From its sushi to its snow, Japan is the greatest family-friendly destination you’d never even thought of. Read our list of Japan’s top 10 resorts for for families to start planning your next escape now.
From its sushi to its snow, Japan is the greatest family-friendly destination you’d never even thought of. Read our list of Japan’s top 10 resorts for for families to start planning your next escape now.
A conveniently positioned, all-inclusive gateway to Hokkaido’s legendary ‘Japow’, Club Med Tomamu offers the perfect snow escape for families. Although the slopes certainly have plenty to offer, the resort itself packs some incredible amenities for families, including one of Japan’s largest indoor wave pools at Mina-Mina Beach and a ski and snowboard school. The kids’ clubs cater for everybody from age two to 17; for the youngest, puppet shows and face painting will delight, while for four- to 10-year-olds, arts and crafts, group games and thrilling performances are a blast.
An official Tokyo Disney Resort, you can rest assured knowing kids and parents alike are well looked after at Hilton Tokyo Bay. Just half an hour from central Tokyo by train, the resort offers easy access to Tokyo Disneyland and a great place to unwind upon your return. Themed rooms and suites will thrill little ones, while parents might enjoy a day in the relaxation salon. A children’s menu caters for young tastebuds and with on-site pools, valet service and helpful, multilingual staff, families can set your mind at ease knowing it’s all taken care of.
Take the Disney fun home with you after leaving Tokyo Disneyland at this resort built for families. Each of the 706 rooms spills over with magic, but perhaps the best of these are the Disney Character Rooms, which are exactly as exciting as they sound, inviting guests to step inside their favourite films, many with a prime view of the park. Get lost in Alice’s Garden, wander Fantasia Court or splash in the Misty Mountains Pool. You can even offer little ones an extra something special with the lavish kids’ themed beauty salon and photo shoots.
Another competitor in Japan’s bustling hub of Tokyo, Conrad offers stylish accommodation in the Shimbashi business district overlooking Tokyo Bay and the pretty Hamarikyu Gardens, a piece of Japanese history in themselves. With four distinguished restaurants at the ready, there’s something for every taste bud, and there is a pool and gym for keeping busy while inside the resort grounds. Nearby, get a taste of culture at Shiodome Museum, or venture further – you’re in prime location with Shiodome train station at your doorstep.
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is the perfect place for a family snow holiday in Hokkaido and this modern tower is the perfect place to stay. Perfectly located in the centre of the resorts near the Foresta Mall and golf course, the hotel features spacious accommodations for families. Renowned for its high-quality powder and 30 ski runs of varying difficulty, skiers and snowboarders of all levels are catered for at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU. Other sensational family experiences include indoor Mina-Mina Beach, heated to 30 degrees Celsius or more year-round, and the glistening, frozen Ice Village.
This incredible hotel is a destination in its own right – even without the nearby Walt Disney Resort nearby. Here, you’ll find an incredible water park measuring more than two hectares, complete with enormous splash zones and adrenaline-pumping water slides. Play a game of volleyball or basketball and enjoy a dive-in movie screening at the Family Pool on weekends. On Thursdays and Saturdays, Goofy will join you for breakfast, and the kids’ club is complimentary, leaving parents free to enjoy a spa visit or cocktails by the adults-only pool.
The Kiroro Resort is located in the delightful village of Akaigawa, Hokkaido, which is surrounded on all sides by mountains. In winter, guests have access to world-class powder for skiing (22 dynamic runs and off-piste trails are ready for skiers of all skill levels), but summer is just as fun for those with a love of the outdoors, as trekking and kayaking opportunities abound. The contemporary resort offers regular shuttles to Kiroro Town’s onsen and thermal spa facilities, for which it is so well known.
Serene and relaxing, this ‘prince’ of a Tokyo hotel is an oasis in the heart of the city. Landscaped gardens that change with the seasons and a 25-metre outdoor pool (open in summer only) bring a sense of serenity to the hotel, which is located within an easy walk of four train stations and close to the Roppongi, Toranomon, Kasumigaseki, and Otemachi areas of central Tokyo. Choose from several restaurants from elegant to casual, and take in the iconic Tokyo Tower from the outdoor terrace. For littlies, there is a children’s pool and a spacious lawn space perfect for family picnics.
This hotel is most famous for its themed room dedicated to the queen of kawaii, Hello Kitty, which will delight little fans. Wide picture windows offer spectacular views over Tokyo, and it has two train stations within a five-minute walk and easy access to attractions in and around the city. Experience the delights of a Japanese tea ceremony in the tranquil tea room, choose from myriad dining options — there’s a restaurant dedicated entirely to tempura, a traditional Japanese restaurant, restaurants serving Chinese, Korean, Italian and French cuisine, along with teppanyaki, sushi and a buffet — you certainly won’t go hungry.
Reasonably-priced and well set up for families (self-service is the order of the day), this hotel offers easy access to Shiga-Kogen, Japan’s largest ski area. The Yakebitai-Yama ski field, in particular, boasts slopes of top-quality snow for both skiing and snowboarding, along with superb views of the Northern Alps. The West Wing has exclusive use of a large open-air hot bath, and there are both buffet and a la carte restaurants. The Ramen Corner noodle bar is likely to be especially popular with the kids.
Breathtaking landscapes await you in Hokkaido, and Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido is the perfect place to experience all that this great destination has to offer. The all-inclusive resort is a haven for families and offers a range of Superior and Deluxe Rooms and suites with minimalist decor reflective of Japanese tradition, yet still, with all the comforts Western kiddies will expect. A kids’ club caters for ages four to 12 and ski and snowboard school lessons are even included. Other must-dos are snow trekking, traditional Hokkaido cuisine and Canadian bathing.
It’s a tremendous achievement to have your property recognised by the people who matter most: the families who stay there. We love seeing how many wonderful options there are for travellers with kids in tow all across the world, and every year the list is expanding.
As you can probably imagine, it’s a massive job to compile the Top 10 each year, and the Holidays with Kids team has been hard at work for the last few months compiling all the survey responses and sorting them into categories.
Holidays with Kids was the first travel magazine in Australia to do readers’ choice awards all the way back in 2001, our editors are pretty much certified experts in this field.
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