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5.0
#3 of 48 Japanese pensions in Kutchan-cho
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Enjoy the warmth and hospitality of this Japanese Pension located in the heart of Izumikyo II, close to restaurants and bars and a short walking distance to Hirafu village center Only 1.5 to 2 hours by bus or train from the New Chitose Airport and Sapporo. Bed & Breakfast accommodation consisting of mostly western rooms with modern shared facilities. One apartment available with ensuite and kitchenette. Slowlife features the convenience of both the Hirafu and Hanazono free shuttle buses stopping right outside the front door for easy access to and from lifts, operating from 8.15am until 8.30pm. Slowlife is just more than your home away from home. Dinners, Onsen trips, nightlife and trips to other nearby ski resorts are all organised on a regular basis by your friendly hosts. The large common area provides a great after ski venue for a drink and a chat after another epic day in the powder and the free apres snacks are always a hit. Advisable to book early.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
My family and I just enjoyed a week in Niseko and loved our accommodation at Slowlife. Our room was clean and comfortable with a great view of the local area and to Mt Yotei nearby. The lodge was brilliant with great facilities, including a drying room, and a relaxed dining/lounge area. The lodge lives up to its name with a very relaxed and welcoming feel from Chad and his team as well as the other guests. There are two stops very close to the lodge for the free village ski shuttle and there are excellent local restaurants within 100m. It's an easy walk into the main village hub for more restaurants, shops and bars. The amazing breakfast each morning had us ready for a day on the slopes. A big thank you to Chad, Mark and Greg for their hospitality and service. Nothing was too difficult and they are a wealth of knowledge on the local area and the ski/snow conditions. We look forward to a future stay at Slowlife!
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
Outstanding. Chad and Greg were wonderful hosts, making my stay at Slowlife feel like home. All the guests and staff were so friendly and instantly felt like a classic ski lodge I was hoping for as I was travelling solo.
The location is great, far enough away from the overcrowded Hirafu but only a 15 minute walk to the Ace Family lift or shuttle bus from out the front gets you to Hanazono in time for the first lift. The rooms were clean and spacious, with a large ski drying room and communal living and dining rooms. The home cooked buffet breakfasts were an absolute highlight, the best I have had in a lodge and sets you up for a full day of shredding the powder.
Chad and Greg were always on hand to help out, with shuttles too and from bus station, rides to the lifts and other ski fields. Even a guided hike up to the peak with the rest of the crew. I would highly recommend staying here, one of the last few real ski lodges left in Niseko, with genuine and caring hosts and excellent amenity.
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
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 had a great time at slowlife this year. Chado and the team welcomed our group and were very helpful with local knowledge of Mountains to ski and places to eat. Having people with extensive ski/ board experience allows you to get the best powder and make the most of your break!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Top floor rooms have a view of Mount Yotei
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.
Staying at the Slowlife Lodge feels like you are staying with family. But the fun family that you look forward to visiting. From the warm welcome, friendly service, and inclusive feel, our stay at Slowlife Lodge was the highlight of our trip to Japan.
We stayed for 6 nights during January 2023 for a skiing holiday. Our arrival at the lodge was greeted with friendly smiles from the owners Chad, Greg, and Michael. The rooms are clean and tidy, with ample hanging room for your gear, and there is a spacious gear room for your ski equipment. The lodge itself has several room types arranged over three floors, with shared bathrooms located on each floor. We had a twin room on the top (3rd) floor with a lovely large window and view of Mt Yotei.
Western style breakfast is served early each morning, from 7:00 til about 8:00. Happy hour starts at 17:00 each evening and Chad makes a myriad of tasty libations available for purchase.
This is a ski first, party second lodge. The owners and guests are here primarily to have a great time on the hill, and the vibe in the lodge reflects that – it quiets right down after about 22:00, and the owners and guests are up early to get breakfast in before getting the gear on and heading out the door. Early to bed means early to ski! That doesn’t mean no fun – on the contrary, we had many nights with plenty of fun and activities, but just be ready to get up and at it if the snow is falling!
The lodge is located along the Hirafu Shuttle line (along the yellow line), and is basically half way between two stops, so a short walk will get you to a stop and then onto a bus heading to Grand Hirafu ski hill, however the owners are also very accommodating when they can be, and we were fortunate enough to hop into the van with them on a couple of days to catch a ride to a nearby hill Moiwa as well. It is also relatively walkable to downtown Hirafu, albeit I wouldn’t want to do it in ski boots.
The owners and staff were just so so wonderful, and we honestly can’t say enough good things about them. They had wonderful insights into the best places to eat in the area, were kind enough to share the best lines to ski, and even gave guests a wonderful tour around Otaru on a day when the hills were going to be more or less closed due to wind. Their endless fun energy, engaging conversation, and genuine interest they take in all of the guests at the lodge made for an unforgettable experience, and we left feeling like we truly made lifelong friends with the Slowlife family. Numerous times we found ourselves wondering how the heck we stumbled into finding such a perfect place.
A huge thank you to Chad, Greg, Ami, Michael, Catherine, and Tom for an unforgettable experience. We are proud to call ourselves Slowlifers, and hope you will have us back on our next trip across the pacific.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Response from Chad Johnston, Owner at Slow Life
Responded 11 Apr 2023
Thank you Mary and Mark for such a lovely review. Looking forward to hosting you guys next time!
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Great hospitality by Chad and his team. It really felt like a second home and our kids were sad leaving this place. The beds were comfortable, breakfast was amazing and the shuttle bus stop is conveniently located 5-10mins walk from the lodge. Apres ski scene was great, everyone gets together after a day of skiing to enjoy some drinks and complimentary bar snacks. The town centre is about a 20min walk (slightly uphill), which is a little inconvenient for families with young kids, however Chad is kind enough to drop off guests to the lifts or to the town centre wherever possible. There is also the hirafu shuttle bus that takes you to the town but it only runs during the lift operating hours. So if you are heading out for dinner, it’s best to walk to the town as taxis can be hard to book and the Gotaxi app doesn’t always work. Alternatively, there are couple of dining options near the lodge including a curry house and a ramen restaurant. This place is perfect for singles, couples and families with older children. Highly recommend this place to others.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:For families with young children considering Niseko as their ski destination, note that the only...
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.
If your looking for a lodge experience in Niseko these guys have it all. Chad, Greg and the team have created an amazing atmosphere with a lovely, welcoming laid back style. Their breakfasts are the best we have ever had in a lodge. So much food on offer and the best veggie frittatas to set you up for the day. They have a van and are happy for everyone to pile in and explore local Onsens and nearby resorts at no extra charge. These guys went all out hosting Xmas snd NYE dinners, complete with live music and fireworks. They truly care about making sure everyone is included and having a great time. We met lots of fun fellow travellers in the lodge and cannot wait to return again next year.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Response from Chad Johnston, Owner at Slow Life
Responded 11 Apr 2023
Thanks so much Alyssa. You guys were so much fun, we can't wait to have you back!
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Really enjoyed my stay at Slowlife. Chad and Greg are great host and make sure you have a good time and get you to the best location for the days skiing. Good dinning locations nearby makes it easy to get a feed without travelling to far.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
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.
Response from Chad Johnston, Owner at Slow Life
Responded 11 Apr 2023
Great having you Brendan, see you next time!
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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Staying at Slowlife is like staying with family. But the fun family that you look forward to visiting. The owners go out of their way to make guests feel welcome, engage with the group for skiing updates, and have some fun evening activities. The breakfasts are hearty, and the beds are comfortable (not that it’ll matter after a big day on the hill!). This is a “skiing first, party second” kind of place, so I expect to have a great time but also to get up early the next day to get your skis on! The owners are also a great wealth of knowledge for recommendations on what to do with non-ski days and places to eat. 11/10, would stay again. Ski fast, live slow 🤘🏻
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
If you’re looking for a big family fun experience with people you meet in the lodge , this is it . Chad & the crew will look after you , take you to different ski resorts and experience some of the Japanese culture. No problem is to big or small they will find a way to help you out .
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Book your dinner reservations early in peak season. Buses run pretty much on time but can get...
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.
At slow life it an experience you won’t forget , Chad and his team are friendly and are always happy to help and give you other options to ski/snow board different areas . Drop to the chair lift/ gondola. Special nights at different bars or lodges . You won’t be disappointed.
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Check the bus time table for pickup just down the road Hanazono
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.
Response from Chad Johnston, Owner at Slow Life
Responded 11 Apr 2023
Thanks Michael, it was great having you guys again. Looking forward to your next visit!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There are more places to choose from in the Kutchan-cho area.
PRICE RANGE
HK$1,306 - HK$2,301 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
JapanHokkaidoAbuta-gunKutchan-cho
NUMBER OF ROOMS
13
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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