Seasonal flowers in woven bamboo vases complement the stone and wood in FUFU Hakone’s rooms. All 39 rooms have their own natural hot-spring bath, where you can open the window and soak in Gora’s clear water. After checking in, it is tempting to take a first soak, then settle onto a large sofa or daybed and linger before dinner.
In the large public bath, you can soak in the milky-white water of Owakudani while looking out over the Hakone mountains.
Dinner is served at Yamanoe, the hotel’s restaurant. The Japanese prix-fixe course offers a choice of dishes, and sushi made with seasonal fish or tempura may appear on the menu. There is also a teppanyaki course, with the dishes finished in front of you. Back in your room after dinner, there is time for one more soak in your own bath before bed.
Check FUFU Hakone rooms and current rates on Expedia →(Paid link)
In This Guide
How to Choose the Right Suite
When choosing a room, picture how you would like to spend your time as well as how much space you need. The Stylish Suite, at around 50 square metres, combines the bedroom and living area in one open-plan space. The 61–62-square-metre Comfort Suite has a separate bedroom and living room, so one of you can turn in while the other relaxes in the living room.
| Category | Size | Guests | Layout | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stylish | Approx. 50 m² | 2 | Open-plan | Value and private bathing |
| Stylish Premium | Approx. 50 m² | 2 | Open-plan, third floor | A higher-floor variation |
| Comfort | Approx. 61–62 m² | 2 | Separate sleeping and sitting areas | A practical couples’ stay |
| Comfort Premium | Approx. 61–62 m² | 2 | Separated plan, third floor | The premium middle choice |
| Precious | Approx. 61–79 m² | 2 | Terrace or larger upper-floor plan | Forest proximity or added space |
| Luxury | Approx. 92 m² | Up to 4 | Larger separate living room | Families or residential space |
| FUFU Luxury Corner | Approx. 97 m² | Up to 4 | Corner suite, fourth floor | A spacious occasion stay |
| FUFU Luxury Premium | Approx. 102–120 m² | Up to 4 | Top-floor suite | Space, elevation and mountain outlook |
Every room includes a natural Gora hot-spring bath, two 140-by-200-centimetre Simmons double beds that can be joined on request, Wi-Fi, a sofa, shower, refrigerator, kettle and a bathroom with floor heating.
On Expedia, confirm floor area, occupancy, beds, view, meals and dinner time. Some plans specify an 8:30 p.m. dinner; a lower price can therefore reflect a later meal rather than a different room.
Two Hot-Spring Waters, Not One
The two springs are one of FUFU Hakone’s strongest reasons to book. The fifth-floor communal baths use milky-white Owakudani water. The hotel identifies it as an acidic sodium-calcium chloride and sulfate spring. Mountain views sit beyond the broad windows, and drinks are available afterwards for hydration. Current hours are 3:00 p.m. to midnight and 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., making both an arrival-day bath and an early-morning return possible.
The guest-room bath uses clear, colourless Gora chloride water. Its windows can be opened, bringing cooler forest air into the bathing space while retaining the privacy of the suite. Because every room has this bath, the value is not limited to guests in the highest category. A couple can bathe together, a guest uncomfortable with communal bathing can remain in the room, and the day is no longer governed by public-bath hours.
The most complete plan is to use both: Owakudani for its distinctive colour and wide mountain setting, then the Gora bath later for privacy. The communal bath supplies towels, amenities and lockers, so there is no need to carry the room towels. Guests unfamiliar with shared bathing can review our guide to Japanese onsen etiquette before arrival.
Dinner at Yamanoe: Choose the Evening Before You Arrive
Dinner is not an incidental restaurant visit here; it determines the shape of the evening. Yamanoe serves Japanese cuisine in a prix-fixe format that allows choices according to preference. The hotel describes mountain-vegetable tempura, grilled Japanese beef and sushi made with seasonal fish as examples rather than promises of a fixed menu. Within the restaurant, Ishizue offers a full teppanyaki course cooked in front of guests. Counter seats and private rooms are available, subject to the arrangement made for the stay.
Current official dinner start times are 6:00, 7:00, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. for Japanese cuisine, and 6:00 or 8:30 p.m. for teppanyaki. A 6:00 p.m. dinner encourages an early bath and leaves the bar or a second bath for later. An 8:30 p.m. sitting allows a longer afternoon but may feel late after travelling from Tokyo. Expedia sometimes embeds the late dinner time in the plan name, so read the complete rate description before choosing.
Both dinner and breakfast are served in the restaurant; traditional in-room meal service is not offered. Breakfast currently begins at 8:00, 9:00 or 9:30 a.m., with the time confirmed at check-in. The hotel also lists room-service food between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m., but that should not be confused with the full dinner experience. If dining is central to the trip, select a rate that clearly includes the desired meals rather than assuming they can be added without difficulty after arrival.
Allergies, dislikes and vegetarian or low-sodium requests should be communicated when booking. The hotel says it will try to accommodate them, while warning that very strict or severe restrictions may be difficult. That is important at a prix-fixe property: obtain confirmation before the cancellation deadline rather than arriving with an unrecorded request.
The Bar Beyond the Lobby
Bar Utsugi lies beyond the third-floor lobby. After an early dinner, a drink here can separate the restaurant from the final bath. Guests preferring privacy can return to the minibar and in-room spring instead: public spaces are present, but the suite remains the principal retreat.
A Realistic One-Night Stay
Arrive at Gora Station with enough time for the pre-arranged shuttle and the 3:00 p.m. check-in. After settling into the room, use the private bath first; it immediately justifies choosing FUFU over a conventional hotel. Before dinner, visit the fifth-floor communal bath to experience the contrasting Owakudani water. Allow time to cool down and dress without rushing to the restaurant.
After dinner, decide between Bar Utsugi and a return to the suite. The latter is not a lesser option: opening the bath window to the night air is precisely what the room was designed to make possible. In the morning, a second private bath before breakfast preserves the quiet of the stay. Breakfast at 8:00 leaves time to return to the room before the standard 11:00 a.m. checkout; a 9:30 sitting creates a more compressed final hour.
A late arrival removes much of this sequence. If the train schedule would bring you to Gora close to an evening meal, consider travelling earlier or reserving two nights. Paying for a private onsen suite while using it only after dinner and briefly before departure is possible, but it does not capture the value on which the hotel’s pricing rests.
One Night or Two?
One night is sufficient when you can arrive at check-in, have secured a suitable dinner time and want the hotel itself to be the destination. It can hold the essential rhythm: two springs, dinner, the bar or an evening in the suite, breakfast and one last bath. This is the efficient choice for a longer Japan itinerary.
Two nights become worthwhile when you want a full sightseeing day without sacrificing the room, or when travelling slowly is the purpose of the trip. The hotel says it endeavours to vary meals on consecutive nights, although exact dishes remain seasonal. A second day can include Gora’s museums or gardens before returning to the bath, rather than checking out just as the room begins to feel familiar.
Season changes the atmosphere more than the facilities: mild air in spring and autumn, a stronger sense of refuge in winter and deeper greenery in summer. Mountain visibility depends on weather, so choose a premium room first for space and elevation, treating the view as an additional pleasure rather than a guarantee.
Arriving in Gora
FUFU Hakone is in Gora. From Tokyo Station, travel by Shinkansen to Odawara, then connect through Hakone-Yumoto to the Hakone Tozan Line. From Shinjuku, the Romancecar reaches Hakone-Yumoto before the mountain railway continues to Gora. Check operating conditions close to travel.
The hotel provides a private shuttle from Gora Station. Its FAQ asks guests to email the desired time at least two days before the stay and to telephone for same-day changes. The final journey from Gora is approximately five minutes by shuttle or taxi. Do not leave this arrangement until arrival, particularly with luggage or a fixed dinner time.
Complimentary parking is available for staying guests. Drivers should still request it when booking and allow extra time on busy weekends. The hotel also offers a short shuttle connection with the affiliated Hakone Suishoen for guests combining the two properties. Luggage can be stored before check-in and after checkout on the same day, which helps if rail times do not align neatly with the room schedule.
Before You Book
- Match the room, not merely the name. Expedia’s translated labels may differ from the hotel’s eight official categories. Compare floor area, capacity, beds, view wording and photographs.
- Read the meal condition. Confirm whether dinner and breakfast are included, whether dinner is Japanese cuisine or teppanyaki, and whether a fixed 8:30 p.m. dinner appears in the plan name. The official FAQ currently says children under ten cannot use the teppanyaki restaurant.
- Check the total and cancellation terms. Rates vary by date and plan. Review taxes, meal inclusions, refundability and the final amount displayed for the stay. A separate bathing tax of ¥150 per person per night currently applies from age 13.
- Arrange transport in advance. Request the Gora Station shuttle at least two days before arrival. Confirm parking if driving.
- Send dining requests early. Allergies and dietary restrictions need advance discussion, and very strict requirements may not always be possible.
- Request the bed arrangement. The two double beds can be joined when the request is made before the stay.
- Remember what is not included in the ryokan image. Meals are served in the restaurant, not privately in the room; pets are not accepted; all guest rooms are non-smoking.
- If getting around the hotel or the step into the bath is a concern, discuss the room’s location and bathroom layout with the hotel before choosing a room.
FUFU Hakone Booking FAQ
Does every room have a private onsen?
Yes. The hotel states that all 39 rooms have a natural Gora hot-spring bath with windows that can be opened. The milky Owakudani water is found separately in the fifth-floor communal baths.
Which room is best for a couple?
A Stylish room is sufficient if an open layout and forest setting are welcome. Comfort or Precious is preferable when separate living space, a terrace or a more generous layout matters. FUFU Luxury Premium is the occasion choice for greater space and a higher-floor mountain outlook.
Are dinner and breakfast served in the room?
No. Both meals are served in the restaurant. A limited room-service food menu is currently available from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., but it is not the same as the full dinner course.
Is one night enough?
Yes, if arrival is close to 3:00 p.m. and dinner is arranged at a comfortable time. Two nights are better when sightseeing is planned or when the private suite is meant to be enjoyed without watching the clock.
How should international travellers reach the hotel?
Travel by rail to Gora Station, then use the hotel shuttle or a taxi for the final journey of approximately five minutes. Arrange the shuttle before travel rather than expecting it to be waiting automatically.
Final Verdict
FUFU Hakone is most persuasive when booked as a place to inhabit, not simply as a luxurious address in Hakone. The private Gora bath makes every category meaningful; the milky Owakudani water adds a second experience; and the room’s stone, timber and seasonal flowers give the hours between them a distinctive setting.
The essential booking decision is therefore not whether to choose FUFU Hakone, but which version of it to reserve. Select a smaller forest-facing room for intimacy and value, a Comfort or Precious layout for a more residential two-person stay, or a Luxury category when space, capacity and elevation justify the difference. Then align the dinner time and transport with that choice. When those details are settled, the stay can unfold with the ease the design promises.
Planning a wider journey through Japan? Explore the Luxury Hotel Guides in Japan.
More Hakone Ryokan Stories
Hakone Ginyu Review
Gen Hakone Gora
Gora Kadan Hakone
This guide draws on publicly available information and is not a first-hand account.
Wishing you a wonderful, memorable stay in Hakone.
