I Looked Into Labista Fuji Kawaguchiko

This blog has mainly focused on researching campgrounds and day-trip hot springs, but sometimes I also look into "detour" spots for those days when I feel like skipping camping and doing a hotel-cation instead. This time is one of those detour posts.

While looking into a few hot spring hotels with Mt. Fuji views, I kept coming across the name "Labista Fuji Kawaguchiko," so I decided to look into this one this time. Apparently it's run by Kyoritsu Resort, and I was curious about how well-equipped the facilities were.

What Kind of Hotel Is Labista Fuji Kawaguchiko?

It's a hotel located in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, apparently run by Kyoritsu Resort (Kyoritsu Maintenance). It seems to be one of the hotels under the "Labista" brand, run by the same company known for the Dormy Inn chain.

For access by car, it's apparently about 14 minutes from the Kawaguchiko exit on the Chuo Expressway. It seems that searching for the facility name in car navigation systems doesn't always work well, so the official website suggests searching using the nearby Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum as a landmark instead. I'm someone who doesn't drive myself (I have a license but rarely use it), so I probably won't be the one behind the wheel, but having this kind of guidance available feels like a bit of reassurance from the passenger seat.

By train, it's apparently about 2 hours from Shinjuku Station to Kawaguchiko Station, then about 11 minutes from there by the free shuttle bus or taxi. The shuttle bus reportedly requires advance reservation, running roughly every hour from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM from Kawaguchiko Station, and every 30 minutes to an hour from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM from the hotel. However, there was a note that you might have to wait if it's full, so if you plan to use it, it seems best to book early.

Komorin

Just hearing that there's a shuttle bus makes me want to add this place to my list, since I don't drive. But since reservations seem to be required, it looks like it's best to move quickly if I decide to go.

The Dedication to Mt. Fuji View Baths in Almost All 83 Rooms

There are 83 rooms in total, all non-smoking, apparently. They're divided into two types, the "Labista" series and the "Rose" series, and both seem to come standard with a "view bath" where you can soak while looking out at Mt. Fuji. Room sizes range from about 25 to 42 square meters for twin rooms, up to 56 square meters for the Fourth-type rooms, which struck me as quite a wide range.

There is an exception, though: only the "Fourth" type rooms (56 square meters) are clearly noted on the official website as "the only rooms in the hotel from which Mt. Fuji cannot be seen." In exchange, the rate seems to be set a bit lower, so this might be an option for people who don't mind skipping the Mt. Fuji view, or who simply want a spacious room.

• Room amenities: every room has a bathroom and toilet, shower, air conditioning/heating, a TV with satellite broadcast access, and a refrigerator stocked with drinks
• Wi-Fi: apparently available in every room
• Bathing tax: an additional 150 yen per person (junior high school age and up) is apparently required
• Facility usage fee for young children: even without bedding or meals, a fee of 2,200 yen (tax included) may apparently apply

I couldn't find specific mention of room rates or exact check-in/check-out times in the main text of the official website. It seems you need to go through the plan search to check those details, so if you're curious, it's probably safest to check the reservation page on the official website directly.

Amenities That Indoor Types Will Love, Like Private Baths and a Hot Stone Bed

The large communal bath is apparently called Chozan no Yu. The indoor bath is natural hot spring water, while the outdoor bath is not hot spring water, according to a note on the site. Hours run from 3:00 PM to 11:00 AM the next morning, with the bath unavailable from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM for cleaning.

Personally, what caught my attention was that both the private baths and the hot stone bed are apparently free to use.

• Private baths: four types — a brick bath, a stone bath, a bamboo bath, and a mosaic tile bath. Rather than requiring advance reservations, you check availability on an electronic board before entering, and they're available 24 hours a day
• Hot stone bed: chair-style, available 24 hours a day, and apparently usable by two people at once
• Late-night snack service: a free bowl of yonaki soba (soy sauce or tomato flavored) is offered, apparently a familiar service across Kyoritsu Resort properties
• Shop "Colline": a shop selling local specialty and seasonal products, open 24 hours
• Spa "THE SPA by BARAKA": a fully private-room spa available from 3:00 PM to midnight (last entry 11:00 PM), though I couldn't find any pricing information listed

For dinner, the main option seems to be a full Western-style course meal at the restaurant "Petit Poche," served in two seatings starting at 5:30 PM and 7:45 PM, apparently without advance reservations. There also seems to be a teppanyaki restaurant called "Vulcain" in the hotel that requires reservations. Breakfast is a Japanese-and-Western buffet, served from 7:00 AM to 9:45 AM (last entry 9:15 AM).

As for saunas, I couldn't find any mention within the range of the official website's facility page or hot spring page that I checked, so I couldn't confirm one way or the other whether one exists. If you're considering this hotel specifically for a sauna, it might be worth contacting them directly beforehand to check. I also couldn't find information about whether pets are allowed, within the pages I was able to check.

Komorin

The idea of free, 24-hour private baths struck me as pretty appealing as someone who leans indoor. Being able to just check availability and walk in without a reservation also sounds nice and casual.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

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

Taking this as a result from a tool published by the company itself, I think it's fair to note this rating as confirmed information. A rating of C alone doesn't tell the whole story about actual usability, but since the hotel apparently offers Wi-Fi in every room, it might be a good idea to rely on Wi-Fi for things like watching videos or using social media, and treat mobile data as more of a backup.

Komorin

Since I normally use Rakuten Mobile myself, hearing a C rating makes me brace myself a little. I'm really glad this place has in-house Wi-Fi.

A Quick Look at Nearby Sightseeing and Food Spots

The official website's access page lists driving routes and routes from the station, but I couldn't find any mention of distances or travel times to nearby sightseeing spots. Looking into it as general information, spots that came up nearby included Oishi Park, the Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum, the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, the Kawaguchiko Kinohana Art Museum, and the Kawaguchiko Monkey Show Theater.

For food, places that came up included restaurants serving hoto, a Yamanashi specialty noodle dish, a lakeside bakery called "Lake Bake," and a craft beer spot called "Fujizakura Kogen Beer." It seems like a lot of people enjoy venturing out a little during their stay to check these places out.

Wrapping Up

Putting it all together again, my impression of Labista Fuji Kawaguchiko was that of a hotel where many of the 83 rooms come with a Mt. Fuji-view "view bath," and where free amenities like the private baths, the hot stone bed, and the late-night noodle service are also well developed.

A room where you can soak in a bath while looking out at Mt. Fuji is definitely appealing, even to someone like me who leans toward staying indoors. That said, Rakuten Mobile's signal came back with a C rating, so if connectivity matters to you, it might be reassuring to rely on the in-house Wi-Fi while also checking the official tool yourself beforehand.

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Related Links

• Official Site