
What It’s Like to Stay at Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, a one key Michelin Guide Hotel in The Heart of Japan’s Hokkaido ski fields.
This small ski lodge is a heart-starter hotel. By the end of your trip, you’ll be connected back to nature in both the spiritual and sporting sense.
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Welcome to Checking In, a new review series in which our editors and contributors rate the best new (and revamped) luxury hotels based on a rigorous—and occasionally tongue-in-cheek—10-point system: Each question answered “yes” gets one point. Will room service bring you caviar? Does your suite have its own butler? Does the bathroom have a bidet? Find out below.
Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Japan.
Describe the hotel in three words: Exclusive, relaxed and sophisticated.
What’s the deal?
On the page the hotel might sound a bit ordinary, but in reality it’s s anything but.
This is an all-season alpine resort at one of Japan’s top winter sports destinations in Hokkaido. The hotel opened in 2020 with little, to no, fanfare thanks to Covid, and it has two high seasons, one in summer and one in winter.
Domestic tourists come for hiking and wilderness in summer and foreign tourists, who love skiing, come in the winter. YTL Hotels acquired Niseko Village for six billion yen (US$58m) in 2010 from PC One YK, a Japanese limited liability company, and they have made it one of their ultimate destination, nature reserve hotels.
The ski-in/ski-out destination’s main attraction is its accessibility to 2,191 acres of skiable terrain and extensive backcountry skiing, alongside an international ski school, chairlifts and gondolas. There is also a dining and retail venue and easy access to two world-class golf courses and an outdoor activity park for children.
Now the 50-room Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is the first Japanese Ritz-Carlton Reserve and YTL’s fifth destination in Niseko Village, residing at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri.
Niseko Village has been selected as the venue for some of the 2030 Winter Olympics’ events; slalom, giant slalom, super-giant slalom (super-G) and downhill.
The hotel is sophisticated with panoramic mountain views. Having just 50 rooms it feels like a private home, with all the luxury you need to feel utterly spoilt.
The Best Room
The largest family suite has plenty of room for a family of 4-5 persons, plus space for an au pair. It’s exactly the same layout as the suite, with the addition of a large walk-in-robe, dressing table and lounge room with a dining table. The lounge contains a fold out sofa, for babysitter, plus plenty of room for the children to relax in the hotel after a morning of skiing.
The Rundown
Did they greet you by name at check-in?
Yes, fireside check-in happens in the Ume Lounge in a comfy seat next to 6-metre high windows overlong Mount Yotei.
Was a welcome drink ready and waiting when you arrived? (Bonus points if it wasn’t just fruit juice).
Yes, we were welcomed by name with an exotic tea made from local flowers and herbs. I was more in the market for a whisky on this particular day, but the glass of Champagne at lunch of tempura and local sashimi at Yukibana more than made up for this.
Is there a private butler for every room?
Yes, the 24 hour do san concept it alive and well at this Ritz-Carlton Niseko and the message on check in is that nothing is too much trouble.
Is the sheet thread count higher than 300?
Yes both the beds and the bed linen are incredible. They beds are fitted with white cotton sateen 400-thread count which literally feels like 600 after a day of skiing in the cold.
The Ritz-Carlton hotel whites are all 100% cotton sateen. They are impeccably crafted of pure extra-long staple cotton sateen, these hotel linens are silky soft to the touch and have a lustrous look that catches the light. The bed is so comfortable you almost don’t want to leave.
Is there a heated floor in the bathroom? What about a bidet? No, bidet but the room and floor are heated. In fact sometimes the suite was too warm, when strolling around in ski gear.
Are the toiletries full-sized?
Yes, everthing is French full-sized and created heritage beauty brand Sothys just as in the Chasi spa. Extra bath salts are provided daily to make up for the fact that Onsen waters aren’t piped up to the rooms.
Is there a private pool for the room’s exclusive use? How are the spa and gym?
No, private pool in the room but there is a private onsen which can be booked from the Sothy’s Chasi Spa. Both the spa and gym are state-of- the-art. Everything here is sweet smelling and super clean.
Do you want to spend Friday night in the lobby bar?
Ume Lounge has a very elegant, minimal Armani Casa vibe. Think antler chandeliers, stacks of white birch logs, ceramics and camel pony skin rugs but it is not a party vibe.
You can easily spend at least one night by the fire after dinner reading from the library, but it is not the kind of place where you get carried away with friends. It’s soft lounge lighting and high end food offering makes it feels small and intimate. The mood is enhanced by the excellent food and service at Yukibana. That said, it didn’t stop some old college friends from getting stuck into bourbons one night for an evening at the bar.
Is there caviar on the room service menu? If so, what kind?
No, there is no caviar offered on in-room menu, but if you want a crab Eggs Benedict in bed, or prawn tempura you have come to the right place. Ditto the best raw sashimi you have ever eaten anywhere and incredible healthy food nails the east-meets-west twist at every turn.
Would you buy the hotel if you could?
Yes, undoubtedly. I received more spa treatments and personalised attention in one weekend than I will probably have throughout the rest of my life.
Score: 8/10
What Our Score Means:
1-3: Fire your travel agent if they suggest you stay here.
4-6: Solid if you’re in a pinch—but only if you’re in a pinch.
7-8: Very good. We’d stay here again and recommend it without qualms.
9-10: Forget booking a week. When can we move in permanently?
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