Fuji Matsuzono Hotel

Right outside the hotel is Lake Yamanaka, which is quieter and more affordable than Lake Kawaguchiko. Plus, there are plenty of restaurants around that stay open late, so you don't have to worry about finding food at night. This means there's no real need to book dinner with your stay. The buffet dinner wasn't anything special, though the fruit was quite good. It's a bit of a distance to Fuji-Q Highland and Lake Kawaguchiko if you're coming from abroad, taking about an hour by bus.

Great stay! The room was spotless and very tidy, and the hot springs were incredibly relaxing – super satisfied. The staff were all really warm and proactive, and their English was good, which made communication easy. The location is super convenient too, right where the bus drops you off.

I've been staying here for three days now, in a corner room. Being up in the mountains, the room always feels a bit damp and gloomy. I wanted to switch rooms because I wasn't happy with it, and I'd totally understand if there were no rooms available. I even mentioned I'd extend my stay for another three days (since the weather's been bad and I haven't seen Mount Fuji yet, so I'm waiting for it to clear up). But the staff's attitude was so arrogant. Even after I told them my English wasn't good, they insisted on speaking English and refused to use a translation app. It was just a complete communication breakdown. Out of all my trips to Japan, this is by far the worst staff attitude I've encountered. They had such a disdainful expression, and when I told them in English that the toilet was clogged and asked for someone to fix it, I don't know if they didn't understand or what, but they told me to use the public restroom! It was incredibly frustrating and utterly dismissive service.

The surroundings are beautiful, with Lake Yamanaka and Mount Fuji being stunning.

This hotel is a bit old-fashioned but generally well-maintained. Many people take photos of a Japanese-style gate, but that's actually not part of the hotel; it belongs to a private residence next door. There were a lot of tour groups staying here. The dinner buffet was decent. Most of the front desk staff are from Southeast Asia and speak good English.

The hotel staff provided excellent service, even offering a hand-drawn map for reference. The location is incredibly convenient; whether you're coming from Gotemba Premium Outlets or taking a bus to Tokyo, you can board right at the hotel entrance. We were lucky enough to have a view of Mount Fuji from our room, which my friends absolutely loved for taking photos. The front desk staff spoke good English, so communication was seamless. The 150 JPY per person hot spring bath was an amazing value! On a weekday evening, it wasn't crowded at all, and it even had an outdoor bath. I imagine it would be absolutely beautiful if it were snowing.

The hotel is quite close to the bus stop, about a 4-minute walk, but there are no convenience stores nearby. If you stay here, you'll need to book the hotel's breakfast or buy breakfast in advance. The facilities are a bit old, and it seems there are no disposable slippers, only geta (wooden clogs). However, the scenery is absolutely beautiful, with a direct view of Mount Fuji, so you can watch the sunrise right from your room in the morning. Overall, I'm quite satisfied.