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Reviews of Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan 4 stars

250-0406 Kanagawa, Hakone, Kowakudani 503, Japan

#59 of 160 hotels in Hakone

Guests' Choice

Review score

Based on 884 hotel reviews

8.9

Score breakdown

  • Cleanliness

    9.1

  • Comfort

    9.2

  • Location

    8.9

  • Facilities

    9.0

  • Staff

    9.3

  • Value for money

    8.3

  • Free WiFi

    9.1

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Showing 526 – 550

  • Reviewed: 28 November 2023

    7.0
    Food and staff are great - rooms and facilities need updating
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Open-air bath room - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests) 
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    The notes in the room said parts of the ryokan were being refurbished so we knew it wouldn't be perfect. Our room was nice, but there were some marks on doors, the decking outside was uneven and risen in places and could have generally done with a bit of an uplift. The area is expensive because tourists come here for the onsens, ryokans and the Hakone Loop. It was a bit of a splurge for our honeymoon but I think it was possibly overpriced given its condition at the moment. It would be nice to see what happens with the refurbishment!

    Although we had no idea what we were doing, the food was good for us. There was a lot of it, and after asking to skip the sashimi (I'm not a fan of raw fish!) they were able to offer alternatives for me the following day. If you have preferences, let them know beforehand so they can cater for you! The staff we came across were polite and helpful. We enjoyed the overall stay, it was easy to catch a bus to it and around Hakone and the outside is very beautiful. It is a bit older and some areas could do with refurbishment, that said we enjoyed our room and our outdoor bath. The outdoor shower was also invigorating in mid November. Also, the western beds were so comfortable and soft. They were a dream.

    Stayed in November 2023

  • Reviewed: 26 November 2023

    6.0
    Not worth for the price
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Suite room with indoor bath - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Not so clean and too old without taking care….

    Space

    Stayed in November 2023

  • Reviewed: 20 November 2023

    7.0
    Good to experimence an authentic ryokan stay at least once in Japan
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Food was so so. Didn’t really enjoy the hot pot, would prefer a full kaiseki experience. Also, I thought the service was a bit more modern than other traditional ryokans, perhaps to cater to the large tourist crowds.

    Very traditional architecture and heritage.

    Stayed in November 2023

  • Reviewed: 14 November 2023

    5.0
    Passable
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The room was very cold… Even with heater on @ 30 C, it does not really work well.

    Had the private bath in the villa. Staff is very friendly.

    Stayed in November 2023

  • Reviewed: 10 November 2023

    1.0
    Overpriced, mismanaged property.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Open-air bath room - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests) 
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    We did not have a good experience at this ryokan. It is horribly mismanaged. There are cobwebs in the hallway, the walls are ripped, the tatami matts are ripped, the private onsen had mold growing all over it and the tiles were cracked, the wooden deck was all warped. The whole hotel needs an entire overall, or just some quality control. It is sold as a traditional ryokan, but you won’t be staying in the old building, you will be staying in a concrete annex which is just like any other hotel, just worst. The private onsen rooms are right next to a busy road which is not romantic or relaxing at all. For 90000 yen per night, this was an extremely disappointing experience and not worth the price at all. If you’re looking for a good experience at that price point, this isn’t it. Maybe the more affordable rooms are worth it. Only plus was the dinners with meat and seafood hot pot which were actually quite good. The staff, who are again not trained at providing good service at this price point, were generally nice and welcoming.

    Dinners were good.

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 9 November 2023

    4.0
    Old dusty room, no essence of luxury, old and tired
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Suite room with indoor bath - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The room was dusty. Saw a few bugs and the bath tub seemed dirty

    Fishy but okay

    Stayed in November 2023

  • Reviewed: 7 November 2023

    7.0
    Great room, bad food
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Japanese room twin, Annex (No bathroom)(Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    I'll admit, I am a picky eater, but the food was pretty mediocre. The dinner was way better than the breakfast, but the dinner was still pretty average. The breakfast, however, was mostly unappetizing and despite looking nice, tasted bland and I did not like the assortment of food. I will say that it's not at all the kind of breakfast I am used to, so that's not the ryokan's fault, but I barely ate any of it. Overall, the price per night (I paid $386 USD for 1 night) and despite that being one of the cheaper ryokans with similar good reviews, it wasn't quite worth it. I didn't realize there weren't any showers in the rooms that have a "public bathroom." Can you only shower in the onsens? I didn't see any shower rooms.

    The room with double twin beds is very nice with a great view. I didn't use the public onsen but I did use the private onsen and I really liked it. I went to the desk at 4:55am (5 minutes before the onsens open) and was able to get the key without any trouble. The bed was comfortable. The staff was very helpful and spoke English.

    Stayed in November 2023

  • Reviewed: 3 November 2023

    7.0
    Good
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Suite room with indoor bath - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    I was disappointed that the suite room didn’t have a private onsen in the room! The room was cold even with the heating on and it was freezing in the ryokan corridor. Check out is early

    Very traditional ryokan serving traditional food. Our room was very big and the view from the balcony was amazing. There is a shuttle bus service and the bus stop is in front of the ryokan.

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 27 October 2023

    3.0
    I definitely would not recommend this hotel. Historical but seems to be never renovated.
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Musty smell in rooms. Meals low quality standard, cheap ingredients. No water for dinner, had to pay extra. Coffe with no taste, every instant coffee would be better.

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 27 October 2023

    7.0
    Not worth the price
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Open-air bath room - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests) 
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The price is definitely not worth it, if it wasn’t for the place history I’d regret staying at this hotel, It’s not very well taken care of, looks worn, hopefully it gets some investment to renew the place and bring it back to its old days of glory.

    The history of the place is amazing, the staff is very nice and polite, specially Anjeli and the host man that I can’t remember the name but weared a blue jacket and glasses.

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 19 October 2023

    4.0
    Mikawaya did not live up to the standards I've come to expect from Japanese ryokans.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    I recently stayed at Mikawaya, a historical ryokan, and unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired. While the building's historical charm was intriguing, I must highlight some significant drawbacks. Firstly, the dust in the ryokan was quite problematic, especially for someone like me with allergies. It made the stay uncomfortable and raised concerns about cleanliness. Communication during check-in was lacking, as the staff provided minimal information, leaving guests feeling unattended. This lack of attentiveness continued with the meals. While the first day's dinner was accompanied by an English menu detailing the Kaiseki meals, the second day's meal was served without any menu, not even in Japanese. The staff did not make an effort to explain the dishes, which led to confusion and dissatisfaction.

    The privacy of the villa with its own private onsen was a highlight of our stay. It provided a serene and intimate atmosphere, allowing us to unwind and relax in a tranquil setting. The therapeutic benefits of the private onsen were indeed a special treat.

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 12 October 2023

    7.0
    Nice ryokan but not the most typical experience you can have.
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Japanese room twin, Annex (No bathroom)(Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Having been in another ryokan earlier this month, the Mikawaya ryokan was not as typical as we would have expected (except the dinner and the breakfast). We had normal beds (no futons), the common bathroom was not very pretty, the outside bath has no view and it was very small.

    The room was nice, and the main building is really nice from the outside. The view from the room was great! The people were very kind to us and spoke fluently English.

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 5 October 2023

    6.0
    Hokane mikawaya ryokan
    • Leisure trip
    • People with friends
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    We wrote in via the app and email to adjust the reservation but there was no reply. We also wrote to ask about mapcode as we were driving but again had no reply. When we arrived and gave the feedback they said we should have called! The room although big and spacious smelled musty. Food was good but for the price i was not impressed. I would say for the price we paid for the room it wasn't up to our expectations. Door was stuck and had to open w difficulty.

    Beautiful hotel grounds. Lovely in house open onsen. The boy who attended to us when we arrived was very helpful and kind. But I'm so sorry we didn't get his name. Food was good but for the price I'm not too impressed.

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 30 September 2023

    1.0
    Compared to other similar places in the region, the price here is very high! I don't recommend this place!
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Japanese room twin, Annex (No bathroom)(Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    It is very difficult to get there, especially by public transport. The food was not tasty, but there was no alternative place to eat nearby. The windows faced the road and it was noisy, although it is not visible in the photo of the room. The public bathroom smelled musty. The staff couldn't call us a taxi ;(. Compared to other similar places in the region, the price here is very high! I don't recommend this place!

    Stayed in September 2023

  • Reviewed: 17 September 2023

    7.0
    Good
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The food was not as good as I would have expected for the price

    Very friendly helpful staff, had the villa with private Ibsen which was good, spacious villa

    Stayed in September 2023

  • Reviewed: 30 August 2023

    7.0
    Very pretty place, annex rooms very nice
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Little explanation of property, website said a child's meal was available but it wasn't

    Annex rooms were very nice, loved the individual onsens

    Stayed in August 2023

  • Reviewed: 8 July 2023

    7.0
    It was a good traditional experience.
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The staff member that escorted me to my room had difficulty unlocking my villa. She had to go to the back and enter through the rear access and then unlock the front door from inside. But she did not fix the door lock for me before she left. When it came time for dinner I could not lock the door because the sliding doors were not aligned properly. I fixed the doors myself after 10 minutes of pushing and pulling. Then around 930p while I was resting on the bed a large tarantula spider crawled up the spare bed in my room and I had to call front desk for help. When I went to the tatami room to phone the front desk a large centipede with a red head slid across the floor and under the tatami mats. It scared me and I jumped back against the wall and saw a silverfish bug crawling on the wall beside me and I jumped again. The gentleman was very brave and got rid of the tarantula but I wish he would have caught and released him outside instead of killing him and smearing him across my blanket. So many bugs left me scared to fall asleep. It was not a restful stay. My daytime experience was amazing though. All was great until the bugs appeared before bedtime. Also, communication via booking.com app was difficult. I did not get a response when I had questions within a reasonable time, but it was probably due to language barrier.

    Staff was super nice. Food was very high quality. I loved my yakuta. And welcome tea and treat was a nice touch.

    Stayed in June 2023

  • Reviewed: 5 July 2023

    4.0
    Disappointing
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Japanese room twin, Annex (No bathroom)(Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    In one of the rooms, (I believe it was the 4 bedroom villa with indoor onsen only), the onsen (or rather a bath?) seemed extremely old. It was not used because of this reason.

    The surrounding area was beautiful. They accommodated to our large family by opening up the dining room so that we had dinner and breakfast together

    Stayed in June 2023

  • Reviewed: 17 June 2023

    5.0
    A good experience that I would not repeat
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    incredibly uncomfortable for somebody who’s not used to traditional Japanese living.

    traditional Japanese guesthouse, nice onsen

    Stayed in June 2023

  • Reviewed: 10 June 2023

    7.0
    great private spa but the room doesn’t smell good for some ppl
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Open-air bath room - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests) 
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    facility is a bit old location is just ok

    private spa

    Stayed in June 2023

  • Reviewed: 5 June 2023

    4.0
    Below expectation for the price paid.
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night

    The ryokan was old and it shows, although the facilities were clean and well maintained. The food was below my expectation as both the dinner and breakfast, we had some form of hotpot or another, which does not particularly showcase the skills of the chef.

    The staff was helpful and attentive.

    Stayed in June 2023

  • Reviewed: 23 May 2023

    5.0
    Not up to par with expectations based on description and photos
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Suite room with indoor bath - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The ryokan needs maintenance and better cleaning (including rooms). In the room description it was indicated “garden view”, but the room was actually giving to the road and small purification building with a patch of garden just below the balcony. The wifi in the room was not working and we were given pocket wifi after requesting a compensation (dinner drinks to be offered). The price was really high for the actual place and services provided. It is not really good value for money.

    The food was good and copious and the staff was nice.

    Stayed in May 2023

  • Reviewed: 18 May 2023

    5.0
    wonderful experience at a traditional Japanese inn but slightly overpriced.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Private Villa with Open-air bath room (Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    our private suite was a little far from main building. we hoped to have our dinner prepared for us, instead we had to cook it from the hot pot ourselves.

    onsen

    Stayed in May 2023

  • Reviewed: 17 May 2023

    6.0
    Disappointing in all aspects
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Japanese room twin, Annex (No bathroom)(Futons are provided from 3rd guests)
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The entire time, I felt like the staff tried to get me out of the way. They were quite hasty and it made me feel unwelcome or as an inconvenience. At breakfast, i was shown my table but not even briefly explained what I had before me. While the room looked fine, it wasn't up to par. The faucet of the sink was completely loose and the water took long to drain. When I went on the balcony to admire the view, I leaned on the balcony fence and immediately got stuck in cobwebs. The balcony clearly hadn't been cleaned in some time. The food was okay, which frankly was a letdown. Dinner and breakfast weren't cheap, and I expected some decent quality. While it definitely wasn't bad, it left a lot to be desired. This stay was supposed to be the luxury night of my trip. I am sad to report it was anything but. I felt more welcome at a small Ryokan that was less than a quarter of the price, and I've had rooms that were in better condition at a cheap business hotel.

    It is an old, traditional building. The public onsen facility is simple, but nice. The room was spacious, with a balcony and a great view. The bed was also comfortable.

    Stayed in May 2023

  • Reviewed: 30 April 2023

    7.0
    A relaxing experience to end my Japanese holiday.
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Kaiseki dinner - Breakfast and Dinner included Open-air bath room - Annex (Futons are provided from 3rd guests) 
    • Stayed 1 night

    I felt rushed through my dinner with food coming out and my dishes being cleared away before I had finished a course; while getting to the ryokan in hindsight was easy -just a bus ride- catching the bus from Odawara Station was confusing and the instructions provided were incorrect; overpriced for the experience.

    Breakfast and dinner were included in the price; English translations of the menu were provided; the in room spa was heaven; the location was awesome; gardens surrounding the ryokan were beautiful.

    Stayed in April 2023

Showing 526 – 550

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