Grand Nikko Awaji to Open October 1st 2020, in Osaka…Re-Brand of The Westin Awaji Island

Main Photo: The Grand Nikko Awaji

Date: September 2020

Location: Northern tip of Awaji Island, Osaka, Japan

Name: The Grand Nikko Awaji…was The Westin Awaji

No. of Keys: 201

Owner: TBA

New Manager: Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co. Ltd. announced today that it plans to open the Grand Nikko Awaji on October 1st 2020. After being operated as The Westin Awaji Island and managed by Yumebutai Co. Ltd. and Marriott International Inc. for 20 years, the hotel will be rebranded as a Grand Nikko property and will take the management in-house, under the Okura/Nikko brand.

Yumebutai Co. established in 1995, manages Awaji Yumebutai, the core facility of Awaji International Park City. Awaji Yumebutai is an environmentally-friendly facility designed by the world-renowned architect Tadao Ando which opened in 2000. It consists of the hotel, an international conference centre, restaurants and shops with terraced views, a greenhouse, and an outdoor theatre. It was conceived and designed as a model of “environmental conservation and creation” for the 21st century.

Located on the northern tip of Awaji Island, the hotel opened in March 2000 as the core facility of the Awaji Yumebutai hotel and conference centre complex. It is easily accessible from Honshu via the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, which boasts the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world. As Japan’s first hotel to feature a resort-style conference centre, it quickly became popular among guests from Japan and overseas. Over the years, it has provided a next-generation space where people, nature and culture could interact.

The rebranded Grand Nikko Awaji will offer 201 guest rooms, each with a standard area of about 42 square meters, from which guests can enjoy stunning views of Osaka Bay and the greenery of Akashi Kaikyo National Government Park. It will also feature four restaurants and a lounge, seven banqueting rooms, wedding facilities, a spa and fitness centre with indoor and outdoor pools, and tennis courts. Each restaurant will serve dishes made with fresh ingredients from the seas around Awaji Island and fresh local produce. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, guests can enjoy the resort atmosphere of Awaji Island and while away moments of peace and relaxation.

Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd. operates three hotel groups: Okura Hotels & Resorts, Nikko Hotels International and Hotel JAL City. “Grand Nikko”, the premium brand of Nikko Hotels International, aims to appeal to discerning guests’ finer senses in high quality surroundings. This brand concept aligns closely with that of Awaji Yumebutai, and this facilitated the conclusion of the new agreement.

Toshihiro Ogita, President, Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd., commented, “We are very pleased to be welcoming our Grand Nikko brand hotel to the Kansai region, a major business and sightseeing hub. Currently, we are operating seven hotels—Kyoto Hotel Okura, Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto, Hotel Nikko Osaka, Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport, Hotel Okura Kobe, Hotel Nikko Himeji, and Hotel Nikko Nara—in the Kansai area. I believe that the opening of the Grand Nikko Awaji will help further expand our network and enrich the portfolio of group hotels in this area.”

Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd. operates 78 hotels in Japan and abroad, ranging from city hotels to resort hotels. The company will continue to showcase the attractions of Awaji Yumebutai and of Awaji island, one of the foremost resort areas in the Kansai region, and will promote them both in Japan and overseas through its network of properties.

The hotel has a total floor space of 29,200 sqm, over 10 floors.

THPT Comment: Always interesting when a hotel of this stature changes flag….and management. Nikko have a great track record.

First Seen: Business Wire

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