Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Daily price line
Upcoming nightly rates
Review
Character and identity
A 49-room Ritz-Carlton Reserve at the base of Mount Annupuri, Higashiyama opened in December 2020 as the brand's fifth Reserve worldwide and the newest arrival on Niseko's increasingly polished hotel scene. The design language is rooted in the proverb kachou fuugetsu (flower, bird, wind, moon): dark latticed wood, forest-toned carpets, cherry blossom fabric panels, and floor-to-ceiling windows framing either Mount Yotei or the forested slopes. Two restaurants (the seasonal Yukibana and the intimate Sushi Nagi counter) anchor the ground floor, while Spa Chasi pairs La Sothys treatments with a private forest-view onsen. Every guest gets a 24-hour do-san butler.
Who's it for
Best for:
Design-minded skiers and snowboarders who want ski-in, ski-out access to Niseko United's 2,100 acres without sacrificing a quiet, intimate hotel scale. It also suits couples and food-focused travellers in summer, when Hokkaido's produce, hiking, and dairy country come into their own. Families work well too, with seven interconnecting suites.
Should look elsewhere:
Travellers wanting buzzy après-ski action on the doorstep or a wide spread of in-house dining venues will find the two-restaurant setup limiting. Anyone hoping for a long-established grande dame rather than a brand-new property should consider Niseko's older addresses.
Bottom line
The defining experience here is the Mount Yotei view through full-height glass, paired with serious Hokkaido cooking and a butler service register that justifies the Reserve badge. Book a Yotei room rather than a Niseko room for the volcano panorama, target winter for the powder or summer for the secret-season rates and produce, and budget for dinners at both Yukibana and Sushi Nagi.