Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced plans for a 165-room luxury resort in Niseko, Japan, with an opening scheduled for early 2028.
Developed with Tokyo-based private equity firm J-Will Partners, Fairmont Niseko will occupy nine acres of forest between Mount Yotei and Mount Annupuri. The setting is expected to offer unobstructed views of Mount Yotei, one of Hokkaido’s most recognisable natural landmarks.
Daiken Sekkei is leading the architecture, while Steve Leung Design Group will oversee the main interior design. Detailed room categories, opening rates and booking dates have not been announced.
Onsen, wellness and year-round activities
Fairmont Niseko is being designed as a year-round mountain retreat, with plans for two restaurants, a spa and wellness area, a children’s club and onsen bathing.
Guests will have access to Niseko’s powder-snow skiing during winter and golf during the green season. The resort will also sit within reach of the restaurants and bars of Niseko Village and Hirafu, two of the area’s main visitor hubs.
“Niseko’s international renown for its exceptional powder snow makes it one of the world’s premier luxury ski destinations, attracting enthusiasts from across the globe,” Fairmont Hotels & Resorts CEO Omer Acar said. He also said the company remained committed to preserving Niseko’s natural environment as it develops the property.
Fairmont’s second hotel in Japan
The Niseko resort will become Fairmont’s second Japanese property following Fairmont Tokyo, which opened on 1 July 2025. Located in the BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA South Tower, the 217-room Tokyo hotel introduced the brand with five restaurants, two bars and a 20-metre indoor infinity pool.
The resort will join an established collection of international luxury hotels in Niseko. Current properties include Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and Hilton Niseko Village.
A stalled resort site gets a new plan
The Fairmont development will bring the former New World La Plume Niseko Resort site back into use, according to Uchi Japan Real Estate. Before construction stopped in 2024, the earlier project had been planned as 219 residences in hotel style, plus five private villas.
The company behind La Plume entered bankruptcy proceedings in April 2025. A J-Will Partners special-purpose company later reached an agreement to buy the property from the bankruptcy estate for approximately ¥4.43 billion, Uchi reported.
Fairmont’s proposal replaces the residential-led concept with a 165-room resort and additional hotel facilities. Its planned early 2028 opening comes a decade before the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension is currently scheduled to reach the region. Fairmont said the future line is expected to connect Kutchan Station with Sapporo in 25 minutes when completed in 2038.
