Reviews of Royal Hotel Kawaguchiko 3 stars

Cozy

Limited and restricted in some areas

Cozy

Limited and restricted in some areas

Beautiful location, room and Fuji view. Refreshing feet onsen. Local vibes

Building a bit old but in line with the area

The room was spacious, and overall clean. The location is beautiful, about 50 m from the lake. The onsen is nice, clean, and not too crowded. Great view of Mount Fuji from our room.

There was no daily cleaning by default. No shuttle to Kawaguchiko station after 10AM (our bus departed at 11.20). Some of the vending machines only accept cash. We didn't know in advance that breakfast is either at 7 AM or 8 AM and dinner 6PM or 7PM sharp. If we had known these options, we would have chosen a different place as not everyone wants to wake up at 6.30 or 7.30 AM on their holiday to eat. And because it is kaiseki and they start to prepare your food at your table, it's 7AM or 8AM sharp! It took a couple of rounds to check what part of the food contained meat.

Staff were super-friendly. Were able to provide excellent levels of service in both English and Japanese. The room was spacious and comfortable by Japanese hotel standards. It had a feel that blended a traditional tatami and modern room style. Free coffee and tea available 24/7.

The breakfast is ample but limited to a set option with only a few continental sides.

Nothing.

The hotel pretends that it is high-class, but in reality it is pretty run down and tries to squeeze every penny from you. We paid $530 for two nights to stay at the start of August; however, the service was very disappointing. We reserved a half board which includes kaiseki dinner. It was the most awful food that we ate anywhere (we tried to recollect a worse restaurant experience, but couldn't). The quality of the ingredients was bad: the sashimi wasn’t fresh, the cabbage had black spots, all the fish dishes had an awful fishy taste, non-fish ingredients were mediocre at best. There is not much noise isolation in the rooms, the doors have big holes in them, so you would hear everything in the hallways. Also, our room was above the onsen and we were able to hear noises from there (traditionally, the onsen should be a quiet place, but it wasn’t the case during our stay here). The hotel offered during the check-in to clean the room on the second day, but thought that we did not need it. Next morning, we realized that we actually need it. So, we requested the cleaning at around 7:30 am, but they said that they were not cleaning one day before the check-out. Even though they offered it themselves earlier. The room itself was worn down, there were spots on the walls in the room and in the restroom. The chair was broken. The room description says “2 futon beds”; however, there were mattresses instead. The room doesn’t have hot (more like warm) water turned on by default, you have to turn it on yourself and then you have to wait a few minutes before it heats (then, shortly after, it turns off again). You have to pay for lockers in locker rooms at onsen to secure your belongings.They are also charging for extra towels. In Japan, most of the vending machines have the same price anywhere you go.

Cushions and quilts are dirty. The door lock is weak. Electrical sockets are inappropriately located and difficult to use.

The location was good, next to the lake.

It’s very dated, not the most clean, and the bed was hard and uncomfortable.

Great location. Right next to bus stop. Walked to grocery store and park by lake. Onsen was beautiful and well equipped. Really appreciated the free shuttle to the bus station. Great view of Fuji from our room!

I could have used more instruction on how to use the robes and onsen, but I think that was a me thing. We didn’t eat there because the cost was high.

The onsen there was excellent. Room was very big. We liked the breakfast and dinner there. Traditional Japanese hotel. The staff there was very friendly. Good English speakers were at the front desk.

The property iwas in a great location, right in front of a lake. However, the only downside was the receptionist (of Indian/Nepalese origin), who insisted we pay extra just because we stayed 10 minutes longer in the onsen after check-out. I find this absolutely unreasonable – it’s the first time I’ve ever experienced something like this in any hotel.

Location, near the lake and view of Mt Funi

Meal options

Staff attention and customer service. Location is hard to beat.

Room is dated and dusty, pipes are noisy, curtains (or more like wooden window cover) won't completely shut. Overall room and facilities are dire need of renovation.

My husband and I loved our stay at the Royal Hotel. From the time we arrived, the staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. We booked the dinner and breakfast package, and were so impressed with the quality and quantity of the food. We enjoyed the experience of eating traditional Japanese food in a traditional way. The onsen was so beautiful and relaxing, and the yukata a really nice touch! We enjoyed being close to the lake and got some really nice pictures of Mt. Fuji, when the clouds cooperated. Would definitely recommend this place!

Location of hotel

Sugar and few soft drinks in the room. Atleast few Western breakfasts options

The onsen was the perfect way to soothe our bodies before and after hiking Mount Fuji. The staff were able to hold our luggage until we returned. The breakfast was delicious!!

Smells like cigarettes everywhere