Originally Posted by
OsakaWino
We stayed 3 nights, but we're VERY slow tourists. 2 nights is plenty for seeing the sights; if you want to get spa treatments (which I think are very overpriced at the HR Hakone unless there is a special offers) or spend a lot of time relaxing at the hotel, you might stay 3 nights.
If you have 4 nights to spend in the area, I would recommend 2 nights at HR Hakone and 2 nights at Hilton Odawara, which is a very different experience.
If HR Hakone is still running their shuttle from Odawara Station, the 2 are very easy to combine, and even if you have to take the train, it is still not that inconvenient.
Be advised that the Hilton Odawara Shuttle does not run during weekends and holidays, so you may need to take the train from Odawara to Nebukawa to take the weekend shuttle bus in that case.
But yes, you could probably get two nights out of a visit to Odawara Castle and the resort facilities. A LOT of taxpayer money was used to create the facilities that eventually became the Odawara Hilton, so that place is an interesting Japanese experience in its own right.