Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora: A Stay Review

Yoko, the hotel-dwelling gourmet hunter, @foodie_yoko here! I live in hotels and eat out 365 days a year.

This time I visited HOTEL INDIGO HAKONE GORA!

Hotel Indigo is a lifestyle boutique hotel brand run worldwide by IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora opened in 2020.

There are also Hotel Indigo Karuizawa and Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen in other areas, and more are opening one after another!

Getting to Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora

From central Tokyo, an express bus or a car is probably the most convenient. Gora has a lot of slopes, so walking around may be a bit tough.

Around the hotel there is a river and just a few restaurants, and no convenience stores.

There is no coin laundry either, so rather than a long stay, I recommend using it for a hole-up resort stay.

The Entrance of Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora

We have arrived at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora! Let’s head inside.

There was a rickshaw (jinrikisha) in front of the hotel entrance, and you could take photos freely.

It has such atmosphere and gets you in the mood!

Inside the lobby is a gift corner with lots of yosegi-zaiku (Hakone marquetry) pieces on display.

The restaurant is connected to the lobby, so the space feels quite large!

The ceiling with its marquetry-style design is cute!

Inside the restaurant, it extends wide and has quite a lot of seats.

We had the welcome drink. You can choose from juice or tea!

We were also given a mysterious lemon, lol. You carry it to your room in a drawstring pouch.

Heading to the room. The corridor is fairly roomy like this.

An old telephone is displayed near the elevator, which gives a retro feel.

From the corridor you can look down on the foot bath.

The Room at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora

We were assigned Room 302.

The room key card comes with a poetic message.

Right inside the entrance is the toilet. The washbasin is farther away, so there is also a sink here to wash your hands.

Here are the beds. There were three of us, so we had two doubles and had the sofa converted into a bed.

A bar counter, literally labeled "baa" (bar). The washbasin is at the back.

Under the bar are mineral water, tea utensils and a Nespresso machine.

Below are drawers in a marquetry style.

Inside the drawers are mugs, TWG tea, a bottle opener and more.

At the washbasin, tissues and amenities were gathered together in a wooden tub, which was cute!

The hair dryer is a Mod’s Hair, with decent power.

The shower room is across from the washbasin. It was stocked with Biology body soap and shampoo.

Outside is an open-air bath! Perhaps because it’s still new, it has a lovely scent of hinoki (Japanese cypress).

Here I calmly take out the lemon.

Fill the tub with hot water, float the lemon in it, and the lemon bath is done! I’d never actually had a lemon bath before, and the fresh scent felt wonderful.

Sipping Fuji mineral water and taking breaks, I could stay in the tub for ages.

By the way, the bus terminal is right in front, and at night it gives off a bit of a reality check, so you may prefer to bathe between midday and early evening.

For loungewear there is a yukata (light cotton kimono), a haori jacket to wear over it, and even a bathrobe.

The yukata was in the lower drawer. It’s white with a red obi sash and cute, but unfortunately it can’t be worn around the hotel! I’d really like them to allow it.

The fridge was packed with drinks, though we didn’t have any.

The Spa at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora

With nothing in particular to do, I explored the hotel a little!

From here on is the spa zone.

This is probably the room for taking spa treatment orders.

This is the gym. There are several treadmills, and a large display plays a fireworks video.

This is the area lined with treatment rooms.

They let me take a quick peek. The room is cute!

The Communal Bath at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora

So what is the bath like?
The communal bath at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora is mixed-gender, swimsuits required, and tattoos are OK.
I think wearing a swimsuit probably makes it easier for international guests to accept culturally.

Pass through the noren curtain into the communal bath.

In the middle as you enter is a big display, with fireworks going off.
In front of it is the bubble bath zone.

Opposite is a sofa area. There’s a water server beside it, so you can lounge around while drinking water. (No alcohol.)

The two chairs you can glimpse past the sofa are warm to sit on, like a stone sauna (ganbanyoku). You can lie down with half of your body in the water.

This zone is deeper and seems good for walking. A current flows like a lazy river.

The Foot Bath at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora

From beside the restaurant you can step out to the foot bath area.

There are parasols too, so a bit of drizzle or sun is no problem. Light food and drinks are possible as well.

A river flows right in front.

This is the foot bath from the side. Towels are provided, so it’s nice that you can drop in casually.

Who Should Stay at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora

I think Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora is a fairly modern-style hotel even by Hakone standards.

Its signature is the swimsuit-wear, mixed-gender communal bath.
You’d think there would be one in Tokyo, but there actually isn’t, and you can also enjoy a Hakone-style open-air bath in your room.

It’s aimed more at a younger crowd, and I recommend it for couples!

If you’re curious, why not go once?