Boheme

The real estate management office gave great service, and the free shuttle runs twice a day. It was handy for getting our equipment up the hill, and they also dropped off two friends who needed to catch their train on a snowstorm day. The bedrooms were spacious, the facilities were great, and the living room had a gorgeous volcano view. There was a kerosene smell in one bedroom, but they came and fixed it the next day.

The setting is beautiful, with a great view of sunrise over Mt Yotei, and the property itself could have been amazing. But management let the safety situation on the steep road slide. We regularly saw cars, including h2life’s own support van, slipping there. We emailed management asking them to bring chains and shovels and got no reply. Then, on an icy morning, h2life’s van was involved in a chain collision with three cars, and we were left to handle police inquiries ourselves. The staff member who arrived at the scene was no help and seemed focused on clearing their own name. The driver didn’t speak Japanese, and the staff acted as though we guests weren’t there. Fortunately, we’re experienced travelers and speak Japanese fluently, so the inquiries went fine, but we lost a whole day of skiing. Another group staying farther down the road at a property also managed by h2life missed their return flight because of the accident, yet was still asked to vacate to make room for incoming guests. I felt bad for the staff, since some, like Okada-san, were really nice and capable, but seemed hampered by managers who didn’t understand what was happening on the front line. They shouldn’t have taken on more business than they could safely handle. I’d look at the neighboring Yamakei Residences instead. Their staff said chains on the support van were a must, and they had them. Even though we weren’t their guests, they kindly gave us free parking and helped clear snow from our cars. Avoid h2life!

Our stay at the "Boheme - operated by H2 Life" holiday home made our ski trip to New Snow Valley (Niseko) absolutely perfect. Boheme Niseko was a great choice for a ski holiday, and the experience really enriched the trip.