Starwood to launch luxury ryokan in Japan

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to launch its first Luxury Collection hotel in Japan.

Opening in March 2015, Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto will be a ryokan-style property located within the grounds of Tenryuji Temple – a UNESCO World Heritage site. Since the 1960s, the site has housed ‘Rantei’, a well-known traditional Japanese ryokan often used by the Japanese government to entertain VIPs.

In addition to the newly-built rooms and facilities, Suiran will retain two original structures – Enmei-kaku, which was built in 1899, and Hasshoken, which dates back to 1910. Both of these structures are currently undergoing extensive renovations and will eventually house the hotel’s restaurant and cafe.

The property will feature only 39 rooms, plus a lobby lounge, meeting room, fitness centre and spa.

“Japan has a well-established hospitality industry with limited supply and few new developments at the high-end of the market,” said Rajit Sukumaran, vice president of acquisition & development for Starwood Asia Pacific. “With this distinguished new addition to our portfolio, we will continue to deliver on the Luxury Collection’s brand promise to offer guests unparalleled access to rich, indigenous experiences.”

Suiran will join a portfolio of 23 Luxury Collection hotels in Asia Pacific, including the recently-opened Azure Qiantang in Hangzhou, The Castle Hotel in Dalian and The Grand Bharat in Gurgaon.

It also expands Starwood’s Japanese portfolio to 15 hotels, including seven Sheratons, six Westins, a St Regis and the new Luxury Collection property.

sourced:traveldailymedia.com