Motosu Phoenix Hotel

A resort hotel on the shore of Lake Motosu, wrapped in Mount Fuji's primeval forest

Motosu Phoenix Hotel is a 153-room resort hotel on the shore of Lake Motosu, the westernmost of the Fuji Five Lakes. Outside the windows stretches the primeval forest at the foot of Mount Fuji, a weave of moss-covered lava and trees, and the setting is as quiet as the hotel's "become one with nature" concept suggests. The Nakanokura Pass viewpoint, known for the upside-down reflection of Mount Fuji shown on the 1,000-yen note, is 4.6 km away, and the site of the spring Fuji Shibazakura Festival is 3.3 km away, making this an ideal base for sightseeing around Lake Motosu and the Asagiri Kogen area. It is deep in the countryside, about 40 minutes by car from Kawaguchiko Station and the Kawaguchiko IC, so the rule of thumb is to shop for supplies and fill up on fuel early. Parking on the grounds is free for 80 cars and needs no reservation.

Japanese-Western rooms with a raised tatami corner, plus baby items to borrow

There are four room types in the main building and two in the east building. The top pick for families is the main building's Japanese-Western room (34 sq m, up to 3 guests), which sets a raised tatami corner behind the twin beds; lay futon bedding on the tatami and you can sleep soundly beside a child who is still co-sleeping. Children ages 0 to 3 co-sleep free of charge, up to one child per adult, and children's rates apply for older children, including 50% of the adult rate for children who have not yet started elementary school (ages 4 to 6). Cribs and bed guards are available to borrow in limited quantities if you mention it when booking, and child-size yukata are provided as well, so the basics of family travel are properly covered. The kettle in the room can be used to prepare formula, and you can ask at the front desk when something needs warming. All rooms are non-smoking, though it is worth knowing that there is a smoking area on each floor of both the main and east buildings.

A communal bath and an open-air bath, but only a few rooms with a Mount Fuji view

The hotel has a communal bath and an open-air bath, with the open-air bath reserved for staying guests, and a sauna on the men's side only. After your bath there is table tennis, a karaoke room for a fee, a shop and a coin laundry, the kind of facilities you expect at a long-established resort hotel. To be candid, only a few rooms have a view of Mount Fuji, and Lake Motosu cannot be seen from the rooms at all. Arriving with hopes of a sweeping view from your window will leave you flat, so it is better to think of the scenery as something to head out to Nakanokura Pass or the lakeshore for. The rating for the building and facilities is 3.76 out of 5, and some parts do show their age.

Buffets morning and evening, an easy dining style with children

Breakfast and dinner are both served buffet-style in the restaurant. Guest reviews are positive as well, with one saying the range was so wide at both breakfast and dinner that they ate too much, and for families the real reassurance is that even a fussy eater can choose at their own pace. There is a fairly wide choice of plans too: room only, breakfast included, or both meals included. Restaurants are scarce in the surrounding area, so a plan with dinner included is the safer bet.

Staying here with children

Check-in is at 3 p.m. and checkout is at 10 a.m. Please contact the hotel if you will arrive after 10 p.m. The point to watch is the cancellation policy: plans on Rakuten Travel are on the strict side, charging 100% of the room rate from 7 days before your stay. Families who cannot predict a child's health should think carefully about when to book. Lake Motosu offers plenty of seasonal fun, from canoeing and diving on the lake to the shibazakura moss phlox in spring, and this is a hotel for the classic family resort stay: spend the day playing outdoors in nature, then round the day off with the buffet and the communal bath. With the late checkout service, you can stay until 3 p.m.