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5.0
#1 of 17 lodges in Kutchan-cho
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Even as the snowflakes start to fall, adding powder to the slopes outside, Kimamaya Boutique Hotel remains toasty-warm; a cocoon upon the mountainside. Kimamaya is the Japanese word for ‘be yourself’ and here, you can do just that. Jazz music floats through the homely Living Lounge as your bare feet press against the timber flooring, and all that’s left to worry about is which wine you’ll sip as you laze by the fireplace. The vintages served here come from a vineyard owned by the family of Nicolas Gontard, who renovated this nine-room retreat to help guests get closer to the beauty of Niseko, one of Japan’s most popular ski resorts. But Kimamaya Boutique Hotel’s mountain location isn’t only appealing in winter. In the summer and fall, pristine trails and mountain biking tracks snake through the surrounding pine forests.
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My partner and I stayed at the Kimamaya over Chinese New Year as a bit of a last-minute decision, since all of the more obvious large ski-in, ski-out hotels were completely booked out. We had heard of the Kimamaya through friends and were fortunate enough to secure one of the last available Alpine 2 rooms. Initially we had been slightly apprehensive about the size of the rooms and the location of the hotel (having to get shuttle buses to the ski lifts), but these concerns turned out to be totally unwarranted, and the superb service we received from Nic and Claire and co more than made up for that. This is a small family-run boutique hotel with only a handful of rooms, so you will not get the same experience as a large resort, but that was the major appeal of the Kimamaya. It was cosy, intimate and personal. Right from the booking process Claire was exceptionally helpful and professional, and this continued throughout our stay with booking restaurants (I advise to organise this before you get there- it's tricky to get tables at the good places in high season), and also dealing effectively with a problem with our airport transfer on the departure date (we do not appear to have had the same good service with Skybus that the previous reviewer had). Nic repeatedly went the extra mile to ensure we were happy. The hotel has been beautifully refurbished and the rooms and common areas are tastefully designed. The room was actually more spacious than we had expected, with a few great touches like the huge stand up radiator to dry your things on, a wonderful big rain shower, an iPod dock and big flat-screen TV. They have also improved the sound proofing on the doors since the last reviewer's comments. The bathroom was small and the mattress was a little soft for my taste, but on the whole I'd say the quality of accommodation you get here for the price is miles ahead of the big hotels. You also get the big dry room to leave your boots, skis and jackets etc and a choice of two lovely private spas after a hard day knee-deep in Niseko's famous powder. Plus the adjoining restaurant The Barn is fantastic. As for the location, I didn't need to worry at all- the shuttle bus service is super efficient and stops right outside the hotel. And it's only 5 minutes' stroll to all the good bars and restaurants. I would stay here again in a heartbeat and wish them every success.
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Date of stay: February 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is my second time at Kimamaya and we still love it. Apart from the comfortable rooms, the onsen, the perfect location (just a short walk to ski rental, restaurants, Main Street, the pickup/drop off whenever you go around town), the best thing(s) about Kimamaya are really Peter and Haruka. My husband ended up injuring himself on the first day of skiing and the service they provided was unparalleled. They ensured he had what he needed and was comfortable at all times. Truly thankful to them for making what was an unfortunate experience a much more bearable one. Couldn’t rate this place more highly
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Date of stay: December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
After 2 days of snowboarding, my sore body desperately needs a massage. The reception person suggested to go for massage at Kimamaya. I have to say this is the best massage I ever have, the shiatsu + oil massage 60-min combo was great, I totally passed out shortly after the treatment started.
Although I did not stay in this hotel, the staff and masseuse are were super friendly. If you need a massage after a tough skiing/snowboarding day, you should consider this one. Make sure you book in advance and request for a bath session before massage.
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Date of stay: March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at Kimamaya for 6 nights over the Christmas/New Year period and absolutely loved it! Peter and the rest of the staff are so helpful and are always available for suggestions on places to go and things to do (or just for a general chat!). Breakfast in the Barn is a delicious way to start the day and the hot baths are are welcome relief after a long (or even short) day in the snow. The 'batphone' to call the car service from the slopes is also a nice touch. We will definitely stay there again next time we are in Japan.
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Date of stay: December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed in the Kimamaya for 3 nights and everything was absolutely amazing. Both the hotel and the Barn (restaurant) were cozy and well-maintained. Interior was nicely designed. Peter's hospitality impressed us massively - he took care of everything for us, even before you asked. He made good recommendations on ski school, gear rental, restaurants (even for Sapporo - in fact that was the best meal we've had in this trip). Breakfast was very good and the servers were very nice too.
One point of clarification though - the two "onsen" are hot baths, not exactly hot springs. BUT that does not weaken our love for this place. Thank you Peter, for your warm hospitality!
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Date of stay: December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The hotel is rather on the pricy side, but well worth for what you get!
The interior is decorated lovely with an eye for details. Rooms are comfy with all you need except international power outlets, so don't forget to bring your adapters... Especially women might appreciate the well heated bedrooms. No cold feet here! The hotel has a tiny Onsen of its own and a kind of living room/lobby where you can in case eat your take away food. Wifi is fast and stable. Don't forget to ask the waiters for the login to the breakfast area wifi, since the regular hotel wifi doesn't reach there.
If there is any downside to the hotel, than it's the cold breakfast room in the mornings with a limited buffet selection. What's there is tasty and nicely presented, but don't expect a breakfast big enough to last you the whole day ;)
The hotel is located centrally in Grand Hirafu. In the mornings I recommend using the hotels free shuttle service, as the closest lift station requires a lot of lift changing to reach the peak. In the evenings, you can easily walk home (400m?). Eateries, bars, snowboard rental places and a grocery store are within walking distance.
The biggest asset of this place is the staff: Peter and Miki are both super friendly and cool. They speak fluent English (which is not granted in Japan), provide the best tips (!) on where to eat, drink or buy stuff and they are extremely helpful. They helped us i.e. booking the bus transfer from the airport to the hotel and a off-piste guide for a day, patiently answered all our questions (powder forecast) and, after one of us hit a tree while snowboarding, Peter even drove him to the hospital and waited until his checkup and x-ray was done! Their service surely goes far beyond the usual and is what makes this place so special to me!
I hope to be able to visit another time again :)
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Date of stay: March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I stayed here for a long summer weekend in Niseko. The architecture looked modern and cozy online, but it was even more impressive in person as were the level of service and detail we received. I suppose with only 9 rooms, the staff is able to provide personalized service! We were greeted by the friendly manager, Peter, who was super hospitable – showing us amenities in the hotel and making great recommendations on activities and restaurants in the area.
ROOM: We stayed in the Alpine Room and though it is small, it was very comfortable and included lots of thoughtful touches like a mini fridge, apple TV and DVD player, bathrobes, and storage space. The bathroom had a beautiful walk-in shower, fancy electronic toilet and towel warming rack.
LOCATION: The hotel is tucked away just off the main street in Hirafu and is walking distance to just about everything in the center of town (though I recommend renting a car in the summer to venture further). The hotel has a free parking down the street. It's a little over a 10 minute drive to Niseko Village, 45 minute drive to the outskirts of Lake Toya, and 2 hours from the New Chitose Airport.
AMENITIES: We loved the Japanese cedar and stone spa tubs available for guest use, it was a relaxing way to end the day. The hotel had an inviting common room area with books, huge leather couches and a self-service bar area. The Barn restaurant was a special treat, we loved our morning breakfasts there. Guests could order a hot meal off the menu and supplement it with goodies from the buffet. Families will love the play area in the basement where kids can get creative with art or play with toys.
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Date of stay: July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
You feel like you're in a large home. The service is wonderful, the breakfasts are tasty, and the location is perfect. The great service starts long before you arrive, with restaurant reservation and ground transportation assistance. I plan to return!
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Date of stay: January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We absolutely loved the Kimamaya!! The meaning of Kimamaya in Japanese is "be yourself" and it was very much like that it felt like home (a luxurious one at that) - from the emails sent prior from Peter and Morino assisting in absolutely everything to upon arrival where you feel like long lost relatives returning home and from there it just gets better and better. We travelled with two teenagers, a 5 year old and 19 month old and all of us loved it - I was worried the baby may interrupt other guests as it is a small hotel but she became the favourite of many there. A welcome night was held where we got to meet other guests which was great as many an afternoon / night after skiing you would have a catch up in the lounge at some stage - the kids loved the kids room - Peter and Morino are absolutely wonderful and are the heart of the hotel - they helped arrange everything. The baby was too small for daycare or skiing so she was looked after at the Hotel, I was worried she would not enjoy it with no other kids but she loved it and could be found wanting to help out the cleaner or be with Morino behind the desk or the carer would take her out in the snow. Osaka san was wonderful and would drop us off at the lifts each day - the hotel give you a mobile to call them when finished which was awesome even though the Kimamaya was close to everything not having to do the walk when your tired was a blessing. Everything was perfect and we will definately be back. Thank you!
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Date of stay: January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have just come home after another fantastic stay at the Kimamaya. This wonderful hotel is run by two genuine, hard working and delightful people - Peter and Morino. And it's because of these amazing people and their team that the Kimamaya experience will exceed your expectations. Thank you Kimamaya. xxxx
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Date of stay: January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Kutchan-cho area.
PRICE RANGE
HK$967 - HK$1,084 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
JapanHokkaidoAbuta-gunKutchan-cho
NUMBER OF ROOMS
9
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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