Hospitality group IHG Hotels & Resorts has entered an agreement with Odate Royal Hotel, a subsidiary of hotel development and management company FET SYSTEM, to launch ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami, Japan.
The hotel is slated to open in the third quarter of 2025.
Go deeper with GlobalData
This collaboration marks the second joint venture between the two companies, following the ANA Crowne Plaza Kumamoto New Sky.
The existing Hotel City Plaza Kitakami will be renovated, along with upgrades to its 114 guest rooms and the integration of Holiday Inn’s signature Open Lobby concept.
Upon completion, ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami will enhance the brand’s portfolio in Japan, joining 12 other Holiday Inn hotels currently open or in the pipeline across the country.
The hotel will also contribute to Holiday Inn’s global network, which boasts 1,249 open properties and 266 in development.
Designed for both domestic and international travellers, the hotel will offer amenities such as diverse dining options, a cafe and bar, banquet facilities, and traditional Japanese baths.
Guests, including IHG One Rewards loyalty programme members, will benefit from the hotel’s proximity to JR Kitakami Station, providing access to Tokyo via the Shinkansen in under three hours.
The strategic location of ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami also offers proximity to local attractions, including Tenshochi Park, known for its cherry blossoms along the Kitakami River, and various cultural and historical sites.
IHG Hotels & Resorts Japan & Micronesia managing director and IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan CEO Abhijay Sandilya said: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with FET SYSTEM through the opening of ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami. This agreement underscores our commitment to growing the Holiday Inn brand in Japan, where we’re quickly expanding our footprint in many outstanding destinations.”
“This collaboration is also another great example of how our IHG portfolio offers great conversion opportunities to owners, who are seeking to quickly benefit from leveraging IHG’s global scale and enterprise systems to maximise their returns.”
The opening of ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami will mark the sixth IHG property and the third Holiday Inn in the Tohoku region, underscoring the company’s commitment to growth in the Japanese market.
Sandilya adds: “We look forward to welcoming guests to ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami later this year, including some of the 145 million IHG One Rewards members we now have around the world.”
In January 2025, IHG announced plans to rebrand the 132-room ANA Holiday Inn Tokyo Bay to Holiday Inn in partnership with Best Hospitality Network, set for next month.
