Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora by IHG

Good hotel, decent location (a bit of a schlep from the train station so be sure to take the shuttle or a car). Google Maps will tell you that you can walk to the hotel from Gora station. You cannot. The onsen on our balcony was cozy and private, and the group co-ed onsen downstairs was about on par with a 3-star indoor hotel pool in the states. Rooms were on the smaller side, and the river view is currently overlooking a construction site with the sounds of jackhammers from early morning well into the evening. Otherwise a great stay. Construction in 2025 will surely be over within a year or so.

This place is so underrated. My family of 5 stayed here in between Tokyo and Kyoto and this was the perfect “green” getaway. Our rooms were spacious, modern, and had everything we could need. We especially enjoyed the private bath after putting our toddler to bed. The food was also exceptional and well-priced for the location. The family onset was also a highlight. Lastly, as a diamond elite member, I appreciate the upgrade and the VIP treatment. Can’t wait to go back!

This is a very stylish hotel in a popular area. Excellent shuttle service to the cable car (funicular for Europeans). Good onsen area but not that big. Only issue is that it is a bit isolated although we did find offsite eating 10 minutes away day two. Breakfast is good with plenty of options. Dinner is relatively expensive in our view although what we had was very good.

We were really excited to stay here, so it was a bit disappointing that the experience didn’t quite match our expectations for the price. For the cost, we felt it could have offered more, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it unless the rate is lower. That said, there are positives. The rooms themselves are very nice, clean, comfortable, and especially good if you have one with its own bath. Though, you have zero view of the river while sitting in the bath. In terms of facilities, the cleanliness overall was solid. Where things fell short for us: • Staff/Reception: The staff came across as somewhat reserved and busy. Asking questions often felt like interrupting, and the front desk layout made it unclear where to go. • Public bath: While clean and functional, it wasn’t the relaxing onsen experience we’d hoped for. Each time we visited, it was quite loud with kids and adults chatting. • Food/drink policy: Guests aren’t allowed to bring their own refreshments to the outdoor seating, and the hotel charges 900 yen plus a 15% service fee for tea or coffee. That felt overpriced, especially since there weren’t nearby parks or cafés as alternatives. There’s a beautiful river but seemingly nowhere to sit along it. • Location: The property is a bit removed from the main part of town. Without a car, it’s a steep walk up to town, and while we enjoy walking, it made quick outings inconvenient. In short: the rooms themselves are the highlight, but some of the policies, atmosphere, and location made the overall stay less enjoyable than we had hoped for the cost.

We loved this hotel, one of our best in Japan. Rooms and property were stunning. But what stood out was the service! We absolutely LOVED meeting Taylor the concierge. He’s an American expat living in Japan. He was so polite, helpful, relatable and knowledgeable. He gave us all the must do’s around Hakone and made sure our whole stay was perfect and lovely. Honestly we haven’t ever met hotel staff that we wished had the day off and could come hang out with us instead. We’re still in touch on social media because he was so fabulous. Can’t recommend enough just because of him!!

After 8 nights in tiny rooms in Tokyo and Sapporo, arrived at this paradise of a hotel in the mountains. We started our day with a flight from Sapporo to Tokyo, then caught Shinkansen to Odawara station and then train to Gora. Called the hotel and they sent a driver to collect us at Gora station. Check in was lovely with a welcome drink in the waiting area. Our room was huge with a what felt like bigger than king size bed. The private onsen was my favorite thing. It was heaven to soak in it after all the walking from our previous locations. They also have a public onsen and a foot spa area. Since there isn’t much around the hotel, we decided to have dinner in the hotel restaurant. It was the best meal of our trip. We ordered the 3 course meal and added the Wagyu beef. Chefs kiss. Expensive, but worth every penny. Wine was wonderful as well. We discovered at check-in that they offer a shuttle service to Odawara station a few times a day so we booked that for our checkout the next morning. We didn’t add breakfast to our stay and I do wish the hotel offered coffee in the lobby or lounge area. My biggest regret is only staying one night in this wonderful area. We didn’t get to see much of Hakone so I know for next time that we will be spending at least two nights at the Hotel Indigo.

The hotel website refers to its fantastic river view but of course fails to mention the parking lot opposite. Whilst the view of the mountains, and sound and view of the river were fantastic, this was ruined by the other buildings and car parks opposite. The room itself was spacious, comfortable and came with its own private onsen. However, we had issues with the washbasin faucet which only dribbled hot water and the blind which was stuck - both were fixed on the second day of our stay. The hotel has a public onsen, however, it is not an authentic Japanese onsen - more like a western spa, with various hot tubs and a massive TV screen displaying images of Hakone - a huge disappointment - again not clearly mentioned or described on their website. Staff are excellent and try their best, however, there are clearly issues with junior members still lacking training e.g. my family were served nuts (without requesting this) at check-in with their welcome drink, but on check-out we found that this was added to our bill without our signature. For those having drinks at the bar, nuts are extra - fine if had requested this not so on day one at check-in when we had not. Breakfast is very good with great choice, and the coffee is also very nice. The hotel is located away from the main Gora area and so getting anywhere means using a taxi or the hotel shuttle service. Taxis are not readily available from the hotel and has to be booked ideally on the TaxiGo app. Note taxis here are not cheap and most journeys we took were at least £20.

Wonderful stay! The hotel was beautiful and very comfortable. The room was spacious and clean. The staff were incredibly kind, professional, and always ready to help with a smile. The onsen was a fantastic experience—clean, relaxing, and with a lovely view. The shuttle bus to the station was very convenient and made getting around so much easier. I highly recommend this hotel and would definitely stay here again!

Of the four hotels we stayed at during our Japan trip, Hotel Indigo in Hakone was by far my favorite. Service is fantastic and the staff works hard to make you comfortable from the moment you check in. Hakone is known for its hot springs, and this hotel has both shared as well as private onsens. Each room has a private onsen and there's a 150 yen (around $1) onsen fee per person per night. You bet we used ours every night. Our room was large and blended traditional and modern elements. It had all the expected amenities, and I loved the shoji (sliding latticed doors) that could be closed to separate the dwelling area from the sink and shower area. Past the bathroom area was the door leading out to the balcony where our onsen was. Everything from the bed to the shower to the onsen water was very comfortable. The breakfast buffet was a splurge, but we enjoyed the variety and quality of the food. The items were more upscale than what you'd find at a typical hotel. If you're looking for a variety of traditional Japanese dishes and light bites, this is your place. Downstairs is also an average fitness center and a co-ed onsen (bathing suits required there). The hotel provides a complimentary shuttle to and from Odawara Station, which is the closest JR station. There's also a free shuttle to and from Gora Station, where you can take a cable car up to Ōwakudani (volcanic valley with active sulphur vents) and down to the picturesque Lake Ashinoko. There's so much to see and explore in this area. Whatever you're here for, Hotel Indigo has you covered. Though it used up all of our hotel points, I'm glad we decided to book a 3-day stay here!

From the moment we arrived until the moment we departed, we were treated warmly and thoroughly welcomed. The staff are very friendly and kind, and very helpful. The hotel itself is beautiful. I loved the traditional decor. The room and the view were both gorgeous and relaxing. Private onsen was a godsend after exploring all day. I would 100% stay here again.

Amazing hotel with great service. We stayed here two nights and everything we needed was at the hotel. The front desk was super friendly and helpful. The restaurant on premises is amazing! We went there for dinner both nights and had breakfast there as well. Food was delicious! The best Wagyu steaks ever-melting in your mouth! The rooms were nice and clean, everything you might need was there. We loved the private onsen on the balcony and the hotel spa area. The hotel is a little secluded from everything else in the area but they do provide shuttle. We only left once to go to a water park but otherwise our stay was amazing. Highly recommend it!

Excellent service across the board, at check in, in the bar, at the restaurant and even from the shuttle driver. Undeniably a great lodging choice in Hakone and I very much recommend!

Amazing experience, good food, exceptional service, they are very polite and efficient, highly recommend this place

The Hotel Indigo is a lovely mixture of both western and japanese styles in a beautiful private and public onsen-type of hotel. The staff is lovely and very helpful. They have a shuttle service that is complimentary but only runs from certain hours (morning to early evening) so make sure you do you things during those times. If you don't they'll try their best to book a taxi for you but there are no guarantees. It is a pretty difficult hike to get back to the train station. Breakfast was very delicious as well - buffet style - but not included. They cook fresh vegetables over their woodfire grill and then have a variety of well-done western and japanese dishes. The public onsen is clothing on and they will rent you a swimsuit for 500Yen.

After the chaos and busyness of Tokyo Disney, Hotel Indigo is the perfect place to rest and reset. The hotel isn't in the heart of Hakone and isn't traditional Japan, but I selected this hotel because there is a free shuttle to take you from the train station to the hotel, it's more western and spacious, and it's walking distance to the train/bus stop. I would definitely return and recommend Hotel Indigo. - We arrived before check in time but it was no problem at all. The lounge was packed with snacks and refreshments, we got checked in, and they gave us a tour of the hotel. We even had our luggage shipped from a previous hotel and it was already waiting for us in the room. - There were really nice amenities at front desk, including facial products and local wood blocks that make the in room onsen more fragrant. - The hotel has a gym, an outdoor foot bath, and a co-ed onsen. I wasn't expecting a co-ed onsen area so we were able to rent bathing suits even for kids. The co-ed onsen has a big LED screen so it wasn't as naturesque as normal onsens but it's ok to me. The outdoor foot bath was nice and you can order drinks from the bar but it wasn't too kid friendly because at one point my little one was almost sitting in the water (face palm). - When we weren't out exploring or eating, we spent the entire time in the room onsen. It was so peaceful with the river sounds and slight breeze. Try to get a room on the river side because the mountain side is completely enclosed. - The rooms are so spacious. We were able to have friends hang out in the room for drinks. - Get the breakfast buffet! There's a mix of western and traditional Japanese breakfast foods, and they offer different varieties every day so you're not eating the foods. They even have local citruses to offer!

A luxe hotel that offers complimentary shuttle service to/from Gora station, making it easy for us to get to the hotel. There were quite a bit of traffic on the way there, so it took a little over an hour to reach the hotel. It was much faster on the return trip (around 30-40 minutes). We got a room with a private onsen. It was nice, but not much of a view. Also, the set-up where the primary vanity/shower is located can be a bit treacherous. It has a step up leading to the area, and it blends in with the floor so we can quite a few missteps! I imagine it can be somewhat dangerous to someone with poor balance. There is a small gym with limited equipment, but it felt rather spaced out. There's also a public onsen for both genders (so bathing suits required) as well as a foot onsen. I didn't vist the public onset as we had our own, but did check on the foot onsen. It was rather basic and I left quickly as people were smoking cigars in the area. The hotel also offers complimentary car service to places in Gora but only between the hours of 10AM to 6PM. We utilized it once during our stay. It's convenient, but again, only during the hours mentioned above. While the hotel was nice, there wasn't much to do in the surrounding area. There are a few shops nearby but they do close relatively early (around 4PM typically).

We stayed here for one night with a two year old son. The hotel provides complimentary pick up anywhere in Gora so we requested the service upon arrival at Gora station. The van came quickly and the driver was extremely nice. Upon arrival to the hotel, we were greeted by another staff who walked us to the check in area and gave us some tea. The hotel is beautiful.. the entry, dining area, thermal spa area, and the rooms. We ordered room service on the first night and dinner was delicious. The hospitality provided were excellent. The hotel located on a hill and is quite a distant to walk from Gora station but the fact that shuttle service is provided for pick up and drop off anytime until 6pm made it so convenient. I would highly recommend staying here and we will definitely be if we return to Hakone in the future.

Excellent and extremely quiet and relaxing. Front desk service was excellent. Very convenient to transportation and shopping.

This hotel was extremely accommodating and very attuned to providing great customer service. Every time we moved within the hotel it decided to venture out, someone was there to assist. This is a hidden gem in the mountain and I highly recommend staying here for a great family friendly get away.