Park Hyatt is my favorite luxury hotel brand to book with points. While I generally think Park Hyatt and St. Regis are roughly comparable, I prefer World of Hyatt for being able to confirm a suite upgrade at the time of booking as a Globalist member, which really lets me maximize the hotel stays that matter most to me.
This has been an exciting several months for Park Hyatt — the Park Hyatt Kyoto opened a few months ago, and the Park Hyatt Auckland will be opening in 2020 (though the opening keeps getting pushed back, even though they’re accepting reservations).
In August 2019 the Park Hyatt Niseko started accepting reservations for stays as of March 1, 2020, and this is an update to that, as the hotel is now opening in a few days, earlier than initially expected.
In this post:
Park Hyatt Niseko opens January 20, 2020
The Park Hyatt Niseko will be opening as of Monday, January 20, 2020. So that’s in just a few days, meaning people can still enjoy this ski season at the resort.
The Park Hyatt will be a resort located in the ski town of Niseko, in Hokkaido, with views across the Annupuri ranges and Mount Yotei. The property will be eight stories and will have about 100 guest rooms, in addition to residences.
Park Hyatt Niseko Category 7 World of Hyatt property
The Park Hyatt Niseko will be a top tier Category 7 World of Hyatt property, so free night redemptions cost 30,000 points per night.
As a point of comparison, paid rates vary wildly based on the season. For example, in summer I see rates starting at $300+ per night, while in winter I see rates starting at $1,000+ per night.
On top of that, the hotel does seem to seasonally have minimum stay requirements, as is often the case for resorts with peak seasons.
The standard rooms are an impressive 700 square feet, while the standard suite here is about 1,050 square feet. So this place will have some huge rooms, which is cool.
In addition to being able to earn World of Hyatt points with the World of Hyatt Credit Card (review), you can also transfer over points from Ultimate Rewards.
- Earn 4x Points at Hyatt Properties
- Free Night Every Year
- Complimentary Discoverist Status
- $95
- Earn 4x Points at Hyatt Properties
- Complimentary Discoverist Status
- Gift Discoverist Status up to 5 Employees
- $199
- 5x total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3x points on dining
- 2x points on travel purchases
- $95
- 3x points on Travel after the $300 Annual Travel Credit
- 3x points on Dining
- $300 Travel Credit
- $550
- Earn 3x points on travel
- Earn 3x points on shipping purchases
- Cell Phone Protection
- $95
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Car Rental Coverage
- Extended Warranty Protection
- $0
- Earn 5% Cash Back at office supply stores
- Earn 5% Cash Back on internet, cable TV, mobile phones, and landlines
- Car Rental Coverage
- $0
- Earn 3% Cash Back on Dining
- Earn 3% Cash Back at Drugstores
- Earn 1.5% Cash Back On All Other Purchases
- $0
See this post for everything you need to know about earning Hyatt points with credit cards.
Book through Hyatt Privé if paying cash
If you’re paying cash for a stay here rather than redeeming points, make sure you book through a Hyatt Privé advisor. When booking through Hyatt Privé you pay the same as the standard best available rate, and you receive the following benefits:
- A $100 property credit per room per stay
- A one category room upgrade confirmed within 24 hours of booking (room-to-room or suite-to-suite) — based on availability at the time of booking
- Daily full breakfast for two in the hotel’s restaurant
- Early check-in (as early as 9AM) and late check-out (as late as 4PM), subject to availability
- A welcome gift and letter
It’s an absolute no brainer to book Park Hyatt stays through Hyatt Privé. If you need a Privé agent you can contact Ford at [email protected]. He doesn’t charge booking fees for Park Hyatt stays, so you’ll just pay the same as the standard daily rate.
Park Hyatt Niseko pictures
As of now there are a pretty limited number of pictures of the resort, though the resort looks beautiful.
Bottom line
The Park Hyatt Niseko looks like a great addition to the Park Hyatt Portfolio, and I can’t wait to check it out. I’m not a skier, but I’m still intrigued by this hotel, as I love nature. For me, maybe this is more of a summer destination than a winter destination
I’m going to Japan this spring and was considering staying here, but due to the logistics of getting to the Park Hyatt Niseko, I decided to skip it this time around (though I will be checking out the Park Hyatt Kyoto). I hope to check it out next time, though.
Who else is excited to check out the Park Hyatt Niseko? Has anyone been to Niseko before?
Heading there in early April for 4 nights. Happy to send a review and pics your way if you'd like.
@lucky
In your first paragraph, you mention you are able to confirm suite upgrade at time of booking. May I check you mean Gloablist complementary upgrade or using the suite upgrade voucher?
I think it is important to make it clear to manage expectation.
I am looking to stay at this property. Thanks for the update.
I went to PH Kyoto a few months ago (November) to burn my free night award for hitting 60 nights. Highly recommended, really solid service, although I was surprised the taxi drivers didn't know about it.
I'm heading back to Japan in March and I thought about this, but it's just too far from Tokyo - I'd spend 12 hours of the trip on trains, which isn't a great use of vacation time to hit a destination with relatively little cultural value.
Stay booked for mid February!
I wonder if it will be one the Park Hyatts where you can not use suite upgrades - Like Sydney and Maldives + others.
This is probably not the point since we are focusing on points hotels, but just so you know, just down the road from the Park Hyatt Niseko is one of the most luxurious and amazing ryokans in Japan (Ryokan Zaborin). If you feel like splurging and experience true Japanese hospitality, and absolutely incredible food in the middle of nature, I strongly recommend :) .
1. Hokkaido is great ski option but it depends on what you are looking for*
2. I would probably not pony up the dough to stay slope side in Hokkaido. For me the value of staying ski in, ski out is so you don't have to deal the circus of parking or crazy mountain pass roads to get where you are. In Niseko, the infrastructure is great so the parking lot is empty. Heck...
1. Hokkaido is great ski option but it depends on what you are looking for*
2. I would probably not pony up the dough to stay slope side in Hokkaido. For me the value of staying ski in, ski out is so you don't have to deal the circus of parking or crazy mountain pass roads to get where you are. In Niseko, the infrastructure is great so the parking lot is empty. Heck the main road to the Hirafu lift is heated. With a car you can easily do a few days at the other Hokkaido resorts.
* I live in SF, so I can fly to most major ski destinations in North America in one hop or drive to Tahoe. That being said I really liked Hokkaido skiing. The problem is that on a really good weekend most resorts driving distance from an urban area gets skied out really quickly and it stays crazy busy. Due to the nature of my job, I can't just abruptly take time off and chase powder, my vacation time tends to be planned far advance. Hokkaido is relatively snow sure for a period in February. While the mountains are smaller and the popular ones gets tracked out, the snow is light and it remains cold, so the skiing remains solid. Also by noon the lifts were so empty! Also lots of tree skiing in trees that are deciduous so little fear of tree wells!
Japan has legendary skiing, there are Europeans who could take a quick trip to the Alps and instead fly all the way to Japan every year for the POWDER.
Anywhere in Japan is Japanese.
Why Niseko? Because the sidecountry out of the gates, and the backcountry accessible off the peak (about a 20-minute bootpack), is insanely fun, especially after one of those rightfully legendary full-on Niseko powder dumps. Add in Rakuichi, Ezo Seafoods, Bar Gyu, and a few other sundry drinking & dining establishments, as well as the potential of skiing Mt. Yotei, and you've got a recipe for wintertime goodness. Are there a crazy number of Aussies? Sure......
Why Niseko? Because the sidecountry out of the gates, and the backcountry accessible off the peak (about a 20-minute bootpack), is insanely fun, especially after one of those rightfully legendary full-on Niseko powder dumps. Add in Rakuichi, Ezo Seafoods, Bar Gyu, and a few other sundry drinking & dining establishments, as well as the potential of skiing Mt. Yotei, and you've got a recipe for wintertime goodness. Are there a crazy number of Aussies? Sure... but you've also got Kiwis, Germans, English, Swiss, French, Indian, Singapore, Thai (!), Chinese, Japanese and even a few token American skiers, making it one of the most culturally diverse places I've ever skied. That said... if you are a pure inbounds skier, and don't want to deal with crowds & the increasing Vailization of a formerly somewhat chill ski town, there are definitely better places in Japan to ski! But if you've got the skills & the gear to go through the gates, Niseko is a pretty remarkable place to hang out.
I'm as much of a points junkie as anyone, but in rural Japan I never stay anywhere but a traditional Ryokan. Such a better experience than a big American chain hotel.
I'm wirh Ryan and Gavin here. I don't see the point of going to Japan for the mountains, given that there are more spectacular ranges in South Asia, Europe and even the good ol' USA.
Go to Japan for the culture, not ski or beach vacations.
I don't really understand the appeal of Niseko - I went there the first time I skied in Hokkaido, it's full of Australian, Chinese, Thai etc tourists. Very expensive. Not very Japanese feeling. There are loads of other good ski resorts in Hokkaido with a more Japanese vibe and much cheaper. If in Western Hokkaido for skiing (with a rental car), I'd rather stay in Otaru, Sapporo or maybe Jozankei Onsen area. If you don't...
I don't really understand the appeal of Niseko - I went there the first time I skied in Hokkaido, it's full of Australian, Chinese, Thai etc tourists. Very expensive. Not very Japanese feeling. There are loads of other good ski resorts in Hokkaido with a more Japanese vibe and much cheaper. If in Western Hokkaido for skiing (with a rental car), I'd rather stay in Otaru, Sapporo or maybe Jozankei Onsen area. If you don't want to rent a car, Furano is a better option vs. Niseko IMO. Furano is also beautiful in the summer.
The hotel isn't in the town of Niseko, it's at the base of one of the farther out ski resorts. Winter rates will be insane, I'm sure, as Niseko hotels are astronomically expensive. Niseko isn't with visiting, if you're not a skier - it might be ok in the summer if you want to do something outdoorsy, but it's not really very "Japanese" feeling, since it's an international (Australian) ski resort.
Niseko is good but not that good. I would say it is getting overrated just like Vail.
But then again so many people go to Vail and don't ski.
Yeah they will be trying for $1k or more in winter. You should definitely go, also go to Westin Rusutsu, it's an excellent hotel which treats elites great.
Late spring might be very pretty as the high snow melts. Though better to try winter or early spring, you can snowmobile, snowshoe, dog sled... really should just learn to ski.
I will go here for sure on points. Love Park Hyatt.
Go to Japan to hang out in a city over-run with Australian ski bunnies? No thanks.
Impressive.
Niseko is great, and this will be a fantastic addition. I stayed at the Hilton which is a little long in the tooth.
All the more reason to beef up my Hyatt stays. This will be great for some JaPOW skiing.
Park Hyatt Shenzhen opened last week and it’s currently a category 4.
Any word on the Park Hyatt Jakarta?
Summer activities for Hokkaido - hiking, cycling, wildlife watching, visiting natural hot springs, eating.
Not that it’s that close to Niseko but the Sapporo Autumn festival in September is a glorious 3 week food festival in the main park there. I’ll be there again this year by chance and I’m really looking forward to it.
Hokkaido is lovely. I can’t comment on Niseko but I’ve live skiing at Rusutsu and Furano. Can’t say I’m excited about paying $350+ a night, though.
Good summer destination as well. Lake toya is beautiful and the far north is wild and wonderful. Check out Rishiri Island.