Tsukino Yado Sara

This newly built ryokan is exceptionally clean and well-maintained. The atmosphere inside is quiet and relaxing, and I especially loved the snack bar with its wide variety of drinks. There’s even a draft beer machine and ingredients to make your own cocktails—perfect for those who enjoy a drink or two. The public bath is divided into indoor and outdoor sections, and there’s also a small sauna room. There are two private baths as well—when in use, a light turns on at the entrance, so you can tell when they’re available by checking if the light is off. After soaking in the onsen, you can enjoy a free ice cream, which was a nice touch. Dinner, late-night snacks, and breakfast are all served in the restaurant, which I found to be the most convenient setup. We had sukiyaki for dinner, and our server, Shin, was incredibly friendly and attentive—making it a memorable dinner. We also enjoyed the free drink service, sampling everything from beer to various kinds of sake. It didn’t take long before we were feeling a little tipsy! The dining time is about an hour and a half, and the last call came quicker than expected, so the meal felt a bit rushed, but it wasn’t a big issue. Late-night ramen was also delicious and convenient—you can just head down, eat, and come right back up. Breakfast was a kaiseki-style meal, generously portioned and quite tasty. Our room had twin double beds and a private onsen bath. The mattresses were soft and comfortable, and we slept very well. Although we didn’t get around to using the in-room onsen because we were busy enjoying everything else, this was easily the best ryokan I’ve stayed at during my trip to Japan. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a clean, quiet environment—especially those who enjoy drinks and a relaxing onsen experience.

What an amazing stay. We had been 1 week in Tokyo before 2 nights in Hakone, so I intended the time to be a mental switch from the rushing and hustle to quiet, and this place absolutely delivered. Everything about it encourages you to calm and quiet and relaxation. It's a short 10-15 minute walk from the station, but you cross over 2 bridges and walk along a river and leave all that craziness behind. I can't explain it any other way; your mind changes with that stroll along the riverside. The room itself is enormous by Japanese standards. The bathroom has a small shower inside but the best is the 1-person onsen/hot tub on a semi-covered patio outside. The front desk gives you English instructions on how to fill it and it was wonderful. There are also 2 private 2-person onsen inside. No reservation, you just go to the floor and if the light is off, you can enter. Food is traditional Japanese style and a HUGE assortment of 20 items in small portions. We never wanted lunch after eating breakfast here. The staff accommodated my allergies and prepared special food. There are so many freebies to discover. Free tea/coffee 1st floor, soda 3rd, free ice cream near onsen, free dango and oden in the lobby 4:30, free ramen 10:30. Beds were comfortable, elevators were fast and easy to use, staff was polite and helpful. If you look real hard you've find the occasional dusty corner, but overall clean and extremely relaxing place.

Stayed here for three nights in May. The room is a great size and we loved the tub on the balcony. The private baths were also really neat to check out. We also really enjoyed the drink stations and ice cream station after using the bath. A few things we found an issue with for a hotel that cost so much. First, the hotel had 2 pillows in our room when we got there and told us they didn’t have any more when we asked for 2 more. Second, the walls/floors are very thin. You can hear others as they get to their rooms every night. Last, the AC in our room was password locked to turn off after an hour each time you started it. We would get hot in our room and have to wake up multiple times a night to re-start it from the thermostat. Overall, We still enjoyed our stay but hope the hotel could make some easy changes to improve service.