Odakyu Hotel de Yama

This is a little old school in a nice way, the building has quite a bit of history, but is fantastic, an amazing place to stay for two or 3 nights right on the lake. The service was exceptionally good and the room size represented the largest we stayed in for a 2 week trip to Japan. There are 2 restaurants a French one and a Japanese one. We ate at the French one which was exceptionally good with fantastic service. Check out time is also 12 noon, which can be useful.

The 2 restaurants serve delicious food - we stayed here on a half board basis, having our evening meal twice in the French Restaurant and once in the Japanese restaurant. We had to select which restaurant and at what time we would like to eat at the time of booking. We asked for 7pm the first night but were allocated 645pm - so I think this may be the last sitting (certainly last orders for those dining a la carte were 730pm). As we had booked dinner bed and breakfast we were given a set menu ( different each night). I have a food allergy and was disconcerted twice when waiters in each restaurant went through a description of our typed out menu with us - in one case pointing out an extra we could opt for - without referring to the mushrooms looming large on said menus! This was despite my having contacted the hotel in advance (and my Japanese friends having done so as well) and my reminding the people seating us each evening about my allergy! Each time, when the waiter checked with the kitchen, all was ok - but I will never know if this would have been the case if I had not raised this yet again. The food was delicious - but I had that stressed feeling of "will I be ill later"... The rooms were comfortable with fridge, 2 chairs, table, as well as double bed. Our room on the 2nd floor (same level as the entrance and reception) also had a balcony. The onsens are on 2nd ( for men) and 3rd ( for women) floors and each have indoor and outdoor areas. There is a laundry room with 2 washing machines for guests to use. There is a hotel minibus until 510pm to and from MotoHakone Port ( by request after 510pm) where the pirate boats go from across Lake Ashi. On a clear day one can see Mount Fuji from the hotel - on our last morning we glimpsed it from the hotel's observatory on the top floor! The other days the clouds were too low, and the weather too wet, to see anything!

Stone's throw away from Odori Park. There are two Konbinis nearby. The rooms are quite spacious and the Staff is very kind. The best thing for me was that the A/C was built into the windowsill, ensuring that no air gets blown into my face at night.

Very nice indoor and outdoor onsen, but unfortunately some of the guests were quite loud and not respectful of onsen etiquette. The room was a bit dated, as others have mentioned, but it was comfortable. We particularly enjoyed the garden and the view of Mount Fuji from the hotel and we had a wonderful dinner at the French restaurant featuring local and seasonal produce with lovely French and Japanese wine pairings - a bit pricy but high quality. Staff at the hotel were warm and welcoming, with the exception of the bar, which unfortunately did not allow for drinks to be enjoined on the patio with a view to Fuji and generally did not feel very welcoming or cozy- this is a missed opportunity. Also, especially after the lovely dinner, breakfast seemed sad and was lacking in options and quality - we had the French breakfast so I can’t speak to the Japanese breakfast. I would be remiss not to mention the amazing spa staff and nurturing treatments we had there- the most expensive of our trip- but worth the splurge. If you do stay here I would recommend doing it correctly and enjoying the spa and French restaurant during your stay.

We loved the Odakyu Hotel de Yama – it had so much charisma with great quality wooden furniture adorning each floor. The hotel is surrounded by lush green gardens and overlooking the majestic Lake Ashinoko. The hotel ambience was calm and relaxing, the reception staff very polite and helpful. The hotel had a free daily shuttle bus taking guests back and forth into town. Our room was lovely, very large and spacious as was the bathroom. Guests could select breakfast at their two restaurants, one servicing western breakfast the other Japanese. I tried the western set breakfast served by waiters – fruit juices, coffee/tea top ups, choice of egg dish, fresh warm croissants & toast with real jam in jars! I loved it. My daughter tried the Japanese set menu which was a wonderful experience for her and she loved it.