The hostel is located approximately 20mins away (by foot) from Hakone-Yumoto station, in a quieter part of the neighbourhood. The staff are very friendly, welcoming and helpful. They also promote the local culture by encouraging the guests to speak basic Japanese phrases! The facilities are great and the onsens are really good too.

People with long legs (like myself) may find that the toilets are abit small. Word of caution: the drivers around Hakone area tend to speed and drive recklessly. When going to K's house, be wary of the blind spots that cars will tend to cross over.

We stayed in Room 301 which is a traditional Japanese tatami room. The room was large and comfortable, with blackout curtains on the windows, which kept it reasonably dark in the morning. There are five futons in the closet, along with the number of linens for how many people are staying that night. Five would be tight, but workable. Certainly, a family of four would be comfortable in the space. The extras in the hotel were very nice: the outdoor onsen is beautiful and tranquil, the lounge very comfortable and a good place to read or talk with other travelers, and the patio adjacent pleasant in the cooler evenings. There is a kitchen where brewed coffee is made between 7.30 and 11. All other times, hot water is available to make tea or instant coffee. You can store food in a communal refrigerator and use the stove, cutlery, and dishware as long as you clean up. The place was booked while we were there, but all of the patrons were considerate and quiet. The staff spoke English and was on-site between 8 am and 8 pm. They were very helpful. The location is generally good. It is about a 15-minute walk down a steep hill to get to the bus and train station, but there is a convenience store just down the road. Since we had a lot of luggage, we hired a taxi to take us from the bus station to K's and it cost about 660 yen. I would recommend the Hakone Free Pass if you are using bus and train to get around the area. There are also attraction fees that it covers as well. The bus is 1080 yen to get to Lake Ashi.

K's was great and this is no reflection on them, but this is just some information that could be useful.... While we were there (early September), many of the cafes did not open until 10 or 11 am and restaurants were sometimes closed a day or two during the week. For example, a restaurant that we ate at on Wednesday was very good, and we wanted to go again on Friday night, but they were closed. It was difficult to get breakfast out earlier than 10, so we bought yogurt at 7-11 the night before. By the end of our trip, we found this to be true in many places that we stayed in Japan.

Onsen: if you want a simple onsen experience and avoid the crowd, this place has an outdoor and indoor onsen which you can use. Host: Employees are very fluent in english, will not have any issues.

Location: They do warn you when you book the place, but you would need (or at least recommended) to get a cab/bus there that comes every 30 mins. if you attempt to walk up on your own with all your luggage (which I did) it is extremely exhausting. Maps/google maps also like to give you an alternative way of going to the place which requires you to scale up very steep stairs which is not viable if you have a suitcase.

Nice commmon facilities. Lovely outdoor onsen. Our room was very large and comfortable for our family of 4.

Some may find the location a bit far away from the main attractions but we found it lovely to be up on the hill with the sounds of the river and away from the crowd.

Staff was extremely attentive and helpful and happily answered all of my annoying questions! Didn't try the indoor onsen, but the outdoor one was incredible. Don't be put off by the capsule-style dorm beds--I had THE best night's sleep of my stay here (perhaps because I spent an hour soaking in the onsen, but still...). Each bed has a its own curtain, light, hangers, shelf w/ outlet and lockable storage box. The room lights are motion-activated, so I was worried I'd get woken up by other guests--thankfully this was not the case, thanks to the curtains and orientation of the beds. Note that there's an AC/heating unit controlled by the guests, so make sure it hasn't been set too high, especially if you're in an upper-level bed. Spacious common areas, including a porch/balcony with a nice view. Fresh-brewed coffee every morning. Right on the K line bus route, which you can take to the train station or to Lake Ashi (great views of Mt. Fuji, without having to do the typical, time-consuming tourist loop). Only downside is that the bus only comes once every half hour during the day. Tons of helpful information for tourists, including food recommendations, hikes, etc.

As noted in the listing, it's a 15-minute uphill walk from the train station, so you'll want to take a bus or taxi upon arrival. That said, walking downhill TO the station was fairly easy, even with a large pack. The men's bathroom only had one toilet, so you might need to wait or go to another floor from time to time.

Hostel is really clean and spacious with a large common room. Beds are very comfortable. Also the onsen in the hostel is a nice addition, although it's pretty small. Definitely check it out, but I recommend paying for a nicer one if you are staying multiple nights in Hakone. It also has a cool deck you can chill on during the day.

Hostel is on a hill on the outskirts of town so you will have to hike up from the station or wait for the bus. Beds are comfortable but somewhat stuffy when it's fully occupied. Not the best atmosphere, but I'm guessing most people go to this hostel to chill.

One of the only affordable and tattoo friendly onsen accommodations in a tourist town. My room was traditional tatami with a view of the street and mountainside. There was a toilet and sink. Shared bath was clean and always available. The shared living space had a stunning view. The kitchen was well stocked and clean. K's House is a hostel chain and I look forward to staying in their other locations in Japan.

Location is a bit far from the station. There is a bus stop nearby, but it is infrequent. If you decide to walk, some of the road is cobblestone and uphill. No grocery store nearby. In fact, there is no grocery store in Hakone so it's worth to buy groceries in Odawara before arriving. There is a convenience store 5 min. walk away that sells cup noodles, beer and snacks.

This was the first time we’ve stayed in a hostel-style accomodation with our kids and we all loved it. We had a private room with great views of the trees and hills. It was nice to have a kitchen to cook in, although there isn’t really a great choice of food to buy in the konbinis in the town, so maybe stock up at a supermarket in a bigger town if you can. After two weeks travelling with her family my 11-year-old daughter loved spending time in the common room reading and playing cards by herself. The outdoor onsen was a great place to sit and relax.

Great budget choice in Hakone. Delightful outdoor onsen, and the rooms/facilities in general are quite good. My biggest issue was the heat - the common areas are swelteringly hot (i.e., eating breakfast you are completely DRENCHED with sweat before you have even left the property!!). And the bedrooms have good air conditioning, but you're gonna have to haggle with other dorm-mates who might not want it as cool as you do.

So hot in all the common areas, and even in the bedrooms. Yuck. Just a sweaty mess! Also, it's pretty far from the main bus stop. Yes, you can take one of the local buses from the main Hakone bus stop to get to K's, but they are VERY infrequent. I walked, but it took quite a while, and I was VERY hot and sweaty by the time I arrived. And impossible to cool down afterwards, since the common areas in the hostel are super hot and steamy. No AC.

Room was large and comfortable for 4 people, felt clean and well-kept, other guests respectful and polite. Staff was fluent in English and kind, let us check-in a bit early. Onsen was a nice bonus! Close to the best burger spot in Hakone (Box Burger)

Location is a bit difficult, up a steep hill. Requires taxis or other transport to get to the most famous locations by the lake.