Hakone, JapanGora
Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa
Mountain onsen lodge
Gora Hakone, Japan
Opened
2006
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Wellness SocialOutside the door
The house
HyattMountain onsen lodge
Traditional ryokan customs give way to mountain lodge living, where guests pad from volcanic baths straight to the fireside lounge.
What it’s good at
Listed
Indoor communal baths draw volcanic spring water piped directly from Owakudani valley.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
The rooms ooze the Hyatt’s sensibility – muted stone and wood – and are equipped with plasma television sets, broadband Internet and other high-tech gadgets not typically found in Hakone’s traditional ryokans.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Gora Station sits just down the hillside, where mountain trains and cable cars connect to the steaming volcanic slopes of Owakudani.
The rooms
Every room opens onto a private balcony facing the forested hills, and some include traditional tatami matting.
The onsen
Soak slowly.
Indoor stone baths look out through wide glass windows onto forest greenery, fed by Owakudani volcanic spring water.
The spa
Eight treatment rooms use Yon-Ka plant oils for botanical rituals, and four have private stone soaking tubs.
Restaurant
Private Dining Room
The private salon has its own wood-burning fireplace and looks straight out onto the central courtyard garden.
At the table
The sushi counter looks onto a bamboo garden, and the French dining room serves dinner beside wide mountain windows.
How it began
Originally developed as an exclusive membership club, the property was repurposed in 2006 as Hyatt's first resort in Japan.
Hakone
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.