Hoshino Resorts KAI Sengokuhara

Japanese inn · Hakone

Hoshino Resorts KAI Sengokuhara

Japanese inn · Hakone

817-359 Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0631, Japan

Highlights

KAI Sengokuhara blends minimalist forest-view rooms with private hot spring baths, local art, and multi-course kaiseki meals in lush Hakone.

817-359 Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0631, Japan Get directions

hoshinoresorts.com

@hoshinoresorts.kai

@afar

"Why we love it: A modern, art-focused take on the ryokan experience The Highlights: - Traditional kaiseki dinners crafted from local ingredients - A private, mineral water–filled outdoor tub in each room - Art classes and other creative activities The Review: About a two-hour drive fromTokyo, some 2,300 feet up in the mountains of the hot springs-rich Hakone region, sits this modern take on the ryokan bathhouse experience. Opened in 2018, Kai Sengokuhara is part of the Kai group of luxury ryokans throughoutJapan, each of which has been designed to reflect its location and celebrate local craftsmanship. Here, art is the focus, with the property doubling as an evolving gallery for works by local and international artists. Also on offer is a roster of creativity-stimulating activities, including nightly classes in hand-painting traditional tenugui handkerchiefs. The two room categories—one for up to two guests, the other for up to three—also feature original artwork inspired by the surrounding region, along with private terraces with outdoor tubs fed by spring water from the valley. Other touches include elegant flax kimonos, custom mattresses, and free Wi-Fi. Rates are typically half-board, so all guests are able to savor traditional Japanese breakfasts (centered around the use of a local yam) and flavorful, multi-course kaiseki dinners, crafted with local proteins (from beef to abalone) and elegantly presented on handpicked tableware. And then there’s the soaking: two bath halls (male and female) are each equipped with indoor and outdoor pools filled with mineral-rich Owakudani volcanic valley waters, in which you can soak away the world while gazing out at the lush green forest."

The Best Hotels in Japan

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@cntraveler

11 Gorgeous Hotel Rooms With Private Hot Tubs

"The KAI Sengokuhara, an upscale ryokan from Hoshino Resorts, often sells out year-round, perhaps because it has just 16 guest rooms, and each comes complete with its own private outdoor onsen, which is a luxurious rarity in Japan."

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/hotels-with-jacuzzi-in-room

View Postcard for Hoshino Resorts KAI Sengokuhara

Mountinmad

Google

A truly memorable short stay n Hakone. A great location for jumping on a bus on the Hakone loop… 15 / 20 mins (inc the walk from the hotel) and you are at the terminus for the Rope way and the Pirate boat trip across the lake.||The accommodation (with just 16 rooms) just oozes quality and tranquility with every room having its own private balcony with hot bath to soak in. Beds, whilst traditional, are so comfy!||Now… for the main event! The food…. OMG what a truly amazing experience… breakfast and dinner… and whilst super quality and beautifully (and privately) served in your own booth have a total quantity to blow even the biggest eaters! ||Wonderful service and to close… I’m not sure where a couple of the ridiculous reviews have come from but they are obviously either an error or are trying it on…. Try for yourself - you won’t be disappointed. ||Huge thank you to the staff for such a wonderful experience this week.

Yana Otlan

Google

Everything about our stay, including the rooms, the private onsen, the location, and the food, was excellent. However, I have to take a star off for the quality of the service at dinner, which was meant to be the highlight of our stay. Everything felt rather rushed, and the waiter sometimes tried to take our food away even before we were finished with it. I do not believe we took longer than normal to finish our dishes, so it was a little jarring. I understand that there is a time limit on how long the dinner can last, but some flexibility would have been nice. Despite the rather fast pace of changing dishes, we also did not feel that the staff was paying enough attention to our requests, such as ordering more water or other drinks. It really felt like the staff was only there to get us through the dinner as quickly as possible, not allowing for any interruptions or pauses. I understand that this may be how a kaiseki dinner works, but I have had similar dinners before in ryokans of similar status, and never felt this rushed. If this is the result of having the dinners in the dining room instead of the guest rooms, it might be a good idea to review the dinner timeline to allow for more space for both the guests and the staff.

Lilo Huang

Google

I recently stayed at Hoshino Resorts KAI Sengokuhara and had a genuinely relaxing and enjoyable experience. The Japanese-style onsen room was spacious and thoughtfully designed, offering plenty of room to unwind and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. The food and hospitality stood out as exceptional. Every meal was beautifully prepared and full of flavor, and the staff were warm, attentive, and welcoming throughout my stay. However, there were a few areas that could benefit from better maintenance. The only available drinking water seemed to be from the tap. While it may be safe to drink, there was no clear signage confirming this, which left some uncertainty. In the bathroom, I noticed that the wooden wall panels were beginning to show signs of water damage. There were visible discoloration marks and what looked like the early stages of mold. It seems the wood used is not fully water-resistant, and it would be a good idea to have it refinished and treated with a waterproof coating to prevent further deterioration. I also noticed that the private onsen bath had a bit more algae buildup than expected. While this may occur naturally, more frequent cleaning and inspection would enhance the overall experience. Despite these small issues, I truly enjoyed my stay. The overall atmosphere, the food, and the service were all outstanding. With a bit more attention to the condition of the physical facilities, the experience would be even more in line with the high standards that Hoshino Resorts is known for.

Lauren Lee

Google

Second time experience in KAI resort. It was inevitable to compare this resort to another one in Kirishima. Both places have a great quality of food. But I enjoyed various food and sake selections from Kirishima. It was disappointing to see the drink menu. Overall experience at Kai resort was great. I definitely recommend this place for family trip!

Erik Browne

Google

Stayed two nights, seemed like just the right amount of time. We stayed in the annex building, room 109. Very quiet, very private and the personal onsen was fantastic as we used it multiple times each day. In fact, we never had a need to try the larger, public onsen on site. It was a real treat to change into the sumae for the duration and just relax around the facility. For our arrival afternoon we spent some time doing art on a themed towel. This was super relaxing and very enjoyable, even for someone with little artistic talent like myself. Dinner we upgraded one of the nights and I would recommend as we got to enjoy a memorable hot rock cooking experience. Each dinner meal was eight courses with tons of items to try. Breakfast was also a large platter of various items. The staff was very, very accommodating. They would talk into ear pieces with each other to coordinate our arrival, they did research on our home city and chatted about it at dinner with us too! They even noted that we visited near a birthday and made a special gesture without even requesting. The location is not really around anything, but that's the point of a hotel like this. We did take one afternoon to ride the Hakone Ropeway, which was only a 15 minute bus ride to Togendai Station. You could also ride the lake cruise if you wish but we didn't want to take too much time away from our hotel and onsen. Overall, this place was a fantastic respite between our time in Tokyo and Kyoto and I would gladly return.

hanji

Google

one of the best hotels i’ve stayed in. its quite some ways away from the train station but that’s a plus as the relatively remote location means its quiet, serene and out of this world beautiful. we arrived late late fall so got to see some lovely colours around the hotel. we booked a room with an outdoor bath on the balcony, that was amazing. hotel staff were very helpful. hotel grounds were gorgeous this time of the year. there isn’t necessarily that much to do around town, aside from the known tourist attractions so its a nice hotel to really relax and kick back in. already planning my next trip back.

Antstagg

Google

Amazing room and hotel. Very close to the bus stop that allows for easy access to the Hakone free pass route (15 minutes away to the ropeway).||Meals were delicious (and massive!) and the staff went out their way to make us comfortable. The hot bath on the terrace was very relaxing but you also get the access to the main onsen with it's three baths. Well worth the trip!

jaycP4239FA

Google

Beautiful room and facilities, the mealtimes are made very special by the attentive staff and the food is good. The meals are incredibly generous in size!||We found staff to be friendly and most spoke a good level of conversational English which was really helpful. The room and onsen was spotless and the beds really comfortable.||We found it easy to get around Hakone via the local bus and other modes of transport. The staff provided us with a timetable and directions to the correct stop If you have mobility issues the short walk to the bus stop is steep. My only criticism is that we were offered a taxi but then told there are no taxis and to get the bus to the station - fine by us but if we had a lot of luggage I think that would have been pretty stressful. Overall a great stay and I would definitely stay again!