Originally Posted by
KI-NRT
Back to Hakone Gora Karaku - since it just newly opened during the pandemic, you're unlikely to find too many people that have stayed there. While 70 rooms makes it a substantial property, and intimate service is probably out of the question, it does offer some options (such as Teppanyaki) and various rental Onsen baths. I doubt you'll have a bad stay there, at least hard product wise. What puts me off about this place is the lack of Suite-type accommodations, but what's important to you may differ from our needs.
I noticed that Gora Kadan has one room available on 11/26. It's the Standard, Type C room, which is about the same size as a room at Gora Karaku.
Ochiaiso also has availability on that date. We stayed there a long time ago and was quite dated, but it was recently refurbished so you might want to consider it as well.
Forgot to reply earlier though I saw your reply day of - really appreciate your tip offs. Gora Kadan was gone by the time I looked, though Ochiaiso has been on our radar. We are on similar wavelengths regarding preferred accommodation styles, or at least when I'm looking for 'in-room' rotenburo. We visit the 'public' onsen on a property too, but the real draw for us is the private outdoor bath we dip in and out of at our leisure. In some ways, Karaku reminds me of Suiran where we had a yuzunoha room on our last trip - we liked Suiran, but didn't love it. We don't mind a 'hybrid' property, but found we lean more towards ryokan-style than western-style if so. Karaku bothered us on a few points, namely value proposition and general style. Nice looking hard-product, just not what I'm exactly looking for this trip. But it is a property I would consider again in the future.
We lucked into some cancelled reservations at Madokanomori today, part of the Gora Hinougi group. It is much more our speed. We booked the Waremokou, which is their smallest suite, but still larger (and cheaper!) than what we had at Karaku.