AYA Niseko

The location is the big plus, right beside a fairly quiet lift with easy access to the mountain. Rooms were okay, with a large, very firm bed. Having a kitchen and laundry in the room was handy. Service was average, and daily room cleaning costs extra. Breakfast was average too; we preferred getting our own groceries to avoid the hassle and the children. The ski concierge was okay, not like what you get in the USA or Canada, but still nice to have.

A stylish hotel in a handy spot, right by the lifts and ski runs, with shops and cafes easy to reach. The staff were extremely helpful when we had a few falls on the slopes and needed attention. They had expertise on site and arranged support quickly.

We’re on night six of a ten night stay in a two bedroom suite, and we won’t come back. We paid AUD$14,000 for ten nights in the off/early season, and this place hasn’t been worth the cost. The main issue is the ski in/out claim. The hotel is advertised that way, but it isn’t. The magic carpet that’s supposed to get you to the lift is only for people taking lessons. Even then, you have to drag skis and poles through a car park, up a steep incline with no marked steps or rails, and then up another incline to the Ace Family Quad Chair. I feel fooled by the advertising. Yes, these are first world problems, and I’m not putting on my ‘Karen’ hat, but when you pay that much for ski in/out, you expect to be able to ski in and out. I’m happy to pay for it when you get what you were told you’d get. There are plenty of other things we only learned once we arrived. The beds are so hard and inflexible that the closest comparison I can make is a dining room table. We asked for a mattress topper, and something was put on the mattress, but neither my husband nor I can sleep. The couch is rock hard too, even the kids can’t sit on it, and all four of us have sore butts that aren’t from skiing. Not much good for a movie night. The bathroom doors won’t stay open. In the ensuite, the shower is over the bath and a roller blind separates it from the bedroom, but water gets everywhere, making it slippery and unhygienic. None of the appliances has English instructions, so we’ve asked for them. There’s a rice cooker, but no way to heat milk for the supplied espresso machine. Check-in was lacklustre for the upscale image on the website. The Guest Services agent said our suite wasn’t ready, even though occupancy looked about 30% if that. Check-in is at 2pm, but we didn’t get a key until after 3pm. The staff are naturally very young, and the English-speaking ones are seasonal workers. They’re friendly, but green and in need of intensive training, with little idea of what their clientele expects. The common areas are far too hot, T-shirt temperature. There’s no thermostat in the room, only heat levels one, two, or three, so we’re leaving the heating off. Weird. The onsen is good, though the rules say you have to be naked in front of strangers. If that’s not your style, you can hire a private onsen. It’s crazy expensive and only a quarter the size of the women’s or men’s onsen. The bright spot is the ski hire shop attached to the Aya. They know their stuff, understand what you need, and couldn’t be more helpful. They were our highlight. See Sienna or Clara, amazing!

I had a pleasant fall-season stay. The studio was spacious and comfortable, and the staff I spoke with were helpful and informative both before I arrived and while I was there. I’d visit again if I’m in the Niseko area.