Niseko ski resorts: Recommendations and info

Hi,

I plan to spend New Years in Niseko and want to make my booking asap, but I have a few questions first.

Since I can't drive my biggest concern is getting around from the resort to the ski lift. I'm assuming the hotel/resort I stay in includes that in the price of the booking.

Since I'm a beginner, which area should I look to stay in (and is it easy to get too and from)?

Lastly, should I book through a Japanese website or an English one? I've already noticed that the hotels that either offer are different. Any favorite websites for booking out there?

Cheers,

ct

Since I can't drive my biggest concern is getting around from the resort to the ski lift. I'm assuming the hotel/resort I stay in includes that in the price of the booking.

It depends on the hotel. Don't assume that it always does. Also, quite a few hotels are located right at the base of the ski resort and do not require you to take any transportation.

Since I'm a beginner, which area should I look to stay in (and is it easy to get too and from)?

I would try to book a hotel that is directly at the base of one of the resorts. I personally don't remember which of the resorts is most suitable for beginners, though. I think that all of them have some gentle slopes at the base.

I personally find Hirafu town most interesting. But if you prefer a hotel resort stay, the base hotels at Niseko Village and Annapuri are also recommended.

Lastly, should I book through a Japanese website or an English one? I've already noticed that the hotels that either offer are different. Any favorite websites for booking out there?

I usually use the Japanese version of Rakuten Travel because I already have an account with them, and they usually have the lowest rates, i.e. equally low as the hotel's website where I would have to enter all my person details again. On the other hand, I suspect that at some hotels, guests that book through the hotel website may be treated slightly better than those that book trough a different website. But that is just a suspicion. It probably is not true in case of most hotels.