I Looked Into Mount View Hakone

In my Komorin Fantasy Travels series, I've looked into a few hotel getaway options for days when I don't have the energy to go camping.

This time, I looked into Mount View Hakone, located in Sengokuhara, Hakone. I got curious after coming across the phrase 'milky-white hot spring water originating from Owakudani,' so I decided to check it out.

What Kind of Inn Is Mount View Hakone?

The official name is apparently 'Kawarano-yu Mount View Hakone,' an inn located in the Sengokuhara area of Hakone Town, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. The access page apparently uses the phrase 'standing along Blonde Street leading to the silver grass fields,' so there may be some classic Sengokuhara scenery nearby.

Reservations seem to be made through the official website's booking system, and it looks like there are three ways to search: a list of plans, by room type, or via a vacancy calendar. It seems phone reservations are also possible. I couldn't find a price list page on the official site, so it looks like you need to check the booking system for each plan to see rates — if you want exact prices, it's probably best to look directly at the system.

Komorin

I feel like a lot of inns leave pricing entirely up to the booking system these days, but in cases like this, indoor types like me especially want to carefully compare plans before booking.

The Milky Hot Spring Large Bath and Three Types of Private Open-Air Baths

The inn's biggest highlight does seem to be the milky-white sulfur hot spring water originating from Owakudani. It's a cloudy hot spring rich in minerals including sulfur and iron, and apparently a fairly rare type of hot spring in the greater Kanto area.

The separate open-air baths for men and women, called Kawarano-yu, are shared baths that all guests can use. They're apparently equipped with everything from showers to shampoo, conditioner, body soap, toner, and lotion, so it seems like you wouldn't have much trouble even coming empty-handed.

There are also three types of private open-air baths named Kaguya, Medaka, and Kingyo, all apparently fed directly from the hot spring source. For overnight guests, they're reservable at check-in on a first-come basis, with rates of around 2,000 to 3,000 yen for 45 minutes. This could be a nice option for indoor types who want to soak in the hot spring at a relaxed pace without worrying about anyone else around.

It Seems You Can Also Enjoy Day-Use Bathing

Another point in its favor is that you can apparently enjoy this hot spring through day-use bathing even without staying overnight. The separate large baths and open-air baths for men and women accept guests from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a 90-minute rotation system, priced at 1,200 yen for adults and 630 yen for children. Towels and bath towels can reportedly be rented for 200 yen each.

The private open-air baths are also available for day use, accepting guests from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with rates of around 3,500 to 4,000 yen for 60 minutes for two people. Unlike the reservation system for overnight guests, this appears to be first-come, first-served with no reservation needed. That said, payment for day-use bathing is apparently cash only, so it seems worth remembering to bring your wallet. There also seem to be set closing days, so if you're planning a day trip, it might be safer to check the official website in advance.

Whether Rooms Have a Private Bath Seems to Vary

There are 37 rooms in total, apparently split mainly between Japanese-style room types, such as standard Japanese rooms and single Japanese rooms, and Japanese-Western style room types. Among these, the Japanese-Western Superior Twin apparently comes with a clawfoot bathtub, while the special Japanese-Western Deluxe Twin room named Fuyo reportedly has a bathtub, a massage chair, and even a stone-built private bath. However, it seems only these two room types have a private bath, with the remaining four types using shared bathrooms. It might be worth comparing these points when choosing a room.

The rooms appear to come with a full set of amenities, including free Wi-Fi throughout the building, a safety box, a refrigerator, an electric kettle, and yukata robes, which gives the impression it would suit a hands-free style hotel getaway. Dinner is apparently a monthly-changing Japanese kaiseki course, with rice sourced directly from contracted farmers growing Koshihikari from Gotemba, so the food side seems solid too.

I Also Looked Into Nearby Sightseeing Spots

Nearby attractions apparently include the Hakone Museum of Glass Forest, the Pola Museum of Art, and Choanji Temple. There was also information suggesting the trailhead for Mt. Kintoki is within walking distance. However, these distances and travel times aren't listed on the official site and seem to come from general search results, so it's probably best to treat them as rough estimates if you actually plan a visit. There's also information that Gotemba Premium Outlets is about a 15-minute drive away, which gives the impression that the location could work well combined with some shopping.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "my area coverage simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as a C.

Since this is a hot spring inn in a mountainous area, it seems reassuring to check the connectivity situation in advance. If you plan to handle work communications during your stay, or expect to use your phone a lot while there, it seems worth checking this point as well.

Komorin

Hearing a C rating makes me a little uneasy, but I try to think of times like this as a chance to soak in the hot spring slowly without worrying about signal. It seems there's free Wi-Fi throughout the building, so that should be something to rely on too.

Wrapping Up

To sum up, my impression of Mount View Hakone is that it's a hot spring inn where you can enjoy milky-white sulfur water originating from Owakudani, both in the large bath and in three types of private open-air baths, and one that's also easy to use for day trips. Since whether a room has a private bath varies, and pricing can only be checked through the booking system, it seems worth putting in a bit of extra research beforehand to make things go smoothly.

The Rakuten Mobile signal came back as a C rating, so if connectivity is a priority for you, it seems like a good idea to check using Rakuten Mobile's official tool.

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Related Links

• Official Site