Wapura Rusutsu - Yotei

The room was clean, the facilities were new, and the view was fantastic. After we checked out, the staff even helped one of us retrieve her Apple Watch. It’s a fairly short walk to the resort, even though this isn’t ski-in, ski-out. I’d recommend it to friends.

I left a few things behind after checking out, and the team got them to my friend at another hotel that same day, in time to meet their schedule. I was impressed by the extra effort to sort it out, thanks a million! Good location, spotless rooms, and a thoughtful facility. The staff are super friendly, and the management team is really helpful.

We’ll gladly stay here for future Rusutsu trips. The house is an easy walk from the Rusutsu Resort Hotel and the gondola connection to the east mountain lifts. The west resort area is also a short walk away, and driving to the east resort parking lot takes little time. Nearby there are a couple of nice restaurants, plus 7-elevn and Seicomart convenience stores. Rusutsu doesn’t have Niseko’s nightlife, but we were happy to trade that for the views and a snowshoe walk in the woods behind the house. The house was modern, spacious, clean, and welcoming, with what we needed to cook meals, towels, shampoo, conditioner, and body soap. There was a washing machine with soap and fabric softer, too. Our gear fit in the entry area and was dry by morning. Everything was easy to use, with English translations and a welcome book explaining the amenities. Communication with Wapura management was quick. They answered our questions promptly and told us local management staff were nearby during working hours if we needed anything. I also shipped my snowboard gear with ‘TA-Q-BIN’ using Yamato Transport (kuroneko) to The Westin Resort, then picked it up at the Yamato desk near the rental shop. On departure morning, I sent the bag home from the nearby 7-eleven. The Yamato desk is another option during its operating hours. I’ve visited Rusutsu and Niseko many times since moving to Japan, and Rusutsu has become my favorite of the two for snowboarding. Niseko may be better known, but Wapura Rusutsu Yotei is worth considering for a holiday on Mt. Isola and the Rusutsu resort slopes, with untouched powder and tree runs instead of the crowds and long lines at Niseko.

The picture window had an incredible view, and the snow was so deep we struggled to move the car. Our family stayed at Wapura Yotei during our winter 2020/1 trip to Hokkaido, and it was phenomenal. The location, property, and amenities were all second to none. We had the time of our lives and made memories that’ll last forever.