I Looked Into Hotel Mori no Kaze Hakone Sengokuhara

This blog isn't just about campsites — I've also been gradually looking into accommodations for those days when I think "let's skip camping and go do a hokans (hotel + vacance) instead." This time, I looked into the Hakone area as one such hokans destination.

I've had my eye on various places to stay in Hakone, but this time I picked "Hotel Mori no Kaze Hakone Sengokuhara" because I heard it's a relatively newly opened facility, and I was simply curious about what kind of vibe the amenities would have. It apparently opened in December 2022, so it seems to be one of the newer places to stay in Hakone, having been open for only a few years so far.

What Is Hotel Mori no Kaze Hakone Sengokuhara Like?

This is a hotel located in Sengokuhara, Hakone Town, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture, and it apparently just opened in December 2022. The access page on the official site also mentions that it's "newly opened," so it seems to be one of the newer places to stay within the Hakone area.

As for room rates, there doesn't seem to be a flat price list on the official site — instead, prices appear to vary by season and room type through the reservation system. As a rough guide, rates for one night with two meals start somewhere in the tens of thousands of yen per person, and prices tend to be set a bit higher on the nights before holidays. Children's rates seem to be tiered: elementary schoolers pay 70% of the adult rate, preschoolers pay 50%, and children aged 0–2 sharing a bed without meals stay free.

Check-in is from 3:00 PM and check-out is at 11:00 AM. As for the cancellation policy, it appears to be set at 30% three days before the stay, 50% the day before, and 100% on the day itself, so if your plans might change, it seems like a good idea to contact them early.

There's also apparently a plan that lets you bring small dogs (6kg or under), up to two per room, and amenities like pet cages and food bowls seem to be provided. A signed consent form appears to be required for pets, so if you're considering staying with a pet, it might be reassuring to check the details in advance.

Komorin

The fact that it's only been open for a few years is something that catches my eye as an indoor type. When the facilities are new, I get the impression that even the small details are well taken care of.

About the Guest Rooms, Hot Springs, and the Dedication to Bathing Variety

The guest rooms are broadly divided into three types: "Standard," "Superior," and the "Shikisai Series" which comes with an open-air bath in the room.

• Standard: Includes Western-style twin rooms and Japanese-style twin rooms, apparently with a Japanese-modern interior using cypress wood. The rooms only have shower rooms, with no bathtub.
• Superior: Includes a type combining Japanese and Western styles, as well as an all-Japanese-style type. The indoor bath here apparently uses heated tap water rather than hot spring water.
• Shikisai Series (with in-room open-air bath): There are four types — the names are written slightly differently across sources, but they roughly correspond to "Nagomi," "Miyabi," and two special rooms — each apparently featuring a cypress open-air bath. Of the 44 rooms total, 14 fall into this category.

There appear to be two large communal baths: "Hyakka no Yu," which overlooks the garden, and "Kogane no Yu," an open rock bath. The open-air bath area reportedly has three types of baths — a stone bath, a silky bath, and a barrel bath — while the indoor bath area is equipped with a sauna, washing area, and changing room. The water quality is a calcium-sulfate hot spring, said to be suited for conditions like poor circulation and dry skin. I couldn't find any mention of private reservable baths on the official site, so I wasn't able to confirm that clearly.

If you have tattoos, the rule apparently now allows you to bathe as long as you cover the design with a dedicated cover seal, so it might be worth checking on this if it concerns you.

Facilities and Checkpoints From an Indoor-Type Perspective

The hotel seems to have a concept of being a "stay-in art museum," with Japanese-style paintings displayed throughout the building, so I got the impression that just walking through the lobby could feel like visiting an art museum.

• Lounge: Located on the second floor of the main building, apparently open in the morning and evening.
• Bar Royale: A bar counter on the second floor of the main building, which also offers a welcome drink service in the evening hours.
• Restaurant: Located on the third floor of the main building, with terrace seating overlooking the courtyard. Both breakfast and dinner are apparently served in two seatings.
• Gift shop: Located on the second floor of the main building, open from morning through the afternoon and evening.
• Wi-Fi: Apparently free throughout the entire building, which I felt was a nice point for indoor types like myself.

The entire building is non-smoking, with smoking only allowed in a designated outdoor area. The interior seemed to be a facility that values a calm, relaxed atmosphere.

Access and a Quick Look at Nearby Sightseeing

From the nearest station, Gora Station, there's apparently a free shuttle bus that requires advance reservation. Departures from Gora Station seem to run in the 2 PM and 3 PM hours, while departures from the hotel run in the 10 AM and 11 AM hours. Since seats are limited, it seems you need to make a reservation by phone by the day before.

By car, it's about 20 minutes from the Gotemba IC on the Tomei Expressway via Route 138. Since the facility only opened relatively recently, searching for the hotel name or address on car navigation systems may not always bring it up, and the official site suggests setting a nearby convenience store as your destination instead. There's parking for 30 cars, which is apparently free for guests, but since spots are limited, it might be reassuring to check when making a reservation.

Nearby attractions apparently include the Sengokuhara silver grass field, the Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands, Hakone Shrine and the Hakone pirate ship on Lake Ashi, and various art museums scattered throughout the Hakone area. The Sengokuhara silver grass field seems to be within walking distance, so depending on the season, a stroll there could be enjoyable too.

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."

It's hard to say the connectivity here has much room to spare. The location in the mountains of Hakone might have something to do with it. Since free in-house Wi-Fi is apparently available, it seems like a good idea to rely on that during your stay while checking in advance about connectivity when you're out and about or on the move.

Komorin

A "C" rating was a bit disappointing, but there's no point in dressing it up, so I wrote it as it is. My honest take is that as long as there's in-house Wi-Fi, it probably won't be too much of a problem.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up again, Hotel Mori no Kaze Hakone Sengokuhara gave me the impression of a hotel with 14 of its 44 rooms featuring an in-room open-air bath fed by a private hot spring source, making it well-suited for anyone who wants to enjoy a variety of baths. Having only been open for a few years, it also seemed to have plenty going for indoor types like myself, such as the art displayed throughout the building and the free Wi-Fi.

On the other hand, the Rakuten Mobile signal came back as a "C" rating, so if connectivity is a priority for you, it might be reassuring to check in advance. If it's a concern, it seems like a good idea to check for yourself using the official Rakuten Mobile tool.

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Related Links

• Official Site