Villa Motosu

A Restful Retreat Wrapped in Natural Woodland by Lake Motosu

Villa Motosu is a quiet place to stay about a 10-minute walk from Lake Motosu, one of the Fuji Five Lakes, surrounded by the rich natural woodland at the foot of Mount Fuji. It is a health village for ward residents owned by Chuo Ward, Tokyo, but guests who are not ward residents can stay as well, and it is run by the Fujiya Hotel, a long-established hotel in Hakone. Lake Motosu is also known as the model for Sakasa Fuji, the upside-down reflection of Mount Fuji shown on the back of the 1,000-yen note, and the setting suits families who want to leave the bustle behind and take things slowly.

Rooms Centered on Japanese-Style Tatami Rooms and Cottages

There are 29 rooms in all. The 36 sq m Type A rooms come as a 10-tatami Japanese-style tatami room, a Western-style twin room, or a Japanese-Western room with 6 tatami mats plus a bed. The 72 sq m Type B rooms include Motosu, a spacious Japanese-style tatami room of 10 tatami mats plus 8 tatami mats. On the grounds there are also two two-story cottages, Kosuitei and Jukaitei, each sleeping up to 10 guests. Tatami rooms make it easy to put down a baby at the crawling stage or a small child, and for large families or three-generation trips the cottages and the larger Japanese-style tatami rooms keep everyone together.

Welcoming Families with Children

There is no age restriction on children staying, and children aged 1 to 3 can stay with co-sleeping. Children's yukata are available, so the whole family can enjoy the communal bath and the family bath together. On the other hand, dedicated children's facilities such as a playroom, a pool or baby-item rentals are not listed, so it is safest to bring what you need for diaper changes and feeding.

Baths and Activities

The communal bath is known for its view over the trees and has a sauna alongside it. The water is not a natural hot spring but an artificial one using Toron mineral-ore bath salts. There is also a family bath you can use without worrying about other guests, so parents with small children can bathe at ease. Inside the building and on the grounds you can use two tennis courts (with equipment available to borrow free of charge), bicycles available to borrow free of charge, table tennis, a mahjong room, electric massage machines and a library corner, which leaves you options even on a rainy day. Meals are a course you can choose in either Japanese or Western style.

Access

By train, take a public bus from Kawaguchiko Station, get off at the Lake Motosu stop and walk about 20 minutes. A shuttle from around 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. is also available, with advance reservation required. By car it is about 64 minutes from Fuji IC. Direct shuttle buses also run from places such as the Yaesu exit of Tokyo Station. Parking for 24 cars is free. If anyone in your party has a food allergy, contact the property in advance about the foods that cause it and they will go over the details with you.