Owner's Gora Club

What can I say - Owner's Gora Club (or Hostel Owner's Gora, however we would like to call it). Has a special place in my heart. While the exterior of the building did make my heart jump a little bit, I can assure you after staying here for three nights that any worries to be had are unfounded. This place is in a pretty prime location in terms of exploring Hakone. From Gora station, take the cable car up to the "Naka-Gora" station. If you're facing uphill, turn RIGHT; do not turn left or you will have a very hard time getting back to the correct side of the road. After getting off and going right, the hostel is a less-than-five-minute walk down. You will see a spray-painted "Owner's Club" sign. As for the property itself, the rooms really are huge and, fortunately, have their own private toilet. The rooms are clean, though the bathroom had a bit of a musty smell to it. Nothing critical, though. Otherwise, everything you needed was there. In terms of the bath, I will echo everyone else in saying that it was a little worn-out looking. However, this did not stop me from enjoying it thoroughly. The Wi-Fi, I can attest, does not work anywhere other than the common room. This is fine, but be aware that they start turning off lights as early as 8-9 pm. Lastly, the food. This is where the staff shone for me. The staff quickly picked up on things I wasn't too fond of (egg custard, snail) and replaced it with things they thought I would like (chicken katsu) and even asked me what I loved to eat. When I told them I loved tofu, they gave me some amazing tofu for dinner! I had full board, which included breakfast and dinner each day. While I had to make sure that I was awake by 8 am for breakfast and back by 6 pm for dinner, I didn't find this to be difficult as there is nothing really going on in Hakone before/after that time. Overall, I greatly enjoyed the location, facilities, and service of this place and felt it was perfect for a solo traveler.