Marriott opens 800th APAC property

Hotel giant Marriott has opened its 800th property in the Asia Pacific, marking the entry of the JW Marriott brand into Japan.

Alongside 158 “gracefully-appointed” guest rooms, including 16 suites with a complete range of modern amenities and conveniences, the JW Marriott Nara offers an array of dining options including the multi-concept food theatre ‘Silk Road Dining’, specialty Japanese restaurant ‘Azekura’ and the lounge bar ‘Flying Stag’.

Guests of the luxury property, which claims to be Nara’s first international luxury hotel, can also enjoy a refreshing workout in the property’s 24-hour fitness centre, a swim in the indoor pool or get pampered with a massage, facial or other treatments at the hotel’s luxury spa.

Furthermore, more personalised experiences are on offer in JW Marriott Nara’s Executive Lounge, which provides concierge service, “exquisite” food and beverage offerings and a private meeting room.

“Our professional meeting and wedding planners are ready to customise the perfect event utilising our hotel’s ballroom and four additional meeting rooms, as well the ample space in the connecting convention centre, the largest in Nara,” Marriott International writes on its website.

Marriott’s regional group president, Craig Smith, said the company remains confident in the resilience of travel, its owners, franchisees, guests and associates across the group’s second-largest market: the Asia Pacific.

“We are encouraged by recent trends, especially in China, where demand has been driven primarily by domestic tourism, and we will continue to focus on strengthening our footprint in this important, growing market,” he said.

On average, Marriott has added close to 80 hotels per year across the APAC region in the last three years, with its pipeline growing by nearly 10 per cent annually over the same period.

In the first half of 2020, the company recorded 73 new signings, including 43 in the Greater China region.

“These highly-anticipated brand debuts are a testament to the confidence that the owner and franchisee community has in Asia Pacific, as well as Marriott International’s long-term vision, especially in today’s challenging business climate,” Marriott’s regional chief development officer, Paul Foskey, said.

“Our owners and franchisees trust and choose Marriott International because of our overall reputation for product quality, our powerful and differentiated portfolio of brands, our Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program with more than 142 million global members, and our proven track record of operational excellence.”

As the year rolls on, Marriott expects the EDITION and Aloft brands to debut in Japan before the end of 2020, while across the Asia Pacific region, the Moxy brand anticipates its first hotel opening in China.

Featured image: JW Marriott Nara lobby (source: supplied)