Inside the Hyatt Regency Hakone
By Lana Vu
As part of our dream trip to Japan, we wanted at least one night with an onsen experience in the Hakone/Gora area. We had a few stipulations: The reservation needed to be flexible and fully refundable in case we had to cancel. It needed to be family-friendly. And maybe toughest of all: We wanted to book on points. Classic ryokans are priced per person, strict with occupancy, may or may not permit children, and often start at $400+ per night for a family of four and easily reach $1,000+ in peak season. We take you inside Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa, a family-friendly Category 6 hotel beautifully located along the path of the popular Hakone loop.
What Was The Cost Of Booking Hyatt Regency Hakone & Is There Is Value In The Price?
Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa is a Category 6 on the World of Hyatt award chart. Current pricing is noted below. (But after the May 20 devaluation, a standard room will range from 20,000 to 40,000 points per night.) I booked a 2-twin Regency Suite for 25k points per night plus a Suite Upgrade Award, allowing an occupancy of four.
| Room Type | Off-Peak Nightly Pricing | Standard Nightly Pricing | Peak Nightly Pricing |
| Standard Room | 21,000 | 25,000 | 29,000 |
| Standard Suite | 36,000 | 40,000 | 44,000 |
Inside Hyatt Regency Hakone Rooms: What I Liked & What Could Be Improved
The hotel offers 80 rooms, ranging in size from 56 to 93 square meters and all with a sun terrace or balcony. The standard rooms can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children ages 12 and under, sharing existing beds. (Extra beds will not be available for standard rooms.) The standard suite is the 2-twin Regency Suite, and can accommodate 4 persons to a room including a permitted extra bed. The tatami living rooms have additional flexibility, with space on the tatami mats where futons are permitted. The tatami living rooms permit 4 adults and 2 children ages 12 and under sharing existing beds, potentially allowing a family of 6 in one room. All rooms include yukata, tanzen (traditional Japanese jackets) and wooden sandals welcome throughout the property, as well as slippers and pajamas for use in the rooms. Children’s sizes were provided, and my kids LOVED immersing themselves in the experience.
Our Regency Suite was a very generously sized 2-room suite with a large entryway, a spacious living room, L-shaped couch, separate workspace and TV, bedroom, and a fully enclosed sun terrace with table and chairs. The extra bed was set up in the living room, and the couch was easily spacious enough to sleep an adult. The bathroom included separate WC, shower and bath area, sink with vanity, and spacious closet with pajamas, yukata and tanzen in many different sizes. The sun terrace boasted beautiful mountain views, delighting us with a rare treat the next morning: watching the sunrise just as it hit Mount Fuji in the morning from the comfort of our room. The room also has superb blackout curtains for those who want to sleep in.
What Are Some Of The Better Amenities The Property Offers & Is It Missing Anything Important?
Inside the Hyatt Regency Hakone is the Izumi Spa, with an onsen sourced from the mineral-rich waters of Owakudani. The locker rooms and onsen were kept immaculate, with staff constantly tidying during our stay. Tattoos were permitted in the onsen if covered by a sticker, which the staff provided complimentary upon request. The bath products available for use before and after the onsen were rich and luxurious, ensuring a wonderfully relaxing and pampered experience. Children are permitted in the onsen. However, a warning that the water is extremely hot—just at the limits of tolerance for many adults. My husband, I, and other guests would take breaks from the water frequently to avoid overheating. While the onsen was billed as family-friendly, the functional reality of the level of heat may be a bit much for children. My kids were wiped after a long day of traveling from Tokyo, then immediately heading out to start the Hakone Loop. They opted for hot baths in the room before crashing while my husband and I headed for the onsen.
As for dining, Globalist benefits grant breakfast for two adults and two children 12 and under. The hotel staff apologized, explaining in advance that we would be charged for our teenager’s breakfast, which we accepted. Breakfast was a very generous buffet with made-to-order eggs brought to the table, and a broad variety of Western and Asian options. The buffet even offered full sets of adorable children’s dishware to use. The serving and dining areas were diligently maintained and service was excellent. Allergen labelling was visible on all dishes, providing an abundance of options for all diets and preferences. The property includes a French restaurant (where breakfast was also served), a Japanese restaurant, room service, and the Living Room, a casual lounge area providing food and beverage service. Reservations were recommended for the Japanese restaurant, as we were told it frequently sells out.
What Was Your Favorite Thing About The Property?
Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa is located in Gora. For those planning on the Hakone loop for its famous Fuji views, the property is located between popular stops, and even provides free shuttles from 9:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. to both Sounzan Station (start of the Ropeway) and the Hakone Open-Air Museum. The hotel also offers a convenient free shuttle to and from Odawara Station, but times are limited to common check-in/check-out times. The property thoughtfully provided a map for the Hakone Golden Route including times and contact information (pictured further below).
At check-in, the lobby inside the Hyatt Regency Hakone is beautiful and welcoming, overlooking the cozy living room with its open log fireplace in the center. There was no wait at check-in on arrival, and we were greeted promptly and politely. The staff addressed us by name, thanked us for our Hyatt loyalty and recognized our Globalist status. As we were being checked in, the general manager came out to welcome us personally, and give us helpful tips and recommendations for our stay. They asked to see all our passports (including the kids), confirmed that we had a suite upgrade to the Regency Suite and politely let us know that our room would be equipped with an extra bed. We were gifted four drink tickets, and information on amenities and onsen use. Upon arrival, we received a welcome amenity of beautiful strawberries, wine and pastries. We found the service excellent.
What Was Your Least Favorite Thing About The Property?
There were some aspects of the property that were watered down from a true ryokan/onsen experience. Some would want an open-air onsen, perhaps a co-ed option or private in-room onsen tubs.
Would I Stay At Hyatt Regency Hakone Again?
We actually regretted not booking an extra night or two to enjoy. We had also considered the Fuji Speedway Hotel in the Hyatt Unbound collection, another Category 6 that has a public, child-friendly onsen with stunning Fuji views. That one has standard rooms that can accommodate 2 adults and 1 child 12 years or younger and suites with room for 3 adults + 1 child 12 years or younger. Through IHG, there's the Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora. It starts at 60,000 points a night, but can go up quite high for peak season. Over in Hokkaido, the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono‘s signature suites have private onsens with views over Mount Yotei. While onsen experiences at these larger chain properties may be watered down from a true ryokan, Hyatt Regency Hakone ultimately fit the bill for our needs.
Inside the Hyatt Regency Hakone: ToP Thoughts
For points and value, Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa offers a marvelous experience. The hotel provides an excellent launching point for the Hakone loop, spacious rooms, immaculate spaces and exceptional service. Have you had a Japanese onsen experience? Would you stay inside the Hyatt Regency Hakone? Let us know your thoughts in the ToP Facebook group.
