Andaru Collection Niseko

A glance at the distinctive silhouettes of Andaru Niseko’s villas and it’s clear you’re in for something unusual here. Architect Koichi Ishiguro was inspired by the traditional dwellings of the indigenous Ainu people, and if the end result has something in common with Alpine A-frames, it’s no accident — Niseko, on the island of Hokkaido, is a popular winter destination, and these two-story villas stand tall above even the deepest snowfall. (Summertime adventures abound as well.) Beneath another peaked roof is the hotel’s restaurant, Ultimo, which serves an ever-changing menu of upscale and authentic Italian fare.