Chalet Ivy Jozankei is a 26-suite hot-spring hotel on the forested edge of Jozankei, about an hour's drive from central Sapporo. Every suite has its own natural onsen bath, the property sits directly above the Toyohira river, and it is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. For travellers who want a design-led onsen stay without travelling to the far end of Hokkaido, it is the most straightforward luxury option in the Sapporo area.
Where Jozankei actually is
Jozankei is a hot-spring valley inside Sapporo's city limits, in the mountains to the south-west. The local tourist association calls it the guest quarters of Sapporo, and that is the useful way to think about it: roughly 60 minutes by road from downtown, close enough for a single overnight, far enough that the city noise is gone.
The valley runs along the Toyohira river, which is the reason the hot springs exist. Chalet Ivy is on the quieter eastern side, set back from the main road with the river below the windows.
The suites: an onsen bath in every room
There are 26 suites across five floors, and the important point for anyone comparing hotels is that the hot-spring water is plumbed into every single one. Jozankei's spring water is mineral-rich, and having it privately in the room changes how you use the hotel: you bathe when you want, for as long as you want, rather than working around a shared-bath timetable.
Rooms are large by Japanese standards and quiet in the way that matters on a long trip. If you are choosing, ask for a corner suite facing the river.
Dining at ZUI
The hotel's restaurant, ZUI, seats 88 and builds on Japanese cuisine with Western-style arrangement, using Hokkaido produce. There is a teppanyaki room and a private dining room, so the format can be adjusted to the group.
It is worth being straight about the food: reviews are split, and the most common criticism is that the standard kaiseki dinner does not always match the price point. Guests who book the teppanyaki course, however, consistently rate it as the highlight of the stay. If you are only there one night, that is the one to reserve.
Tipping and hotel etiquette, briefly
There is no tipping in Japan. At a property like this the service charge is already inside the rate, and offering cash causes more awkwardness than pleasure. If you want to acknowledge genuinely good service, a short note to the hotel and a public review both carry more weight here than money left on the table.
The public bath, the spa and the gym
Beyond the private baths, the public onsen has an indoor bath, an open-air rotenburo and a sauna, and is closed for cleaning between 10:30 and 14:30. Because the 26 suites have their own baths, the shared bath is often almost empty, which guests repeatedly mention as a pleasant surprise.
The NIKUR spa draws on the traditions of Hokkaido's indigenous Ainu people. There is also a small fitness room, open around the clock, with the straightforward caveat that you bring your own shoes and training wear because nothing is available to rent.
Getting there, and what to do with the rest of the trip
Chalet Ivy is a road transfer, not a station walk. From New Chitose Airport you are looking at roughly 90 minutes by car; from central Sapporo, about an hour. Parking is free, which makes it genuinely easy as a self-drive stop, and the hotel is within walking distance of the Jozankei onsen town for an evening stroll.
Most guests pair it with Sapporo itself, or a night on either end of a Hokkaido loop. It works particularly well as a soft landing on arrival, or as the decompression stop before a long flight home.
If you would rather not arrange the driving yourself, we run private Hokkaido itineraries that build Jozankei in as the onsen stop — with a driver, an English- or Cantonese-speaking guide, and the rest of the island planned around it.
Who this suits — and who it does not
It suits couples and small groups who want space, privacy and a private bath, travellers finishing a Hokkaido road trip, and anyone flying long-haul who wants one quiet night before or after Sapporo. It also suits families taking older parents, because the whole experience stays on one floor and does not demand walking.
It is a poor fit for travellers who want a traditional ryokan in the full sense — tatami throughout, a set dinner at a fixed hour, staff in kimono, a town to wander at length. Chalet Ivy is a modern hotel with real hot-spring water, not a heritage inn, and if that is what you are chasing you should look elsewhere in Jozankei.
Check availability and current rates for Chalet Ivy Jozankei →
Planning your trip
- Book early for autumn. The valley is at its best in the second half of October, and the 26 suites sell out well ahead.
- One night is thin. Two nights lets you use the onsen properly and still see the surrounding passes.
- Sort out the transfer. There is no convenient rail link to the door. Either drive, take a hotel car, or have a driver organised in advance.
- Confirm dinner at booking. The teppanyaki room is small, and it is a different experience from the standard course.
Frequently asked questions
Does every room at Chalet Ivy Jozankei have a private onsen?
Yes. All 26 suites have a bath supplied with natural hot-spring water from Jozankei's source, in addition to the hotel's public indoor and open-air baths.
How far is Chalet Ivy Jozankei from Sapporo?
About a 60-minute drive from central Sapporo, and roughly 90 minutes from New Chitose Airport. It is inside Sapporo's city limits but reachable only by road in practice.
Is Chalet Ivy Jozankei a ryokan?
It is best described as a modern luxury hotel with a genuine onsen, and it is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It does not follow the full traditional ryokan format.
When is the best time to stay in Jozankei?
Mid to late October for the autumn colour, and January to February for snow. Autumn is the busiest and books out furthest ahead.
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