Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora Review: Room Onsen, Thermal Spring and Access

Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora puts a natural hot-spring bath in every guest room. Its other bathing space works differently: the co-ed Thermal Spring requires swimwear, so couples, families and friends can use it together. That combination makes the hotel an appealing choice if you want privacy in your room but would still enjoy a shared soak with your travel companions.

It is less of a match for someone seeking a traditional ryokan routine, a gender-separated bath for naked bathing, or a room guaranteed to have an open-air tub. Every room has a private spring bath, but room layouts vary. The useful booking question is not simply “Does my room have an onsen?” It does. Check whether the particular room you are paying for has the setting and view you want.

The room bath is the sure thing; the view is room-specific

The hotel has 94 guest rooms and six suites. Standard rooms measure about 37–38 square metres, Premium rooms about 49 square metres, and suites range from 56 to 78 square metres. All have a tub that can be filled with natural spring water from Miyagino. The hotel identifies the water as a chloride and sulfate spring, with water added and heating applied.

That is a natural hot spring, but it is not the same claim as untreated, free-flowing source water. If “no added water or heating” is part of your definition of an onsen stay, the published information does not support that expectation here.

Room category determines whether the tub is indoor or open-air, and whether the outlook faces the river or hillside. Check the selected room’s description; the property photos may show a different layout.

For other Hakone stays with spring water in the room, see the Hakone guide to rooms with a private onsen.

Thermal Spring is where companions can bathe together

The Thermal Spring is a shared, mixed-gender space with swimwear required. It is not a private bath you book for a time slot, nor a conventional public bath where guests bathe separately by gender. The hotel lists a walking bath, shallower pools and a deeper Jacuzzi. Its official page gives usual hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; opening times can change for maintenance, so check the current notice if the morning soak is important to your plans.

Guests can use the facility as part of their stay. Swimwear and bathing garments can be rented for ¥500; the hotel says IHG One Rewards members staying at the property can borrow swimwear without charge. Children under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult, and children cannot bathe while wearing diapers. Day visitors pay ¥1,500, but the hotel may restrict entry when it is busy, so staying overnight is the more dependable way to plan around it.

Tattoos are permitted in the Thermal Spring, according to the hotel’s current IHG listing. The facility also allows cameras, but that is not an invitation to photograph other bathers; keep other guests out of your pictures. These policies make the shared area unusually straightforward for tattooed travelers and mixed-gender groups. For other properties, see the Hakone tattoo-friendly onsen guide.

There is also an outdoor footbath beside Riverside Kitchen & Bar, overlooking the Hayakawa River. It is a lighter option if you want to sit by the water without making another trip to the changing room.

Getting to the hotel: use the shuttle or the Miyagino Bridge stop

Despite the name, the hotel is not right beside Gora Station. The site itself warns that the walk from the station involves steep slopes and stairs, and does not recommend walking with luggage.

The free shuttle from Odawara Station’s west exit leaves at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The ride takes about 40 minutes in normal traffic, but Hakone congestion can extend it. Seats are limited and the Odawara-to-hotel bus cannot be reserved, so arrive before departure.

For the return trip, listed departures are 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Reserve a seat with the front desk.

An on-request pickup between Gora Station and the hotel runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call after reaching the station. The vehicle normally holds up to four passengers; groups should confirm capacity.

If you are taking a public bus, get off at Miyagino Bridge (Miyagino Bashi); the hotel says it is about a two-minute walk from the stop. That is a more practical arrival than hauling luggage up from Gora Station. For help planning the rest of the route, use the Hakone no-car loop guide and Hakone stay-area guide.

What kind of stay suits this hotel?

Indigo is a strong fit when a private spring bath in the room is essential, but you also want the option of bathing alongside your partner or family. The room bath works at your own pace; the Thermal Spring adds a larger shared space without requiring you to book a private slot. The hotel’s contemporary design and wood-fire restaurant give the stay a polished hotel feel rather than a traditional inn schedule.

It is a weaker fit if you will arrive late and leave early, since much of the price is tied to facilities you may not have time to use. It is also worth looking elsewhere if you need every room to have an outdoor bath, expect untreated source water, or prefer an old-style ryokan with a gender-separated bathing routine. Dinner is not automatically included in every rate, so compare the room-only, breakfast and dinner plans by total cost before choosing.

For the shorter comparison with another Hakone stay that also has a private onsen in every room, see Ten-yu vs Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora. The private-bath ryokan comparison is more useful if you are deciding between bookable private baths rather than room baths.

<p class="booking-disclosure">These are affiliate links. The site may earn a commission if you book through them. Room rates, availability, meals and cancellation terms vary by date; check the final booking page.</p>

Sources and verification

- [Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora: rooms and suites](https://www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/us/en/hakone/hkhhg/hoteldetail/rooms) - [Hotel Indigo: in-room spas](https://hakonegora.hotelindigo.com/en/onsen-fitness/in-room-spas), [Thermal Spring](https://hakonegora.hotelindigo.com/en/onsen-fitness/thermal-spring), and [onsen and wellness](https://hakonegora.hotelindigo.com/en/onsen-fitness) - [Hotel Indigo: access and shuttle details](https://hakonegora.hotelindigo.com/en/access) - [IHG: hotel amenities and tattoo policy](https://www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/us/en/hakone/hkhhg/hoteldetail) - [Thermal Spring opening-hours notice, September 2026](https://hakonegora.hotelindigo.com/en/updates-en/information-en/notice202609)

Checked: September 28, 2026