Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., announced today that it plans to open the Grand Nikko Awaji on October 1^st 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 operated under new management.

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 center 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 center, 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 center 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.

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."

Address: Yumebutai 2, Awaji city, Hyogo prefecture
Total floor space: 29,200 square meters
Layout: 10 floors
Number of guest rooms: 201
Facilities: 7 banquet halls, 4 restaurants, a lounge, a spa and fitness center with indoor and outdoor pools, wedding chapel
Access: By highway bus – about 15 minutes from JR Maiko station, about 45 minutes from JR Sannomiya station and about 60 minutes from Shin-Kobe station. By car – 90 minutes from Kansai International Airport, 60 minutes from Osaka city center, 30 minutes from Kobe city.

Yumebutai Co., Ltd., 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 center, restaurants and shops with terraced views, a greenhouse, and an outdoor theater. It was conceived and designed as a model of "environmental conservation and creation" for the 21^st century.

Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., founded in 1958, opened its flagship Hotel Okura Tokyo in 1962 as a first-class hotel that quickly became renowned worldwide for its blending of traditional Japanese beauty with the very best in accommodation, cuisine and service. It closed its doors in August 2015, and after four years of rebuilding work, reopened as The Okura Tokyo in September 2019.

Hotel Okura has extensive expertise in the hospitality world, including asset ownership and hotel development, as well as hotel management, the restaurant business and chain operations through its subsidiaries and other group companies. The brand unites member hotels under its "Best Accommodation, Cuisine and Service" philosophy to ensure that all guests enjoy Okura's signature hospitality, which combines Japanese attention to detail and Western functionality. Please visit www.okura.com

Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hotel Okura, operates 78 properties (52 in Japan and 26 overseas) encompassing some 24,350 guest rooms (as of September 1 2020) under three hotel groups: Okura Hotels & Resorts, Nikko Hotels International and Hotel JAL City. Please visit www.okura-nikko.com.