IHG Hotels and Resorts has signed an agreement with Avila Co., Ltd to open ANA Crowne Plaza Akita in December 2021.

The property will boast being “the first international premium hotel brand in the Japanese prefecture of Akita”, following a refurbishment and rebranding.

The 187-key ANA Crowne Plaza Akita is conveniently located just a three-minute walk from JR Akita Station and a 35-minute drive from Akita Airport.

The hotel will house four restaurants, including an all-day dining restaurant with top floor views, a fitness centre, a sauna, a Japanese-style bathhouse. It will also offer seven banquet facilities, including the largest banquet hall in the Tohoku region with a capacity of 2,000 people.

This marks IHG’s second major signing in Japan this year, following the announcement of the Appi Kogen Resort portfolio, which will see three hotels and 1,000 rooms opening under the ANA Crowne Plaza, ANA Holiday Inn, and ANA InterContinental brands in December.

Abhijay Sandilya, IHG Hotels and Resorts VP Development – Australasia, Japan, and Pacific said:

“We are delighted to have signed this agreement with Avila Co., Ltd and look forward to building a great partnership. We are very excited that Akita City will be home to the world-class ANA Crowne Plaza brand for the first time. We are confident that this great hotel with its convenient location just a few steps away from JR Akita Station, along with the many prominent tourist attractions nearby, will attract both business and leisure guests from Japan and around the world, once the borders reopen.”

Further elaborating on the collaboration, Hiroyuki Matsushita, CEO of Avila Co., Ltd, said:

“We are delighted to sign this agreement with IHG Hotels and Resorts. The fully renovated ANA Crowne Plaza Akita will provide world-class service and hospitality to all our guests, both domestic and international.”

ihg.com