WE Hotel Toya

Overlooking the deep blue waters of the volcanic caldera known as Lake Toya, the WE Hotel is a resort that celebrates the comfort that comes not only from the fresh air of the neighboring parkland, but of the timber plentifully growing in Hokkaido. Architect Kengo Kuma took the forest as inspiration for the timber walls and the trunk-like columns and facades of WE. The warmly decorated rooms are bright, airy and open, letting the lake outside dominate the space, even from the bathroom. There’s a remarkable onsen here, with its own breathtaking lakeside vista; between baths, guests can visit a cocktail lounge, cigar bar, teppanyaki café, or a restaurant serving fastidiously prepared local cuisine.