坐忘林旅館(Zaborin)

What a beautiful gem of a hotel in the heart of the forest in Niseko area! Combining traditional and modern elements, Zaborin elevates the ryokan experience with understated elegance and luxury. The facilities are beautiful and the environment is tranquil and serene. The food is amazing! Local, seasonal and high quality ingredients, delicate and complex flavor profiles, exquisite presentation. We were treated with such warm hospitality by everyone here, and hope to get to return in the future.

Having explored Japan for three decades and staying in numerous luxury Ryokans, Zaborin in Hokkaido has made an indelible impression. It strikes a remarkable balance between Western modern living and Japanese tradition in its architecture. The Northern Kaiseki cuisine was an unforgettable delight. Despite a minor setback with a broken hot spring pump, the attentive manager, Nobue Shiozawa, ensured our satisfaction. Zaborin's tranquil mountain location and warm hospitality only added to our appreciation. We would have given it a 5-star rating, but due to the temporary inconvenience of not enjoying the en-suite open-air Onsen, we rate it 4 stars this time. Nonetheless, we're already planning our return, as Zaborin's value and charm are truly exceptional.

It's a quietly nestled ryokan amid nature. The scenery is, of course, splendid, but the cuisine and service are also excellent, making it a ryokan you'd want to visit over and over again. You can enjoy beautiful snowscapes here. Even without snow, you can still feel the changing seasons, though the most popular time for reservations seems to be the current season. There are open-air baths where you can indulge while surrounded by the grandeur of nature.

何年か前にSOMOZAに寄り、雰囲気も接客も大変気に入ったので、今回初めて坐忘林に宿泊。羊蹄山の見える素晴らしいビューの部屋に案内され、部屋の露天風呂も広めで気分が上がった。部屋へ案内してくれた方もとても親切で、抹茶も入れてくれ、接客サービスは全般とてもよかった。夜部屋が寒く、デロンギの調子が悪い時には、スタッフの方が笑顔で親切に対応してくれた。機械的な接客ではなく、個々人への気持ちのこもったものだった(朝食時の料理を下げる係の人は別)。 　 少し残念だった点は、部屋のクローゼット内に電気がついておらず、日没後にクローゼットを使用する際に不便だった。LED等つくとなお良い。あと、食事が、素材の美味しさに助けられているため全体的には良いが、素材を引き立てるための工夫、洗練さの追求がもう少し欲しい。次回の秋はもっと長めの宿泊を予約した。

Overall, it was a fantastic Ryokan (Japanese style hotel) with authentic private Japanese onsen. Few things I really enjoyed and not enjoyed. Pros: 1. Fantastic private onsen. I've been to many onsen in Japan so I know the good quality onsen and almost plain water onse, this place had amazing quality onsen in each room with inside and outside options. I loved taking outside onsen with serenity view so I ended up taking 3 bath a day. 2: Nice interior design through out that gives you a tranquil feeling. 3. For those Japanese Kaisen food ( traditional Japanese course menu) lovers, it is a fantastic place to enjoy the top notch Kaisen dinner as the hotel plan includes dinner and breakfast, though for those who are not good at the food, it may be difficult to enjoy. 4: Friendly and attentive staff Cons: 1. It was a huge regret for us that we couldn't get a room with beds but instead we were assigned to a bed with Futon. Futon was so thin so I asked them to provide me a couple more futon mattresses but even with those, I could hardly sleep. 2. The room was very basic, unlike the lobby area and other public area.

とても楽しみにして伺った「坐忘林」 館内や客室の設えなどなど ハード面はとても良かったのですが お部屋の露天風呂の温度調節が壊れていて、どんどん冷めてしまい、朝になったら冷たくて入れない状態。やっと直ったのはチェックアウト直前で、楽しみにしていた朝風呂は入れませんでした。 あと食事が夜も朝も（特に朝） 期待ハズレで、特に朝食は せめて漬物と*料理ぐらい欲しかったです。 宿泊料に見合った内容では まったくなかったです。

I only stayed for one night with my husband and we both agreed that this was the best part of our 2.5 week trip in Japan, which was a pretty amazing trip regardless. But Zaborin just blew us away. They are the epitome of luxury hospitality. There is such a meticulous level of care they put into making their guests feel special, welcome and cared for. The staff members are truly exceptional. They are gracious and thoughtful and each one of them treats you with warmth. There is a quick tour of the accommodation as you check in. During our dinner, the general manager personally welcomed us and inquired about our stay, and when we left, a staff member personally escorted us to our car and waved us off. It The food is a showcase of Japanese cuisine at its best and one of the best dining experiences of my life. Just the meals itself (there's dinner and breakfast) is worth the price of the stay. The overall space, room, amenities, toiletries, bed - we booked a western style bed and it was the best sleep we had during our trip, the view(!) with both private indoor and outdoor baths! Everything was high quality so you can truly enjoy a relaxing stay with the luxury of privacy. Even the complimentary tea and coffee was of good quality. There is free parking for anyone driving. They also have a bar that I recommend getting a drink or two before or after dinner. My only regret is not staying longer to enjoy the additional experiences available. While not cheap, Zaborin must be experienced if given the opportunity. My husband and I found our stay to be more than worth the rate given the hospitality, services, the cuisine, and the amenities provided. Many thanks to the Zaborin staff. We look forward to returning.