In the heart of Japan’s snowy mountains, Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido set out to redefine the guest experience in its newly renovated resort. As a premium destination for winter sports lovers and families alike, the venue features lively communal areas like a theater, a central bar, and a welcoming lobby—spaces that are key to the resort’s atmosphere but notoriously difficult to manage acoustically.
The challenges were clear: high ceilings, hard reflective surfaces, and constant foot traffic created excessive reverberation, making conversations unclear and performances less immersive. With guests coming in from cold, silent outdoor environments, the contrast in sound quality indoors was particularly jarring. For a brand like Club Med, where every detail contributes to a sense of refined comfort, poor acoustics in high-use areas could compromise the entire guest experience.
To solve these issues, Delhom Acoustics conducted a full on-site acoustic audit, identifying reverberation as the main obstacle to comfort and intelligibility in shared spaces. From this foundation, we defined precise reverberation time targets suited to each zone—bar, lobby, and theater—and began a collaborative design process with interior specialists from MIAJA Design Group.
Our team used advanced acoustic simulations to test various treatment options, balancing performance, design integration, and cost-efficiency. The solutions were carefully adapted to preserve the warm and elegant atmosphere envisioned by the architects—never compromising the aesthetics, but subtly transforming the way sound behaves in each space.
Thanks to this targeted acoustic strategy, the Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido now offers a serene and intimate sound environment, even in its most dynamic areas. Guests can enjoy a glass of Japanese whiskey by the fireplace, have a relaxed conversation at the bar, or enjoy a live show in the theater—all without the discomfort of harsh echoes or competing noise.
This project is a clear example of how early acoustic intervention and cross-disciplinary collaboration can elevate user experience in hospitality projects, particularly in cold-climate resorts where indoor comfort is essential. Delhom Acoustics ensured that sound would enhance, rather than disrupt, the tranquility of the Hokkaido mountains.
