Aman announces the launch of the brand's first city property: Aman Tokyo, scheduled to open its doors on Monday 22 December, 2014. Occupying the top six floors of the recently-built Otemachi Tower, Aman Tokyo is an urban sanctuary high above the atmospheric whirl of tradition and modernity that epitomises Tokyo. Not only marking Aman's presence in Japan, Aman Tokyo also takes the brand to 27 properties worldwide.
Leading Japanese hospitality company Fujita Kanko Inc. announced it is now accepting reservations for a new Hotel Gracery, opening in April 2015 in Kabukicho, Tokyo's entertainment and nightlife hub, located in the Shinjuku area. Hotel Gracery Shinjuku will be the Hotel Gracery brand's new flagship.
YTL Hotels has announced the launch of the KASARA brand, a collection of unique and luxurious hotels, resorts and residences in exotic locations in Asia and beyond, including Hokkaido, Japan; Koh Samui, Thailand and Pulau Tiga in Borneo.
Hilton Worldwide today announced that Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort will open on Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Managed by Hilton Worldwide and owned by Orix Real Estate Corporation, the nine-story Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort will be the 11th Hilton Worldwide property in Japan.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today the official opening of Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, the first Andaz hotel in Japan and the twelfth Andaz hotel globally. The hotel is a significant addition to Hyatt's growing portfolio in Tokyo, joining Park Hyatt Tokyo, Grand Hyatt Tokyo and Hyatt Regency Tokyo.
Best Western International has unveiled its first ever property in the thriving Japanese port city of Yokohama. Coming just weeks after the launch of the Best Western's second hotel in neighboring Tokyo, the new BEST WESTERN Yokohama marks the company's continued expansion in the Greater Tokyo area, home to more than 35 million people.
Based at the Global Sales Office in Tokyo, Kimimasa will be responsible for managing key clients in Japan and expanding the market through the generation of sales leads and bookings for the Group’s over 30 “Pan Pacific” and PARKROYAL hotels, resorts and serviced suites in Asia, Oceania and North America. Most recently, Kimimasa was Director, Starwood Sales Japan with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Throughout his 12-year tenure with the company, Kimimasa built up a proven performance track record in managing domestic and outbound sales from Japan, developing wholesale package tours for Starwood hotels, as well as fostering MICE business opportunities in second-tier Japanese cities. Prior to that, Kimimasa garnered over 20 years of corporate and MICE sales experience in various management positions with New Otani Hotel in Tokyo and Los Angeles, as well as Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.
CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has brought its premier Ascott The Residence brand to Tokyo through a master lease agreement with Mitsubishi Estate Company (MEC), one of Japan's largest real estate developers. The 129-unit Ascott Marunouchi Tokyo is slated to open in 2017, ahead of the 2020 Olympics to be held in the city.
The new 150-room hotel enables fast easy access to all points in the capital and beyond. Virtual room keys, flexible public spaces, and women-only guest rooms offer the style, substance, technology, and quiet energy today's travellers need to thrive on the road.
Marriott Hotels, the flagship brand of Marriott International, and Miyako Hotels & Resorts announces the highly anticipated opening of the Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel, the first property for the brand in Osaka and the fourth in Japan.
From rooms kitted out like medical clinics where couples can play "doctors and nurses" to grottos where it is permanently Christmas, Japan's "Love Hotels" cater to almost every taste, offering a few hours of reasonably-priced privacy in a crowded country. And with the kind of occupancy rates that most hotels can only dream of, even during economic hard times, they are an almost recession-proof business.
Heralded as one of the most highly-anticipated openings of 2014 in one of the world's most culturally-rich cities, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. and Sekisui House, Ltd., one of Japan's leading property developers, officially opened The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto today; the city's first truly international luxury hotel and Japan's first urban resort. Located in the heart of a city famed for its Zen temples, palaces and gardens, the riverside resort brings the unsurpassed elegance and renowned service of The Ritz-Carlton to Kyoto, while honoring the cultural heritage of the city through design. "We are honoured to open our fourth Ritz-Carlton in Japan, in the beautiful city of Kyoto. Our customers are always looking to explore evocative, new and inspiring destinations and have long expressed a desire for us to offer in this incredible location" said Herve Humler, president and chief operating officer of The Ritz-Carlton. "I believe this hotel offers a timeless window to Japan and complements perfectly 85 other Ritz-Carlton properties around the globe." The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto is a peaceful sanctuary. It sits on the gentle banks of the Kamogawa River in Nijho Ohashi, close to Kyoto's popular downtown areas including Gion and Kawaramachi-dori, the city's retail and entertainment districts. The hotel's luxury guestrooms and suites offer full views of the river and the Higashiyama Mountains. The architects and designers have retained the character and aesthetic of a traditional Meiji house and courtyard into the architectural structure of the building. The interiors created by Peter Remedios and Spin Studios pay homage to the traditions of Japan, with patterned motifs created by local artisans and the incorporation of Zen rock gardens (karesansui) and water features, including a four-storey waterfall are aesthetically positioned in the heart of the hotel. The Kamogawa Suite and its sister suites with their moon deck gardens (tsukimidai) and floor to ceiling windows offer luxurious accommodations with enviable panoramic views of the river and mountains, forming an unrivalled sanctuary of luxury refinement and service. The Ritz-Carlton Spa, nestled at the foot of the waterfall, features seven intimate and inviting treatment rooms and offers signature services inspired by the rich culture of Japan and ESPA. These include a traditional Acupressure Massage using the dry Shiatsu techniques as well as the Ryokucha Serenity Ritual based on green tea leaves, Gyokuro, dried from the Sun for 20 days in Uji, southern Kyoto and famed for their restorative properties. In a city famed for its culinary offerings, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto adds new and distinctive fine-dining experiences against an elegant backdrop. The Japanese restaurant, Mizuki, modeled around a dynamic landscape composed of stone garden, water fall and historical features, serves modern Japanese cuisine including a famed Kaiseki options alongside sushi, tempura and teppanyaki. The restaurant includes an outdoor terrace complete with fire pits for gourmet diners to enjoy the dynamic scenery during Sakura and Autumn seasons. La Locanda, the Italian restaurant, pays homage to the hotel site's history. Its private room, called Ebisugawatei, is a preserved historically-listed building while the restaurant also features its own walk-in charcuterie and l'affineur cheese cellar. The unrivalled wine list offers 250 varieties from Super Tuscans to Italian regional classics. Meanwhile, Pierre Hermé Paris, creator of Haute Pâtisserie, will bring his popular creations and introduce an exclusive range of signature desserts to The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto. The unique collaboration will showcase his work throughout the property including restaurants, meetings, weddings and banquets. The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto also introduces extraordinary meetings, luxury weddings and special events spaces with four rooms, each named after a cherry blossom species – Takane Ballroom, Kocho, Shidare and Kanzan meeting rooms. The property will also feature a wedding showroom consulting for couples on their big day, showcasing the detailed finery and services that will transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Exceptionally rich in beauty, history, spirituality and culture, Kyoto draws 50 million visitors annually to experience the former capital of Japan and its 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city and its environs is also home to almost a quarter of Japan's national treasures. While many of these visitors are Japanese, there is real growth in the numbers of international visitors coming to the city, and Kyoto is now very much must-see destination for sophisticated global travelers who are attracted to the city for its quintessential Japanese experience.
Is Japan the next development boom? Numbers sure don't lie. Last week, government data showed that a record 11.25 million tourists visited Japan last year, up 22.7 percent from a year earlier. Why the boost? Analysts say a combination of factors are involved, including a weaker yen, cheaper air fares, less strict visa requirements in the region and an overall boost to Asia-Pacific tourism, which has seen tourist visits double since 2,000. Hoteliers are taking note. For one, Red Planet Hotels, the major shareholder of budget brand Tune Hotels. It's CEO told CNBC it plans to open up 20 hotels by 2020 in Japan to benefit from this growing trend.
Looking ahead, we believe that Japan will capture more global attention. Tokyo has been selected as the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, which will lead the government to speed up its plans for improving the infrastructure and transportation system in order to welcome more foreign visitors.
Marriott International announces the opening of the Tokyo Marriott Hotel on a hilltop address known locally as Gotenyama. This represents the global hospitality company's 12th hotel in Japan, and the third under its flagship Marriott Hotels brand, which comprises 500 properties in nearly 60 countries. Just minutes from the capital's bullet- train serviced Shinagawa Station, the 249-room hotel enables direct easy access to the Tokaido bullet train as well as Haneda Airport and the Yamanote Line circling central Tokyo.
On December 17th, leading Japanese hospitality company Fujita Kanko Inc. opens a new Washington Hotel in Sendai, Japan, an excellent addition to the reasonably-priced modern hotels offered by the company's Washington Hotels group. Ideally located across from the JR station in Sendai, the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture in the Tohoku region (the northern part of Japan), the Sendai Washington Hotel will deliver convenience, comfort and efficiency to business and leisure travelers.
Hilton Worldwide has appointed Heinrich Grafe as General Manager of Conrad Tokyo with effect from November 18, 2013. Heinrich joins Conrad Tokyo from the award winning Conrad Centennial Singapore where he served as General Manager since 1998. Under his leadership, Heinrich steered the hotel on a path of continued growth and development, with Conrad Centennial Singapore now recognised as a leading property in one of the most prominent Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) destination in the region. Heinrich first joined Hilton Worldwide in 1974 at Hilton London Kensington before moving on to hone his skills in senior executive positions at other Hilton Worldwide properties in Germany, Singapore. Heinrich was Executive Assistant Manager in Hilton Guam and Seoul, South Korea, before moving on to become General Manager at Swissotel Beijing, China from 1990 to 1998. , He then returned to Hilton Worldwide in 1998 to take the helm at Conrad Centennial Singapore.
On October 10th, leading Japanese hospitality company Fujita Kanko Inc. will open its 30th Washington Hotel in Hiroshima, Japan. An excellent addition to the reasonably-priced modern hotels offered by the company's Washington Hotels group, the new Hiroshima Washington Hotelwill deliver convenience, comfort and efficiency to business and leisure travelers.
Marriott International and Prince Hotels, Inc, of Japan announced that The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo will become Japan's first Autograph Collection hotel - a portfolio of independent hotels, with the re-opening of the newly renovated hotel on September 14, 2013.
The International Olympic Committee has made a safe choice in naming Tokyo the venue for the 2020 summer games. For a start no city in the world boasts a hotel industry better equipped to accommodate a sudden influx of foreigners. Indeed, contrary to Tokyo’s image as an impossibly expensive place, hotel rates are actually quite modest compared to major American cities.