Shirayu no Yado Yamadaya

It has good food but the rooms are old with no shower room. The website of this hotel didn't mention about having no shower room. Also, I cannot go out after 21:00 as it closes after 21:00.

Overall the Yamada exceeded expectations. The service was kind and accommodating and thoughtful. They checked us in quickly and had Green tea prepared in our room waiting. The room was tidy and functional and the bathroom had the fanciest bidet I have ever used. Dinner was brought to our room and presented beautifully. The chef that works there is truly exceptional. The ingredients were the star of the dish and flavored subtly to enhance the experience. The food was out of this world! I would go back just to have one of their meals again! That's saying alot considering how long it took to get there. Speaking of location, although the Yamada is located only a few minutes from the cable car station in Sounzan, we had to travel a fair way to get there from Odawara station. We took the Shinkansen from Tokyo station, transferred to the Hakone-Yomoto line, then transferred to the rail car to Hakone, then another to Gora, then another tram to Sounzan. That being said, our plans included three loop covered by Hakone free pass which we purchased from Odawara (the pass covered all transportation we needed and have access to all local attractions). Yamada was close enough to one of the points in the Hakone loop so it was convenient for sight seeing. If you are going to visit some attractions I recommend at least 3 nights. We stayed for 2 and ran out of time. Be prepared to spend some time commuting between locations. The trains (20 min avg), cable cars (15-20 min), and boats (25 minutes 1 way, 40 minutes back) are lovely opportunities to sight see but do take some time. The onsen at Yamada was wonderful! The first night we tried the private onsen and I wouldn't recommend it. There is an extra charge and it's not as enjoyable as the public onsen in the Yamada. The public baths are for guests only and are beautiful! You have an open air tub and an indoor one. If you can, use the outdoor! The scenery is beautiful and fresh air truly refreshing while you have your hot spring bath. The staff are all so helpful and come to change the room from day use to night use (setting up the beds). English is limited but the front desk staff are able to help. We speak next to no Japanese and we managed just fine. I would highly recommend learning basic phrases though. Overall this was an exceptional experience. Don't be disappointed by the historical building and be prepared for some rustic accommodations but it is all so worth it. Please go! Yamada is not to be missed! A diamond in the rough that really surprises with exceptional amenities and service.