A new management agreement with Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) will see IHG Hotels and Resorts introduce its value Holiday Inn Express brand into the Japanese city of Osaka and the country as a whole.
Due to open in December, the Holiday Inn Express Osaka City Centre Midosuji is a project several years in the making, with the brand moving in to an existing building on Midosuji Boulevard in the Osaka CBD. The hotel is located close to many of the city’s main attractions including the Shinsaibashi retail, Namba entertainment districts and Yodoyabashi financial district.
The property will offer guests a range of economy minded facilities and services including comfortable bedding, high-speed WiFi, pillow menu and a cooked daily buffet breakfast, which can be provided as takeaway. A full refurbishment of the property has been planned and will begin around six months after opening.
IHG Hotels and Resorts Managing Director, Japan, Abhijay Sandilya, said he was honoured to be launching the Holiday Inn Express brand in the exciting city of Osaka.
“We have been committed for some time to bringing this world-class brand to Japan when the time is right and now, with a great partner in BPEA, an amazing asset, and the world poised to reopen, we are thrilled to introduce Holiday Inn Express to the Japanese market.”
BPEA Real Estate Managing Director and Regional Head of Hospitality, Eric Siegel, said he was looking forward to providing world-class comfort and smart hospitality to guests from all over the world.
“We are very pleased to partner with IHG Hotels & Resorts to bring this great brand to Japan,” Siegel said.
“The fully renovated Holiday Inn Express Osaka City Centre Midosuji, with its prime location in the heart of Osaka, directly on its most prestigious Midosuji Boulevard, will offer an exciting new stay option for domestic and international travellers visiting the area.”
The deal is also the first for the hotel owner as it ventures into the world of hospitality and accommodation. However, the company is part of one of the largest private alternative investment firms in Asia, with 24 years of experience and more than US$37 billion in funds under management including pan-Asian real estate assets.
As a brand, Holiday Inn Express is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021 and has now grown to encompass a network of more than 3,000 locations in 2,100 cities around the world.