Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Snow falls quietly on Annupuri's lower slope, a hundred metres from the door, and inside Higashiyama Niseko Village guests soak in a private indoor spa tub built into their own room rather than queuing for a communal onsen. Opened in 2020, the Ritz-Carlton Reserve property keeps itself small, just 49 rooms across six floors, so corridors stay quiet even in peak January. The location does the heavy lifting: skiing is listed among the amenities, and Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area, Niseko Mountain Resort Grand Hirafu and the Niseko Distillery are all a short drive away, while the city centre sits five kilometres out. Days can run through the gym, sauna and spa, treatments booked ahead by phone, or a soak in the pool; evenings settle into the restaurant and bar, with staff speaking English and Chinese. Rooms carry LCD televisions, laptop-ready desks and safes, comforts kept plain because the spa tub does the talking. Families travelling together can request connecting rooms, and the property is wheelchair accessible with lift access to every floor. This suits travellers who want ski access without resort sprawl and don't mind booking spa slots ahead; it will feel underfurnished to anyone wanting a sprawling resort with multiple restaurants and nightlife on site. A forty-thousand-yen daily deposit is taken at check-in for damages, worth knowing before you pack. What lingers is the ordinary luxury of stepping off snow straight into your own hot water, no lobby crowd, no walk back through the cold. A 49-room Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Niseko where every guestroom has its own indoor spa tub, a hundred metres from Annupuri's slopes. Small enough to stay quiet in peak season, with skiing, sauna and spa treatments on site. Not for anyone wanting a sprawling resort with nightlife.