Niseko

Lots of Squeeky Snow Day and Night

The Vale has a great bar and restaurant. The food and drinks were a little expensive but the quality of the food meant that you didn''t feel like you were being taken advantage of (Secomart is a good source for reasonably priced wine).

The room we had was very clean but a little ordinary. While it had plenty of hanging space, it had no shelves or drawers to put cloths in and so you have to live out of your suitcase to some extent. I was not impressed with having a room in the basement (no view to speak of). When I go again I will probably stay in Alpen Ridge and eat in The Vale. From my experience Alpen Ridge has more functionality in its rooms and has better access to the slopes (not walking up or down stairs with ski boots on).

In Niseko I love the length and variety of the runs, the option to ski at night, the variety and quality of the eating places on/near the runs and except for opening times in the morning, the lack of waiting in lift lines. It''s quite a different experience to ski IN snow rather than ON snow.

A must for all.

Absolutely loved Niseko!

We stayed in Yama Shizen Apartments. The rooms were beautiful and front desk staff really helpful. Only downside was our noisy/selfish neighbours who took up all the space in our entry way/drying room, but this couldn''t be helped.

As a first time skiier I wasn''t sure how I would enjoy it but Niseko was just beautiful. Loved every minute of it and would definitely recommend it! Will probably be going back again next year.

I could never ski the icy slopes of Australia after this experience.

The Vale - the place to stay, the place to be seen!

Just back from Niseko with a stay at The Vale. Why, I ask myself have I come home! Still on a high one week later! The snow was exceptional.

The Vale offered outstanding well thought out 5 star accommodation with every convenience covered from the hip bar/restaurant with heated outside sitting area, to the stylish indoor/outdoor onsen.

Our deluxe suite was the perfect size for two and offered every modern comfort you would expect to find at home.

Hirafu village has been heavily infiltrated by the overseas market, Australia in particular, and while this does detract from the "feel" of what you would expect from a Japanese resort, on the other hand it caters well for the non Japanese speaking visitor.

Plenty of eateries and bars. Remember however that Japan has not embraced ATM''s in the country so cash is king. There is just the one foreign ATM and it is only open selected hours. In conclusion I would recommend The Vale and the Niseko ski area for anyone; families, couples, groups of friends and so forth.