Freeride Backpackers Lodge Niseko

The lodge itself is great and well situated. It's not close to Gran Hirafu but the shuttle bus helps go around. Thank you freeride lodge! Now I have to write more characters which is stupid given that I've said it all, stupid tripadvisor frontend dev.

I stayed at the lodge for 8 weeks and before arrival I had my concerns about staying in the same place for this amount of time. Within days all my doubts had been removed. The diverse staff were amazing and worked as a cohesive team to ensure that all guests were able to have the best time possible. This included ensuring that the accommodation was spotlessly clean every day of my stay. This included the boot room which didn’t even smell booty. From a social point of view the staff did everything they could to ensure that the guests had the best time possible, from simply singing happy birthday to the guests in the morning, putting on theme nights to even spending 30+ hours building a bar and slide in the snow just for one night of fun. All of the social nights that were put on (casino, karaoke, etc) the staff ensured that all guests were included in the fun. The bedrooms / dorms were spacious and beds were very comfortable and warm. Also decent Japanese toilets, showers and baths which makes a difference after a day in the slopes. Boot room is large and does everting it needs to. Good WiFi across the accommodation fast enough for guests to use simultaniosly. The kitchen was of a commercial standard with plenty of room for the storage of guests food and drinks. Oven and hob was never overcrowded. Breakfast provided was more than suitable to take you to lunch each day. The social spaces were large and utilised by the guests making a very social and diverse environment for all to enjoy. If you are looking for a place to stay in the Niseko area I cannot recommend this accommodation enough and I for one will be returning. Thanks to all the staff and guests that made this a true holiday to remember.

Amazing staff, super friendly, very clean place! Overall they took good care of the establishment and were very welcoming. The rooms were very clean and well kept. I had a great time and would like to come back in the future.

This hostel was very clean. They did a good job every day with it. The staff are friendly and inviting. It can get loud in the evening if the guests are partying, but that’s to be expected in a hostel right? The facilities were better than average. As for location it does feel a bit out of the way when going into town and busses stop at 20:00. It is ski in but not ski out. Regardless, a stones throw from the Niseko United shuttle so it’s manageable. Some thoughtful critics: power outlets and privacy curtains in the dorms would go a long way. I think there is an opportunity to improve the shuttle service provided by the lodge . Given the lodge’s relative isolation, reliable shuttle service would greatly improve the experience. Currently it is loosely Ad-hoc at best.

I stayed here for 3 weeks and had an awesome stay. The lodge has a solid portion of solo travellers, so it was easy to meet new people and ski together. It's is a great space, 6 mins walk from a nearby lift and right by a bus stop. Enough facilities for guests, doesn't feel crowded. All of the staff are legends, very kind and helpful (can dop you by car to certain places if you have a specific need for a small cost. Miss it already.

Perfect facility that can support everything. Full access kitchen and self-serve bar. Bring your own food from Kutchan groceries and you're good to go! Niseko Village is a 5 min drive away. A must lodging if you're able to handle intermediate to diamond courses. Not recommended for greens and noobs. Go to Annupuri or Hanazono for beginners.