OSAKA, JAPAN IHG will open an InterContinental luxury hotel and high-end residences within the Osaka Station North Yard Development Project, marking the debut of the brand in Osaka and the debut of InterContinental residences in Japan. Both the hotel and residences are scheduled to open in 2013.
Designated by the city as a “special zone for urban redevelopment,” the mixed-use project will feature a concentration of urban amenities, high-end offices, luxurious modern accommodation options and a pedestrian mall. Osaka’s first InterContinental is a key development in the zone and will feature approximately 200 guestrooms and 50 residential apartments, along with restaurants and banquet facilities.
“We are extremely happy to be working with InterContinental Hotels Group on this project,” says Toshio Nagashima, director and executive vice president of Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd. “We are excited to be bringing the InterContinental brand into Osaka, and we look forward to the success of the project through the collaboration of the 12 development companies.”
The entrée into one of Japan’s leading cities is a major step forward for the InterContinental brand, says Jan Smits, managing director of IHG Asia Australasia. “InterContinental is a brand that’s gone through some of history’s most defining moments—its rich geographical and cultural heritage will always be a part of its legacy,” Smits says. “This is yet another great moment in the InterContinental brand’s history, and I’m confident that by establishing our presence in one of Japan’s key cities, we’ll propel the brand from strength to strength in this region.”
