Fufu Hakone

Excellent hotel that i have already highly recommended to our friends - love the in-room onsen, architectural design amenities and food. The 11am checkout was definitely VERY nice (as compared to other onsen hotel that makes it 10am). We are very grateful for the earlier dinner arrangement (7pm) as we are traveling with a 4 y/o who is already getting sleepy after a long day. Breakfast was probably the best that i have ever had in an onsen hotel. Definitely hope to come back again - hopefully for a longer stay next time!

Incredible stay! From the moment I began communication via email with the team at Fufu Hakone everything was seamless. I knew that the solo price was slightly higher than what I would have paid per person if I was traveling in a pair, but it was 10000% worth the extra money. Staying in Gora is definitely the way to go to really encompass all Hakone has to offer (easy access to the Ropeway and other sights like the Open Air Museum), and Gora station is the perfect center point to make sure you're able to access everything easily. I was picked up by their shuttle at Gora station and upon arrival to the hotel provided complimentary tea and a seat with a beautiful view. They were able to store my bags (which were delivered in to my room so they were waiting there when I returned for check in) and the shuttle took me back to Gora station so I could explore. The room was soooo luxurious and extremely spacious. The in-room onsen was divine and I really had to force myself to leave the next day to explore Hakone, because all I wanted to do was stay in the onsen. The complimentary lounge-ware and pajamas were so cozy. The only minus of the whole stay was that their gift shop was sold out of all sizes (except xxs) of the lounge set, you'll definitely want to buy it after you wear it so I would suggest seeing if you can coordinate that ahead of time :) After 120k steps walking in Kyoto, two nights here was enough to reset my body for the second half of my trip in Tokyo, and it cleared up my blisters. I did use the public onsen twice during my stay, and both times I had the space to myself which was nice. I also took advantage of the spa services and enjoyed the hinoki powder bath, massage, and facial. The food was really a showstopping experience for both dinner and breakfast. I did the prix fixe dinner the first night and the teppanyaki on my second, and I'd highly recommend both experiences. I think overall I preferred the teppanyaki dinner slightly more than the prix fixe, but both were some of the best food of my whole trip. The hotel was also able to easily coordinate luggage forwarding to my next hotel in Tokyo which was a relief. If anything I'd recommend one more night to really get a rejuvenating experience, but two nights was definitely the right choice for this trip as I was trying to balance resting and moving on to see more areas of Japan.

We love our experience during our stay. The service was exceptional, staff was so friendly and nice. We had teppanyaki for dinner, the food was cooked in front of us. All the ingredients was so fresh. The cook was fluent in English, and had explained all the dish to us. We ordered Japanese style breakfast, it was also delicious. We would love to stay again.

Poor customer service and a major disappointment. The restaurant being by far the most inflexible and problematic part of the stay. A member of our party has an allergy, and the staff showed no interest in attempting any accommodation. When asked about reasonable alternatives (salad, vegetable, fruit) the response was simply “no.” A vegetarian breakfast request resulted in scrambled eggs topped with meat curry. When we pointed this out and asked if the dish could be remade with just scrabbled eggs & no meat sauce, they said no. Breakfast options were poorly communicated and handled. Some of us would have preferred a Western breakfast, but we were not informed that this was even an option. When we asked we were later told it was not available even when requested the day before. This should have been clearly communicated in advance. We also inquired about spa treatments and were told there was no availability, with no effort to explain, assist, or suggest alternatives. I'm not sure if some of these issues were due to a language barrier, but most staff appeared unable to communicate in English and relied on translator apps. This made even basic requests difficult and exhausting. We spent two weeks in Japan and this was the only hotel where language and customer service was a major problem. The property itself is beautiful, and our large suite (410) was very nice. Overall we experienced rigid policies, poor communication, and an unwillingness to help. For the price charged, the level of service and hospitality needs significant improvement.

We had stayed at FuFu for two nights for our trip at Hakone. FuFu is located within 3-4 mins driving distance from Hakone train station, and they provided the picking up services at the station and you can make the reservation through email in advance (very appreciated for Ryu's swift response to our every enquiry 👍). Many of their staffs can speak in Mandarin or English, so it was foreigner welcomed. Our room comprised the living room, bedroom and most importantly, the private spacious hot springs (btw, the room was surrounded with vegetation and thus with no much view). The hotel also served with a public hot springs provided with different type of hot springs water you may try. As we made the room booking a bit late, so that we could only reserve same Japanese style dinner for both nights. It was very surprising and thankful that the staff voluntarily offered us to change our dinner to Teppanyaki for one night. I would say both dinners were amazing, you can chose 3 dishes from a variety of main course for Japanese style dinner, while all dishes of Teppanyaki were delicious (highly recommended to chose abalone which was cooked perfectly). We really enjoyed our stays at FuFu, from hardware to services, all were perfect. We would like to thank for Ms. Chen serving our breakfast and checkout, we felt heart-warming from her polite and thoughtful assistance. No doubt that FuFu is one of the best hotel you must try in Hakone.

Fufu Hakone is an exquisite traditional Japanese ryokan nestled in the peaceful, scenic mountains of Hakone, offering a serene escape with luxurious touches. The rooms are spacious and beautifully designed with natural elements and feature private onsen baths, providing a deeply relaxing experience with stunning views of the surrounding greenery and mountains. Guests appreciate the impeccable attention to detail, from the elegant interiors to the comfort of premium bedding and thoughtfully provided lounge wear. The public onsen and spa facilities enhance the stay with treatments that soothe and rejuvenate. The dining experience at Fufu Hakone is exceptional, showcasing authentic Japanese cuisine with artful presentation and generous portions, including delicacies like kaiseki, seasonal vegetables, sushi, tempura, and teppanyaki. The food quality and service receive high praise, with staff going above and beyond to accommodate special dietary needs and timing preferences. Overall, Fufu Hakone combines traditional Japanese hospitality, beautiful natural surroundings, and modern luxury to create a memorable and tranquil getaway, ideal for travelers seeking relaxation and cultural immersion. It stands out as one of the best ryokans in Hakone, deserving of a five-star rating for its elegance, comfort, and outstanding service.

This place was magical and my first time in Hakone. The hotel was pristine as you would expect, and the service, food, room, amenities world class. The onsen in the room, as well as the general one open to guests were stunning. The food also consisted of carefully curated courses. Breakfast was an event, and the dinner options exceptional. We also did the teppanyaki dinner option one night which was theatrical but incredible. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Japan, not far from Tokyo, so a wonderful retreat from the city and high up in the mountains.

We have been travelling around Japan and stayed in some wonderful hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka etc where our experiences have been excellent. Unfortunately this hotel does not live up to the hype. The staff are very well meaning but speak little English…thank goodness for google translate! The rooms themselves with the private onsen are a generous size with good toiletries. Unfortunately they face away from the sun so there is little natural light and therefore room lights need to be on permanently which leads to a rather gloomy atmosphere. It is a small hotel with good natural onsens. Locally you can walk ten minutes to Gora Park and a small art museum. Well worth it. However reception seemed to have no idea it even existed. We were shocked that on arrival we had to wait for our room to be cleaned so we did not check in at 3 pm as stated…..and annoyed at having to pay an extra £65 on departure for leaving the room at 12.00 instead of 11.00 am. |My husband enjoyed the food but I did not. He works for a Japanese bank and was in Tokyo on business so he enjoys fine dining. We had total confidence in the efficiency and competence of the staff in other Japanese hotels but the staff here are well meaning but lack professionalism. For a room price of approx 172,000yen. £810 per night we expect better and would not return.