Our trip to Japan this summer was originally planned as a mix of mountain and seaside stays, but just as we were about to head for the coast, Japan issued a tsunami warning. We cancelled our seaside hotel last minute, and ended up spending a total of six days in Hakone.
I’ve been to Hakone a few times before, but always in a rush – just for a night, or even as a day trip from Tokyo. It was this unplanned stretch of days that allowed me to truly fall for this area, and I’m already dreaming of returning in another season.
今年夏天的日本之旅，原計劃是在山上海邊各住幾晚，沒想到在前往海邊的前一天，日本發佈了海嘯警報。我們臨時取消行程，就這樣在箱根待了整整六天五夜。
之前已來過箱根數次，但都是住一晚、甚至當日從東京來回的匆忙行程。這次意料之外的慢遊，讓我真正愛上這裡，已想著要換個季節再訪。
I used to love hotel hopping just to experience different accommodations, but traveling with kids is different. Finding a comfortable place to settle into, without the constant packing / unpacking, checking in / out, makes the whole trip so much more enjoyable for the entire family. Here’s a look at where we stayed this time, and hopefully it’ll spark some inspiration for your next journey.
以前的我，不會在同一間飯店住這麼多天 —— 行程排得越滿越有旅行感，住宿也換來換去。但有孩子後的旅行方式不一樣了，找到一間舒適的地方安頓下來、無需頻繁搬行李 check in/out，對一家人來說更輕鬆愉快。本次的住宿分享在這裡，給你下一趟旅行來點靈感：
Hakone Retreat: Into The Woods
The place that kept us happily tucked in for five nights was Hakone Retreat, hidden away in Sengokuhara. After landing at Haneda Airport, we skipped Tokyo entirely and drove straight to Hakone. The view slowly shifted from scorching highways to calming forests, and after a winding climb up the mountain road, we arrived at a hotel completely shrouded in green.
Unlike the classic Japanese ryokans that Hakone is known for, Hakone Retreat is Scandinavian in design – clean lines, soft warmth. The property is surprisingly vast at 55,000 square meters, yet holds only a handful of villas and just over thirty guest rooms, so each guest can truly stretch out and enjoy the quiet.
住進箱根的森林裡：Hakone Retreat
這次讓我們住了五個晚上還意猶未盡的地方，是位於仙石原的 Hakone Retreat。在羽田機場降落後直接租車開往箱根，窗外的景色漸漸從炙熱的高速公路變成令人舒心的森林。沿著山路蜿蜒向上，不久便抵達被綠意包圍著的酒店。
不同於箱根常見的日式旅館，Hakone Retreat 是北歐風格，設計簡潔而溫暖。酒店總敷地面積有驚人的 55,000 平米，但僅有十幾間別墅和三十多間客房，讓每位旅人能在充足的空間裡享受安靜。
Villa 1/f: Time Undisturbed
Hakone Retreat is split into two areas: villa 1/f with private villas, and före, the hotel zone that comes with a restaurant, café, and other facilities. For our first two nights, we stayed in Villa #16. At 120 square meters, it included a little garden, living room, dining area, bedroom, and a bathroom with a private onsen. The website lists it as suitable for two guests, but even with two adults and two kids, it still felt wonderfully spacious.
不被打擾的時光：森林別墅 villa 1/f
Hakone Retreat 分為兩個區域，一是 villa 1/f 別墅區，另一是帶有餐廳、咖啡館等設施的 före 飯店區。我們前兩晚入住的是別墅區的 villa #16，120 平米的空間包含一個小庭院、起居室、餐桌區、臥室，和帶有私湯的浴室。官網標示為兩人入住，但我們兩大兩小住起來仍然寬敞。
Each villa comes with a fireplace, which would surely come in handy during winter.
每棟別墅裡都有火爐設計，在冬天想必非常受用。
The interiors are filled with thoughtful details: blinds that glide extra smoothly, a speaker system that plays surround sound, and beautifully designed Balmuda appliances, from the kettle to the night light. The staff also added bed guards and provided a baby bath and diaper bin — a clear nod to families traveling with little ones.
室內有許多貼心細節，比如遮光簾拉起來格外滑順、音響系統可分區播放成環繞音效、熱水壺和夜燈都來自設計很美的 Balmuda……工作人員還貼心加裝床圍，並提供嬰兒澡盆與尿布桶，對家庭旅客相當友善。
The hotel grounds keep a very natural look, yet once indoors we hardly saw any insects — a perfect balance for city people who want to be close to nature but aren’t exactly bug lovers.
酒店環境保留了相當原生的自然樣貌，但入屋後幾乎不見蟲跡，對於想親近大自然又怕蟲的城市人來說，非常適合。
Another pleasant surprise: even in the peak of summer (we visited in late July), Sengokuhara’s climate was gentle. While Tokyo was sweltering at 34–37°C, here it stayed between 23–30°C — truly an escape from the heat.
另外一個驚喜是即使在盛夏（我們是 7 月底去的），酒店所在的地區仍溫度宜人 —— 當東京正經歷 34–37 度高溫時，仙石原仍徘徊在 23–30 度之間，果然是避暑勝地。
My favorite spot was the onsen bath. Technically indoors, but once the window was opened, we had birdsong, insects humming, and a cool breeze drifting in. Every evening after our day’s explorations, the four of us would soak together — the most restorative part of our trip. One morning I even slipped in alone before everyone else woke up, and savored a rare pocket of me time in the steam.
我最喜歡的是窗邊的溫泉池，雖然是室內，但打開窗戶就有蟲鳴鳥語與涼風吹拂。每天傍晚行程結束後，一家四口泡在裡面，是我們的療癒時光。還有一天我比大家早起，也在熱氣氤氳中享受了久違的 me time。
The bathroom had double sinks and came fully stocked with amenities, so there was little need to bring our own (though for eco reasons I still prefer to pack my own shower cap, cotton pads, and toothbrush).
浴室有雙洗手台，而且備品齊全，基本上不需要自己帶東西（不過出於環保，我都會自備浴帽、化妝棉、牙刷等用品）。
Villa #16’s dining area can be closed off with sliding doors. On mornings when I woke before the others, I would sit in this little corner with tea and snacks, watching the spiderwebs outside the window glisten in the sunlight.
Villa #16 的餐桌空間可用拉門獨立起來。清晨醒來、不想吵醒家人時，我就在這個專屬的小角落泡茶、吃點心、欣賞窗外樹梢上的蜘蛛網在陽光下閃閃發亮。
On the counter sat a hand grinder and coffee beans — things you would only use when you actually have time. At home, we’re always rushing with Nespresso, but here, somehow we had the leisure to hand-grind beans and brew coffee slowly. A rare, gentle rhythm.
料理台上還附了手搖磨豆器與咖啡豆，是得「有時間」才會使用的東西。在家我們總是用 Nespresso 快速解決咖啡需求，這幾天居然有閒情逸致手磨咖啡豆，是難得的節奏。
Due to a tsunami warning, we decided to skip the ocean and extend our stay at Hakone Retreat, moving into Villa #18 this time. Though smaller than Villa #16 (90 vs. 120 sqm), the layout was more open, and the space felt just as comfortable. If you’re curious, the hotel website has floor plans for every villa — each one designed a little differently.
後來因為海嘯警報改變行程，我們臨時決定在 Hakone Retreat 續住，這次換到了 Villa 18。這棟別墅雖然面積比 Villa 16 小（90 vs. 120 平米），但空間配置更開放，住起來同樣舒適。有興趣的人可以上飯店官網查看每間 villa 的平面圖，設計都略有不同。
I particularly loved the morning light at this villa. It streamed in so beautifully, making me reluctant to leave at all.
而且這間別墅晨間的光線特別美，讓人捨不得離開。
Em happened to be in a paper airplane phase during our stay…
入住期間，Em 正好處於一個很愛折紙飛機的階段…
El, always ready to go.
隨時都準備好出門溜達的 El。
Ryotei Hyoseki, The Japanese Restaurant at Villa 1/f
While Hakone Retreat’s villas and rooms are all Western in style, tucked within the grounds is a wonderfully atmospheric Japanese restaurant — Ryotei Hyoseki. Once a ryokan from the Showa era, it even hosted the father of Japan’s current emperor.
Villa 1/f 的日式料亭 “俵石閣”
Hakone Retreat 的別墅和房間都是西式的，但園區內卻有著一間古色古香的日式餐廳 — 俵石閣。它的前身是昭和時期的老旅館，日本現任天皇的父親也曾下榻於此。
The restaurant is divided into private rooms, which makes dining with kids much less stressful — no need to worry about disturbing other guests. Over the course of our stay, we dined in four different rooms, each one elegant and uniquely styled.
俵石閣裡全都是各室，私密性高，也不怕孩子吵到別的客人。我們前後在四個不同的空間用過餐，每一間都相當雅致、各有特色。
Breakfast here was a traditional Japanese set meal: steaming Hakone yudofu (tofu hot pot), fluffy tamagoyaki, grilled fish, perfectly cooked white rice, miso soup, and a spread of delicate side dishes — both refined and filling.
早餐是傳統日式定食 – 熱騰騰的箱根湯豆腐、日式蛋捲、烤魚、完美的白飯、味噌湯、小菜等，精緻又飽足。
Dinner was a full kaiseki course, thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented. The option of all-you-can-drink sake and wine didn’t hurt either.
晚餐的會席料理也頗有水準，而且酒水喝到飽的方案讓人格外開心。
A small but very welcome detail: kid’s meal was so generously portioned that both our children could share one and still have leftovers (not included in the photo are rice, miso soup, and fruits).
順帶一提，這裡的兒童餐份量澎湃，我們兩個孩子吃一份都還有剩。（照片里還沒拍到白飯、味噌湯、水果…）
This is Fumoto-san, who looked after us several times at Hyoseki. She spoke fluent English and always greeted us with a warm, radiant smile. When the tsunami warning hit, she went above and beyond to help us check local news and phoned our next hotel to confirm the situation. We were truly grateful for her kindness.
這是在俵石閣服務過我們好幾次的 Fumoto-san，英文流利，而且總是面帶燦爛笑容（可能因為她來自陽光充足的沖繩？）。海嘯警報發生時，她也很熱心地為我們查詢消息、打電話給下一家酒店確認情況，真的很感謝她。
före Suite : Every Window a View
Between our two villa stays, we also spent one night in the hotel area’s före Suite. At 109 sqm, it comes with a spacious living room, balcony, two bedrooms, and a bathroom with a bathtub.
Note: the bathtub isn’t onsen water. If you want a soak, you’ll need to head to the hotel’s public bath. We skipped it this time – partly because it’s a hassle with kids, and partly because the private baths in the villas had already spoiled us.
每一扇窗都是風景：北歐風套房 före Suite
在兩間 villa 之間，我們還有一晚體驗了飯店區的 före Suite。面積有109平米，包含一個寬敞的起居室、陽台、兩間臥室、和帶有浴缸的浴室。
注：浴室有浴缸但不是溫泉，若想泡湯可到酒店大眾浴池。我們這晚沒去，一來是帶著孩子不方便，二來前幾晚的私湯已經滿足。
A low table that’s perfect for the kids play.
適合孩子畫畫、堆積木的矮桌。
Not to be missed – cold beers and juices on the balcony (drinks from the minibar are complimentary).
休息片刻，在陽台上喝一杯冰涼的啤酒或果汁（冰箱里的飲料都不額外收費。）
Every window looked out to shades of green. It really felt like living inside a forest.
每一扇窗看出去都是樹，完全是住在森林裡的感覺。
My favorite thing about the före Suite was the two bedrooms. The girls could sleep separately without disturbing each other, and the beds were so spacious that no matter how much the kids rolled around, they never rolled into us. That night in the suite ended up being the most restful sleep I had the entire trip.
我最喜歡 före Suite 的一點是有兩間臥室，姐妹分房間睡不容易互相干擾，而且床寬敞到讓孩子怎麼滾都不會滾到我們。在套房的這一晚，是我整趟旅途中睡最安穩的一次。
före Hotel Area – Restaurant, Café, and Lounge
The hotel’s Woodside Restaurant has a completely different feel from Hyoseki. Here, breakfast is served buffet-style, with both Japanese and Western options – perfect if you’ve had your fill of traditional Japanese set breakfasts. The advantage is that no reservation is required, which makes it easier for more spontaneous travelers, though it does lack the privacy of the villa restaurant.
före 酒店區餐廳、咖啡館、交誼廳
酒店區的 Woodside 餐廳與俵石閣風格不同，提供的是自助早餐，有日式和西式的選擇，吃膩了日式定食早餐可以來這裡換換口味。優點是無需事先預約，更適合行程比較彈性的旅人，不過私密性沒有俵石料亭好。選擇在哪裡用餐，還是看個人喜好。
I tried both the Japanese and Western selections over two mornings, and especially liked the Japanese curry rice, and the onsen egg + rice + natto combo. On the Western side, the made-to-order egg dishes (e.g. smoked salmon eggs Benedict) were solid as well.
在這裡的兩個早晨，我把日式、西式都試了一輪。喜歡日式的咖喱飯、還有溫泉蛋+白飯+納豆組合，西式的現點現做蛋料理也不錯，比如煙燻鮭魚 eggs Benedict。
We also tried Woodside’s dinner set, which was overall well-executed but not particularly memorable, except for one dish: a peach vichyssoise (cold peach soup), unlike anything I’d tasted before. It was so refreshing and perfect for the season that I now want to recreate it at home.
有一晚也在 Woodside 試了晚餐套餐，料理總體來說中規中矩，有水準但印象不深，唯有一道桃子冷湯（peach vichyssoise）很驚艷，是之前從沒嚐過的味道，讓我想在家復刻。
And yes, Woodside also offers an all-you-can-drink plan. Draft beer to start, always.
Woodside 同樣也有酒精喝到飽的方案。總之，先來一杯生啤！
Across from the restaurant is a café open to hotel guests all day, serving complimentary coffee, tea, and juices (pastries and alcoholic drinks are extra). With its floor-to-ceiling windows looking out into the greenery, it became our daily pit stop before heading out to explore.
餐廳的對面有一間森林系咖啡廳，全天對住客開放，提供免費咖啡、茶與果汁（糕點與酒精飲料需付費）。整面落地窗望出去都是綠色，是我們每天出門溜達前的必經地。
There’s also the Free Bird Terrace with hammocks, books, and board games. They also serve shaved ice in the afternoons and sparklers in the evenings, a good place to let kids blow off some steam.
另外還有 Free Bird Terrace，一個室內外兼具的活動區。室內有書籍、桌游，室外可以躺吊床、下午提供刨冰、晚上能玩線香花火，很適合帶孩子來放電。
Villa 1/f vs. före – Which Do I Recommend?
Villa 1/f and före each has its own charms, and if you have the time, it might be nice to experience both as we did. But if I had to pick just one…it’s the villas, for sure. The space felt more updated, the amenities more refined, and the service more attentive — from the buggy that appears on call, to transfers when dining outside the property, and even a dedicated staff member who felt almost like a private butler. The villas do come with a higher price tag, so it’s a matter of choosing what best suits your needs and budget.
This is Isami-san, who looked after us like a butler during our stay. He took care of everything big and small — check-in and check-out, arranging meals, organizing transfers — always with a warm smile. His Mandarin is so fluent that I had no chance to practice my Japanese this time around.
Villa 1/f vs. före，我更推薦哪一邊？
Villa 1/f 別墅區和 före 飯店區和各有各的優點，若時間充裕，可以像我們一樣兩個都體驗看看。不過若只能選一邊，我個人更喜歡別墅區 – 房間更新、備品更高級、服務也更細緻 – 隨叫隨到的 buggy、到外面餐廳用餐時的接送、還有一位類似管家的專人服務。不過別墅的價格自然也比房間高了不少，大家可以根據自己的需求和預算選擇。
這位是 Isami-san，我們入住的這幾天，他像管家一樣照顧我們，協助處理了大小事務（check-in/out、安排餐點、接送等），非常熱心。他的中文很流利，讓我這次完全沒有練習日文的機會。
During our last night at Hakone Retreat, I lay in bed listening quietly to the chorus of crickets outside. I had El on my right, Em on my left, and A just beyond. Since we have separate rooms for kids at home, the four of us all sleeping together is a rare and rather precious experience.
It wasn’t exactly restful — I was often woken by stray punches and kicks — but even so, I felt deeply fortunate in that moment, to have the time and space to slow down for a few days. The trip had been reshaped by a tsunami warning, which we first thought a disappointment, but in the end it turned out to be a serendipitous twist for our journey.
I’d love to come back in different seasons — autumn for maple leaves, winter for snow…
在 Hakone Retreat 的最後一晚，我躺在床上靜靜聽著屋外此起彼落的蟲鳴。右邊是 El，左邊是 Em，再過去是 A – 一家四口這樣一起睡，對平常跟孩子分房的我們來說，是件難得的事。
雖然睡得不怎麼安穩，時不時被妹妹橫過來的小胖腿踢醒，或被姐姐無意識地揮拳擊中，但那個當下，心裡覺得十分幸運。能有這樣的餘裕，在綠意包圍下過幾天慢日子。因為海嘯警報而改變的行程，原以為是遺憾，卻成了這趟旅程最美的安排。
很想要在不同的季節回來，秋日賞楓、冬日賞雪…
Hakone Retreat may not be the best fit for travelers hoping to cram in three or four attractions a day. The real beauty here lies in slowing down — brewing a cup of coffee by the window, sitting still, listening to the insects humming and the wind rustling through the trees. If you happen to be feeling worn out, longing for a pause in your everyday life, come stay a few days. Sink into the forest, and just breathe.
Hakone Retreat 可能不太適合一天跑三、四個景點的旅人。這裡的魅力在於 “慢” – 靜下來，在窗邊泡杯咖啡，坐著聽蟲鳴和風穿過樹葉的聲音。如果你最近剛好累了，想讓生活安靜一下，不妨來這裡待幾天，沈進森林里，慢慢呼吸。
In the next post, I’ll share a pocket list of museums and little shops within a 15-minute drive from Hakone Retreat.
下一篇，再來分享距離 Hakone Retreat 車程 15 分鐘內能抵達的美術館與小店口袋名單。
Hakone Retreat före & villa 1/f
Add: 1286-116 Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa
地址：神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町仙石原 1286-116
Website / 網站：https://www.hakone-retreat.com