Dating back to 1886 as an accommodation division of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Fairmont chain is perhaps the most famous brand of luxury hotels to come out of Canada.
The chain is behind numerous iconic and historic properties in different corners of the second-largest country in the world by geographical area, including the Fairmont Lake Louise on the crystal-blue glacial lake at Banff National Park and the Château Frontenac in Québec City.
Along with 19 Fairmont properties within Canada, the Fairmont chain that is owned by the wider Accor group has a presence in more than 30 other countries. After breaking into the Japanese market with the opening of the Fairmont Tokyo in 2025, the chain just announces plans to continue expanding in the country with a new property in Japan’s main ski destination.
Fairmont Niseko to come to Hokkeido in 2028
The Fairmont Niseko will be built in the ski resort and mountainous region on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. One of the main islands making up Japan, Hokkaido is renowned for its skiing due to the snow brought over through Siberian winds coming across the Sea of Japan.
It has always been a top ski destination for the Japanese and residents of nearby Asian countries but, in recent years, has been seeing more and more popularity among tourists from much farther away; in December 2026, Air Canada will launch a route to the capital city Sapporo from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) that will be the first direct flight to the island from North America.
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The 165-room luxury resort is slated to open by early 2028 on a nine-acre site of woodland situated in between Mount Yotei and Mount Annupuri. While envisioned as a luxury hotel rather than a ski-in, ski-out resort offering direct access to the slopes, the new property will target both skiiers (Niseko Village and Hirafu will be accessible by shuttle) and those looking for a few days of luxurious relaxation.
In the summer, Hokkaido is also a popular golfing destination.
Fairmont
“Experience operating ski and golf resorts,” in North America will influence Japan property, Fairmont says
While most details around the new resort’s designs and amenities are still in the works, Fairmont said that it will bring the touches and design vibe of its properties near several high-end ski resorts across Canada and the U.S. (there is also the Fairmont Chateau Whistler in British Columbia and Fairmont Telluride in Colorado) to a Japanese setting.
Some of the promised amenities include a spa and wellness club, a kids club and traditional Japanese onsen bathhouses built around a natural hot spring.
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“This is a testament to our growing presence in this dynamic and alluring country and further reinforces Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ leadership position in Asia, complemented by our deep experience operating premium ski and golf resorts in some of North America’s most compelling natural settings,” Omer Acar, the chief executive of the Fairmont brand at Accor, said in a statement.
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