5khours

Not sure what you mean by "real" onsen. I think both of these lodges use natural hot spring water in their baths. If you're looking for upscale at a Japanese ski resort, I think you are going to be disappointed. Prince ski hotels in particular are about the most charmless lodgings on the planet.

evergrn

I looked into both places, and I found out neither is natural hot spring. Just heated water in their common baths.

I too am not a fan of Prince. I've only stayed at two Prince properties that I liked: Alyeska and Sakura Towers. Most of them are so-so, and some are filthy. So I know Prince is not exactly upscale either and I appreciate your recs but, having looked at photos and reviews of your two places, Prince Shizukuishi still seems closer to upscale than those places. Of course, Prince is probably a lot pricier. If money weren't an issue, I'd stay at NASPA or Hoshino resort at Alts.

5khours

I don't know the Hoshino at Alts, but Naspa while convenient and a lot nicer than a Prince is pretty characterless. One other thought. Tokyu has some decent resort hotels. I don't know anything about it but you might want to take a look at the Tangram Madrao Tokyu Resort

evergrn

I've stayed at a couple Tokyo resorts and I liked them, too. Unfortunately Tangram is sold out for my dates. Had them on my list from the beginning and I kept checking up on them every now and then. One time I checked, they hadn't yet put the rooms up for booking. The next time, they were already sold out.

5khours

You probably know, but if you have any flexibility on dates, going a week earlier will be a lot easier to book.

Cynicor

but potentially even worse snow. I would go later rather than earlier.

evergrn

Yeah, all kinds of availability and also cheap prices the week before. But I'm not around the week before.

BRITINJAPAN3

In Hokkaido the snow quality is unlikely to be different, its high season due to school holidays and Japanese have so little holiday time, not a function of expected snow quality

Cynicor

Every week counts (I've been for a month or so every year of the last 9 or 10, at varying times, all to Hokkaido).

The snow base required in Hokkaido is quite deep. Partly due to the sasa grass (bamboo grass leaves), partly the low altitude (so tress etc need to be covered, less so in alpine regions) and partly due to the light powder which packs really small.

It takes many metres of snow in Niseko and Furano to create a ski-able base. High season yes, but many in Niseko around that time are now Chinese too, and lots of the people around are newbies who stay low or are in lessons. Every time I've been at Christmas and New Year the queues in the early AM are ridiculous, but as soon as you rise up past them it's fine for the rest of the day.

Snow quality I agree will not change. But the base will. Then it also comes down to luck- it might pelt down the week prior and be soft at least, but just compact rapidly. Or it might come down when you are there. Always go as late as possible until early/mid Jan is my advice to people.

evergrn

Just wanted to report back that NASPA really was excellent and served our purpose well. The cost (140,000yen for 2 nights / 3 days ski lifts) stung, but this is still half of what the equivalent thing at Whistler costs. New Otani was as expected (I've stayed before)... bit dated, average buffet food, but good service, huge rooms, decent onsen. You ski before check-in on the first day, after check-out on the last day. Those days were rather hectic, and things could've been better if they had better facilities and accommodations for those situations. The middle day (when you're checked in) is a breeze as you have access to a large assigned locker and you can easily go to/from the room in between skiing. Actually the hotel is rather big, so it'd take >10minutes from the slopes to the room. Would've been nice if it were more like a few minutes, but perhaps I'm being too picky. From Yuzawa bullet train station, the hotel offers free shuttle bus which has space for suitcases underneath. So no worries for those who have large luggages. But keep in mind that double-decker Joestu bullet trains have exceptionally small overhead luggage racks with limited clearance to the ceiling. Our small carry-on barely fit after we shoved it in.

As for skiing, it's a small mountain, and I kept doing the same run over and over. Nonetheless it was surprisingly satisfying. There's this very wide intermediate run just to the left of the quad chairlift on the left side of the mountain. I kept doing that one over and over, and I never got tired of it. On the last day, I discovered that the terrain at the right base of the mountain was pretty awesome although only ~400m long, and I started doing that one over and over. I was just about the only person skiing that run, so had it all to myself. Despite the hotel being sold out, zero queue at any of the chairlifts. Ski school was wonderful. Again fraction of the fees at Whistler. My kids did group lessons, but only 1-3 other kids in the group each time. Teachers were wonderful, all professional.

evergrn

You are right about that.
I kept an eye on the snow accumulation update. 10 days before my arrival, they wouldn't have had enough snow to be able to open. When I arrived, they had ~50cm of snow, just barely enough. 5 days later, they were up to >200cm.

evergrn

For late March, I'm thinking of either Niseko Village (Hilton) or Tomamu (Hoshino Tomamu Tower) for 1 day of skiing on a weekday.

Niseko gets the edge in terms of accommodation, because it's Hilton (I'm Diamond) and Hoshino Tomamu Tower has horrible rakuten ratings (I can't afford the other two hotels at the resort).

But Tomamu is way easier to get to from CTS and is also more convenient to travel to my next destination than Niseko. I'm not driving this time. If Tomamu, I can take the train. If Niseko, bus but I'd have to wait a long time for it after landing at CTS.

I'm looking for the easiest possible slope access from the hotel (I want the hotel right on the slope) and one with facilities that make it easy to ski after check-out. Actually, Hilton may let me extend check-out till 4pm for free as they have done for me during summer, although they may not do that during ski seasons.

Terrain and quality of snow are not that important, but obviously it's important that there is a high chance of there being enough snow for the place to stay open in late March. I want family-friendly atmosphere and professional staff such as what I experienced at NASPA.

Cynicor

I've stayed at both (well, Tomamu, not sure which tower tbh). The Hilton is great, unparalleled slope access and ski valet makes it simple.. late checkout is an interesting one, as generally you would be flying out and the last bus in time for a late checkout would get you to the airport too late I would have though. Bear in mind even cutting it fine you need 4 hours from departure of hotel to your flight.

ignoring snow and terrain I'd say Niseko still, but from the sounds of your previous trip I reckon you could have an absolute blast at the tomamu resort too.

hilton niseko treat you pretty well. Not amazing like it used to be but still decently.

evergrn

Thanks. Even with resort fees included, Hilton is cheaper than Tomamu Towers. Niseko Hilton is fantastic, one of my favorite Hilton properties due to superb service and great ambiance... even if they don't have pool or EL and their hard product is constrained by the original Prince Hotel build. Hilton is probably the main reason I'd prefer Niseko Village over Tomamu.

It's great to hear that Hilton has great slopes access. What is their ski valet service, and does that service make the logistics easy for skiing after check-out?

Anyways, I've looked into things further, and it appears the CTS-Hilton bus only runs through mid-March. 3-hr local train ride to Niseko is just not an option after a long flight with bags. So really the only way to get there would be rental car, which I may need to consider but am hesitant to do in snowy season. On the other hand, Westin Rusutsu runs shuttle buses until April.

Have you been to Rusutsu also? I've heard the slope access is not quick from Westin. Between Hilton, Westin and Tomamu Towers, how does it compare in terms of slope access, amount of crowd on a weekday, % of foreigners and family-friendliness?

Cynicor

Apologies for typos and formatting, can't force my phone onto mobile mode for this site.

the bus- whiteliner- is the one I always used. It costs not too much and is excellent and runs to end march. Highly recommend.
rusutsu you could still have a decent time, though I find it needs a bit more snow to be decent and is quite flat, as a resort.
the Westin has ok slope access, about similar to Tomamu.

the Hilton ski valet is a service where you just dump your skis with a hotel employee and they locker them for you, giving you a card to collect them later. Then you sit down, take off your boots and give them to a different eployee. It's all very civilised!
would help with late checkout I guess, cos you don't need the room still, or a specific licker.