EAT > Beaux Séjour, Naeba Niigata (15/20)

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Beaux Séjour at Naeba Prince Hotel delivers a surprisingly polished, gently old‑world French dining experience at the base of one of Japan’s classic ski mountains, with a New Year’s menu that leans into nostalgia, craft and alpine comfort in equal measure.

AMBIENCE >

Tucked inside the sprawling Naeba Prince Hotel complex, Beaux Séjour feels like stepping into a quietly preserved corner of alpine Europe, all soft lighting, white linen, gold gilt china and hushed, carpeted calm far from the busy ski lockers and food courts outside. Service is warm and formal in that distinctly Japanese way—staff glide between tables with precise choreography, presenting each course with measured pride while keeping the mood relaxed enough that ski gear and snow‑flushed faces never feel out of place.

The room itself leans classic rather than contemporary: high‑backed chairs, generous table spacing and just enough gold trim and porcelain to remind you this is the hotel’s main dining room, designed for anniversaries, multi‑generational ski trips and, on this visit, a quietly celebratory New Year’s Eve crowd.

EAT >

The New Year’s dinner works as a set progression, a classically French menu with subtle Japanese sensibility in portion, seasoning and presentation. An opening amuse and seafood course arrive almost jewel‑like—think finely worked cold fish preparations, apple or citrus notes, and precise knife work that underlines the kitchen’s focus on clarity rather than showy excess.

From there, the kitchen leans into richer winter flavours: a shellfish or consommé course layered with umami, followed by a beautifully handled fish plate—grilled or poached with a nod to Niigata’s produce and an elegant, butter‑lit sauce that lands somewhere between alpine comfort and hotel‑lux polish. A meat course follows in traditional fashion, something on the line of aged Japanese beef or a well‑roasted cut with truffle, red wine or Madeira accents, plated with disciplined restraint so you can still contemplate dessert and midnight Champagne.

The closing act is where the French‑Japanese dialogue is most charming: a composed dessert that might weave strawberry, Champagne and a gently sweet rice‑wine or soup base, landing closer to patisserie than sugar bomb, and perfectly pitched for diners heading back into the cold. Petit fours and excellent bread service bookend the meal, reinforcing that this is hotel dining with a long memory—less avant‑garde, more quietly confident in its own traditions.

DRINK >

The wine list reads like a greatest‑hits tour of France with a pragmatic nod to ski‑holiday reality: plenty of Champagne and sparkling to start, a solid spine of Bordeaux and Bourgogne, and enough by‑the‑glass options that you can build a progression without committing to full bottles. Label selection favours trusted houses over cult rarity, but pricing is fair for a destination resort (though no bargains) and service is attentive—staff are quick to suggest pairings that complement the set course rather than simply upsell.

Beyond wine, there is the expected spread of international spirits and a short but thoughtful selection of Japanese whisky and local sake, ideal for those wanting to lean into Niigata’s brewing heritage after a French‑led menu. Coffee and tea service is precise and unhurried, the kind of old‑school trolley moment that lets you linger a little longer while the dining room slowly empties.

CONCLUSION >

Beaux Séjour is not the kind of cutting‑edge destination restaurant that chases trends; instead, it offers a reassuringly classic, vaguely retro sense of occasion that feels exactly right after a day on Naeba’s slopes. For guests of the Naeba Prince Hotel it is the clear choice when you want to trade food‑court noise for linen, Champagne and a composed, multi‑course French menu that still respects Japanese seasonality—an elegant full‑stop to a powder‑filled day.

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