Hokkaido Hotel Review – Hinode Hills Niseko Village

One of the many reasons we are delighted about the reopening of Japan’s borders is that we can share about one of the finest hotels we have stayed-in in Hokkaido: Hinode Hills Niseko Village.

^{We will always remember the warmth and comfort we got at Hinode Hills.}

Part of YTL Hotel group, we stayed at Hinode Hills Niseko Village during our very last trip to Hokkaido pre-COVID in December 2019. It was newly opened then and we were among its first guests! Unfortunately, as March 2020 came around, worldwide borders started to close, including Japan.

^{Our parting shot of Hinode Hills. We miss the place.}

Here are reasons why we remember Hinode Hills Niseko Village so fondly.

Service. Service. Service: The warm and obliging staff at the reception and restaurants make our stay memorable. At the time of the hotel’s opening in 2019, some staff were new to Niseko Village and while some did not have immediate answers to our questions, they made it a point to get back to us promptly. Their service was attentive, friendly and exudes a sense of professionalism. Perfect for a travelling family self-driving in Hokkaido. As a nod to its customer-centricity, the hotel provides a regular, free shuttle service to Niseko town for guests to explore the dining options there.

^{After a wintry day out, we always look forward to coming back and greeted by the warmth of the staff.}

Luxurious and well-appointed rooms: The rooms came with everything families need on a winter ski-trip. Equipped with a kitchenette, dining area plus a washer dryer, the one bedroom suite was a godsend. We could do laundry and prepare some simple meals for everyone in the family. Everything from bedding to bathroom ooze premium luxury. Perfect for the family to feel pampered after a day out in the snow.

^{The kitchenette and dining area is a god-sent. We had many nice warm cooked meals there.}

^{Luxurious and spacious bathroom.}

Good locale with ample free parking: The hotel is about 15 minutes’ drive from downtown Niseko. This is perfect for families who want to escape from the hustle and bustle of Niseko town while having the option to pop by for the occasional shopping, meals, or ski lessons. The front of the hotel offers ample parking space. However, do note that driving in wintry Hokkaido is not a walk in the park and is best recommended for experienced drivers. Please read our post here on driving tips in wintry Hokkaido.

Tons of space, snow and scenery around.

^{Hinode Hills became our ‘HQ’ as we travelled to send the kids to their skiing lessons and…}

^{…had some time to ourselves to try the many eateries around Hokkaido / Niseko area.}

Good food: Our stay came with breakfast as we prefer to slowly ‘warm up’ before going out to the snow every morning. Selection of food is a mix of Japanese selection amidst the largely continental offerings. The modest selection of well-cooked and delicious offerings, bade well with us as we can take only what we can finish and not encourage food-wastage. We particularly like the fruits and juices as it offers good nutrition to the family during travel. During one of the days when the snowfall was particularly strong, we opted to dine at the in-house restaurant, The Bistro, which turned out to be one of the best meals we’ve had on that trip. The photos simply do not do it justice.

^{Food at The Bistro was top notch. Perfect when we did not want to brave the windy snow to go out.}

^{The Bistro is intimate and offers really good food with good selections.}

We noted that the hotel has since expanded their list of services and facilities. Have a look at their website here for more info.

Snow, Snow, Snow: The hotel is surrounded by ample space and snow fall. There is, in fact, a ski slope and ski school just right behind the hotel complete with ski lifts. Families can practically avoid the crowd at Niseko town and just enjoy Hokkaido’s famous ‘JapPow’ snow right here at Hinode Hills. The hotel does provide a ski-in-ski-out facilities and storage for your ski gear. This means families who want to ski will not have to contend with taking the public transport with ski gear in tow. Really convenient!

^{Don’t need a playground when you have snow! My kids playing gleefully just right outside the hotel.}

Letter to the GM:

We remember Hinode Hills fondly particularly the service we received from your staff back when the hotel was first opened. Although most of them were themselves new to Hokkaido/Niseko, they took the effort to help and serve our family warmly and pro-actively seek out information for us. We appreciated the level of comfort the hotel offers and are thankful that our last memory of pre-pandemic Hokkaido 3 years ago was of our pleasant stay at your hotel. We hope to return one day, hopefully very soon.

^{Classy and comfy. Perfect for that wintry holiday in Hokkaido.}

Website: https://www.hinodehills.com/

HINODE HILLS NISEKO VILLAGE
Higashiyama-onsen, Niseko-cho, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido, 048-1592, Japan
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +81 (0)136 44 3311

Facilities & Amenities
• Luxurious custom designed furnishings • En suite bathroom in each bedroom • High speed wireless internet • Television with streaming media player • Bluetooth music speaker • Fully equipped kitchen with appliances, cookware and utensils • Dishwasher (suites only) • Laundry facilities with washing machine and tumble dryer (suites only) • Centralised heating and air-conditioning • Humidifier/air purifier (on request) • Iron and ironing board (on request) • Branded bath toiletries • Hair dryer

Personalised Services
• Concierge and bell service assistance • Complimentary car park • Complimentary scheduled shuttle transfers to Hirafu and Kutchan