Gora Kadan

Was under the impression this would be an ultra luxurious ryokan, and we were very excited to stay there and have that experience . We are a family and we stayed in 2 rooms, one room had an outdoor private onsen and one with an indoor one in the bathroom. The property is run down and in total disrepair. It needs a major overhaul. Every area of the hotel has a bad smell, including both of our rooms that smelled like fishy miso soup. The bathrooms are nasty. I can’t figure out the luxury in this place. Paint peeling, rotten wood, and disrepair everywhere. It was crazy to me that the bathrooms all over Japan including public ones were nicer and cleaner than here. I did not pre book massages, as I wasn’t aware I needed to, I assumed I could on arrival. I called after seeing the 2 options on the menu once in our room, and was open to either, both were full. Next, the pool was broken and closed. We booked 1/2 board including dinner and breakfast. The food was terrible, we really didn’t enjoy. The elevators close too quickly, so be careful of that. Pros- the butler they assign you is attentive and very good. They were one of the only good things about Gora Kadan. The scenery outside the hotel is pretty. I would not recommend this place. I would not return here. Tip- have lunch at the brewery nearby by Nobu it’s delicious. Take the cable car for pretty views.

We booked far in advance. It’s a small Japanese style Inn and rooms book up quickly. Our stay included a sumptuous breakfast and an elaborate multi course dinner. The grounds are serene and include the hotel’s hot springs. Check-in was lovely in a seated area and hot towel and beverage. We were assigned an attendee who gave us house kimono style clothing to wear and served us our meals. After hectic touring in Tokyo, Hakone is a perfect place to relax and feel zen. I hesitate to write this review as it needs to be a treasured secret. Bucket list stay!

We had a very mixed experience at the Gora Kadan. Having planned the trip almost a year in advance to secure one of the 'free standing' villas (the specific called Senshin) . We chose this due to its privacy and outdoor garden setting. When we arrived we were informed that we had been 'upgraded' as the air-conditioning wasn't working in the Senshin villa. The new room was in the main hotel area and seemed a lot smaller / different to the images of the villa we had booked. Feeling a little disappointed we returned to the reception (armed with the Gora Kadan website and a printout of our original booking) only to be told multiple times by the manager that this was an 'upgrade'. He also informed us that 2 weeks ago he had called our Tokyo hotel and informed them that we had been upgraded. We were still not satisfied and had to physically scroll through the hotels own website to show him that the 'room with outdoor bath' category is several levels below the few 'annex' style options that they have. After a meeting with other managers they agreed that on our second day we would be moved to an annex style accommodation. We had a distinct feeling that had we not insisted on being in the category we had booked (and paid significantly more for) then we would have spent both days in the disappointing room. The irony of this...the room we stayed in the first night...the air-conditioner didnt work ! Once we were moved to the appropriate accommodation it was a much better experience. The food was wonderful and the room attendant (Yumi) was ever thoughtful. The new room had the space and garden that we originally booked and it made for a wonderful conclusion to our stay. It was 2 completely different experiences. The Gora Kadan used to be a summer home to the imperial family and it is indeed a wonderful, peaceful property steeped in history. However, it is now a hotel ! It is a commercial operation that relies on guests who have a choice of other accommodation in the Hakone area. Should you choose to stay at Gora Kadan, we would advise checking all aspects of your booking to ensure that the hotel room you book and the hotel room you pay for is the hotel room you receive.