Hilton Niseko Village
A four-time winner of Japan’s Best Ski Hotel at the World Ski Awards, the Hilton Niseko Village is a luxury high-rise accommodation in Niseko Village, the resort on Mt. Niseko-Annupuri. If you’re looking for relaxing après-ski, this ski-in, ski-out hotel is located in a quieter area than Hirafu Village.
Hilton Niseko Village
Rooms have spectacular views of Niseko-Annupuri or Mt. Yotei, as well as widescreen LCD TVs, work desks, sofa beds, yukata robes, blackout curtains and 250-thread-count sheets. Facilities include indoor and outdoor onsen hot-spring baths, a fitness center as well as restaurants specializing in sushi and teppanyaki. There’s also golf, horseback riding, rafting and hot-air ballooning in summer.
Hilton Niseko Village is a 10-minute drive from JR Niseko Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport. The hotel can arrange private transfer from the airport, Sapporo and other locations.
The Vale Niseko
Located along Route 343 in Hirafu Village and only steps from Grand Hirafu’s Ace Family Chairlift, The Vale Niseko is a luxury accommodation that has won World’s Best Ski Boutique Hotel multiple times. It has 47 apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes, stone bathtubs, flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi.
The Vale Niseko
The property also features an onsen hot spring bath, complimentary breakfast in winter. There are various cafes, bars and restaurants along the main drag in Hirafu. Niseko Pizza, which makes some of the best pizzas in Japan, is right across the street.
The Vale Niseko is a 15-minute bus or taxi ride from JR Kutchan Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport. The hotel can arrange private transfer from the airport, Sapporo and other locations.
Ki Niseko
This ski-in, ski-out property at the foot of the Grand Hirafu resort has hotel and condo rooms with views of Mt. Niseko-Annupuri and Mt. Yotei, the volcano facing the ski resort area. The hotel rooms are only 25 square meters but have free Wi-Fi, Netflix and humidifiers. Condos come in one- and two-bedroom varieties, with kitchen, dining and lounge areas including sofas and widescreen TVs. The Ki also has two onsen hot-spring baths, with indoor and outdoor tubs, a spa and ski valet service to store your snow gear and getting tips on the slopes.
Ki Niseko
Ki Niseko is a 15-minute bus or taxi ride from JR Kutchan Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport. The hotel also has a shuttle bus that goes around Hirafu Village.
Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei
The Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei is an older hotel located on the main street in Hirafu Village leading to the Grand Hirafu ski resort. Despite the name, it’s not affiliated with Prince Hotels run by railway operator Seibu Group.
Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei
The hotel has a mix of Western-style rooms with single, twin and double beds, and 8- and 12-mat-sized Japanese-style tatami rooms with futon bedding. Some of the furnishings here are very simple. Facilities include an onsen hot spring bath with views of Mt. Yotei, seafood buffet restaurant, and Toshiro’s Bar & Lounge, which specializes in Japanese whisky and scotch.
The Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei is a 15-minute bus or taxi ride from JR Kutchan Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport.
Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono
Opened in 2020, the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono is a luxury accommodation located at the foot of the Hanazono ski resort, which is linked to Grand Hirafu. The property consists of an eight-story hotel and condo complex with roughly 600 beds. Large (65-square-meter) guest rooms and suites have king or twin beds, sofa beds, rain showers, bathtubs, floor-to-ceiling windows, 55-inch flat screen TVs, coffee machines, and mini fridges.
Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono
Facilities include 11 restaurants, lounges and bars, a 25-meter indoor swimming pool, fitness center, onsen hot spring baths, and access to the nearby Hanazono Golf course.
The Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono is a 10-minute taxi ride from JR Kutchan Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport. The hotel can arrange private transfers to and from the airport.
Niseko Grandpapa Lodge
Opened in 1985 and one of the last remaining hotels in Hirafu Village still operated by its founding Japanese family, Grandpapa Lodge is an old-school, European-style accommodation that caters to families. Rooms here are relatively simple and come in Japanese, Western and ensuite varieties, including versions with lofts.
Niseko Grandpapa Lodge
The hotel’s lounge has recliners, a fireplace and a cozy atmosphere for après-ski relaxation. Be sure to try the dining room’s traditional Swiss fondue course dinner (reservations are a must).
Niseko Grandpapa is a 15-minute bus or taxi ride from JR Kutchan Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport.
AYA Niseko
Opened in 2016, AYA Niseko is a luxury ski-in, ski-out accommodation at the foot of the Grand Hirafu ski resort. It mostly has apartment-style rooms done up in elegant contemporary furnishing emphasizing wood materials, with hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, kitchenettes, and sofa beds.
AYA Niseko
Facilities include onsen hot-spring baths, a fitness center, yoga studio, an izakaya cuisine-inspired restaurant, and an outdoor clothing shop and ski valet, where you can store your outdoor gear.
AYA Niseko is a 15-minute bus or taxi ride from JR Kutchan Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport. The hotel can arrange for private transfers from the airport.
Always Niseko
Always Niseko is a 10-minute walk down the road from Hirafu Village and is more affordably priced than boutique hotels in the center of Hirafu. It has 104 simply furnished rooms with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and air conditioning. Other facilities include coin-operated, shared laundry machines, and a restaurant and bar serving fusion-style cuisine. Concierge staff can arrange ski and snowboarding tours and lessons. There’s also a free shuttle bus to and from the Hirafu Welcome Center and Grand Hirafu chairlifts.
Always Niseko
Always Niseko is a 15-minute bus or taxi ride from JR Kutchan Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport. The hotel can arrange for private transfers from the airport.
Hotel Kanro no Mori
If you want to try ryokan-style (Japanese inn) accommodation in Niseko, Hotel Kanro no Mori has traditional tatami-mat spaces mixed with Western-style rooms. These range from economy twin rooms at 30 square meters to Japanese-style suites with private onsen hot-spring baths. There are two large onsen with outdoor baths overlooking a forest, as well as private indoor and outdoor onsen.
Hotel Kanro no Mori
The hotel is in a quiet district on the Annupuri side of the Niseko area; while there are few outside eating options there are two on-site restaurants. The Kanro also has free Wi-Fi and shuttle services to Hirafu, Annupuri and Moiwa ski resorts.
Hotel Kanro no Mori is a 10-minute taxi or free hotel shuttle ride from JR Niseko Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport.
Green Leaf Niseko Village
Refurbished in 2010, the Green Leaf is a luxury accommodation in Niseko Village, with ski-in, ski-out access to runs on Mt. Niseko-Annupuri. The 200 rooms come with 32-inch flat-screen TVs, sofa beds, Eames-style shell chairs, and free Wi-Fi. Deluxe king and twin rooms are 23 square meters, while suites, which have kitchenettes, living rooms and powder rooms, are double that.
Green Leaf Niseko Village
The Green Leaf has a spa and onsen hot-spring bath, with an outdoor tub, and guests can also use the onsen at nearby Hilton Niseko Village. The Green Leaf also features a Japanese fusion buffet restaurant and lobby lounge.
Green Leaf Niseko Village is a 10-minute taxi or free hotel shuttle ride from JR Niseko Station or roughly 2.5 hours from New Chitose Airport.
Article by Tim Hornyak. Photos courtesy of Niseko hotels. All rights reserved.
