World Ski Awards 2026 Finalists: The Vale Rusutsu, Niseko Kyo, Corniche Hirafu, Meigetsu Aki Niseko

Four of our properties are up at the World Ski Awards 2026: The Vale Rusutsu, Niseko Kyo condotels and our chalets Corniche Hirafu and Meigetsu Aki Niseko.

Summer’s barely halfway through in Hokkaido, but the World Ski Awards judges have already been thinking about winter — and so have we. Four properties under NISADE | The Luxe Nomad have landed nominations in this year’s awards, and we couldn’t be prouder of what each one represents for ski hospitality in Niseko and Rusutsu.

The World Ski Awards is the industry’s benchmark for excellence in ski tourism, judged across 25 of the world’s leading winter destinations. A nomination isn’t just a nice line for the press release; it’s recognition from an international panel that these properties are shaping what a modern ski stay should feel like.

Here’s where we’ve been shortlisted and why each property earned its spot.

Riccardo Tossani’s design for this 580 sqm chalet on Hirafu’s Millionaires’ Row has been turning heads since it opened in 2024, and it’s easy to see why. High ceilings and wall-to-wall glass frame Mount Yotei from nearly every room, while the wellness offering downstairs — a private onsen fed by its own hot spring, a sauna, a cold plunge, and rooftop terraces — gives guests a reason to linger long after the lifts close. Add a winter butler, dedicated ski and boot storage, a heated driveway, and a Tesla Powerwall, and it’s clear why this one made the cut.

Vote for Corniche Hirafu: https://worldskiawards.com/vote/corniche-hirafu-2026 

The Vale Rusutsu has built one of the strongest track records in Hokkaido hospitality — World’s Best New Ski Hotel in 2021, Japan’s Best Ski Hotel in 2024, and now back in contention for 2026. 

What sets it apart is how deliberately it was built around its surroundings: large windows pull in natural light and the golden hour glow that Rusutsu is known for, and the ski-in ski-out layout means the slopes are never more than a few steps from your door. Guests also have a spa, café, physiotherapy clinic, ski storage, and Kotobuki Onsen within easy walking distance.

Vote for The Vale Rusutsu: https://worldskiawards.com/vote/the-vale-rusutsu-2026

Set right along the Ace Family Run, Niseko Kyo offers about as direct a ski-in ski-out setup as you’ll find in Hirafu. The design leans on komorebi — the way sunlight filters through leaves — which comes through in interiors that shift character depending on the hour and the season. Most apartments have their own in-room onsen, furnished with pieces from Molteni&C and Gallotti & Radice, and the property is also home to MASONRY. Japan, one of the most talked-about restaurants in Niseko this season. A public onsen, gym, ski valet, and concierge round out the offering.

Vote for Niseko Kyo: https://worldskiawards.com/vote/niseko-kyo-2026

Our newest chalet arrived partway through the 2025/26 season and immediately raised the bar for what a Hirafu stay could look like. At 446 sqm across four bedrooms, Meigetsu Aki Niseko sits less than 500m from two gondolas, putting the lifts firmly within walking distance. 

Tokyo-based studio Nomura led the design, pairing clean modern lines with natural textures and rose gold details that read just as well in person as they do on camera. A top-floor spa with sauna, cold plunge and soaking tub, a rooftop bar, a winter butler, and two chauffeured vehicles complete what might be the most seamless stay in the resort.

Vote for Meigetsu Aki Niseko: https://worldskiawards.com/award/world-best-new-ski-chalet/2026

Every vote helps put Hokkaido’s ski scene on the map — and we’d love your support for these four properties. See you on the slopes this winter!