The hotel provided one of the most unique hospitality experiences I've ever had. The location is remote and serene, the room was stunning - we booked the Twin Room with Tatami Area and Mt.Fuji View for one night - absolutely worth it. The private onsen bath on the patio was the show-stealer - it fit two people sitting side by side, and when the clouds cleared you could see Mt. Fuji sitting from the tub. The room was incredibly spacious and loved the bath products. The meals far exceeded our expectations. If you're thinking about going to Hakone, Zen is worth the trek.

Stayed in April 2024

The location was a little tough to get to, it didn't help the night we tried to go was pouring. The bus stop we had to wait at was unsheltered. And when we had to leave, the bus stop was also unsheltered. I think I booked a room with the view of Mt Fuji, but I don't think we got that in the end.

The overall experience was superb, staff were very friendly, the facilities in my room were great. The food blew me away and the ambiance was great.

Stayed in March 2024

Unfortuanately, we could not see Mt Fuji since it was cloudy but our room which was Mt Fuji view (3th floor) could not view from onsen. Did not like the separate bed on the side - wasted space. Would have enjoyed a sofa and table area instead - like the 2nd floor room vice 3 floor room. Next time - will request 2nd floor Mt Fuji view. Bus stop is too far to walk and shuttle did not run all day. Had a hard time making reservations online.

Private onsen on the balcony and able to adjust water temperature is a big plus. Comfortable beds, shower area and excellent staff (Brisil and Binod from Nepal). Breakfasts and dinners were exceptional. Drinks in refrigerator were a big plus. Loved your shoyu - bought out your supply at our stay. Loved the inlay souvenirs - owl, turtle, toothpick holders, coasters and tray.

Stayed in April 2024

The air conditioning unit in the room was a bit noisy & not easy to operate.

Superb food, staff very attentive & helpful - great ‘on demand’ taxi service to/from bus or ropeway stop.

Stayed in April 2024

Nothing. Everything was perfect:

Most relaxing atmosphere we have ever experienced. Food was amazing.

Stayed in March 2024

The price is high but is well worth it.

Wow. A simply fantastic stay. The staff are extremely polite and try their best to help you however its needed. The onsen is very private. The dinner and breakfast experiences were fantastic. the dinner service and quality rivaled the two other michelin star restaurants I ate at while in Japan. It was also very useful for them to be able to come pick us up at the ropeway/bus station as the ryokan didn't seem to be very close to any other public transportation stops.

Stayed in April 2024

The onsen was extremely hot and took a long time to prepare it to be cool enough for our preferences.

Extremely calm environment. Stunning views and unbelievably helpful and friendly staff. They even made a big effort to decorate our room for our honeymoon. The food here is also absolutely amazing and you will be in for a treat.

Stayed in April 2024

The climb from the bus stop is quite steep, but if you message the staff when you’re arriving, they can pick you up from the nearest bus stop.

Everything about this place was amazing. The hospitality and staff were great and so attentive. The room was spacious with lots of free amenities including lounging outfits and free traditional slippers and socks to keep, as well as a complimentary bar. The private onsen was lovely and had a breathtaking view of the mountain (we were lucky enough that it wasn’t covered by fog on our trip but even if it was it would have been a lovely stay) The food was great and so inventive. It was quite a lot at the end of the dinner course, and they even gave us a midnight snack in a bento box which we were too full to finish, but can hardly complain about too much of a good thing! The breakfast was equally delicious and the staff were very accommodating with getting us to our bus on time. Overall I think they are actually undercharging for the service and food and value provided.

Stayed in March 2024

Little hard to get to, because of the walk to the bus stop but not bad at all.

Amazing service !! Every time we thought they exceed our expectation they would exceed it again. Weather it was the food or service or just the facilities.

Stayed in March 2024

Spacious rooms, private onsen bath, top notch kaiseki style dinner and Japanese style breakfast. Great inn to relax and view of Mount Fuji were a bonus!

Stayed in November 2023

The room was massive! Very personalised service, from collecting us at the bus stop to our private dining room for breakfast and dinner. The onsen bath on the balcony was divine. When the sky was clear we had a beautiful view of mount fuji and the leaves turning for the autumn. The meals were amazing, but so much food! We stayed for two nights which was great but definitely could have gone a third to really relax.

Stayed in November 2023

There isn't much to do as far as going out nearby, but it is more suitable for a vacation focused on resting.

The hotel had a calm, soothing atmosphere. We had the Japanese-Western rooms which were extremely spacious, and the private open air bath was extremely relaxing. Bhuzel, who took care of us during our stay, was very hospitable; all the staff members we met were also great. The meals were also generous with a wide variety of dishes to try. We even struggled to finish all the food because of how plentiful it was! We stayed two nights; both dinner and breakfast were different each day, so we never got tired of what we ate. Since one of the days was sunny, we could also see Mt. Fuji clearly from our breakfast room.

Stayed in November 2023

Quiet surrounding and private onsen, friendly and helpful staffs

Stayed in November 2023

Nothing.

Beautiful property with traditional Japanese style. We had such a comfortable bed and the balcony onsen was amazing. This was a major highlight of our two week trip. It’s a fun journey on a few different types of transport to reach from Tokyo (train, boat, funicular, ropeway, etc) and it felt like a magical place. They catered to us being vegetarian curating a beautiful and well designed dinner and breakfast - this made us feel really special. Highly highly recommend this place worth every penny. Will never forget the night we spent here.

Stayed in October 2023

Private onsen and kiseki meal are so good that I regret I booked for a night stay only! Will definitely come back again. The staffs are friendly and helpful.

Very Clean and comfortable

Stayed in November 2023

Amazing hotel with brilliant facilities, including your own private onsen in your room. The food was delicious and the staff were all friendly, attentive and very helpful. The hotel is a bit far from the nearest bus stop, but the hotel provides a free lift to/from the nearest bus stop, which was very helpful. Overall, I really enjoyed the stay!

Stayed in November 2023

Nothing.

Friendly staff and fantastic food. Very good dinner and breakfast.

Stayed in November 2023

Distance from station. Bar not open.

Comfortable. Clean. Great staff. Relaxing atmosphere.

Stayed in October 2023

Access is tricky. Taxi took 1hr to arrive for a short drive from Gora station and it wasn’t practical to walk in dark with luggage in forest roads! Staff at Zen could not assist when called. Some aspects of property need updating ie walls painted as lots of chipped paintwork in corridors.

Lovely room with view of Mt Fuji Meals were delicious and beautifully presented Private onsen was lovely

Stayed in November 2023

We had an amazing break at Hakone Zen. The main attraction is the private onsen in the room which was fantastic. Just the ease of being to dip in and out when felt like it made the stay really special.

Stayed in October 2023

No elevator

The dinner and breakfast was wonderful ! The serves was great !

Stayed in November 2023

The property is a little bit dingy and old fashioned (and not in a traditional Japanese way) needing paint and so on but maybe that’s normal for this area. The room was very clean but there were some stains and it just seemed cluttered. While we were amazed by the decadent treatment we received, just make sure you’re cool with having your meals at a designated time each day and prepare to spend time eating. These are not quick meals and they take pride in serving you. Next time we might search for a place with Kaiseki as an option but that also has a restaurant so we could do Kaiseki a couple times instead of twice a day. Although it was nice to not have to think about food at all!

We loved the view of Mt Fuji from the room and the outdoor onsen was wonderful, especially during the day with the forest above you. We loved the Kaiseki meals and the staff were very attentive, giving us a welcome drink, help getting taxis and calling for reservations and taking care of us at our meals. They definitely made sure we had enough to eat! There was a hairdryer and water/drinks in the fridge. And we also appreciated the shuttle to the bus stop. There are bus stops close by (ten min walk or so) and the Hakone Ropeway and the port station is fairly close too. Other than walking, taxi was the easiest way around for us because the main town and train stations are not close. However, we wanted an experience away from town for the end of our trip and loved that this Ryokan was more rural.

Stayed in October 2023

Perfect getaway from the city hustle and bustle. We were lucky to be able to see Mt Fuji in our room and enjoy the private onsen bath. The service and hospitality was excellent, each meal was like a feast and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The shuttle bus service provided made going to and from attractions easier considering the location.

Stayed in October 2023

It’s a bit out of city center.

The room with private tub was excellent. All the staff were so pleasant and welcoming. The food for breakfast and dinner was abundant and delicious.

Stayed in October 2023