Lovely staff, service, food, and onsens!

Recently, I had the pleasure of staying at Matsuzakaya Honten in Hakone, Japan, and I must say, it was an experience to remember. Nestled in the heart of Hakone’s picturesque landscapes, Matsuzakaya Honten is a perfect blend of traditional Japanese hospitality and modern comfort. From the moment I arrived, the staff’s warm welcome made me feel like royalty. Their attention to detail and eagerness to ensure a comfortable stay was commendable. The room was a delightful surprise, marrying traditional Japanese aesthetics with the luxury and convenience of modern amenities. Sleeping on a futon in a tatami room was an authentic experience that transported me to a bygone era of samurai and shoguns. The onsen (hot spring bath) deserves a special mention. Soaking in the thermal waters with a view of Hakone’s serene nature was therapeutic and a highlight of my stay. It was the perfect way to unwind after a day of exploring the nearby attractions, like the Hakone Open Air Museum and the Owakudani Valley. Dining at the hotel was another unforgettable experience. The kaiseki dinner, a multi-course meal featuring local and seasonal ingredients, was a culinary journey through Japanese cuisine’s flavors and traditions. Each dish was a work of art, both in presentation and taste. I would absolutely visit again if I were to travel back. 10/10

Beautiful very quaint. Traditional Japanese style Royokan. Lovely staff. Felt very welcome. They accommodated my son’s food allergies and we are vegetarian so they made a whole vegetarian vegan eight course menu for us

Classy ryokan which combines modern touch with classic ryokan features. Excellent service. Very clean and looks very neat and fresh. Many rooms have private onson. Highly recommended. Extensive common areas which look very classy.

Absolutely unique experience in traditional ryokan. Book private onsen when you check in, and just immerse yourself into quietness atmosphere. Highly recommend.

our fourth trip to Japan and this was one of the most special experiences.

The experience we had was simply fantastic! The onsens are so nice, the food is amazing and the rooms are beautiful. The staff made sure we had everything we needed, and were so friendly and welcoming. The complimentary bar was great as well. I had high expectations after reading the great reviews and it was better than I even thought!

Wow, this place is so beautiful and authentic. We only spent one night there but what an experience! The food, service, onsen and the room all surpassed my expectations. The ryokan is simply perfect. We will be back for sure. Thank you!

Very good Onsen ryokan with rich history. Excellent service and high quality japanese kaiseki cuisine. we requested to have cooked fish instead of sashimi, the hotel cooked the fish perfectly.

The experience from the start to the end was phenomenal! The services was exceptional! The food was great! You can even book private onsen unlimited times for free! Check-in time: 3pm ( Starts with welcome drinks and you get to choose your own Yukata) Check-out time: 11am

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Loved the service and care taken to preparing our meals. The stay was wonderful and many of the amenities were provided to make an enjoyable stay. The staff were very attentive and incredibly helpful to ensure we had a wonderful stay. Though the place had many amenities, it is farther away from convenience stores and the town. Overall an amazing stay and I wish I had allotted another day to fully enjoy!

9.99 --> Here's why... The establishment is immaculate. Unexpected value at every turn with an impeccably hospitable staff. The onsen quality is superb and the kaiseki dinners are exquisite. Everything about the space is conducive to restfulness and relaxation. The ONE drawback was the massages. They were VERY poor. I expected a high quality massage at a place like this but they contract out MTs who lack skill. My fiancé and I received some of the worst massages we've ever had. Skip the massages and enjoy an otherwise FANTASTIC stay. Would stay again without even looking at other places.

By far the best experience in our trip to japan. The staff was extremely friendly, so hospitable. We had and recommend the private onsen room if available. It was absolutely worth it. We had such a wonderful time, enjoyed all the amazing dinning options the half board dinner and breakfast provided. Really enjoyed our stay in this hidden gem. By far the best experience in the whole trip was the staff.

Most attentive and incredible service I've ever experienced. It's a truly beautiful and unique experience you won't forget.

Nice dinner, nice service

Very kind staff in restaurant and who are in charge of front desk

Best hotel experience I've ever had, the room, onsen, food and staff were all perfect. I am a vegan and the hotel went prepared me fantastic meals for my dietary restrictions. The staff were so sweet and accommodating, celebrated my upcoming birthday and even ran with us to the bus stop to help us catch the bus to the station. The onsen in the room and reservable private onsen were 10/10, highly recommend for anyone looking for a relaxing ryokan. The hotel has such history and was so lovely. Cant recommend this hotel enough! Thank you for a great stay

We enjoyed the stay and the service was very good! The staff serving us dinner was friendly and helpful. Open bath onsen was amazing. Highly recommended if you want a healing trip in Hakone. And adorable free drinking bar and cute public lounge.

Probably the best hotel I've ever stayed in. An incredible property that's over 300 years old. The staff is top notch and the food is amazing.

What an amazing experience, my wife and I enjoyed every minute here. It was fantastic, stay here! The service is indulgent, the room was lovely and the breakfast and dinner was a magical special experience, especially for a couple from London! We would love to return. It was particularly lovely to rest and relax here after a busy Tokyo trip. The private Onsen was also a great plus! Thank you Matsuzakaya Honten for the great memories.

All was great. We really enjoyed our stay, the food was amazing, the place is beautiful.

A traditional ryokan, with excellent service and food. A beautiful place to stay. Easy to get to by bus from Odawara

Incredible property, wonderful friendly staff, exclusive authentic food & lovely room. I highly recommend this hotel.

Thank you for our stay at your Ryoken. All the staff were so attentive and the restaurant was amazing, even catering to my fussy eating.

A unique and amazing property and experience. From the moment you step inside, you are treated with kindness. The rooms are spacious and traditional, the private onsens are large, clean, and relaxing, and the staff are all attentive and caring. The meals (dinner and breakfast) and served a course at a time, with lots of flavor and plenty of variety.

My fiance and I stayed here for one night after getting engaged the day prior and our night at Matsuzakaya Honten was the best night of my life. High on the excitement of getting engaged and exploring Hakone we arrived early at the Ryokan (1 pm). We were welcomed so warmly by all staff and they showed us to the complementary bar where we drank beer and lemon sours until check-in time at 3 pm. At 3 pm they found us and took all of our belongings to our room. On our way to our room, we mentioned to the attendant that we had just gotten engaged. Once we were settled we used one of the private baths and then tried out the bath in our room. Both were wonderful and HOT! After that, we headed back to the lounge for a drink before dinner. Dinner was probably the best meal of my life. All of the food was wonderfully prepared and presented. My favourite course was the sashimi, the tuna was out of this world! When our dessert came out our server wished us a happy engagement and the dessert plate had "happy engagement" written on it in chocolate. I was so touched that the attendant must have remembered what we had told him when he was taking us to our room and relayed that to the kitchen. The beds were huge and comfortable and the room was clean and well-appointed (although there were a few bugs we had to take care of :P) Breakfast was also Japanese-style, I was a bit inexperienced at de-boning and eating the grilled fish but it was delicious. Overall 1000/10, thank you!

This hotel is located in a more remote location, there is nothing surrounding it, and only has one bus line. But, it’s the best hot springs hotel I’ve ever stayed in. We rented a room with private onsen, but there are public and 5 private onsens for all guests. It includes breakfast and dinner. Everyday, we have proper Japanese breakfast that lasts us all day of sightseeing, and delicious full dinner. The staff speaks different languages, and very friendly, nice and cute. The room is spotless. Shower area is clean and full of amenities. I had such a great time. It is totally worth the time and money to stay at this hotel. 👍

The staff was incredible! They couldn’t have been more accommodating and helpful!! That went out if their way to make see I was happy! Had kimonos, socks ready everyday to wear. I have been Traveling in Japan for a month and missing some American food so when I mentioned it I wok up and was served eggs, sausages, butter and bread, orange juice and fruit. Even ketsup and mayonnaise on the side! We chose to use the private baths and was wonderful and clean. Although we didn’t use the public bath, I did check it out and it was perfect! Now the surprise!! I have collected Japanese woodblock prints for 50 years. I found out that one of Hiroshige’s famous prints was of this onsen. I can’t wait to go back!!

One of the absolute most amazing places I have ever stayed. The authenticity will make you feel like you stepped in a time machine. We could not have been happier and just wish we had stayed longer!

Excellent service and good dinning experience

There is no place like this to enjoy Japanese traditions and nice hot spring baths. It was a wonderful place.