Ryuguden

What an amazing place. Our first experience in a traditional Japanese Ryokan, with stunning onsen facilities, eating exceptionally prepared traditional meals, in a traditional tatami mat room helped immerse us in the culture and wonder of the area. We were fortunate enough to reserve a room with a private onsen, which helped us get more comfortable with the proper pre-bathing habits before using the public baths and provided beautiful private escape at other times. The staff, for me, was the highlight of our stay. Incredibly helpful in every aspect of our stay, from when an issue left my son stranded 30 minutes away on arrival day and we needed help arranging transport, to educating us on the use of traditional Yukata, to impeccable service and assistance any time we needed it. As an example it's worth mentioning that Hakone-en is not served well by Taxi apps that work well in other parts of the country, so while we were use to self-service cars using Uber and Taxi GO we relied on the staff to help make taxi arrangements for us at times that didn't match up with the shuttle. Also note Hakone-en at night does not have Konbinis or other facilities, so plan ahead when it comes to anything outside the hotel.

William