From Hakodate to Hakata, visitors to Japan will have access to midscale hotels with Marriott International’s 14 new properties. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/geargodz
Marriott International will be making its foray into the midscale
hospitality space in Japan, with the conversion of 14 acquired Unizo
hotels into Four Points Express by Sheraton.
Coming off the back of an deal with investment firm KKR, this marks
Marriott’s entry into the affordable midscale segment in Japan and the
brand’s debut in Asia Pacific following its global launch in this space
in 2023.
The 14 hotels will be located in major tourist destinations in 10
cities across Japan, including Hakodate, Morioka, Utsunomiya, Yokohama,
Kanazawa, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Hakata.
With these properties expected to open in the second half of 2024,
KKR and Marriott will add over 3,600 new rooms to their respective hotel
portfolios.
Four Points Express by Sheraton will offer value-conscious consumers a
seamless hotel experience in convenient locations throughout Japan,
with principles of reliability, simplicity and value in both the design
and guest experience. The brand has been tailored to meet guests’ needs,
and the brand standards contemplate an efficient cost model that is
intended to provide an effective pricing strategy for franchisees and
help drive meaningful growth for Marriott.
Rajeev Menon, president, Marriott International, Asia Pacific
excluding China, said: "There's a growing consumer demand for
reliable-yet-affordable accommodation in the region. Our goal is to be
everywhere our guests want us to be, with the right property in the
right location, at the right price point. Our new midscale brand will
offer hotel owners an affordable conversion opportunity with an
efficient operational design, access to Marriott International’s
expansive distribution systems and the backing of our powerful
award-winning Marriott Bonvoy travel programme.”