Hakone Hotel Kowakuen (1297 Ninohira, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture), operated by Fujita Kanko, will finally have its grand opening on July 12.
The Hakone Hotel Kowakuen, a long-established ryokan in Hakone with a history of 60 years since its establishment, will be revived as a new hotel that will carry on the name and traditions it has enjoyed for many years after completing reconstruction work over the five and a half years since its closure in January 2018.
Hakone Kowakuen is the collective name for an area centered around the Hakone Kowakuen Yunesan day spa and swimming pool, and consisting of four hotels (Hakone Kowakuen Tenyu, Hakone Kowakuen Mikawaya Ryokan, Hakone Kowakuen Miyama Kaerin, and Hakone Hotel Kowakuen) and two restaurants (Soba Kihin Kan and Teppanyaki/Shabu-Shabu Gehin Kan). The name of the area is “Hakone Kowakuen.
It is the birthplace of the Fujita Kanko Group, which began with the Hakone Kowakuen Ryokan (now Soba Kihin Kan) in 1948. It is a 20-minute bus ride from Hakone-Yumoto Station.
At the new “Hakone Hotel Kowakuen,” guests can enjoy unlimited free admission to Yunessan as many times as they like during their stay. The concept of the hotel is to offer an integrated enjoyment experience: enjoy the pool to the fullest, be healed by the wide variety of hot springs, fill your stomach with food, and experience the beauty of nature and culture.
There are a total of 150 guest rooms. A wide range of room types are available, including Casual Twin Room (22 rooms), Standard Room Type-A (49 rooms), Standard Room Type-B (52 rooms), Japanese Style Room (15 rooms), Universal Design Room (4 rooms), and Deluxe Room (8 rooms), making it easy to select a room to suit any occasion, from solo travel to group use and family travel. It is easy to choose the one that best suits your needs, whether you are traveling alone, in a group, or with your family.
The front lobby on the 4th floor is a cedar tree from Kanagawa Prefecture, inspired by the cedar trees lining the old highway in Hakone.
When you open the main entrance door, a picturesque view of the Hakone Outer Rim Mountains and gardens spreads out before you. To the left of the entrance is a self-service check-in/out area with a large screen, and to the far left is the “1959” bar, named after the year the former “Hakone Hotel Kowakuen” opened, and stocked with a selection of fine sake.
Incidentally, the entire hotel is cashless, and the hotel also promotes smooth service by encouraging guests to pay in advance in their guest rooms.
On the top floor, the 6th floor, there are two large hot spring baths, Myojo-no-yu and Sengen-no-yu, each equipped with an open-air bath and dry sauna.
In addition, a total of seven private baths (2,500 yen per hour by reservation only) are available, each made of hinoki cypress and stone, and are designed to allow guests to fully enjoy bathing in a private space.
One of the most delightful dining options for Hakone fans is the restaurant “Fontainebleau” on the first floor. Along with its name, the restaurant offers hotel-made specialties such as “Kowakuen Ramen” and “Kowakuen Chicken Curry,” which are made from traditional recipes.
In the live kitchen, chefs prepare steaks, omelets, and other dishes using carefully selected ingredients. A wide variety of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes will also be served buffet style.
Pouches of baby food for babies are available on the buffet table, a thoughtful touch that is unique to this hotel, which attracts many customers with children. Drinks are also available, ranging from soft drinks to alcohol for after-bath drinks and ice-cold beer mugs.
The tables and chairs in the restaurant are spacious and comfortable, and the view of the Japanese garden through the large windows is beautiful. You can also sit on the terrace in the fresh air and enjoy your meal while gazing at the natural beauty of the four seasons.
There is only one restaurant in the building, and breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner will all be served here. However, as mentioned above, there are several other restaurants of the same group in the vicinity, so you can choose the one that best suits your taste.
Souvenirs and other necessities are also available at Yunesan, located diagonally across the street from the hotel at the intersection.
In addition, there are community spaces throughout the hotel building, including a play space for digital drawing, a kids’ corner, and a work desk with a power supply. There is also an esthetic salon, free parking for 150 cars for guests, and an outdoor swimming pool in the summer.
Reservations will be accepted on July 12 at 12:00 p.m. on the official website.
© Source travel watch
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