Travel May. 23, 2008 - 07:02AM JST ( 1 )

The Hilton Niseko Village will open July 1. Located at the foot of 1,309 meter Mount Annupuri in Hokkaido, a two-hour drive from Sapporo, the 506-room deluxe Hilton-managed hotel will enhance the hospitality offerings at Niseko Village, a popular destination resort, Hilton officials said Thursday.

Niseko Village comprises a ski area with manicured pistes and deep powder glades and boasts summertime activities including golf, horse riding, fishing, and rope courses. It also provides a base for the region’s white water rafting and adventure options.

Oded Lifschitz, Hilton vice president of operations – Japan, Korea and Micronesia, said, “Niseko is experiencing a growth in tourism with increasing visitor arrivals from Japanese cities as well as Australia, Asia and Europe. We see great potential for the tourism market to grow here, in the summer season as well as in winter. Hilton Niseko Village is a response to growing demand for deluxe hotels here.”

The Hilton is being built on an existing property that has undergone multi-million dollar renovations over the past few months. The hotel lobby, which was designed by renowned Japanese interior designer Yukio Hashimoto Design, will be kept warm during winter by one of Japan’s largest fireplaces, a 2.7-meter-high enclosed gas flame hearth, suspended from the 3-story high lobby ceiling.

Boasting a ski-in, ski-out location, skiers will be able to come straight off the piste and into the hotel’s ski lounge, where a ski valet will be on hand to assist guests and store their equipment with a boot-warming facility. For guests who wish to explore the countryside by renting cars, the hotel offers valet parking and door-to-door transfers by snow mobile.

A highlight will also be the ambience of the après ski bar, “Ezo” (the ancient name for Hokkaido), a stunning pub designed by Yukio Hashimoto Design, overlooking the ski piste and complete with smooth wooden communal benches and a range of iconic beverages.

Hilton Niseko General Manager Daniel Welk said, “The Hilton Niseko Village will be all about real experience and personalized service that will combine to give our guests great memories of their time in Hokkaido’s nature. The beauty of this hotel and destination lies in its diverse appeal. It is the sum of its many parts - appealing to families that want to spend quality time together all the way to extreme sports-fans or even companies that want to offer their employees a whole new team building experience.”

Established as a tourist destination over 40 years ago, today Niseko is one of Japan’s most
successful and popular recreational destinations. Luke Hurford, general manager of Niseko Village, said, “This destination offers the best of both worlds, with its year-round favorable weather conditions giving way to exciting activities for all ages. We are continually introducing new sports, services and programs and identifying upcoming trends for activities – whether it’s fly fishing or cat-skiing, we are making a long term commitment to realizing Niseko’s potential as a leading mountain resort destination.”