KKR, a leading global investment firm, and Marriott International announced the launch of each company’s foray into the midscale hospitality space in Japan, which follows KKR’s completion of the acquisition of Unizo Hotel Company Limited along with its portfolio of 14 hotels in Japan from Unizo Holdings. These 14 hotels will be converted to Four Points Express by Sheraton. This marks Marriott’s entry into the affordable midscale segment in Japan and the brand’s debut in Asia Pacific following its global launch in this space in 2023.
These hotels are located in major tourist destinations in 10 cities across Japan, including Hakodate, Morioka, Utsunomiya, Yokohama, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Hakata. The properties are expected to open in the second half of 2024, adding more than 3,600 new rooms to KKR’s and Marriott’s respective hotel portfolios in Japan.
Four Points Express by Sheraton will offer value-conscious consumers a seamless hotel experience in convenient locations throughout Japan, with principles of reliability, simplicity, and value in both the design and guest experience. The brand has been tailored to meet guests’ needs, and the brand standards contemplate an efficient cost model that is intended to provide an effective pricing strategy for franchisees and help drive meaningful growth for Marriott.
Rajeev Menon, President, Marriott International, Asia Pacific, excluding China, said, “There’s a growing consumer demand for reliable-yet-affordable accommodation in the region. Our goal is to be everywhere our guests want us to be, with the right property in the right location at the right price point. This collaboration with KKR will expand our ability to do exactly that, starting in Japan, with opportunity to grow
our midscale presence in the region. Our new midscale brand will offer hotel owners an affordable conversion opportunity with an efficient operational design, access to Marriott International’s expansive distribution systems, and the backing of our powerful award-winning Marriott Bonvoy travel programme.”
Kensuke Kudo, Managing Director, Real Estate, at KKR, said, “International and domestic tourism in Japan has rebounded strongly since the pandemic and continues to pick up pace. As demand for midscale hotels grows rapidly, we see a tremendous opportunity to offer high-quality and comfortable accommodation at great value. We are delighted to be strategic partners with Marriott International, one of the world’s preeminent hotel companies, to launch the Four Points Express by Sheraton brand in Japan. By combining KKR’s real estate investment and operational expertise and Marriott’s deep hospitality experience, we look to deliver outstanding-yet-affordable lodging experiences to international and domestic travellers across Japan.”
This new midscale brand is part of Marriott’s award-winning Marriott Bonvoy® loyalty platform, which boasts over 200 million global members. It will leverage Marriott’s world-class global sales organization and strong digital platforms like Marriott.com and the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app to generate direct bookings.
