IHG Hotels & Resorts signs biggest Japan conversion deal in more than a decade

IHG Hotels & Resorts and Iwate Hotel & Resort Co., Ltd. today announce the signing of an agreement to open or refurbish three hotels in Japan’s Appi region and badge them under world-class IHG brands in December 2021.

With more than 1,000 rooms joining IHG’s Japan portfolio across the ANA InterContinental, ANA Crowne Plaza and ANA Holiday Inn brands, it marks the biggest deal IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed in Japan since it formed its joint venture with ANA in 2006. It is also the first time IHG will have three brands located on the one site.

With hot springs, skiing and snowboarding in the winter, golf in the summer, and mountain biking and walking in the spring and autumn, nature-rich Appi Kogen is a place where travellers can be active all year round, and is therefore extremely popular with Japanese holidaymakers.

The arrival of three world class brands in the luxury, upscale and midscale segments will offer something for every type of traveller. Once open in December 2021, the hotel portfolio will have 18 restaurants & bars, more than 3000m2 of meeting & conference space, several retail outlets, and 10 health and recreation venues, including a 2000m2 onsen facility.

Abhijay Sandilya, IHG Hotels & Resorts VP Development – Japan, Australasia & Pacific said: “We are delighted to make this announcement in partnership with Iwate Hotel & Resort Co., Ltd. These world-class hotels in Japan’s premier four-season resort destination, Appi Kogen, will offer something for every type of traveller, including rich guest experiences and IHG’s True Hospitality for Good. I am confident that we will see strong domestic demand and, as borders reopen, from international travellers who are looking to get a real Japanese experience with the familiarity of IHG’s global brands”

Message from Hiroshi Kurosawa, the representative director of Iwate Hotel and Resort Co., Ltd.: “It is our great pleasure to sign an agreement with IHG Hotels and Resorts, the operator of some of the world’s best-known hotel brands, to rebrand our hotels at Appi Kogen. This will further enhance our efforts towards the betterment of services and hospitality for our customers from around the globe, and will lead to a genuine global resort experience at Appi Kogen. We are fully committed to offer a pleasant experience and a comfortable space to our customers. It is also noteworthy that Harrow International School Appi, Japan is scheduled to open in the autumn of 2022 nearby the hotels, adding a new dimension to ever-developing Appi Kogen. We always welcome you with our hospitality at Appi Kogen.”

Harrow International School Appi, which will open near the hotels, is a full boarding school, and it will closely replicate the experience of studying at Harrow School in the UK - one of the world’s most respected private educational institutions with 450 years of heritage - with state-of-the-art facilities.

The hotels coming to Appi represent some of the world’s most respected brands. Holiday Inn is the world’s largest hotel brand family. With more than 4,200 hotels open globally, it offers the Joy of Travel, delivering warm and welcoming experiences for guests staying for business or pleasure. ANA Holiday Inn Resort Appi Kogen will join 7 other Holiday Inn hotels in Japan, including the recently opened ANA Holiday Inn Resort Shinano-omachi Kuroyon and Holiday Inn & Suites Shin Osaka.

InterContinental is the world’s largest luxury hotel brand, with more than 200 worldwide, and 9 iconic hotels in Japan. The InterContinental Life promises the glamour and exhilaration of fascinating places, mixed with its international know-how and local cultural wisdom, which makes it perfect for this landmark Appi development.

Crowne Plaza is already IHG’s most prevalent brand in Japan, with 19 operating across the country, from Kushiro in the north to Kumamoto in the south, Crowne Plaza has been welcoming guests from around Japan, and the world, for many years. As one of the world’s largest upscale brands, it also has properties  in major urban centres, gateway cities and resort destinations all around the globe.

IHG Hotels & Resorts operates as IHGANA in Japan, a joint venture in Japan with ANA, one of Japan’s most well-known and trusted brands. IHGANA is one of the leading international operators in Japan with 37 hotels in its portfolio, and has been growing rapidly over the past few years, opening new hotels including Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo, Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora, ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa and ANA Holiday Inn Resort Shinano-omachi Kuroyon.

 About IHG^®

IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.

With a family of 16 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has nearly 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 due to open over the next five years.

• Luxury and Lifestyle: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo
• Premium: HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels, voco Hotels
• Essentials: Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, avid hotels
• Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 350,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewards.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.