I Looked Into Hotel Marroad Hakone

This blog has mainly focused on looking into campgrounds, but I've also been gradually covering detours for those "let's skip camping and go hokance (hotel + vacance) instead" days, as a bit of a side series.

This time, the one that caught my eye is Hotel Marroad Hakone. It's a resort hotel on a hillside in Gora, and when I heard it was part of the Toto Motor Group, I got curious about what kind of atmosphere it has. As someone who's very much an indoor type, just the idea of a place with a big communal bath where I could relax in my room is already pretty appealing.

The Short Version

My impression was of a resort hotel on a hillside in Gora, with a large communal bath fed by natural hot spring water piped straight from Owakudani, plus a proper French restaurant.
The Rakuten Mobile signal apparently rates a C, so it might be worth keeping an eye on connectivity there.

I've summarized the details below.

A Resort Hotel on a Hillside in Gora

Hotel Marroad Hakone is apparently a resort hotel located in Gora, Hakone Town, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. It's operated by the Toto Motor Group, which seems to run sister hotels in places like Akasaka, Tokyo, Hachioji, Omiya, Hanno, Narita, Tsukuba, and Karuizawa. Bookings can be made through the reservation search form on the official website, as well as major OTAs like Jalan and Rakuten Travel, and it looks like phone reservations are accepted too.

The exact check-in and check-out times, as well as specific room rates, weren't clearly stated in the main text of the official website—it seems you're meant to check via the reservation search form by entering your dates and number of guests. I did come across a rough guideline of 3:00 PM check-in and 11:00 AM check-out, but since that doesn't seem to be confirmed information, it might be safer to double-check when you book.

Komorin

Just seeing the name "Gora" already makes me feel like I'm soaking in a hot spring. Since I don't drive, a hotel that offers a shuttle service like this automatically scores extra points with me.

Rooms and the Communal Bath: What Catches an Indoor Type's Eye

There are 43 rooms in total, mainly Western-style and Japanese-Western-style rooms, apparently. Room types seem to include the Mount Daimonji View Twin and Superior Twin (28 sqm), the Mount Daimonji View Japanese-Western Room and Superior Japanese-Western Room (42 sqm), and a 70 sqm Deluxe Room. Many rooms come with a 49-inch 4K TV, and quite a few use Simmons beds, which caught my attention as someone who wants to relax properly in the room.

All rooms apparently come with free Wi-Fi, a washlet toilet, a hair dryer, a safety box, and an air purifier, among other things. Yukata and tanzen robes are also provided, so it seems like you could spend time around the hotel in relaxed attire.

Communal bath: There's one indoor and one outdoor bath each for men and women, apparently fed by hot spring water piped straight from Owakudani. The water is a cloudy sulfate spring, and bathing hours seem to run from 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, and again from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM the next morning.
Sauna: Located inside the men's and women's communal baths, apparently open from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, set at a medium temperature of around 80-90°C.
Gift shop: Open from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM, apparently stocking Hakone souvenirs and original goods.
Parking: Seems to be free, though the number of spaces listed differs between pages on the official website, so I couldn't confirm the exact figure.

I couldn't find any mention of a private family bath on the official website, so it's possible one isn't offered, but since there's no clear statement either way, it might be worth confirming at the time of booking if that's something you care about.

Voyageur: A Proper French Restaurant On-Site

The on-site restaurant, Voyageur, apparently offers proper, classic French cuisine. Breakfast is by reservation only, with last entry between 7:30 and 9:00 AM; lunch has a last order time of 1:30 PM; and dinner is also reservation-only, starting from 5:45 PM. Specific pricing wasn't stated in the main text of the official website, so it looks like you'd need to check when booking.

There's also a bar lounge open from 5:30 PM, and a tea lounge and terrace open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, so it seems like there are several options for how to spend your time on the property. A free shuttle bus apparently runs between the hotel and both Gora Station and Sounzan Station, and it sounds like the system is to call the hotel once you arrive at the station. As someone who doesn't drive, this kind of information felt pretty reassuring.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this location using Rakuten Mobile's official "My Area Coverage Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as a "C."

Given that C rating, it's probably worth checking the signal situation in advance. Gora sits up on higher ground even within Hakone, so I got the impression the terrain might have some effect on reception. That said, since in-room Wi-Fi is apparently available in every room, it might be safer to plan on relying on Wi-Fi for things like streaming video or getting work done.

Komorin

I'll admit that C rating made my shoulders slump a bit. But since the in-room Wi-Fi seems solid, planning around relying on that should work out fine.

See Rakuten Mobile Details

Nearby Museums Look Worth Exploring Too

There seem to be quite a few museums scattered around the hotel. Gora Park and the Hakone Museum of Art are about a 5-minute walk away, the Meissen Antique Museum is about 3 minutes on foot, and the Hakone Museum of Photography is roughly 10 minutes away. By car, places like the Hakone Open-Air Museum, the Pola Museum of Art, the Hakone Glass Forest, and the Lalique Museum are all apparently around 15 minutes away.

Owakudani is about a 15-minute drive away, and Gotemba Premium Outlets is about 40 minutes by car. My impression is that this is an area with plenty of options for anyone who wants to venture out a bit for sightseeing during their stay. That said, the official website doesn't include specific information about nearby restaurants, so I wasn't able to find details there.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up again, my impression of Hotel Marroad Hakone was of a resort hotel on a hillside in Gora, featuring a large communal bath fed by natural hot spring water from Owakudani and a proper French restaurant. With free Wi-Fi and a 49-inch 4K TV in every room, it seems well equipped for indoor types like me who want to relax comfortably in their room.

On the other hand, the Rakuten Mobile signal conditions came back with a C rating. If you plan on relying on the in-room Wi-Fi, you should still have plenty of options during your stay, but if you're concerned, it might be reassuring to check using Rakuten Mobile's official tool ahead of your planned travel dates.

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