We’ve stayed in a lot of hotels over the years and Hyatt has become our rotating home base while traveling the world. Most stays follow a familiar rhythm: sleep, breakfast, back out to explore. Reliable. Predictable.
Which is why this hotel caught us completely by surprise.For this trip, I wanted to find an experience that was unique to Daxton. Our little 3 year old ball of energy loves two things above all else: Mom and Cars. With that in mind, I was super excited to stay at the Fuji Speedway Hotel (Unbound Collection by Hyatt).
The moment we walked in, we realized we were in something totally different. This wasn’t a place near the destination. It was the destination.
The lobby was the first hint. It felt like someone combined a polished car museum with a luxury retreat. Sleek display cars everywhere. Dax was in heaven before we even checked in.
The Suite With a Racetrack for a Backyard
At checkin, we learned that we were upgraded to a Grand Prix Corner Suite, and the room reveal was unforgettable. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the room, opening onto a balcony that overlooked a real race track.
The second we slid the balcony door open, the sound of engines drifted up from below. Real cars. Real speed. The kids ran straight to the glass, eyes wide, completely electrified. Their excitement set the tone for the entire stay.
The room itself was beautiful—warm, modern, newly renovated, and filled with thoughtful motorsport details. It was the kind of place that makes you slow down, take a breath, and just enjoy being in the room.
Pools, Onsens, and Slowing Down
After checking in, Evelyn and I headed to the pool while Dax did the most on-brand activity for this hotel: played with his toy cars.
That night I visited the onsen, which has quickly become one of my favorite parts of traveling in Japan. This one had a fantastic cold plunge—steaming hot water one second, icy mist the next—equal parts shocking and addictive.
Breakfast Worth Waking (Even Kids) Up For
Breakfast pushed things over the top. A full Japanese and Western buffet paired with a small order menu, all of it exceptional. But the pastries… the pastries deserve their own paragraph. Light, buttery, flaky, and some of the best we’ve had in Japan. Elisa did not hesitate to go back for seconds. No one questioned her.
The Moment That Made the Trip
And then came the part we’ll never forget: the Motorsports Experience.
For a surprisingly reasonable fee, you can “borrow” a sports car and drive on the actual Fuji Speedway track. I expected waivers, instructions, maybe a helmet fitting. Instead they checked my license, handed over a short form, took payment, and gave me the keys.
Suddenly I was sitting behind the wheel of a Lexus on a professional race track.
Matt rode shotgun. Evelyn and Dax were strapped into the back yelling “Faster! Faster!” at full volume. Elisa politely declined saying she’d film us from afar. She values a calm stomach.
Driving the track felt unreal. The engine echoed through the mountains, the straightaway opened beautifully, and at one point we rounded a bend and spotted our suite balcony from the track. Surreal barely covers it.
Hear from Evie & Dax directly after we raced! (video below)
They raced, celebrated, and immediately begged to do it again. So the next day, after checking out, we went back for another round.
A Hotel That Became the Whole Experience
The Fuji Speedway Hotel is absolutely that kind of place.
Between the design, the racetrack views, the food, the onsen, the pool, and the endless kid-friendly activities, it gave us some of our favorite memories in Japan. And the cherry on top of the whole stay? A stunning view of Mt Fuji as the backdrop to it all.
If you want to explore it for yourself, checkout the Fuji Speedway Hotel!
