We ended up making a last-minute booking at Lodge 401 to take advantage of the early ski season and were some of the first guests at the lodge since re-opening. This lodge is in a great location to the ski fields, which are only a few minutes short walk away and excellent if you are new to skiing or snowboarding. In addition, it is a quick walk from either the snow shuttle or the public Niseko bus. An excellent indoor / outdoor Onsen is only about a 5-minute walk away. The lodge has been renovated and looks great. The owner, Rhys was extremely helpful and made our trip stress free and pleasant – and great to meet a fellow Aussie! He was able to assist on our first night in organising return transfers to the airport, got us discounted ski tickets and arranged the ski hire all from the comfort of the bar. He was always checking we were okay, helping us organise things and even drove us out to dinner. He also has a background as a Chef, so we always woke up to a hot café style breakfast in addition to a continental buffet. The only downside with our trip was Annupuri being quite small, and limited options for food. There is no convenience store and whist we were there was only two restaurants open. However, that is because we are early in the season and once a few more open up it will be fine. Rhys was also looking to do a light dinner menu which would be all you would need most nights. The Indian restaurant down the road is a must try. In summary, we would strongly recommend staying here and if we ever come back to Niseko, we will stay here again.

Great place to stay! Cozy and clean lodge with amazing breakfast and a short walk to Annupuri ski resort. The owner, Rhys, was so helpful and knows the local area well. Definitely recommend this lodge if you will be in Niseko.

I liked everything about lodge 401! it was located right beside the slope so we didn’t have to remove ski equipments when going back. the owner was so nice and helpful in every possible way. and the breakfast ! I fell in love with his cooking lol definitely coming back and recommend to all

Lodge 401 has the best location in Annupuri--just steps to the slopes. It was easy to find after arriving by Chuo bus from Sapporo Station. The proprietor facilitated our ski passes and rentals, for which we didn't need to leave the lodge. The bed and pillows were very comfortable and the room was large enough to contain a sofa. The breakfast was really delicious and bountiful, and the coffee was quite good. Everyone was friendly. We only stayed for 2 nights, but had a great experience and would recommend to skiers.

One downside to Annupuri is the relative lack of restaurants or other food options. Without a car and in the midst of a cold storm, we wished we'd stocked up on konbini snacks before arriving. However, the lodge has a small bar and is walking distance from multiple restaurants. Another downside was the closure of the top Annupuri lift on one of our 2 ski days--this necessitated a bus trip to Niseko Village to access the terrain of the other 3 interconnected slopes. The bus ride between Annupuri and Niseko Village is not too long, but be sure to time it right and if you're wearing ski boots, try not to take the bus from a further base (Hanazono/Hirafu). It can get pretty full and takes nearly an hour from Hanazono.