6-Star luxury redefined in the world’s most talked about year-round resort.
When producers at the Netflix show The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals went looking for locations in Japan, they kept hearing about a certain property on the island of Hokkaido.
Not short of choices in a country rightly famed for its gourmet cuisine, unique culture, and incredible architecture, they decided to check it out. What they found was a private 5-bedroom gated compound nestled in a forest of stunning Japanese pine trees, staffed by a Michelin star chef with a full-time concierge team and a personally adjusted heated swimming pool.
The Residence by Seasons Niseko impressed from the get-go. Perched under Mt Yōtei and surrounded by outdoor decks, vast lawns and sweeping views of mountain ranges and ski fields, the property boasted a 5-zone Sound System complete with Pioneer DJ Decks, fully stocked bar with the very best liquors and tap beer. Then there was the billiards table, the eight-seat cinema, authentic pizza oven and sauna – and the outdoor firepit, near to the indoor pool.
“I prefer the pool temperature at 34.2 degrees,” says Mike Alexander, the former investment banker who built The Residence, one of two properties he owns in Annupuri National Park, Niseko. “A certain famous F1 driving champion likes it a bit hotter,” he says of one of his celebrity guests. “We have quite a few celebrities staying with us. Even the rich and famous need time to get away from it all, and The Residence gives them the privacy and exclusivity they look for.”
You don’t need to be a celebrity to stay at The Residence, but the price tag might put off less discerning guests. At $33,000 a night, the property sleeps 15 and is designed to feel like a home. “I started out intending to build a holiday home in Niseko,” says Mike, as the powder snow falls on the slopes outside. “What I actually built was a haven for anyone who loves to ski, enjoys luxury, and values their privacy. I built it originally for myself and my two boys,” adds Mike. “We all learned to ski in Niseko and just fell in love with it.”
Family touches abound. There’s a 42-speaker, five zone stereo system that allows different generations to enjoy their own music in a variety of areas in the property. There’s bunk beds for the youngsters, and arcade games in the billiards room. For the adults, there’s a subterranean wine cellar that stocks the world’s finest vintages, flown in to match the four seasons on offer in Niseko.
Gourmet food complements the ultra-luxury ambiance, and Michelin star chef Sean Mell from California is on hand to prepare dishes from iconic Japanese cuisine to a unique Hokkaido pizza, with signature surprises and devilishly decadent treats throughout your stay.
Banking On Winners
Mike Alexander's journey has been one marked by prosperity, owing much to his adeptness in identifying a diverse array of start-up triumphs. Notably, he backed Block.one, the globally renowned blockchain enterprise celebrated for its world-beating initial fundraising of US$4.3 billion.
His investment portfolio boasts holdings in Seasons Niseko properties, the well-regarded 11-venue bar and restaurant franchise, Mott 32, and the Mandala Group of properties nestled in Bali. Alongside these ventures, he has nurtured groundbreaking initiatives such as Ordre, the world's premier multi-brand B2B virtual showroom platform, and a slew of pioneering Web3 enterprises, including BlockTrust. This innovative venture is reshaping the landscape of consumer-brand interaction through inventive approaches like tokenization, micro-blogging, and live events.
But Niseko is where his heart is and what gets him out of bed. “I did very well as an investment banker,” he says, “and I’m very grateful for those years. But anyone who meets me today is surprised that I spent my life in finance. I should have been an entrepreneur from the beginning – building, designing, and envisioning Seasons Niseko, which has been my overarching passion and one that gives me the greatest satisfaction.”
Around Niseko
The area around Niseko not only overflows with great skiing and snowboarding but offers other undiscovered treasures, too, all organized for you by your chalet concierge team. “We have worked hard to find hidden gems, secret locations, and very special people,” says Mike, “so you can discover and experience the wonder of this incredible part of the world.” These activities include kayaking, paddle boarding, and white water rafting; hiking, trekking, zip-sliding, horse riding, and biking on stunning trails rarely trodden. There’s even night-skiing by torchlight for the intrepid. “This area is so stunning, not just in the winter months but in the summer too,” he adds.
If The Residence is too off the scale for your tastes, there is the smaller but equally luxurious Retreat, which also comes with five bedrooms and an indoor Japanese-style spa pool, wood log fireplace, and outdoor fire pit. “We’re planning another project,” adds Mike. “We’re building Asia’s best apartments here, all with the same sweeping snowfield and mountain views.” Prices for the apartments will range from US$1.5m for one bedroom up to $15m for five bedrooms, each with the same level of ultra-luxury as the Retreat.
“I’m doing five-bedroom apartments with wine cellars, movie theaters, outside onsens, and gunbarrel views,” he says. “Some will have proper restaurant-style kitchens so guests can bring in chefs to cook for them.”
He’s also keen to start promoting Niseko’s non-ski seasons. “This is Japan,” he says, “ and there are four distinct seasons. As well as the world’s finest powder snow, Niseko offers gorgeous weather in the summer, with natural forests and stunning mountains. “It is absolutely superb year-round,” he says. “It truly is one of the most magical places on earth.”
Written in partnership with Tom White
