Staying in a brand new holiday home is always a pleasure and we were lucky enough to be amongst Birchwood’s first few visitors. The minimalist design and décor made it feel extra crisp and fresh, and we liked the fact that there was nothing to distract from the gorgeous views of the wintery forest, which looked like something out of a fairy tale – especially when the snow was falling and we were warm and toasty inside. We travelled as a family with two fussy eaters, so the kitchen was a real plus, not to mention a genuine pleasure to cook in, with all the sparkling new appliances. Getting groceries delivered via Niseko Gourmet was another drawcard – who wants to bother with supermarkets on holiday? Or household chores for that matter, and we were thrilled to have a daily housekeeper.

We dropped our five-year old at the Niseko Village Kids Snow School on our way to the slopes each morning. The only problem was getting her to leave – she loved it, and went from being a novice to quite a confident skier in a week. We never had to wait long for the courtesy driver and it was literally only a couple of minutes’ drive down the road to the ski lift.

We live in the city, so it was a real novelty to stay somewhere so peaceful and quiet, and after a day on the mountains, we loved being able to chill out at home and put our feet up. Having WiFi meant the kids could play on their iPads so there were no complaints. We did make it into Hirafu Village for a couple of meals and enjoyed the fun, lively atmosphere, and had a good laugh at a karaoke bar, but we were always happy to get back home to our serene chalet in the birch grove. We are curious to see what Soga looks like when the snow melts, and would happily return to Birchwood for a summer stay so we can really explore the area.