SnowDog Village

Firstly - yes, it's out of the way from all the hustle and bustle and this is PERFECT. There is a shuttle bus that takes you around Niseko, so this is no issue - AND, the staff will collect you, take you to the nearest run.. and generally just help you out so much. ALSO - the restaurant on site had the most amazing degustation menu. The views are stunning, the rooms are quiet - it really is the best place to stay.

SnowDog’s ethos is all about a personalised experience with the feeling of a family business. The friendly staff were mostly locals who spoke excellent English and were hugely helpful with tips on where to eat, onsen and ski. We stayed in a larger sized studio which was perfect for our preference for simple comforts but no frills. The kitchenette meant we could have breakfast at home, the thermostat was cozy and the shower had great water pressure and heat. The layout is sleek but warm, cleverly designed with plenty of storage so it always felt clear. Looking out the window onto fresh powder every morning was a dream. A drying room near the reception meant we didn’t need to store our skis in our room, and the staff kindly gave us lifts to the local bus stop (5 mins walk away) in the mornings and afternoons. The location isn’t quite ‘ski-in/ski-out’- it’s a 15 minute walk to the closest chairlift, 10 minutes by bus to the main resort chairlift (Niseko Village), and 20 minutes by bus to the busier shops and restaurants of Hirafu. The high simple and comfortable rooms and high quality amenities paired with a warm personal feel from the staff made SnowDog perfect for us as a young early professional couple. The smaller room size and travel times to the slopes might be obstacles for others with different budgets.