Hospitality begins long before a guest arrives. At MnK, it starts with creating an environment where our team members can thrive, both professionally and personally. Walnut Creek Apartments is a reflection of that philosophy.
These purpose-built apartments provide modern, comfortable accommodation for MnK's winter seasonal staff and Niseko's year-round workforce. Walnut Creek represents a long-term investment in the people who help create memorable experiences for our guests every day.
"To provide a great service to our guests during the winter, we depend on an outstanding team of seasonal workers to support our full-time property management and concierge staff. Walnut Creek is a purpose-built staff apartment which embodies our commitment to offering quality accommodation for our team, reflecting the value we place on our seasonal staff as individuals and professionals."
— Eddie Guillemette, CEO, MnK
Located in Kabayama, Walnut Creek sits between MnK's two largest resort communities, The Orchards Niseko and Country Resort.
This strategic location was carefully chosen to make life easier for our staff.
By reducing commuting times, team members spend less time traveling and more time enjoying everything that makes living in Niseko special. Public transportation, Hirafu Village, restaurants, cafés, and recreational facilities are all within easy reach, allowing many Walnut Creek residents to enjoy the winter season without needing to own a vehicle.
The convenient Kabayama location also improves responsiveness, allowing staff to support guests and property owners more efficiently across our resort communities.
Walnut Creek provides accommodation for up to 46 residents, making it one of Niseko's larger purpose-built staff housing projects. Every apartment has been designed with practical year-round living in mind and includes:
While the building primarily accommodates MnK’s staff in the winter, during the summer season Walnut Creek also provides accommodation for employees from both MnK and other local businesses, helping address the shortage of quality seasonal housing across the region.
Before Walnut Creek, MnK relied on a number of rented properties spread throughout the Niseko area to accommodate seasonal staff.
While these properties served their purpose, they often varied in quality, age, required longer commutes, and created unnecessary logistical complexity.
Bringing more of our team together under one roof creates significant benefits.
"One of the biggest improvements we've seen isn't just operational; it's cultural. Having more of our team living together creates stronger relationships, improves communication between departments, and helps new staff settle into life in Niseko much more quickly. It has become a real community."
— Ben Grinius, General Manager, MnK Niseko
A centralized accommodation model also enables MnK to:
As Niseko continues to evolve into one of Asia’s leading four-season mountain destinations, the demand for skilled hospitality professionals continues to grow.
Providing quality staff accommodation is becoming increasingly important—not only for individual businesses but for the long-term sustainability of the region itself.
Walnut Creek is one example of how MnK is investing beyond tourism infrastructure to help create a stronger, more resilient community.
"Finding quality staff housing has become one of the biggest challenges for businesses throughout the Niseko area. Projects like Walnut Creek don’t just benefit MnK; they contribute to the long-term health of the wider community by increasing the supply of affordable, professionally managed accommodation."
— Alistair Shelley, Head of Real Estate, MnK
As the community in Kabayama continues to grow, MnK is exploring opportunities to add additional facilities that will improve convenience while reducing operating costs for both staff and guests.
Potential future developments include:
These investments will continue to improve efficiency while enhancing the experience for both our employees and our customers.
For MnK, building Walnut Creek for our staff reflects a belief that investing in our people creates a better guest experience. The success of Niseko as a four-season destination depends not only on high-end facilities and luxury experiences, but also on providing the infrastructure needed to support the people who provide services and call Niseko their home.
Walnut Creek is another step toward that future.
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