
Hakone is the favourite holiday retreat of Tokyo's citizens, and for good reason: a region of glorious mountains, thick forests, meadows of cherry trees giving shade to ancient Shintu shrines - it's an otherworld of relaxation, romance and rejuvenation. The best ryokans in Hakone with a private onsen come in many forms - from chic, minimalist affairs to luxurious, classically Japanese stays, and all the best Hakone ryokans have private onsens fed from the nearby geothermal valley. The waters are medicinal, the views are magical, and the rooms are divine.
For a spa break

- Hotel Okada stands at the source of a natural hot spring. It's a smart, contemporary hotel with simple rooms adorned with flourishes of classical Japan. The hotel boasts 5 fountainheads fed from the waters of Mount Yusaka, making it a wonderful stay for those seeking the best of the Japanese onsen experience. Guests can book 3 types of guestroom with a private onsen; there's also a pampering spa, communal onsens scattered throughout, and of course, the evening karaoke club.
- You can expect luxury as standard from Gora Kadan; after all, it was once the holiday home of the Imperial family. With spacious, uncluttered rooms - designed, seemingly, to maximise a sense of serenity - adorned with western-style beds and splashes of chic decor, and all boasting its own private outdoor onsen looking out towards the mountains. For those seeking a spa holiday, they'll enjoy the spoiling spa, gym and swimming pool. A real treat!
For a chic hotel

- On the quirkier side, Yushintei is a chic, cosy, riverside ryokan offering simple, minimalist rooms blending classic Japanese style with modern Western touches. Each room has its own hot spring bath, and for those wanting a slice of Japan, the restaurant serves up delightful regional cuisine.
For a romantic break

- The enchanting views of Mount Fuji, as seen from the private outdoor hot spring baths of the guestrooms of Yoshimatsu, are one-in-a-million. Couples love it here. This is a hotel of intimacy and relaxation, on a forested hill far from anywhere. The rooms are airy, stripped-back and spacious, in classic Japanese style. For ultimate relaxation, book a luxury suite with an open-air onsen.
- A blend of Japanese and Western designs, Hakone Kowakien Ten Yu offers private, terraced onsens with incredibly romantic, near-magical views of Mount Fuji. The rooms themselves are contemporary and stripped-back in that classically Japanese style, while the restaurant is a sumptous focal point: serving up all sorts of food, from Japanese specialities to pizzas and burgers. Delightful, romantic - couples will love this.
For an authentic feel

- If you want a historic ryokan, look no further than Furuya Ryokan. Boasting spacious, traditional onsens, as well as light, airy, classically Japanese rooms with their own private hot springs baths, this charming, plush hotel gives you a lot of choices. Set in tranquil, leafy surroundings, the rooms breathe new life into Old Japan: tatami mats, plenty of wood and paper shutters, all with gorgeous views.
- Serene, picturesque and intimate, it's easy to see why the site of Atami Sekitei was favoured by one of Japan's great unifiers, Shogun Tokugawa Leyasu. The beautiful, classically Japanese cottages are centred around the ancient, spacious onsens. But for those who don't like "getting traditional", (meaning: relaxing with naked strangers in the bubbles of a hot spring bath), guests can book a room with a private onsen.
- KAI Hakone is all about choices. Set amid leafy woodland, the focal point is the traditional, communal onsens - in truly mesmerising surroundings - but for the anti-nudists among you, you can book a room with a private outdoor onsen, or book a session in one of the hotel's many private baths. The rooms are so spacious you might as well be staying in a traditional Japanese house, and there's a choice of Western or Japanese rooms. Spoiling.
Alpine-chic

-
Hakone Retreat Villa 1/F is only 2 hours from Tokyo, but it looks like the refurbished cabin of an Alpine mountaineer who's hit the big time. With its totally unique Alpine-esque rustic take on the traditional Japanese ryokan, each wood-panelled, rustic-chic guestroom opens out to its own private hot spring bath, staring out over the canopy of the forest. Choose from Japanese or French-style cuisine - your move.
On a budget

- Ginyu Ryokan is incredible value for money. Sitting in the picturesque Hakone mountains and forests, this charming hotel offers traditional Japanese guestrooms with their own private terraces centred around a hot spring bath. You'll be served Kaiseki cuisine in the restaurant, and can stroll around this utterly romantic and tranquil property at your leisure.
- Yama No Chaya prides itself as a centre of wellness and relaxation, and it lives up to that vision while also remaining fairly inexpensive (by Hakone standards), considering the pampering luxury awaiting you. The rooms are full of light, with traditional Japanese flourishes like tatami flooring and the option of futon beds; the private guestroom onsens are a godsend, and there's a spa offering aromatherapy and in-room massages. A pure, pampering stay.
- Whilst it may be good value, Gora Hanaougi is also an elegant and luxurious stay. With the atmosphere of a temple deep in the mountains, it offers spacious and serene suites adorned in native wood beams and with their own private open-air baths looking out over the mountains. It's a wonderful stay.
For a family holiday

- Offering private, outdoor onsens fed with water from the volcanic valley of Owakudani, KAI Sengokuhara looks out over the valley from a hilltop setting. The rooms are cool-yet-traditional. Think futon-style beds and washi paper screens and walls adorned with chic splashes of abstract art. The restaurant serves up kaiseki meals, with an emphasis on locally-sourced seafood, and in the evenings, the hotel puts on Tenugui towel art workshops that are a favourite of children.
For a contemporary feel

- The emphasis on architectural purity at Kinnotake Tonosawa is not everyone's cup-of-tea, but for those who like stripped-back, minimalist, highly modern design, you'll love it. With floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the forest, each suite has its own private hot spring bath. The "purity" of the design is an attempt to allow serenity to blossom, and the spacious rooms certainly do that.