Chalet Ivy Jozankei — Hotel in Sapporo

We stayed at Chalet Ivy Jozankei from February 9 to February 11, 2025, booking through Amex Platinum’s The Hotel Collection as part of our honeymoon. While it was one of the most expensive hotel stays we’ve ever had, we wanted to treat ourselves for this special occasion—and it was absolutely worth it.

From the moment we arrived, the service was exceptional. Instead of a standard check-in, we were warmly welcomed by a staff member in a beautiful kimono and guided to a cozy fire pit. There, we could help ourselves to the snack bar, which turned out to be a real highlight—offering a fantastic selection of Hokkaido treats and, to our delight, great coffee (something that can be surprisingly hard to find in Japan!).

We also received a small card for the automated wine dispenser, a fun but slightly overengineered system—especially since many bottles were already empty when we tried to use it. As part of our booking, we had a $100 Amex dining credit, which we used on wine and sake at the hotel’s restaurant. The food was beautifully presented and delicious, with attentive service that made the dining experience even better.

The real standout feature of our stay was the private onsen in our room, located in a dedicated spa area. The room itself was stunning—minimalist yet modern, with thoughtful details that made it feel both luxurious and cozy. Another great perk: the complimentary minibar, which was replenished daily at no extra cost.

The public onsen was nothing particularly special, but to be fair, when you have a private one in your room, you don’t really need it.

The surrounding area is quiet and not particularly exciting—we went for a short walk during our two-night stay, but there wasn’t much to see. This is definitely more of a hotel for relaxation, and in that regard, it excels.

One surprising moment (unrelated to the hotel) was seeing a guest at a nearby table rudely demand that a Japanese waitress speak Mandarin to her (in mandarin she asked). It was one of those moments that made us pause—perhaps a sign that some travelers let their wealth go to their heads.

Overall, Chalet Ivy Jozankei is a perfect retreat for relaxation, offering top-tier hospitality, a luxurious private onsen, and excellent breakfast and dining. While it was an expensive stay, we truly enjoyed our time and would recommend it to anyone looking for a high-end,...

We've visited their Hirafu branch before so we decided to check out their newer branch in Jozankei this time.

The location is relatively convenient about halfway between Chitose and Niseko and set in a small onsen town with lots of other onsen hotels along the river. Room was nice and well kept but lacked a bit of character.

The service started unravelling during dinner. Soon after we booked (which was months ago) we made it clear one of us has food preferences (no mushrooms except for truffles). They replied and told us this is fine and will be accommodated. On check-in, the staff also reconfirmed with us about this.

When I sat down for dinner (which was included), I saw the menu had mushrooms and double checked with the staff again that I do not eat mushrooms. She acknowledged that they are aware of this. I did find it a bit lazy for them to not print out a new menu for me if the menu has been changed (especially since this is not a last minute request) and this kind of service is common at this price point but I didn't make a big deal out of it. When the food did come though there was a big chunk of maitake mushroom in my soup. Somehow the staff seemed confused that maitake mushroom is a kind of mushroom. They took it away and returned with the same dish just the mushroom removed... You would think given the early notice they had they could have replaced the dish completely instead. This seems lazy for this price point.

Then when it came to the wagyu with truffle they replaced the truffle with red wine sauce. I literally told them truffle is the only kind of fungi I do eat and yet they changed it. At that point I'm just too tired to point out their mistake.

The onsen was decent but some tourists jumped in without showering beforehand and were playing with their iPads inside the onsen. It's such a shame when tourists don't respect other's culture when travelling. I did notice some hotels would put up signs saying this isn't allowed - I checked their signs which only advised the guests to shower but nothing about bringing electronics inside.

Overall experience was mixed. Definitely had a better time in other ryokan chains like...

Chalet Ivy is a beautifully designed hotel, situated by the river and an easy walk into Jizankei. Our room was huge (we went for the Deluxe Corner Suite) with a spring bath, which we made much use of. The onsen was lovely - at the time I went, no-one else was in there. There is also a small lounge area with locally sourced snacks.||The reduction in one star is due to a few snagging issues:|1) The run up to the visit was not the smoothest with Chalet Ivy emailing us to say we have double booked and booked for the wrong dates (both were incorrect). Both of these were c.2 days before we were due to arrive and was a little bit stressful.|2) The hotel previously said there might be additional charges to accommodate my gluten allergy. Chalet Ivy confirmed two days before our arrival (i.e. once the cancellation charge had set in) that this would be c.GBP 50 per day. While the timing was unfortunate, I would be able to appreciate this - however, there were no distinguishable ingredients provided aside from a gluten free soy sauce and miso, and this was the only hotel or restaurant to ask for this.|3) The food at the restaurant was lacking compared to of all the restaurants and hotels we visited in Japan. The exception was the Teppanyaki which was an incredible experience!||All in all, it is a lovely hotel- but I am not sure we would stay again for the...