Hello from Japan, as we’ve just wrapped up the first portion of our winter ski trip to Niseko. We spent five nights at the Park Hyatt Niseko, which is one of the points hotels that has most been on my radar. While I’ll have a full trip report soon, I want to share some initial impressions of my stay, especially since I had heard mixed reviews prior to my visit.
Long story short, I can’t recommend the Park Hyatt Niseko enough, and am so happy I visited (unlike the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Niseko). This is easily one of the most beautiful Park Hyatts I’ve stayed at, with an impressive array of dining outlets, extensive amenities, friendly service, and great access to the slopes. This is my favorite ski hotel in the world that I’ve visited, which is bookable with points.
If you’re looking for a ski vacation that’s not in North America or Europe, Niseko is absolutely worth a visit, even if getting to Hokkaido is a bit of a trek for many.
In this post:
The Park Hyatt Niseko residences are awesome
The Park Hyatt Niseko is a massive property, as it has both a hotel and residences section. That includes 100 hotel rooms (28 of which are suites), plus 113 residences. While there are four separate towers, they’re all connected indoors, and share virtually all amenities.
Since we were traveling with friends, we decided to book a two bedroom residence. The rate for the residence was around $1,300 per night (before taxes and fees), which frankly, for a luxury ski resort, is pretty good (especially given the points earning opportunities, plus World of Hyatt’s current global promotion).
I should mention that rates are much higher in peak season, but for whatever reason, they drop off in early March. For example, standard rooms at the property go for over $2,000 per night in January and February. I don’t really get it, because in March the days are longer, and I’ve never in my life seen as much snow as I did in Niseko during our visit.
Let me mention that Niseko seems to be quickly growing in popularity, and rates keep climbing, and I imagine they’ll keep going in that direction. Several luxury hotel brands are building properties here.
Anyway, you really can’t beat these residences. They’re super luxurious, with two full bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a washer and dryer, a kitchen, and even an onsen (which in and of itself is a reason to go to Japan for a ski holiday, if you ask me). If you’re traveling with friends or as a family, this is so much better of a move than getting two hotel rooms.
Speaking of luxury, the entire property feels much more high-end than I was expecting. I can’t even imagine how much money was spent on the finishes throughout the property. Sometimes you’ll see a hotel that looks nice in pictures, but then in person, everything feels a little cheap and plastic-like. That wasn’t at all the case here.
The Park Hyatt Niseko has endless amenities
The Park Hyatt Niseko is a “destination” resort. You could come here for a week without leaving and not get bored. To be clear, I’m not saying anyone should do that, but my point is that unlike many other ski resorts, this seems to be one of the big social hubs of the area.
The amenities at the property are nothing short of impressive. The hotel has everything from a gorgeous indoor pool, to an onsen, to a full-service spa, to two large gyms, to karaoke rooms, to more dining concepts than I could keep track of (which I’ll talk more about below).
The Park Hyatt Niseko has impressive dining
Short of a Las Vegas casino hotel or an all-inclusive, I don’t think I’ve ever stayed at a hotel that had as extensive of a selection of food and beverage outlets as the Park Hyatt Niseko. The restaurants at the hotel aren’t just popular with guests, but also with outsiders.
The hotel has a sushi restaurant, a teppanyaki restaurant, a Chinese restaurant, an Italian restaurant, a French restaurant, a grill restaurant, a lobby lounge restaurant, a grab and go food selection, and more.
All the meals we had were excellent, with surprisingly authentic flavors and well executed concepts.
One other thing I appreciated, at least in comparison to skiing in the United States, is that prices for food and drinks were quite reasonable. Admittedly the JPY is weak, but even so, I was delighted by the overall value. On the low end, there were $2 snacks and drinks in the grab & go area and $3 Pierre Herme pastries.
Even the meals were pretty reasonably priced, at least compared to what we’re used to paying in the United States, and the quality was very good. Meanwhile cocktails were in the ~$15 range, rather than the $20+ range that has become the norm at US ski resorts, before tip.
The Park Hyatt Niseko has surprisingly great service
Prior to my stay, I had heard mixed reviews of service at the Park Hyatt Niseko. Japan is of course known for amazing hospitality, though ski resorts are tricky, since they use a lot of seasonal labor. With that in mind, I left pleasantly surprised by the service levels.
The Park Hyatt Niseko serves a lot of guests (both those staying at the hotel and dining at the restaurants), and I found the service level to be very good, when you account for all of that. Staff were a mix of Japanese and foreigners (primarily from other Asian countries), and across the board, staff were friendly, professional, and well intentioned.
Of course service isn’t going to be quite as personalized as it would be at a boutique property, but for a ski resort, I couldn’t have possibly asked for more. In fairness, we were staying late in the season, and I do wonder if that contributed to the positive experience, with all staff being “up to speed.”
Skiing at the Park Hyatt Niseko
The Park Hyatt Niseko is a ski-in, ski-out property. Niseko is located on the island of Hokkaido, and gets an unreal amount of snow, given how far north it is (it’s also really close to Russia).
When we first booked, I was kind of confused, because rates really drop off in March. I wondered if there wouldn’t be any snow, or what. But nope, there was a huge amount of snow, more than I’ve seen anywhere even in the peak of winter. I’d view visiting late in the season as a benefit, as you get more daylight, lower prices, and slightly warmer temperatures (but it’s still freezing!).
The price to ski in the United States has gotten out of control, in terms of ski passes, rentals, etc. So by comparison, Niseko is much more affordable. For example, lift tickets cost 10,500 JPY (~$70) per day (and potentially less if booking multiple days), which is a fraction of what you’d pay in most ski destinations in the United States.
How were ski conditions? Well, I’m not a big skier, but fortunately our friend Scott was with us, who skies more than anyone I know. So I asked him if he had one or two sentences to describe the conditions, and here’s what he had to say:
Great skiing conditions with consistent snowfall and plenty of coverage. It was a little heavier / wetter than I expected, but that’s probably a function of warmer spring temps.
As someone who is more of an après skier, let me chime in on that. From what I saw, there definitely wasn’t as much of a “party” vibe in the afternoons as in many places in Europe, North America, etc. Like, the Park Hyatt is a social hub for the area and has a ton of restaurants, yet oddly there’s not a single restaurant that has an outdoor terrace with any sort of an après ski vibe. That didn’t bother me, but I just mention that because if you’re looking to party in that way, maybe Niseko isn’t the right choice (though it’s also possible we missed something).
Let me of course mention that maybe we just didn’t find the right places, but even when visiting places like the nearby town of Hirafu, it didn’t seem to have quite as active of a vibe. Maybe it’s a bit busier during peak season, but that was my observation. Nonetheless, we had a lot of amazing meals, and also enjoyed some cool bars.
Bottom line
I’m so happy I finally had the chance to stay at the Park Hyatt Niseko, and I can’t recommend the property enough. It’s a physically gorgeous resort, with endless amenities, varied dining outlets, friendly service, and ski-in, ski-out access. I think this would even be an awesome place to visit in summer, for hiking, and for exploring more of Hokkaido.
Japan is one of my favorite places to visit, though we’ve never gone on a ski trip, so it was fun to finally experience that. What a treat to have this as part of the World of Hyatt portfolio. Unfortunately finding award availability in peak season can be tough, though it’s not impossible with some planning and flexibility.
What’s your take on the Park Hyatt Niseko?
This just confirms a recent bias of mine that Park Hyatt is the brand to beat right now. Ritz Carlton, for example, has lost its way and has too many properties that are subpar with shockingly poor customer service. Whereas PH is almost always a superior experience for the money. Obviously there are more luxurious experiences (especially at more boutique hotels) but for the price point I think PH is the best right now.
Hey Ben,
Would it be possible to include star ratings on all of your reviews of this type? I’ve noticed that some of your reviews have them, and I find them really helpful—not just as a quick reference, but also as a way to gauge your perspective across different reviews.
I’ve been a loyal reader for many years now, and I just wanted to say thanks for all the great reviews over the years!
Looking forward to more.
A counterpoint-- while the PH Niseko looks fabulous and it is ski-in, ski-out to Hanazono, which is the best of the Niseko United resorts, it's also not in town. Hirafu is a blast, full of fun bars and great restaurants with real energy; if you value a ski vacation that is focused on that I would advise staying at one of the many luxury (but non-points) hotels there-- Setsui, Muwa (where we stayed), and Sansui...
A counterpoint-- while the PH Niseko looks fabulous and it is ski-in, ski-out to Hanazono, which is the best of the Niseko United resorts, it's also not in town. Hirafu is a blast, full of fun bars and great restaurants with real energy; if you value a ski vacation that is focused on that I would advise staying at one of the many luxury (but non-points) hotels there-- Setsui, Muwa (where we stayed), and Sansui are all great and have Michelin keys; Muwa is as ski in, ski out as the PH is and at a fraction of the price. Of course the Hirafu hotels are more skier focused rather than full service resorts and if you want a five star experience, you're better off at the Park Hyatt.
But from my perspective, one of the joys of skiing in Niseko is wandering around Hirafu village, grabbing street food, popping into izakayas (but best to reserve in advance!), and enjoying an apres that is much more joyous, casual and lowkey (probably the Aussie influence) than it is snobby (looking at you, Aspen/Vail/Deer Valley) or an EDM dance party (everywhere in Europe lol). We wanted to stay in town, and the Park Hyatt is unfortunately (or fortunately, if that's what you're looking for) a universe unto itself with nothing else around it.
Another reason rates would drop off is likely that many Australians take much of January off, with people holidaying in February and early-mid March.
With the Yen so weak, Japan is one of the only affordable destinations - and Australians are just behind Americans in terms of Western visitors. It's also a similar time-zone, short (for Australians!) flight, accessible enough culture etc.
It’s still not Zaborin
The reason rates drop off in March is because Jan-Feb is really the peak season for Niseko. Although there may have been tons of snow when you went, Jan-Feb is really when Niseko gets the best quality, consistent snowfalls.
Like your friend mentioned, the snow was wet and heavy. This isn't ideal for skiing, but some snow is better than nothing. You probably didn't mind since you aren't a big skier. Please don't take...
The reason rates drop off in March is because Jan-Feb is really the peak season for Niseko. Although there may have been tons of snow when you went, Jan-Feb is really when Niseko gets the best quality, consistent snowfalls.
Like your friend mentioned, the snow was wet and heavy. This isn't ideal for skiing, but some snow is better than nothing. You probably didn't mind since you aren't a big skier. Please don't take offense by that, it's just that avid skiers will know that the best snow is light and dry.
If I am not mistaken, Niseko, and Hokkaido in general, got the snowiest December on the record in several decades, for example. The persistent La Nina could be the "culprit" for all this snow dump this winter.
I've heard the international popularity that Niseko gained is not all hanky-dory... Foreign skiers allegedly misbehave both on and off the slopes...
Also, local businesses complain they cannot compete with the wages tourism sector offers for...
If I am not mistaken, Niseko, and Hokkaido in general, got the snowiest December on the record in several decades, for example. The persistent La Nina could be the "culprit" for all this snow dump this winter.
I've heard the international popularity that Niseko gained is not all hanky-dory... Foreign skiers allegedly misbehave both on and off the slopes...
Also, local businesses complain they cannot compete with the wages tourism sector offers for such entry-level jobs like housekeeping against retirement home staff pay, for example
Niseko is awesome. The base was 37' when I was there. Locals carry umbrellas because it snows practically all the time.
@Ben
It is shoulder season for good reason. The snow is wet and heavy this time of year, not what Niseko is famous for. The fantastic powder snow is for much earlier in the season.
I am surprised you don't notice the industrial scale resort factory traits of the place. It is nice, but it is really centered around processing huge amounts of people in a smooth way. The onsen is nice (I see you...
@Ben
It is shoulder season for good reason. The snow is wet and heavy this time of year, not what Niseko is famous for. The fantastic powder snow is for much earlier in the season.
I am surprised you don't notice the industrial scale resort factory traits of the place. It is nice, but it is really centered around processing huge amounts of people in a smooth way. The onsen is nice (I see you broke the no cameras rule :) naughty naughty), but it is really not big enough for the size of the hotel. Same for the sauna and other facilities.
Of course by paying for a residence with onsen, you kind of avoid that. I do miss the days when you could get the residences as a Globalist upgrade.
I do feel a bit that the "Hyatt will be forgiven almost anything" ethos colours this review.
@ CPH-Flyer -- You're right that it's a massive resort, but I don't think that's a bad thing. It means there are lots of amenities on property, which is quite a contrast to the Ritz-Carlton Reserve (which I'll write about next).
You're probably right about the onsen, but since we had our own, we didn't use the public one. But beyond that, I thought the property was very well run for one of this size....
@ CPH-Flyer -- You're right that it's a massive resort, but I don't think that's a bad thing. It means there are lots of amenities on property, which is quite a contrast to the Ritz-Carlton Reserve (which I'll write about next).
You're probably right about the onsen, but since we had our own, we didn't use the public one. But beyond that, I thought the property was very well run for one of this size. For example, the gym was never full, the indoor pool was nearly empty every time I looked, etc.
I don't think the size is a bad thing as such. You just get a very industrial assembly line feel to all of the service delivery.
Sure they have more amenities than the Ritz, but e.g. the Ritz onsen is actually larger for a much smaller hotel. And nicer with the rotenburo looking out at the snow around you.
I found the service much more personal at the Ritz than at the PH. The...
I don't think the size is a bad thing as such. You just get a very industrial assembly line feel to all of the service delivery.
Sure they have more amenities than the Ritz, but e.g. the Ritz onsen is actually larger for a much smaller hotel. And nicer with the rotenburo looking out at the snow around you.
I found the service much more personal at the Ritz than at the PH. The PH did give a feeling of just being the next task on the assembly line. Where as the Ritz would always know us by name.
You should try Hakuba instead of Niseko.
Meat any readers in the onsen?
Ben, would you go outside of skii season? See rates in the $200s mid year.
In summer there is lots of great hiking opportunities in the area, you'd probably want a car to be able to a bit further afield. But worth a summer visit as well.
Thank you for this review.
The jet lag really takes the fun out of skiing in Japan for someone coming from the US. If you are used to eastern time, best to goto the western US and get an extra two hours
Interesting, I don’t usually get jet lag going to Asia from the west coast, but always get jet lags coming home from Asia or going to Europe. Lift tickets are $200 and up in the US. For that price you can get a lift ticket plus full rental (ski and clothing) in Japan.
Agree, I get much less jet lag going to Asia than Europe. I only do the flights that get in at 3-9pm though, not the ones overnight that get in at 6am. Get in at 5pm, by the time I get to the hotel I am absolutely shattered (like fallen asleep in my shoes tired) and can fall asleep immediately for 10 hours and be feeling great the next AM.