TL;DR
Looking for a fantastic all-inclusive winter holiday in Japan's Hokkaido region? Club Med has you covered with its two properties: Club Med Kiroro Peak and the brand-new Club Med Kiroro Grand, set to open in December with a special deal just for Aussie travellers. Just a 5-minute gondola ride apart, the resorts offer direct access to Japan's famed powder with on and off-piste slopes across Asari and Nagamine mountains.
Exciting news for Club Med enthusiasts and anyone seeking an all-inclusive winter holiday in Hokkaido, the powder paradise of Japan! Club Med Kiroro Peak, catering to ages 12 and above, opened last December, and its sister property, the brand-new Club Med Kiroro Grand, which welcomes guests of all ages, is set to open this December.Located just a quick 5-minute gondola ride apart, the two resorts offer direct access to the famed Japanese powder at Kiroro ski resort, with on and off-piste slopes across Asari and Nagamine mountains. Every stay includes group ski and snowboard lessons tailored to all ages and skill levels, as well as a host of family-friendly amenities, such as a dedicated Kids Club for children aged 2 to 17.
Kiroro Grand Club Med hotel located at Kiroro ski resort. Credit: ClubMed Hotels. The new Club Med Kiroro Grand is designed with a unique enchanted forest theme that integrates natural finishes and rich Japanese influence into each of its 266 guest rooms, starting with the elevated grand lobby. Additionally, the resort features the brand's first traditional Japanese onsen, complete with a cedar-wood sauna, a hot stone room, and a dedicated wellness lounge. Guests can also enjoy a variety of restaurant and bar concepts, all-day entertainment, an indoor swimming pool, and more.For those looking to take a break from the slopes, a visit to the nearby Otaru Coastal Town is a great option, just a 40-minute drive from the resort. There, visitors can explore the port city's rich history in glasswork, oil lamp, and music box manufacturing, as well as the local Otaru fish market and Yoichi Distillery, where they can sample Hokkaido's finest whiskey brewed using traditional distillation methods.To mark the opening of its new Japan resort, Club Med is offering special introductory rates to Australian guests on travel dates from 1 December 2023 to 14 June 2024. For a limited time, guests can save up to 30% off the regular price, with seven nights' accommodation starting from AUD $2622 per adult. Why Kiroro Ski Resort?Kiroro Resort is a powder hounds Mecca for skiing and snowboarding and remains in the shadows of neighbouring Niseko and Rusutsu, in our opinion this is what makes the Kiroro resort so incredible. With an average snowfall of over 20m (840”) in a couple of months the powder snow here is typically pit deep and last longer due to the lower number of visitors. On a typical day at Kiroro you could be riding fresh powder for most of the day because by the time you get down the 660m (2,165ft) vertical drop the snow that is dumping has filled in again.One of the younger resorts in Japan, Kiroro only opened up to riders in 1991 and this means the facilities are more up to date. Kiroro is home to 10 lifts which includes 2 gondolas that keep you out of the frigid cold winds which come down from the Sea of Japan as well as 4 quads which keep the limited crowds moving around the mountain. Whilst the numbers only say Kiroro has 27 trails you shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that this is a tiny resort, The footprint might not be huge like in the North America or Europe but with this snow a day here is a workout and extremely fun.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
