What kind of boutique resort hotel is La Vista Fujikawaguchiko near Mt.Fuji?
I had a sudden day off on a weekday and decided to stay here, hoping to relax alone in the bitter cold of February while enjoying the view of Mt. Fuji. Yesterday I was hit by heavy snowfall, but luckily the day was cloudless and sunny. In the morning, I took an express bus from Shinjuku bus terminal and got off at Kawaguchiko station. There was still a lot of snow on the road surface in front of the station due to the heavy snow that fell the day before. From here, I took a free shuttle bus to the resort hotel, which took about 10 minutes. The Mt. Fuji area is a great place to travel alone because of its convenient transportation and hot spring baths.
If the weather is nice, you can enjoy the beautiful snow-capped Mt. Fuji from the resort hotel. I arrived at the resort hotel before 3:00 pm. The resort hotel’s brick building and interior are designed in the motif of Provence, Southern France. Some may wonder why it was designed in the image of Provence, even though this is Japan. Perhaps the beautiful and rich nature from the top of the hill on which the resort hotel stands had some similarities with the Provence region.
Once inside the building, the staff directed me to the lobby lounge next to the reception where I had a wonderful view of Mt. Fuji, sat on a sofa, checked in, and headed upstairs to my room. When I checked in, I chose the time to start dinner. There are two sessions, 5:30pm and 8pm, so if you want to dine at 5:30pm, you may want to check in early. It is first-come, first-served. Weather permitting, the restaurant will offer a view of Mt. Fuji at dusk while you dine. It will be dark outside for dinner at 8:00 p.m. and you will not be able to enjoy the view. If you want to enjoy the view of Mt. Fuji while savoring a gourmet meal, hurry up and check in.
The lounge also has a bar, but it was closed during my stay due to the coronavirus pandemic. The large communal hot spring baths and private family hot spring baths are also located on the second floor, so access was convenient from my room.
When I opened the wooden door and entered the room, I saw an open-air bath and a balcony with a view of Mt. Fuji. Then, as I stepped out onto the balcony, a powerful and huge Mt. Fuji appeared as if to welcome me. Mt. Fuji from the lounge is truly magnificent, but looking at it from my room, I felt as if I had the mountain all to myself. Tomorrow’s weather forecast was for snow, so on this day I did not want to take my eyes off Mt. Fuji. For a while, I relaxed in my room with a cup of coffee and a drink, then went to the communal hot spring baths. There was an open-air bath on the balcony, but it was very cold outside, so I decided to warm myself in the communal bath before using it.
Mt. Fuji from the commuanl hot spring baths, so I was looking forward to soaking in the onsen while viewing a magnificent view of Mt. Fuji. However, contrary to my expectations, the sky gradually turned dull and it looked like it might snow again. The hot spring is colorless, transparent, tasteless, and odorless, and has a moderate smooth feeling and the touch of hot water is soft. The hot spring temperature was just right at around 41 degrees Celsius.
When I returned to my room from the communal hot spring baths, I felt hungry. It was almost time for dinner, so I went to the restaurant on the first floor and the staff showed me to a counter seat by the window. Probably, if you are alone, you will be seated at the counter. If the weather had been clear, I could have enjoyed my meal with a view of my favorite Mt. Fuji, but thick clouds were already covering the sky and snow was beginning to dance.
Then I thought the Western cuisine for dinner was wonderful considering the price range. It was a full eight-course meal using fresh local ingredients. The aperitif was champagne with kiwi fruit, appetizers, fresh vegetables with a delightful crunchy texture, fettuccine with fresh sea urchin, smooth corn soup, rich poached cod, roast beef with black wagyu beef, and a plate of apple tart and ice cream for dessert. The apple tart and vanilla bean-filled ice cream were a perfect match. For those who wish, Japanese mixed rice with shiitake mushrooms and chicken, and miso soup are served before dessert. Bread baked in a stone oven was served during the course of the meal. Since Yamanashi Prefecture is a grape-growing region, a wide variety of wines are available. Overall, the portions were generous.
After dinner, I went to a private family hot spring bath, which is available free of charge. There are four private family hot spring baths. You can use them whenever they are available. When I returned to my room, it was snowing outside. It was too cold a night to use the outdoor bath on the balcony, so I gave up. I wanted to enjoy the open-air bath with a view of Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi illuminated by the moonlight, but unfortunately it was not possible.
From 10:30PM, free evening ramen noodle was offered at the restaurant, but I did not get it because I got sleepy. It seems that I could choose between tomato ramen and soy sauce ramen with roasted pork fillet.
It seemed to have snowed a lot during the night and this morning, and when I woke up and went out on the balcony, I saw a silver world all around. It was like something out of a picture book. Mt. Fuji’s snow cap had grown bigger with last night’s snow. Perhaps because of this, it looked even more gigantic than yesterday. The weather forecast said that it would snow during the day, but it was clear and cloudless from the morning.
Before breakfast, I took a short walk around the resort hotel, but it was very cold and the north wind was chilly, so I quickly returned to my room. Afterwards, I went to the communal hot spring baths to warm up my cold body. Perhaps it was early in the morning on a weekday, but I saw few guests.
I then went to the restaurant on the first floor for breakfast. Breakfast is also served in two parts, either from 8:00 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. Breakfast was a Japanese/Western buffet with a wide variety of dishes. The Hoto Udon, a specialty of Yamanashi Prefecture, is especially filling, with lots of root vegetables, pork, and thick noodles. The broth was delicious with a gentle taste of white miso paste. Desserts also included moist apple pie, mandarin orange jelly, yogurt, pear pudding with a smooth texture, blancmange with a pulled texture similar to pannacotta and the flavor of milk, and four kinds of fruit: kiwi, grape, mango, and dragon fruit.
For breakfast, I was shown to the same counter where I was seated for dinner. Yesterday at dinner, there was a dusting of snow and I could not see Mt. Fuji, but this morning was blessed with clear skies and I enjoyed a delicious breakfast while gazing at the sun shining on Mt. Fuji. I was already very satisfied. After checking out, I planned to visit Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, a 10-minute walk from here, but there was snow on the road and the road surface was icy in places, so I took the free shuttle bus to Kawaguchiko Station and headed home.
If I were to raise a fault, it would be that this resort hotel is very popular and offers good value for money, so the restaurants seemed to be crowded. I stayed on a weekday and it was crowded at breakfast. But it seems to be more crowded on weekends and during peak season. Also, as mentioned above, dinner is served in two parts, starting either at 17:30 or 20:00. A few guests took the free shuttle bus leaving Kawaguchiko Station at 14:00 to arrive at the resort hotel and check in, but the restaurant was already full from 17:30 and dinner was served from 20:00. I had dinner from 17:30, though, because I was seated at the counter.
Check Availability and Pricing for the resort hotel on agoda
TOP5 Best Hotels and Ryokans for Solo Travelers near Mt.Fuji
Is the location easy to access?
You can take an express bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, JR Bus Tokyo Station Expressway Bus Terminal, or Shibuya Mark City, then get off at Kawaguchiko Station. It takes about 2 hours. *Tokyo Station is so huge that even as a Japanese I often get lost. Make sure you have plenty of time to get around.
Alternativily, from Haneda Airport, there is also a Keihin Kyuko Bus service to Kawaguchiko Station. The journey time is approximately 150 minutes. *As of July 2022, this route is out of service due to the cronavirus pandemic.
There is a way to get there by train, but since there are transfers, express buses are easier to travel by.
Then free shuttle service from Kawaguchiko Station is available at 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, or 18:00. You need to book it in advance.
Rooms I would recommend?
This time I stayed in a Rose Double room on the second floor. It was a small room, but since I was traveling alone, it was just right. Some of the furniture and decor felt a little used, but it was well cleaned. I asked the staff which room has the best view of Mt. Fuji, and they said the top 7 floors. However, I was able to get a great view of Mt. Fuji from my room on the second floor, so I think the weather is more important than the location of the room you are staying in.
How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
All of the amenities are taken care of including enough toiletries, pajamas, a green tea set, a coffee mill with coffee beans, and baked sweets, etc. Room service is not available, but complimentary coffee, cocoa, café au lait, yakuruto, and popsicles were available.
Then this is child-friendly. The staff provides slippers, samue outfits, and toothbrushes for small children. If you need baby cribs, you might want to request them in advance. Availability may be limited.
How about In-house Facilities?
There are 4 private family hot spring baths and a stone sauna that you can use for free whenever they are not occupied. All of them are open for 24H. Also, there are communal indoor and outdoor hot spring baths. They are open from 15:00 to 11:00 the following morning. *Please note that if you have tattoos, use the private family hot spring baths.
Then this is a universal design. Wheelchairs are available for borrowing. If you bring people with weak legs, you may want to inform the staff in advance as they can arrange a room near the lift.
Then there is a vending machine for drinks. There is no convenience store nearby. You may want to buy your necessities before coming here.
There is a spa treatment shop on 2F. You need to make an appointment in advance. The spa shop is open between 15:00 and 24:00.
How about meals?
The western food for dinner was great. The portion tends to be big. Dinner starts at 17:30 or 20:00. I would recommend having dinner from 17:30, as you may be able to view a beautiful sunset with Mt.Fuji from the dining area.
*Please note that inform the staff when you book a room with dinner if you have any food allergies. They probably wouldn’t be able to prepare alternative food if you request on that day.
Then buffet-style breakfast was also good. The buffet is quite extensive for a boutique resort hotel.
Then, as far as I know, there wouldn’t be nice restaurants near the property. You may want to book a room including meals unless you have a car.
My impressions
The staff always seemed busy. Their hospitality would be more like typical chain hotels. Then the resort hotel is very popular. If you want to chill out here in a tranquil atmosphere, you might want to avoid staying during Lunar New Year, late April to early May, weekend in Oct and Nov, and the end of the year and New Year holiday.
At last, don’t forget to check the weather forecast before booking a room! That’s the most important. Have a nice trip! Welcome to receive any questions about La Vista Fujikawaguchiko from the below space. If you check-in after 18:00, you need to inform the staff in advance. Check Availability and Pricing for the resort hotel on agoda
Info about La Vista Fujikawaguchiko
| Style | Resort Hotel |
|---|---|
| Check-in and out times |
15:00/11:00 |
| Estimated Price | 40,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact | Call at from domestic Call at +81- from overseas |
| Internet Connection | Free WiFi in the resort |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are available Pets are not allowed The free parking lot is available |
| Location | La Vista Fujikawaguchiko’s MAP |
| Access | Free shuttle bus from Kawaguchiko Station |
| Address and TEL | Tel +81 |
| Official Homepage | La Vista Fujikawaguchiko’s HP *Japanese Only |
*All information is as of the date that I posted on my blog.
Still not sure where to stay near Mt. Fuji?
Browse through my TOP5 Ranking Lists of all the best places to stay near Mt. Fuji.
Alternatively, you could leave a message at the below space for advice.