Staying in Kutchan comes with some good pros such as saving money for skiing, and it is particularly ideal for those with a car who plan to not only ski at Niseko but to also head to other nearby ski areas or go cat skiing or backcountry touring. The town has retained its essence of Japan and the hotel is right in the thick of the restaurants that don’t feel resortified like many of the restaurants in Niseko.

The no frills hotel was very modern and clean. The automated check-in was well explained and it was nice that there were multiple signs to remind you to remember your room door code. As advertised, the room was small and of the size that you’d often see in a city. For the price, you’d think you’d get a bigger room but then you remember that Niseko is just up the road where prices for lodging and food are incredibly inflated. There was a double bed and just enough room to put a suitcase at the end of it. The bathroom was adequate and one of those classic bolt-on pre-fab bathrooms you see in Japanese hotels. The space could have been a little better utilised to cater for skiers/snowboarders by including better storage solutions such as more shelving and hooks.

We didn’t use the kitchenette except the fridge, but there was a microwave and stovetop and a few utensils to make a basic meal.

Stay Living Niseko was in a great location in Kutchan, in amongst the restaurants. Whilst we could stop the car out the front to unload gear, the parking was 2 streets away which would have become tiresome if we’d been staying for longer and driving each day.

We only stayed a short time and the hotel was adequate for a short stay for the two of us. For solo travellers the space would suffice, but for couples we wouldn’t recommend it for stays of more than 2-3 nights.
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