Very nice luxury boutique Ryokan. Very nice design. Great food - Japanese, with a slight modern touch. I don’t understand what other reviewers complained about. Food was really great and they served vegetarian food for my partner. If you get a nice room, view is great. Staff is very friendly and helpful, same as the General Manager.

We stayed two nights and our first room had a view on the parking area and the woods and didn’t really feel private nor worth the money. After raising this we were offered a new room for the 2nd night and this one was 10/10. Very nice private view and nicer room setting.

We chose Zaborin as the luxurious pinnacle of our honeymoon from several other hotel options we considered and we could NOT have been happier with the choice. IT'S A GEM. In fact, we resolved to come back and stay here as often as we're able and will certainly return for our big anniversaries. Zaborin embodies the wabi sabi philosophy to a T. From the moment we pulled up we were enveloped in the peace and simplistic beauty of nature. The autumn foliage outside our wall-to-wall windows was gobsmacking, it felt like a dream. Plus we were delighted to find we had an unobstructed mountain view from our stone onsen bath! The attention to detail paid to every space throughout the property, not least of all in our room which was stocked with delicious, novel teas, snacks, and skin care products, was mind blowing. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore and enjoy in the ryokan, everyday was a discovery. The only thing that was not simple nor pared down was the food - my god! As foodies, we were absolutely blown away. Each dinner and breakfast was a different 10+ course meal prepared with the highest quality, local, seasonal ingredients, all served on hand-crafted tableware specifically chosen for each dish from their collection of hundreds. We were also invited to choose our own sake cups from a tray holding 30 or so totally unique pieces.

I found that the beds, while insanely plush and comfy, were quite hot. Perhaps this was because we arrived in autumn and they use thicker bedding at this time of year? Either way, I would have preferred more breathable bedding as I am a hot sleeper and the room was already pleasantly warm thanks to the heated floors. I did not ask the front desk about this during our 2 night stay but will certainly ask on future visits. I also wish we'd known in advance that hotel offers free pick-up and drop-off at Kutchan Station which is easily accessed via local JR train following a transfer from the Shinkasen that arrives at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station. There's no need to rent a car to access the hotel.

It was the highlight of my Japan trip. The staff were very friendly and helpful throughout and greet you at the entrance. The room was very spacious and the view was amazing with the snow covering the entire grass field. We went at the end of March so the snow hasn’t gone yet but the drive there was fine as there was no snow on the road. The outdoor private onsen in the room with the beautiful backdrop was fantastic. Dinner and breakfast were probably the best in my entire Japan trip. Kaiseki style dinner was prepared and made to the highest quality and I enjoyed every bite of it. Well done to the chef!

Nothing

The architecture, the room design and the nature integration is outstanding. You want to simply stay and enjoy. The food is excellent.

It is a capsule inside a forrest. There is no possible way to walk outside the architectural capsule into the forrest around it. The fact that they don’t serve lunch makes it complicated for more than one day stay as there is no place nearby to have a compatible lunch with the stay.

Top tier accommodation from room setting, view and Kita Kaiseki fine dining (quality exceed Sapporo top omakase restaurant). Both breakfast and dinners are served in a private dining room. Latest breakfast serves at 9am. Dinner serves at either 6pm or 8pm.Meal variety is different every day. Staffs are very friendly and helpful. You can feel they try their best to make you happy. They offer us free shuttle service to the nearby Park Hyatt for afternoon tea. It was also lovely the general manager Shiozawa sama came to greet us at dinner. The less perfect thing is the twin single bed is a bit too short. And the room replies mainly on a heater to keep warm which during night it turns out to be a bit chilly. Having said so, waking up in the morning with a panoramic forest view beats all the minor imperfections.

The hospitality is truly exceptional. The staff members are gracious and thoughtful, going out of their way to make you feel welcome and taken care of. They truly make the experience. The meals, particularly the dinner, was the best dining experiences of my life. Perfect in concept, quality and taste, execution, flow, and service. I booked villa with a western style bed. Absolutely the best sleep of my 2.5 week trip in Japan. From the bed to the toiletries, down to even the complimentary tea/coffee, everything was of fine quality, and there is such a high level of meticulous care to detail that must be experienced if given the opportunity.

My husband and I loved everything and have never enjoyed a stay more than we did at Zaborin. There was absolutely nothing about my stay that I didn't like. My only recommendation would be to ask about additional experiences available, such as the robatayaki or tea room, and how guests can partake and enjoy those experiences.

In a word everything. The property is like something out of a James Bond movie. The room was excellent with two onsen, one outside with an incredible view. The layout of the room and the decor were to our taste and amazing in its simplicity. This aspect was evident it the rest of the hotel, from the corridors with work windows strategically placed, to the communal areas. The Kaiseki dinners were also excellent and the staff extremely welcoming and helpful.

Nothing. We have been fortunate to stay in some amazing hotels. Not only in Japan including Tokyo (Aman, Hoshinoya) but worldwide. Zaborin in many ways tops all of them. We went out of season. Maybe it’s too busy during ski season.

My husband and I had the pleasure of staying at Zaborin, a Japanese luxury Ryokan in Hokkaido, on September 26, 2023. Our experience was truly exceptional. Zaborin's architecture, designed by an English architect, is a unique blend of Western modern living and Japanese sensitivity. The result is a perfect harmony of comfort and tradition. The Northern Kaiseki cuisine was a culinary masterpiece, highlighting the freshest local ingredients. Dining there was an unforgettable delight. Located amidst the mountains, Zaborin offers breathtaking natural surroundings that create a serene and tranquil atmosphere. The staff's warm hospitality added a personal touch to our stay. We were so impressed that we're already planning to return next year. Zaborin is a haven of luxury and tranquility in Hokkaido, and we highly recommend it for an authentic Japanese Ryokan experience with modern comfort.

The hot spring was out of order before we checked in. We did not get to use the hot spring at Zaborin in this stay.

The most exceptional hotel experience! The rooms were magnificent, spacious, wonderfully decorated, and had the most incredible views. The onsens were amazing. The staff were so attentive to every little detail, from the staff who greeted us to the wait staff to the housekeepers. The entire place was decorated in a minimalist but chic style. The kaiseki meals were delicious and clearly used high quality ingredients that focused on seafood and vegetables. We booked 2 massages that were incredibly relaxing after 3 days of skiing. This is the single best hotel experience I’ve ever had, and was an excellent cap to our honeymoon. I was genuinely sad to leave, and hope we’ll have the opportunity to visit again!

Everything was amazing at Zaborin. The snow view was beautiful and surreal. Room price included both breakfast and dinner. Unlike some meal inclusive resorts, the food quality here was superior and on par with what you would get at top-tier restaurants. The service is also impeccable. All the staff we met were amazing and epitome of Japanese service.

Nothing!