Matsuzakaya Honten

I was told that this hotel is 360 years old and a lot of it is original. If you are looking for a traditional Japanese experience and a wonderful staff then this is certainly place to check into. |When my travel agent suggested it,I read the reviews on this site and thought it sounded wonderful. They will accommodate food allergies which is a huge plus. |When I arrived I was unhappily surprised. As a senior and a solo, I was very uncomfortable with the room I was given. It was up and down multiple staircases. There is No Elevator in this hotel! My room was located far from the main areas. Additionally, it was a duplex. There was a large very traditional Japanese living area. My personal mineral bath was located outdoors and the room’s only shower was indoors but close by. The refrigerator was also located on this level. The bedroom was located up a narrow, circular staircase. There was a bathroom upstairs but there wasn’t even a bar of soap in it. I had to take one from the downstairs shower room. As is traditional, the bed was very low to the ground making it difficult for me to get up. I had asked my travel agent for a western style bed. |I guess because it’s a very old building, there are multiple little staircases. The one from the bedroom to the bathroom was the biggest worry for me. I was terrified that I would trip. I was scheduled to stay for two nights but I left after one because I didn’t feel safe and both my room and the hallways are cold. I don’t know if I will get my money back. This is a charming place but people need to understand what they’re getting prior to reserving. If you’re a senior or have a mobility challenge , request a one level room that is not up and down multiple staircases. I wish someone had written a review like this before I allowed my travel agent to book this hotel for me. Either I would have had a more appropriate room or I would have gone elsewhere.

Amazing stay: the staff is super caring, the view is beautifull from any Window, food made with love, and I really enjoyed taking time with a tea by the fire in the salon. The hotel also lends kimonos so that you can feel immedialty immerged in the mood. Also the outdoor spa is very authentic. We spent a very qualitative family time at the hotel.

Truly amazing experience. My first time at a ryokan and we booked a room with private Onsen. Beautiful! My only warning is that this location is far away from attractions such as the Ropeway so prepare for a wait for the bus as well as train/ public transit time. But the trade off was worth it! I felt so taken care of and the kaiseki meals were so good!

Just left after one fantastic night with our family of four. A highlight of our trip and a truly special experience. The staff was excellent and pleasant, the hot spring baths are amazing. I particularly enjoyed the "public" bath which was wide open, had great amenities to get the true hot bath experience and just a short walk from our room. The traditional Japanese meals were awesome and I tasted more unique dishes that I had in the first week of our visit to Japan. Rooms are spacious and super cool. I can't wait to come back here (and probably leave our teenage kids behind next time😁).

Incredible place! The public and private baths are wonderful, the rooms are really comfortable, bus stop nearby to get to Hakone loop - super easy! They were able to accommodate me as a vegetarian and the food was great. Highly recommend staying here if you visit Hakone.

Stayed here during the last two days of our trip to Japan. We had two rooms for a multigenerational family of 7 (from 9 months to 63). The hospitality was outstanding, and we felt totally pampered. ||The food was next level! Meals are served breakfast and dinner only, but with the variety and quantity of each kaiseki meal, you have plenty to eat. The care that is taken with flavor, presentation, and authenticity is second to none. ||We were able to take advantage of both our private in-room onsen, as well as a reserved separate private onsen. This historic ryokan had common areas such as a reading room, game room, lounge area, tasteful gift shop, and beverage station. ||If you stay for at least 2 nights, the location of this ryokan offers access for day trips to Lake Ashi, Owakadani volcanic valley (with views of Mt. Fuji), and the Hakone Open Air Museum. ||The staff somehow made us feel like both honored guests and welcome family. The emphasis at this ryokan is on total relaxation, and we welcomed this at the end of adventure packed trip. It was worth every penny.

My partner and I came here for a post-engagement treat and it was an incredible experience! Very relaxing and peaceful. The food was also really good. Would highly recommend the rooms with the private outdoor onsen. Also, every single member of staff was polite, kind, and spoke English really well :)

Title: Extremely Disappointing Experience at Matsuzakaya Honten Our stay at Matsuzakaya Honten in Hakone was a major disappointment from start to finish. The hot springs had an overpowering sulfur smell that made it hard to relax or enjoy the experience. The massage was shockingly unprofessional — it was given on a visibly stained mattress, which was completely unacceptable for a hotel of this supposed caliber. The property itself was poorly maintained; the grounds were nowhere near as manicured and beautiful as shown in the photos or described on Expedia. The food was also very disappointing — bland, poorly presented, and far from the high-quality Japanese cuisine we were expecting. To make matters worse, when we arrived, our room was already ready but the receptionist insisted on charging us an extra $50 just to check in half an hour early. This kind of attitude toward guests is unreasonable and unwelcoming. Overall, this was one of the worst experiences we’ve had in Japan. For the price, we expected comfort, hospitality, and quality — but Matsuzakaya Honten failed on all counts. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

Nice hotel and ryokan. Dinner was very good and breakfast was amazing! Private onsen rooms are fantastic! But it's a bit shabby for the price (you'll see wall paper peeling and only towels in one of the two bathrooms) and it seems some of the nice looking public lounge areas are under construction or closed. But hey, if you're here for the hot springs it's quite nice. We had a private one so I can't attest to the gender segregated public baths. Seems to be a lesser known and perhaps lesser quality ryokan and onsen but for a Alastair minute booking not bad! Get the bus tourist pass and you'll get access to all the transit (train, cable car, etc) too. Worth it if your here for more than a day.