How to Stay in Tokyo for Free: Part 7 – Day Trip From Tokyo – Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort & Spa Review

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My boyfriend and I recently flew from Austin to Japan for ~$200 round trip in Business Class.  And for 3 weeks of lodging (including some fancy hotels), I spent ~$450!

Japan is a beautiful country with LOTS to see and do, from high-rise skyscrapers to old temples to hot springs.  I loved Tokyo for its energetic neighborhoods, shopping, and delicious restaurants.

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
The Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa Is a Beautiful, Modern Hotel Set Among the Mountains

Wherever you go, you’re sure to have an amazing time!  In this series, I’ll go into detail about where I stayed in Tokyo, what to do, and some of my favorite restaurants, and show you how you can do it, too!

How to Stay in Tokyo for Free Trip Report Index:

Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort & Spa Review

Hakone, located ~90 minutes from Tokyo, made for the perfect overnight trip.

It’s a mountainous resort town known for its hot springs.  And with lots of hills and mountains, it’s a beautiful place to visit if you’re a nature lover!

1.   Getting to Hakone

To get to the Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa, we took a taxi from the Grand Hyatt in Tokyo to Ebisu Station.  Then hopped on the Japan Railways line that took us straight to Odawara Station.  It was a ~90 minute ride.

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
Waiting for the Japan Railways Train to Hakone

Staying at the Hyatt Regency in Hakone is convenient, because they’ll send a shuttle to pick you up from the train station.

There was another couple also being picked up at the same time as us.  And although the drive to the resort is another ~30 to ~45 minutes, it’s really scenic!

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
The Hyatt Regency Offers Shuttle Service Between the Train Station and the Hotel

2.   Our Room

Rooms at the Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa cost ~$500 or 25,000 Hyatt points per night.

I transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio for our stay.  But you could also consider getting the Chase Hyatt card, that comes with 2 free night certificates for any Hyatt hotel, after meeting minimum spending requirements.

The Hyatt Regency Hakone is a nice hotel.  But it’s a little secluded from the restaurants and activities in the area.  So plan on doing some walking when you leave the hotel!

We had a beautiful room that looked out toward the mountains.

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
The View From Our Room Was Beautiful!

It was large, and had a sofa and coffee table. We booked a base room, but were upgraded to a Deluxe room.  These rooms retail for ~$650 per night!

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
We Loved All the Space at the Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort & Spa

There was even a patio with a small dining table and chairs.

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
I Liked Patio Area. And Used It to Relax, Have Tea, and Enjoy the View

The bathroom was also luxurious.

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
Our Bathroom Was the Size of a New York City Studio!

There were double sinks…

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
There Was Plenty of Room at the Vanity
…as well as a separate area for primping. 😉
How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
This Was the Perfect Spot to Freshen Up

And I can’t forget to mention the minibar, with plenty of coffee and tea.

How To Stay In Tokyo For Free Part 7 Day Trip From Tokyo Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort Spa Review
It Was Nice Having a Designated Spot to Make Our Daily Coffee and Tea

The only downside to the Hyatt Regency Hakone is that it’s located outside the downtown area.  So it’s far from restaurants, bars, and other activities.  And I prefer having non-hotel food options, so I can save money.  Plus, the food is usually better!

You Can Do It, Too!

1.   Flights

Our round-trip Business Class flights to Japan cost 95,000 American Airlines miles and ~$110 in taxes and fees.

For an even better flight experience, try to find a seat on Cathay Pacific or Japan Air Lines!

If you need more American Airlines miles, consider cards like: The information for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

2.   Hotels

I stayed for free at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, which usually costs ~$700+ per night!  I used my 2 free nights from the old Chase Hyatt card sign-up bonus for part of my stay.  And I transferred points to Hyatt from my Chase Sapphire Preferred, which is super easy to do.

Note:   The Chase Hyatt card sign-up bonus is now different.  It’s 40,000 Hyatt points after meeting minimum spending requirements.

There are plenty of hotels where you can stay with points, so it doesn’t have to be Hyatt!  Use Hotel Hustle or Award Mapper to find hotels you can book with points.

Hilton has hotels in Japan including the Hilton Tokyo and Hilton Osaka.  Or you could use IHG points to stay at the InterContinental Tokyo Bay or InterContinental Osaka.  There are lots of options!

Bottom Line

After our stay in Tokyo, we took a short trip to Hakone, a mountainous resort town about 90 minutes from the city.  It was the perfect getaway after fast-paced Tokyo!

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa.  Where rooms go for ~$500 or 25,000 Hyatt points per night.  

We enjoyed the spacious rooms and modern decor.  And especially appreciated the free shuttle between the train station and hotel!

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

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