Washintei Hogetsu

The location is excellent, but the service (especially handling of accommodation reservations) leaves much to be desired. It is not suitable as a gift for special occasions, and I would not recommend it for stays involving foreign guests. The location is great, and I have fond memories of staying there many years ago. With that in mind, I planned a surprise gift for my mother and relatives visiting from abroad by booking the accommodation online. After the reservation was successfully completed, I received an email from the staff stating, "We do not accept proxy reservations." Reluctantly, I gave up on the surprise and asked my mother to book the accommodation herself using her own name and contact information. This time, the reservation was again successfully completed, and even the online payment was finalized without issue. However, my mother then received a phone call from the staff. Since foreign guests were included, she was asked to provide the ID information and flight details of all guests, including children, as well as details of other accommodations during their stay. Although we complied with this request, the information had to be submitted via email. Since my elderly mother does not use email, I sent the requested information on her behalf. After submitting all the required details, we received another call from the staff, who said that they generally do not accept reservations if foreign guests are included or if the person booking cannot independently handle basic email communication. My mother suggested alternative solutions such as prepayment or phone verification, but the conversation was abruptly ended, and a cancellation email was sent shortly after. If restrictions such as "no proxy reservations," "guests must have sufficient IT skills," or "foreign guests must submit ID, flight information, and accommodation details for all members" had been clearly outlined in the terms at the time of booking, it would have saved us considerable trouble. While I understand the need for security measures, requesting extensive personal information, including details for all guests, travel plans, and credit card information, after payment has been completed—only to cancel the reservation unilaterally—raises serious concerns. Despite the online payment being processed, I wonder if a refund will actually be issued within a few months. When I spoke with the staff on the phone, they dismissed my concerns with a single response: "It is our policy, and there is no problem." What stood out to me more than the policies or facilities of the inn was the overwhelming lack of kindness and consideration. 地理位置非常优越，但服务（特别是住宿预约方面）并不令人满意。 不适合作为庆祝的礼物，如果有外国客人参与，也不推荐选择这家住宿。 由于地理位置很好，而且很久以前曾入住过并留下了美好的回忆，我计划为母亲和即将来日本的亲戚准备一个惊喜礼物，便通过网络进行了预约。在预约成功完成后，收到了旅馆负责人的邮件，简单回复了一句：“不接受代为预约”。 无奈之下，我放弃了这个惊喜计划，改为请母亲以她的名义和电话信息进行网络预约。这次预约也顺利完成，包括网络支付也正常完成。 然而，随后负责人给母亲打了电话。因为有外国客人入住，他们要求提供包括儿童在内的所有住宿者的身份证信息、机票信息以及旅行期间其他住宿地点的信息。虽然无奈但我们还是按要求提供了信息。然而，由于需要通过邮件提交信息，而母亲是高龄者，没有

We were a group of four and spent a very pleasant time at Washintei Hogetsu ryokan. The ryokan is small, yet the interior is spacious and relaxing. We stayed in a room with balcony with a view of mountain covered with fresh green. The building is next to the forest of Hakone Shrine so we enjoyed fresh air and chirps of birds. Besides the public bath of hot spring, private bath with a view was also beautiful (private bath is not hot spring but hot water). Dinner and breakfast were served in a spacious private room separate from guest rooms, which made us feel being in a luxurious traditional style restaurant. The modern Japanese course meal was wonderful, including dessert. Staff members were polite and warm, they helped me to celebrate Mother's Day for my mother (which was my purpose of the trip), the service was unforgettable. Back home I read that many of the Hogetsu's guests are frequent visitors, and that is understandable. I also wish to stay again.