13 Jan 2021
Ritz-Carlton Reserve opens with luxury spa at Japanese alpine ski resort
BY Megan Whitby
The Ritz-Carlton Reserve portfolio has expanded, with the opening of a premium all-season alpine resort at one of Japan's top winter sports destinations in Hokkaido.
Owned by YTL Hotels, the 50-room Higashiyama Niseko Village resort is the first Japanese Ritz-Carlton Reserve and YTL's fifth destination in Niseko Village, residing at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri with panoramic mountain views.
A resort highlight is a bespoke 161sq m spa, operated by luxury French product house Sothys, offering tailored treatments to provide respite for the body and soul.
Before every spa treatment, Sothys is incorporating a Ritual of The Earth which makes use of Hokkaido’s indigenous black silica, traditionally used as healing stones, to create an authentic Japanese wellness experience.
The spa marks a diversion from YTL’s traditional wellness approach, which typically involves a facility branded with its signature in-house spa concept, called Spa Village.
Named Spa Chasi La Sothys, the facility features three treatment rooms along with a selection of separate sex saunas and indoor and outdoor Japanese thermal bathing pools – called onsen – powered by the mineral-rich waters of Niseko's underground hot springs.
Guests can also access a private onsen and a fitness centre equipped by Technogym.
Unfolding over a vast alpine landscape, the inspiration behind the luxury resort lies in the Japanese proverb “Kachou Fuugetsu” (Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon) that encourages reverence for the beauty of nature and wellbeing through self-discoveries.
"The experience at Niseko Village transforms with the seasons, using our breathtaking alpine setting to offer a connection to and exploration of nature,” explained resort GM Yasunari Kaji.
The ski-in/ski-out destination’s main attraction is its accessibility to 2,191 acres of skiable terrain and extensive backcountry skiing, alongside an international ski school, chairlifts and gondolas, a dining and retail venue, an outdoor activity park and two world-class golf courses.
Guests can complement their stay by visiting two restaurants offering traditional Japanese cuisine or taking part in a host of seasonal activities, including horse-back riding, mountain biking or experiencing the longest zip-line in Japan.
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