Sapporo
A little slice of mountain life a stone's throw from Susukino – you can use the climbing wall to get to the 2nd-floor dorms instead of the stairs –…
Must-see hotels in Hokkaidō
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Hokkaidō
Up the hill from the port, this immaculately clean pension with a big 'U-ni-!' sign has Western-style twin rooms. Meals include local seafood; rates with…
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Hokkaidō
A cross between a youth hostel and a ryokan, this mountain lodge near the lower terminal of the ropeway offers comfortable Japanese- and Western-style…
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Hokkaidō
This unique spot in the Ainu kotan at the southern end of Kussharo-ko is run by Ainu musician Atuy. It has just a handful of rooms decorated with…
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Niseko
Not for the budget minded, the AYA Niseko is there when you need to splurge and pamper yourself. Parents will love the kiddie playroom, and heck, they'll…
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New Tomakomai Prince Hotel "Wa~Nagomi~"
Hokkaidō
With a Zen-inspired entry and a breakfast that is worthy of spots several times the price, the Prince Nagomi is a true find. Though it has business hotel…
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Hokkaidō
This new hostel offers great service, friendly staff, and dorm bunks that have solid privacy curtains and still smell like fresh cut wood. It's got a big…
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Hokkaidō
Make the most of your foray into the mountains: this inn, only open 123 days each year, is like staying at a mountain hut without having to walk five…
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Hokkaidō
This old-style resort is the fanciest spot in town and sprawls over three buildings. The honkan (main hall) rooms are the cheapest but don't have lake…
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Kushiro-shitsugen Tōro Youth Hostel
Hokkaidō
This hostel, run partly on solar power, was designed with birdwatchers in mind. A porch (partly glassed in) looks directly over the marshes and there are…
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Hokkaidō
Run by local adventure guide Watanabe Toshiya, Rera Mosir is the best place on the island for active types – whether you're here to climb Rishiri-zan in…
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Hokkaidō
Conveniently located just a few minutes' walk from the Kitanomine Gondola, this is a great spot for skiers and active types. Backpackers are well catered…
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Hokkaidō
The standard Japanese inn-style rooms are basic, but what you're here for is the chance to spend some time learning about the Ainu, the indigenous people…
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Hokkaidō
Part Lost Boys hideaway, part loopy summer camp, Momoiwa-sō is a very special place, which you will either love or hate. It has very strict rules, but…
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Hokkaidō
The nicer of the two Prince hotels offers comfortable, classy, though not terribly stylish, rooms, decent restaurants and efficient service – all at the…
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Toipirka Kitaobihiro Youth Hostel
Hokkaidō
A great place to break for the night is this attractive log house with a hammock on the front porch and cosy sofas around a wood stove in the lounge. The…
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Sapporo
This is a popular backpackers' spot with all the fixings: friendly, bilingual staff, clean rooms with modern bunks, private lockers, free coffee and tea,…
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Niseko
The world's only ski-in, ski-out capsule hotel, Moiwa Lodge 834, in front of the Moiwa lifts, is popular with powder hounds who have no patience for the…
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Hokkaidō
Marumi prides itself on its gut-busting seafood banquets, making this a good choice if you've worked up a calorie deficit in the mountains. The Japanese…
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Sapporo
Located on a side street near the entrance to the Hokkaidō University Botanical Garden, a 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station, this charming Japanese…
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Niseko
This is Japan's only train station minshuku (family-run guesthouse) and it is wonderfully eccentric. It's literally part of tiny JR Hirafu Station: to…
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Niseko
The Hilton enjoys the best location of all – it is quite literally attached to the Niseko Gondola. Spacious Western-style rooms are complemented by a…
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Hokkaidō
Six minutes' walk west of JR Naka-Furano Station (not JR Furano Station) at the top of the hill, this hostel occupies a big farmhouse overlooking the…
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Sapporo
This is one of Sapporo's new hipster hostels – think raw wood and concrete – inside an old unagi (eel) shop a minute's walk from the subway. The rooms,…
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Sapporo International Youth Hostel
Sapporo
This oddly upmarket youth hostel – which looks like a modern apartment building – is great value, though it's a little out of the way. Both Western- and…
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Sapporo
If you're a man of simple needs who doesn't get scared easily by small spaces, this XY chromosome–only capsule hotel offers your standard berth plus a…
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Hokkaidō
Among the fields of Biei's pretty Patchwork Road, charming Potato-no-Oka, though small, has a big variety of accommodation, including dorm rooms, private…
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Hokkaidō
Expect a warm welcome at this humble wooden hostel, a 10-minute walk uphill from the bus station. There are bunk-bed dorms and a few private family rooms …
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Hokkaidō
This is a cosy place in Rausu Onsen, just a few kilometres inland on the road to Utoro. The Japanese-style rooms with private facilities are spacious,…
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Niseko
In an 80-year-old converted schoolhouse, former classrooms now house dorms and concerts are held regularly in the gymnasium. Friendly owners Max and Yūko…
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Hokkaidō
This friendly, family-run place is in the middle of the village, straight down from the ropeway terminal. There are nature photos everywhere and the meals…
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Hokkaidō
The owner of this simple, family-run place is a keen traveller and extends a warm welcome to foreign guests. Rooms are tatami or Western, with shared…
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Sapporo
Established in 1934 as the first European-style hotel in Sapporo, this grand old dame now occupies three adjacent buildings that lie at the southeast…
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Niseko
This utilitarian block is in need of an overhaul and we hope it never happens – because this is currently the most economical ski-in, ski-out option left…
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Clione Guesthouse & Campground
Hokkaidō
Named after the area's celebrity mollusc, this lovely campground and guesthouse offers an inexpensive overnight on the outskirts of Shari. It is quite…
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Hokkaidō
This long-running traveller favourite has a great location near the harbour, and is within walking distance of Motomachi. The owners speak English and are…
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Hokkaidō
A short walk from the Utoro Michi-no-eki road stop (and one bus stop before the Utoro Onsen terminal), Kiraku is a good deal with tatami rooms, shared…
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Niseko
This friendly mountain lodge, which sees many repeat customers, is constructed entirely from hardwood and sits conveniently within a five-minute walk of…
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Hokkaidō
This popular spot has a mountain-lodge vibe, Japanese-style rooms to accommodate different sized groups and an onsen bath (which nonguests can use for …
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Hokkaidō
Log Bear is right in the middle of Shikotsu-ko Onsen, and is run by a real character called Robin. There are only two simple rooms: one twin and one quad…
