you need to rent a car and how to get around Hakone otherwise

• Hakone has something for all interests: find out what to see and do in Hakone with a link to our Hakone map.

• Just in case you're undecided: here's why we think a trip to Hakone is definitely worth it but why some visitors may want to save it for next time

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Want us to plan a Japan trip just for you? Need help putting together your first trip to Japan? Just get in touch.