IHG accelerates growth in Japan with ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami

International

114-room hotel to undergo refurbishment and reopen in Q3 this year / Expands the brand footprint to 12 open and pipeline hotels in the country.

IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) today announced an agreement with Odate Royal Hotel Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of FET SYSTEM INC., to open ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami in Q3, 2025.

This project marks IHG’s second collaboration with FET SYSTEM INC., following their joint success with ANA Crowne Plaza Kumamoto New Sky.

ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami - currently operating as Hotel City Plaza Kitakami - will undergo an extensive renovation and conversion over the coming months. Its 114 guest rooms will be upgraded, and much-loved Holiday Inn brand hallmarks embedded throughout, including its signature Open Lobby concept.

ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami will join a strong portfolio of 12 Holiday Inn open and pipeline hotels across Japan, further solidifying the brand’s presence in the country. Additionally, it will become part of Holiday Inn’s global footprint, which includes 1,249 open hotels and 266 pipeline properties worldwide.

The hotel will attract domestic and international travellers, including members of IHG’s award-winning loyalty programme, IHG One Rewards. They will enjoy a wide range of amenities, including a choice of restaurants, a cafe & bar, banquet rooms and traditional Japanese baths.

Abhijay Sandilya, Managing Director, Japan & Micronesia, IHG Hotels & Resorts and CEO of IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, said: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with FET SYSTEM INC. 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.

“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.”

Hiroshi Nakamura, President & CEO, FET SYSTEM INC., said: “It is our great pleasure to collaborate with IHG Hotels & Resorts and build on our previous success together to bring the globally recognised and respected Holiday Inn brand to Kitakami.

“The scale and reputation of the brand made it the first and only choice for us when setting our strategy for this hotel. With its central location and renewed facilities, ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami will serve as the ideal hub for travellers exploring the region, offering them a warm and welcoming experience they can rely on.”

“Working with IHG has once again been a pleasure. Together, we look forward to welcoming guests at ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami – and collaborating again in the future.”

Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami provides domestic and international visitors with seamless access to the Tohoku region thanks to the hotel’s location just a seven-minute walk from JR Kitakami Station, from where visitors can reach Tokyo in 2.5-hours on the Shinkansen.

Also, the hotel offers easy access to key local attractions such as the renowned Tenshochi Park - famous for its breathtaking cherry blossoms along the Kitakami River, and many other renowned cultural and historical sites.

IHG currently has five hotels under three brands in Tohoku – ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort, ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen, ANA Holiday Inn Resort Appi Kogen, ANA Crowne Plaza Akita and ANA Holiday Inn Sendai. It is actively expanding its presence in the region and, once open, ANA Holiday Inn Iwate Kitakami will become the sixth IHG hotel and the third Holiday Inn property in Tohoku, reinforcing the company’s commitment to growth in Japan.