I Looked Into HAKONE NICA

Not just camping trips—on this blog I've also been continuing a kind of series where I look into "today let's skip camping and go for a hotel-vacation instead" type destinations.

This time I looked into "HAKONE NICA" in the Hakone area. I came across information saying every room has its own semi-open-air bath, and as someone who's more of an indoor type, I figured it was worth sitting down and organizing what I found.

What Kind of Facility Is HAKONE NICA?

This is a lodging located in the Miyagino area of Hakone Town, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture, and it seems to be a fairly small-scale property with just 8 rooms total. There are apparently three room types—the Premium Twin Room, the Premium Hollywood Twin Room, and the Premium Japanese-Western Room—and all of them are said to offer 50 square meters of space. Having a semi-open-air bath fed by natural hot spring water in every room seems to be one of the biggest features of this facility.

Check-in is apparently from 3:00 PM, and check-out is at 12:00 PM. I also came across a note saying that since cleaning is underway before 2:30 PM, guests can't wait around before then. As for room rates, I couldn't find specific pricing on the official website's booking page—it seems guests are instead directed to check availability and plans either by phone reservation or through an external booking system. Apparently reservation details can't be modified; instead you'd need to book a new plan and cancel the original reservation, so that's probably worth keeping in mind ahead of time.

Komorin

All rooms being 50 square meters with a semi-open-air bath looked like pretty ideal conditions to me as an indoor type. It seems like I could spend a lot of time without ever leaving the room.

Sounds Like You Can Relax with Free-Flow Drinks and Fusion Cuisine

This facility apparently adopts an all-inclusive style, offering unlimited drinks (free-flow) throughout your stay from check-in to check-out. There seems to be a wide lineup including sake, plum wine, shochu, whisky, and wine, and the official website introduced several brand names as part of the menu. That said, there was also a note mentioning that the lineup may change depending on the season, so it's probably best to take that as just a general reference.

The cuisine is apparently a "fusion style" combining French and Japanese cooking, using Hakone Seiroku wagyu beef, seafood from Numazu Port and Odawara Fishing Port, and local vegetables. Being able to bring your own Champagne, wine, or sake free of charge was also an interesting point. The restaurant is apparently fully glass-walled with views of the Hakone mountains, and breakfast and dinner each seem to have set time slots. There's also a lounge, which apparently offers a different atmosphere between daytime and nighttime, serving drinks and tapas.

Checking Access and Parking Situation

By car, it's apparently about 25 minutes from the Gotemba IC on the Tomei Expressway, and about 20 minutes from the Hakone exit on the Odawara-Atsugi Road. For those using public transportation, it seems you'd take a bus from Hakone-Yumoto Station to a bus stop in the Miyagino direction, then use a complimentary shuttle from there. Alternatively, a shuttle is also apparently available from Gora Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway. Reservations for the shuttle seem to work by calling ahead before leaving Hakone-Yumoto Station.

There are apparently 14 parking spaces available, including those in front of the hotel, and valet service is offered as well. That said, there was also a note saying that parking spots themselves can't be reserved, so if you're driving, it's probably worth keeping in mind that the lot could be full. I also came across a note saying the road leading to the facility is narrow with significant slopes, so vehicles with low ground clearance aren't recommended. Since I'm not the one driving, I can't really speak from experience, but if you're planning to drive there, checking in advance might give you some peace of mind.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "C."

Since it came back as a C rating, it's probably worth checking the connectivity situation in advance depending on where exactly you are. This might have something to do with the fact that it's located in a mountainous part of Hakone, but if you're planning to stay there, it could be reassuring to think ahead about how you'll handle connectivity during your stay. Since this is also the kind of place where you'd be enjoying free-flow drinks and relaxing, if connectivity is a concern, it's probably worth also checking into the free Wi-Fi available in every room.

Komorin

Getting a C rating was a bit of a concerning result. As a Rakuten Mobile user, looking into this made me feel like it'd be really nice to have in-house Wi-Fi in places like this.

Wrapping Up

Putting it all together, my impression of HAKONE NICA was that it's a hotel-vacation spot where all 8 rooms come with 50 square meters of space and a semi-open-air bath, and where you can relax with free-flow drinks and complimentary bring-your-own fusion cuisine. There were some things I couldn't fully confirm from the official website alone, like the specific room rates or the number of rooms for each room type, so if you're actually considering booking, it's probably best to check the latest information by phone or through the reservation system. The Rakuten Mobile signal came back with a C rating, so if that's a concern for you, I'd recommend checking with Rakuten Mobile's official tool yourself.

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Related Links

• Official Site