Review: Intuition Niseko, Japan

This ski town in Japan's Hokkaido prefecture is home to a luxe hotel you might not have heard of. 

Just a short, icy shuffle to Niseko’s buzzing Grand Hirafu village, this six-storey property in Niseko offers 32 serviced apartments ranging from studio to six-bedroom, an onsen and what just might be the ski town’s best buffet breakfast.

Location

Set amid snow-coiffed birch trees in West Hirafu with some apartments boasting views of an imposing Mt Yotei, and others ogling the underwhelming carpark adjacent, this stay opened in 2022 and is just 10 minutes’ walk into the village. It may not have the bravado of some of Niseko’s fanciest ski-in, ski-out hotels, but that doesn’t matter: the ACE Family Quad Lift is a two-minute walk away, accessed via a carpark at the opposite hotel, and after a heavy dump of snow, you can ski all the way to the road. From there, click off your gear and walk the short distance to the hotel’s dry room.

The hotel is set amid snow-coiffed birch trees in West Hirafu.

Set the scene

Staffed by a mix of enthusiastic, fresh-outta-uni English, Aussie and international shredders, the uplifting vibe at this hotel is warmly felt from the moment dry, banter-astute Guy picks us up from the bus station. Part of The Luxe Nomad portfolio, a luxury vacation rental management company featuring over 100 standalone properties, villas and ski chalets in Asia-Pacific, this low-rise spot is all floor-to-ceiling glass, timber floorboards and sultry snowscapes. The lobby is minimalist with a modern glass fireplace and small lounge, with a bar and restaurant positioned to the left. His-and-hers onsens with both indoor and outdoor baths are on the same floor, although the latter is noisy when I visit as there seems to be a congregation of chatty men in the outdoor onsen next door participating in a birthday suit bro-off.

Intuition Niseko has his-and-hers onsens with both indoor and outdoor baths.

The room

Our 114-sqm Two Bedroom Premier Residence sleeps up to five guests and is positioned on the fifth floor with muted interiors that lean Scandi. There’s a fluffy grey throw draped over a chair, latte-hued timber floorboards that match the dining table, a large kitchen with a marble island, laundry with washer and dryer (although staff have to source a hanging rack from another hotel, which seems odd at a stay skewed towards skiing) and king-sized beds with thick duvets to snuggle under. Each of the bedrooms have their own ensuites and there are hooks to hang your coats as you enter, but the walls do feel a bit sparse. Housekeeping perform a ‘small clean’ every two days, which means they make the bed and take out the rubbish. A ‘full clean’ happens on every fourth day.

Two Bedroom Premier Residence

Food & drinks

We don’t have a chance to try the restaurant or bar during our stay, but the buffet breakfast is enough to power you for a full morning on the slopes. Every day, there’s a different mix of Japanese and Western options, including konbu (kelp) bread, shumai, age dashi tofu, grilled salmon, eggs, fruit, donuts, white wine (should you need to partake in some Dutch courage before popping your skis on) and tea and coffee. There’s also a vitamin smorgasbord, with complimentary fish oil tablets, vitamin C, calcium and iron for all.

Food with a view.

The extras

Staff are contactable via Whatsapp and offer free pick-ups within the village in The Luxe Nomad-branded vans between 7am and 10pm. The lockers in the hotel’s dry room feel very premium; the boot warmers are genius.

What’s hot

The staff make this stay. And despite not officially being ski-in, ski-out, the hotel’s proximity to the ACE Quad Family Life is a welcome convenience. It’s also handy being so close to town, and the central konbini, Seicomart.

Each bedroom comes with its own ensuite.

What’s not

The hotel is a tad toasty. In what I’ve recently found to be a recurring theme in Japan, the central heating is set and controlled by a master system, so you can’t individually adjust the AC in your room. To make the rooms colder, a staff member must come and open a window, which makes the mind boggle. Likewise, the excessively heavy door to the main bedroom has been poorly designed, the only way to keep it open is with a rubber stopper that’s an ill match for its might, so it’s constantly slamming shut.

Intuition Niseko's lobby.

The verdict: 8/10

Walking into our airy, two-bedroom home after a day on the slopes is the best relief. The staff are always smiling and eager to assist, and the location is within access of restaurants and bars, but far enough removed from the hum of Grand Hirafu.

Superior Studio rooms start from $542 a night during winter, with a two-night minimum stay.

The writer travelled as a guest of The Luxe Nomad and Jetstar.

Originally published as Review: Intuition Niseko, Japan