Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Seshu Niseko 雪舟酒店 (Niseko, JAPAN)

For years, I have been thinking about putting my family in an aparthotel for our trips to Japan but it wasn't until this August that I finally put it to work in Osaka and Kyoto. This fall, I decided to take the idea to a whole new level by staying at a holiday home in Niseko. There are some nice lodging options in this beautiful ski resort town in Hokkaido but none could ever come close to matching the space and comfort offered by Seshu (雪舟), a charming three-story chalet with 5 bedrooms, private jacuzzi and more.



Many properties in Niseko are closed in October. In fact, the majority of hotels and apartments here are only open for two to three months during the skii season. Seshu is one of the few that opens throughout the year, making it one of the most attractive properties in the area. Needless to say, I jumped all over it once it allowed online booking 12 months in advance.

It's worth noting that, Seshu's nightly rate tends to vary a lot throughout the year. During the low-season (September-October), it goes for about 80,000 yen a night. In the summer when it's perfect for outdoor activities in Niseko, the price doubles to around 160,000 yen a night. And during winter if you're lucky enough to get a hold of this place, the price almost triples what we're currently paying now. But despite the up-and-down prices, the property still remains one of the hottest in the market.   



The moment we stepped through the doors, we fell in love with the place.



Let's start with the second floor which consisted of the open kitchen, living room and master bedroom.



I love the modern decor. The fact that it uses a lot of work gives us a warm and cozy atmosphere which is particularly nice for family trips like this.



It looks even more airy and inviting under natural light. And I love the fireplace too. I miss having one since I left Vancouver but then in Hong Kong, I don't think I really needed one.



This is the perfect place to catch a cup of coffee in the morning.



Right next to the living room is the dining area.



There's a long wooden table in the middle of the dining area.



My little nugget will be more than happy to tell you how much he enjoys doing his "work" around this spacious dining table.



The open kitchen is right behind the dining area. You will find everything you need from the cupboards and there are so much more than just pots and pans, bowls, plates and cutlery (There's a rice cooker, coffee maker. The list goes on and on. How do they fit all these in?). Personally, I think the kitchen is fully equipped to throw a very large banquet.



And here, we were seen throwing a small banquet (photo taken while some of us were still taking a shower!).



On the first floor were three spacious bedrooms in slightly different shapes but equally comfortable.



Each bedroom has its own bathroom inside so you don't have to worry about privacy. Mine even had a bath tub which I never got to use.



Next to my room is a diamond-shaped bedroom with some Nordic-style furniture which I was told cost USD3,000 a piece. Did I hear that right?



Again, a private bathroom hidden inside the bedroom.



This third bedroom was the most spacious one of the three (which was why I didn't pick it).



It has its own bathroom. You get the idea.



The basement level is directly connected to the garage and there's a laundry room there for your disposal.



That's a pretty spacious entertainment room. I forgot how many times I used the word "spacious" already.



There's one more Japanese-style bedroom in the basement but it was a little cold during our stay so everyone decided to pass.



Located just outside the entertainment room is the private jacuzzi. This is the perfect place to be on a snowy day! Inside the jacuzzi!



In order not to miss out on the nice kitchen and dining area, we decided to dine in as much as possible during our stay.



A vegetable based dinner with the occasional meat suited my new diet just fine.



Seshu is situated in a very quiet neighborhood in Niseko right next to the Powder Resort (which was closed during my stay like most resorts did) but the area is about to get busier in the next few years as the council has just approved a 5-year plan to move the town centre of Niseko right here next to the chalet. 



John, the Australian property manager in charge of Seshu is one of the nicest guy you will ever meet. He walked us through the entire architecture a couple of times just to make sure that we knew even the smallest thing (such as light switch) about the place and he even went the extra mile to give us tips on where to go for our snow fight (It was snowing the day we left) and burgers. I will definitely come back to say hi to John on our next trip to Niseko!






Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ 
Price: ¥¥¥¥
Address: 163-100 Yamada, Niseko, Hokkaido, 044-0034 Japan
Tel: +81 136-55-5705



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