Going for a skiing/ snowboarding holiday? Lovely!
It’s so true that staying in a Ski-In Ski-Out hotel is always a great choice for a nice and easy ski holiday.
Walking out your doorsteps and you can start skiing or snowboarding, no stress for catching the shuttles, carrying all the gears and boots but then just couldn’t squeeze into the bus simply because it’s all full so you gotta wait for another 30 mins.
And most of the Ski-In Ski-Out hotels are probably the best-equipped hotels within the area, not to mention they are always surrounded by restaurants, shops, and ski schools.
Niseko is one of the most popular ski resorts in Asia, and they are the biggest ski resort in Hokkaido, Japan.
You can find all sorts of nice components for a perfect ski holiday here: great snow, good food, a well-developed transportation network, lots of shops, close to other tourist attractions and English everywhere.
Niseko is also considered as one of the best places to go for your first ski or snowboard trip. Since it’s just so well developed and English is so common here, visitors can easily find everything and so they can focus on enjoying the snow and the mountain.
Booking a Ski-In Ski-Out hotel is probably a very good idea for most visitors. Walking out your doorsteps and you can start skiing or snowboarding, no stress for catching the shuttles.
The problem is, Niseko is a pretty big resort and there are many Ski-In Ski-Out options. Some are located on a busy street, some are quieter but with nice onsen, it could be difficult to find the one that fits your need.
In this article, you will find some useful information about the Ski-In Ski-Out hotels in the Niseko area and so to decide which one is the best to pick.
Who should book a Ski-In Ski-Out hotel?
It is always a good idea to book a Ski-In Ski-Out hotel since it’s just so easy! However, these visitors may find themselves benefits from a ski in ski out hotel the most:
First-time visitors
- You know nothing about the resort, booking a Ski-In Ski-Out hotel located on the busiest area of the resort would make your trip so much easier
Visitors come with their family
- It is always the best for a family group to book a hotel that’s just next to the ski slope. Old grandmum and grandpa may just want to have a hot chocolate and walk around a bit, young kids want to sleep after 40 mins on the snow… you want to stay in a hotel that you can go back at any time easily.
Beginners
- As an instructor, I do recommend my students to stay in a Ski-In Ski-Out hotel since it will make your first few days as a skier or snowboarder so much easier. You can go back for a nap, get a drink or snack when you are exhausted. It is just not that nice if you need to wait for a 40 mins bus ride to go back to your room when you are already so tired.
Visitors could not drive (or do not want to drive)
- Japan has zero-tolerance against drunk driving and their penalties are very high. If all members of your group enjoy a glass of wine of some good drinking, do book a hotel that’s close to the slope and shops coz it is super difficult to get a taxi by late evening during peak season in Niseko!
How to Pick the best Niseko Ski-In Ski-Out hotels:
Niseko is actually called Niseko United, there are 4 ski resorts in total:
- Hanazono
- Hirafu
- Niseko Villages
- Annupuri
Within all these resorts, Hirafu is the most popular and the busiest area, there are many shops, restaurants, and bars within this area, over 70% of ski in ski out accommodations are located within this area.
On the other hand, Hanazono, Niseko Villages and Annapurna are less busy and more suitable for guests who don’t mind to spend their whole holiday in the hotel.
Niseko Ski-In Ski-Out hotels (With detail reviews)
In this article, I have put together the best Ski-In Ski-Out hotel in the Niseko area so you can find a nice ski in ski out hotel that fits your need easily.
Hirafu Area(the busiest area) Ski-In Ski-Out Hotels:
Aya Niseko
Opened by 2016 December, Aya Niseko is a luxury hotel located just right next to the Hirafu Family Quad Lift.
What we like:
- Great restaurants, massages shops, convenience stores, shops are all within 3 mins walking distance
- Great services and rooms are with great quality
- 5 stars services
- You can open the window when you feel it’s too hot inside the room
- They allow customers to get a full refund for the COVID problem
What we don’t like:
- Walls maybe a bit too thin, during our stay there once we heard the kids yelling from next door
- It’s always full and you need to book early
- The parking area right in front of the hotel may be full and you may need to park at the car park opposite the hotel and cross the road (by peak season it would be very busy) to go back to the hotel.
Check more details about Aya Niseko on Booking.com
AYA Villa
Its the upgrade version of Aya Niseko, the best thing is you got the whole villa which is next to the slope!
What we like:
- You have your in house onsen and balcony all by yourself
- You get to enjoy the top range facility
What we don’t like
- It’s a bit too close to the busiest area of Hirafu since it’s just next to the lift, some guest may find it too close (my student’s comment)
Check more details about AYA Villa on Booking.com
The Vale Niseko
Located right opposite to Aya Niseko, The Vale Niseko has been one of the best hotels in Niseko.
What we liked:
- Same as aya, the location! It’s just so close to the convenience store, restaurants, shops, lifts, and ski schools.
- Services and designs are great
- Some rooms have private onsen and views are just so good
What we don’t like
- It’s one of those always fully booked hotel
Check more details about The Vale Niseko on Booking.com
Skye Niseko
Opened by 2018, Skye Niseko is a luxury hotel located just right next to Niseko welcome center. You can easily access to both .base and Hirafu mountain center from Skype.
What we liked:
- Probably the best location since this hotel is locating right next to 2 slopes, and so easy to reach from the main bus station in Niseko (Niseko welcome center)
- They have brand new rental gears for the 2019-2020 season so probably still be found for the 2020-2021 season.
- Their shuttle bus runs frequently
- You can book private onsen there, the penthouse has private onsen!
What we don’t like
- It is locating at the top of a slope so if you want to walk back after dinner or drinks, that’s a bit tiring
- For some rooms, their windows are fixed and sometimes it may be a bit too hot inside the room
Check more details about Skye Niseko on Booking.com
The Maples Niseko
Opened by 2018-2019, Maple is another luxury hotel with its back door connecting to the slope.
Why we liked:
- It’s brand new and designs are great
- The superior rooms are very nice
- Maples is close to the supermarket in Hirafu 188
What we don’t like
- Their basic rooms are just not that nice, pretty simple and just like a normal hotel room
- Sometimes by evening, you may find there is nobody at the front desk
Check more details about The Maples Niseko on Booking.com
Ki Niseko
Opened in 2014, Ki Niseko is, again another luxury hotel located next to the Hirafu mountain center.
What we liked:
- It’s located just opposite to the new Rhythm (the biggest ski and snowboard shop and rental service in Hirafu)
- It’s just next to mountain center (restaurant), ski school, holiday pair lift (for beginners) and gondola (for advanced riders), so great locations in terms of skiing
- Some rooms have kitchens and you can cook by yourself
- Their onsen is nice!
What we don’t like
- The rooms are relatively smaller than other luxury hotels
- You need to walk further for more shops, restaurants, and bars (most of them are located on the same street of Aya, Maples, and Skye
Check more details about Ki Niseko on Booking.com
Hotel Niseko Alpen
Located right next to the .base center of Niseko, Hotel Alpen Niseko is one of the oldest Ski-In Ski-Out hotel in Hirafu area
What we liked:
- it’s locating just opposite to the .base center and so literary they are with the best location! You can even find a car rental center here!
- Food serving at their restaurant is great and it’s one of our favorites while we are on the slope
- They have great onsens
What we don’t like
- It’s a bit old… well, unlike all other luxury hotels mentioned above, it’s more like… just another hotel in a japan ski resort
- It may be a bit too busy for some clients prefer more privacy since this hotel is really too convenient and everyone is going there
Check more details about Hotel Niseko Alpen on Booking.com
Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei / Hirafu Prince
Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei used to be one of the hotels on the slope, but no, it wasn’t a ski in ski out hotel. They specifically built an extension building for their guests so it could become a ski in ski out hotel!!!
What we liked:
- Their onsen! It’s one of the most popular onsens in the Niseko area and you can enter it even if you have tattoos on your body!
- You can enjoy onsen water in your bathtub too!
- There are a ski rental counter, spa service center and convenience store inside the hotel
- The service is super great!!
What we don’t like:
- Their lobby floor is made with stones, they put carpet on it to create a pathway, however, I slipped once when I was trying to leave that carpet pathway to get to the smoking area, that hurts!
- It’s a bit old, some rooms are renovated and but some rooms are still old
- Hotel clients may need to share the onsen (hot spring) with others
Check more details about Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei on Booking.com
Hanazono Area Ski-In Ski-Out Hotels:
Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono
Park Hyatt is a newly established hotel just started running their business from January 2020. Located on the base of Hanazono, the Park Hyatt Niseko is just like they are the Hanazono Ski Resort Official Resort Hotel because they are just so huge compared to all other established hotels in Niseko by 2019-2020 season.
What we like:
- Great service, nicely built luxury hotel
- You can find shops, restaurants and all you need for a ski resort hotel there
- The Chinese restaurant serves probably the best Chinese food in Niseko
What we don’t like:
- Location is great in terms for skilling, however, there is no restaurant, shops or anything else there
- Sometimes it’s easy to mix it up with the Hyatt House Niseko… (a not that nice personal experience…)
Check more details about Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono on Booking.com
Niseko Village Area Ski-In Ski-Out Hotels
Hilton Niseko Village
Hilton Niseko is probably one of the oldest Ski-In Ski-Out hotels in Niseko, they are maintained by the Hilton Group
What we like:
- It’s maintained by Hilton group so you can find everything you are familiar with inside that hotel
- They built a small little village outside of the hotel because they know people like to get out of the hotel for shopping and dinner, their restaurants open till pretty late in Niseko standard!
- Their onsen is great!
What we don’t like
- It’s a bit old, rooms are just a bit small
- Don’t expect a typical Hilton hotel standard there
- Niseko Village is not very suitable for snowboarding beginners to learn there
- Location is a bit off comparing to Hirafu area, it takes about 15 mins by car to get to the Hirafu area
Check more details about Hilton Niseko Village on Booking.com
The Green Leaf, Niseko Village
Greenleaf hotel has always been one of my favorite hotel in Niseko area for a longer time, but no, it was not a Ski-In Ski-Out hotel until several years ago, they built a connection chair lift to the ski resort and now it’s ski in ski out! Wow!
What we like:
- It’s a nice hotel and with a pretty good price point. Kinda similar to the Hilton hotel but I would say the service is even better.
- You can find almost everything inside the hotel, restaurant, stores, ski rentals…
What we don’t like:
- They have very long corridor and it takes few mins to walk back to the room when you are a bit tipsy
Check more details about The Green Leaf, Niseko Village on Booking.com
Annupuri Area Ski-In Ski-Out hotel
Niseko Northern Resort Annupuri
Annupuri Northern is probably one of the hotels I’ve spent most of my time there, their quality of food is excellent, no matter the buffet and a la carte lunch.
What we liked:
- Among all 4 mountains in Niseko, Annupuri ski resort is the best resort for beginners
- They serve high quality of food, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I love their wagyu beef hot pot a lot!
- Annupuri is located right on top of the onsen area in Niseko, the onsen inside the hotel works really
What we don’t like
- Staff at the lobby, sometimes, is not that friendly
- Rooms are smaller than other luxury hotels like aya, Skye, Parky Hyatt… Kinda similar to the Niseko Alpen Hotel
Check more details about Niseko Northern Resort Annupuri on Booking.com
Final Words
I hope you found these Ski-In Ski-Out hotels suggestion would be useful for you to plan your next Hokkaido ski or snowboarding trip.
Niseko is one of the most internationalized ski resorts in Asia, hopefully you will enjoy this famous Asia’s Aspen as I do!