The property was absolutely beautiful from the outside. I couldn't find this info directly on their listing, but they did send a message after booking that they offer a free shuttle from Kowakidani station to their property which was extremely convenient. When I went, the shuttle ran from 2-5 PM and comes back to the station about every 10 minutes. They have a nice little souvenir shop in the lobby and plenty of seating. My mother and I stayed in a room with a private hot open-air bath. In addition to the public onsen, they also offer 4 different private hot springs which are available on a first come first serve basis. Milk and yakult are free and available at different times of day. Our room was very spacious and clean, and in typical Japanese fashion came with all the bathroom amenities you could need as well as a tea set, tea snacks, and items to make your own pourover coffee. Some areas of the room did seem a little dated/older, but clearly everything has been kept very clean. The beds were extremely warm and comfortable with the slightly chilly mountain air. The private bath was a wooden style tub located on the deck, and we were provided a cedar block and a whole yuzu to put into the water. The view was gorgeous from the bath! For dinner you can choose between bbq or hotpot style, and one of two set mealtimes. Dinner was a fairly traditional Japanese kaiseki style dinner. It was one of the most gorgeous and meticulously prepared meals we've had, but taste-wise was fairly average. One thing is for sure though, they feed you a staggering amount of food. We both loved the traditional Japanese style breakfast though! They apparently offer free ramen at the restaurant in the evening after a certain time, but even with choosing the earliest mealtime we were too stuffed to even consider ramen.

They provide comfortable jinbei pajamas to wear, but yukata cost an additional fee to rent. It is not as convenient to get around by bus in the area as it is in larger cities so if you plan to take any trips to tourist spots you may need to wait a little longer for a bus and they are also very crowded with tourists. Food was gorgeous, but the dinner will probably not be the tastiest thing you eat in Japan.

Spa facilities, the traditional Japanese meals, the hot springs, The traditonal Japanese rooms

I chose this resort from an American booking site and the hotel seems ill equipped for Americans. We had trouble communicating to the staff, most of who spoke not one word to English. I realize I am partly the fault, as I know no Japanese. But this made it particularly difficult when we had to make our way back to the train station. Taxi service is non-existent at the hotel, so we took a bus, which could have gone awry if we had guessed the wrong stop and bus number. On the plus side, we were treated to a completely Japanese experience, as virtually all the guests and staff were Japanese. And perhaps this will change if more American exposure Wonderful!results in more American's at the resort.

Close to the Ninotaira bus station (It may be hard for non-Japanese travellers to locate the bus stop from the Odawara train station, but there are station staff who can help). There is also a free shuttle bus service from Kowakidani bus station. Delicious food!! Nice and relaxing onsen that wasn't crowded (especially when I went during other people's dinner time) Friendly staff at the hotel who helped answered my questions.

You have the option to have a private bath on your balcony, which is AMAZING! We were lucky enough to enjoy it while it was raining and again in the morning when the sun came out. But you also have unlimited use/no reservation required of the private onsens downstairs. They provide dinner and breakfast in the dining room and it is more than enough to fill your belly. The menu is seasonal, so we had Sakura pudding which was amazing. It was like a 6 course menu for dinner with unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for the first hour, and a tray for breakfast plus rice and miso soup. The rooms are so nice and big with an area for hanging out on tatami mats to either enjoy the nature outside or watch TV. The beds are super comfortable.

It's a preference but I get it's a Ryokan Hotel - not a small Ryokan - but bear in mind, you will have to go down to the dining area for dinner and breakfast as opposed to having it in your room. Also, this place requires you to pay a rental charge for yukata instead of it being complimentary/part of the ryokan experience. Also, bear in mind it is tucked away uphill a winding road for about a 5 minute walk (which can be daunting if you have luggage and had to take the bus up there).

There are 4 onsens (new and old building with each a men and women onsen that alternate daily) so a lot of variety if you stay longer. Many free items such as popsicles and milk near the onsen, coffee beans with a grinder in the room, free hot and cold drinks during the entire day and eveming snacks in the lobby. I oved the Japanese food, both the dinners (the traditional menu perhaps a bit more than the BBQ menu, also because of being served in the nicest looking restaurant of the 2) and the excessive breakfasts. One-hour unlimited drinks during dinner, I loved the sake. Free roomwear that everybody is wearing in the entire hotel including the restaurants, so no worries that your clothes will smell after breakfast. Very peaceful location with the sound of nearby waterfalls and I think crickets. The huge room (dated but convenient) had a huge window overlooking trees and hills. A room description I saw mentioned "no private bathroom" but that probably applied to not having a tub on the balcony as we had our own bathroom and separate toilet, which the hotel confirmed promptly after my earlier inquiry. Favorably located versus the major sights. Very kind staff that spoke English.

If any comment to make, I wished they were more generous with the tea during breakfast.

Glad there is a frequent free shuttle service from the station. The location was beautiful and peaceful in a wooded area. The room was clean and had everything I needed, plus some nice coffee, tea and local snacks. I’m also so relieved that I couldn’t hear any noise from the room as this is a big issue for me in most hotels. The samue (loungewear) provided for guests are comfortable and it’s ok to wear them around the hotel, so I felt relaxed. I’m so glad there are some private onsen at the hotel because I have tattoos and can’t use most shared onsen. It was so relaxing to take a bath outside under the trees. The meals were the best part for me, I love kaiseki cuisine. I chose the yakiniku option for dinner. All the produce is fresh and the presentation of each dish was as beautiful as it was delicious. Plus it’s all you can drink with a good choice of alcoholic options.

It’s only a little thing but the walls in the room were quite scuffed and scratched, but I guessed it’s an older property.

I booked this ryokan for my parents as a gift on their first trip to Japan and they could not stop calling me to say how wonderful it was! Rural but convenient location, shuttle bus driver got out and found them at the station. Staff went above and beyond to look after them and communicate with them in English. Room was gorgeous and traditional but really roomy. Private baths were amazing and great for foreigners who are intimidated by the public bathing culture. Dinner and breakfast were delicious and such a special experience for them. They stayed for two nights and were very sad to leave. If I had known how wonderful Mizunoto was, I would have booked a longer stay.

No bad feedback, it was perfect

Most of the staff were lovely and helpful. There were lots of amenities available including free yakult, coffee milk, pork buns etc. We didn’t really wait long for the shuttle bus to bring us to and from the station and it’s just a short walk to 7-11. If you’re staying here, would recommend taking the bus to Hakone checkpoint to start the loop then ending at Gora to take the railway back as it seemed less crowded than the other way round. Worth stopping by Gora Brewery which is close by if you have time. Outdoor onsen was quite nice if you managed to get one. Gift shop had a good selection with 10% off in the evening.

Seems more like a family stay location than a couple destination. The property was a little bit older than we expected for its price. Food was ok? There was lots in terms of quantity and it was presented nicely, but the quality was slightly lacking. Unlimited drinks for an hour was a nice touch though.

The location in the mountains was quite beautiful. Very relaxing and kind staff at the front desk. It was very authentic, and there were fewer westerners than other places we stayed during our visit. The public and private onsens were really nice. My wife and enjoyed the private outdoor one quite a bit - a great experience with in the cool May rain. Dinner was interesting, plentiful, but may have been a bit too Japanese for our tastes :).

Rooms are a bit dated, but are very well maintained. This isn't a knock, but do not expect the staff to understand english without the help of google translate.

Mizunoto was the loveliest place we stayed in Japan, in a strong field. The forest location, looking down over the mountains is beautiful and peaceful but it's also easy to get there via mountain railway from Odawara. Mizunoto have a shuttle that saves you the walk to/from station, and we found it easy to get around. They offer a proper ryokan experience here: our room was a beautiful Japanese style, and the beds on floor were very comfortable. We also enjoyed a private onsen bath on our balcony and the views over the mountain were sublime. They also have onsen baths fed from hot springs in the downstairs garden, and they're lovely too. Breakfast and dinner were included in our price and the standard was excellent. Both Japanese Kaiseki style meals, done properly - earlier in trip we were subjected to 'tourist keiseki' with all the food arranged on a tray - bah! Mizunoto do it properly, one course at a time, and they have an excellent chef: the quality of food was outstanding. Not much choice though, so if you love Japanese food like we do it will be a delight - but you can't get western food. They even do late-night ramen and tea-time dumplings but we were never hungry enough to try those. Our room was immaculate and the staff were kind and helpful throughout our stay - exceptional service. It was a wonderful experience.

Nothing - it was wonderful!