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CNA
21-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Gaia Series 91: Business Hotel Wars - Assassins from different industries
From heritage sweets to hospitality success, local disruptors and industry titans wage a stylish, sauna-filled war in Japan's fiercely competitive business hotel arena. In the ever-shifting landscape of Japan's hospitality industry, where bullet train stops double as commercial goldmines, a new breed of business hotels is rewriting the rules of the game. This week's episode of Japan Hour delves into the high-stakes battlegrounds of Takasaki and Sapporo, chronicling how independent players and retail giants are taking on established titans like APA Hotel, Toyoko Inn and Marriott with flair, resilience and a distinct local touch. In Takasaki, a pivotal hub in Northern Kanto, the space directly in front of the train station is ground zero for a clash of hospitality heavyweights. Here, APA Hotel and Toyoko Inn stare each other down, while Dormy Inn, a favourite for customer satisfaction, quietly builds its own loyal base. Amidst these giants stands a surprising victor: Coco Grand Takasaki, a business hotel that has managed to surpass its heavyweight rivals in both prestige and popularity. Guest reviews are effusive. 'This hotel might match Dormy Inn or even be slightly better,' one customer says. With room rates starting at ¥14,000 (S$120), Coco Grand offers more than just a place to sleep. Guests flock not just for rest, but for rejuvenation. The in-house sauna, about twice the size of typical hotel offerings, is a major draw. Lavish rooms, an open-air bath and even a mini pool lend the hotel an indulgent atmosphere, crafted with intention. That intention is no accident. Behind Coco Grand's design is architect Yoshihiro Kuwahara, known for his bold work in a vastly different category: The 'love hotel'. He applied the same principles to Coco Grand, aiming to create 'dreamy spaces that let guests forget their daily lives.' As he puts it, 'If you create something like that, they'll turn up. And they'll come back again.' Adding to the intrigue is the hotel's backstory. Its parent company, Kimoto Seika, began life not in hospitality, but in confectionery. Known for its Western-style sweets and a legacy spanning over seven decades, the company pivoted into the hotel business in 2008 with the hope of reviving Takasaki. 'Running a hotel has also unexpectedly improved staff perks,' says Director Takamaru Kimoto, noting that even their factory's break room features furniture of hotel quality. However, success is never static. APA Hotel is planning to erect a new facility mere steps away. As major chains prepare their counterattacks, the competition intensifies and Takasaki's quiet disruptor will once again have to defend its crown. If Takasaki is a turf war, then Sapporo is a seismic shift. Here, the story follows Belluna, Japan's largest mail-order company, and its audacious leap into hospitality. Known for its catalogue empire targeting women in their 60s and 70s, Belluna's pivot into hotels is part of a larger survival strategy amidst rising printing and paper costs. President Kiyoshi Yasuno, 80, is no stranger to disruption. With more than 3,800 employees and ¥208 billion in annual sales, his decision to invest ¥10 billion in building a towering 26-storey, 605-room hotel in Sapporo speaks volumes. 'Every product has the right timing to sell,' he says, a philosophy that now applies to room bookings rather than blouses. The hotel's new manager, 34-year-old Kazuki Okamura, is thrust into a whirlwind of pressure and expectations. 'There were times I thought I might not be able to fulfil what was entrusted to me,' he admits candidly. But deliver he does, even when the hotel's opening is abruptly brought forward by more than a month. Short on towels, linen and staff, Okamura hand-delivers pleas for early delivery and helps lug mattresses himself. His perseverance pays off. On March 1, the SAPPORO HOTEL by GRANBELL opens, with room rates starting at ¥16,000. Guests are immediately captivated. The panoramic views from the grand bath, the semi-open-air hot spring, and an opulent breakfast buffet featuring 75 dishes, including an all-you-can-eat seafood bowl, become instant hits. One diner calls it 'a jewel box', while another proclaims, 'Freshly made omelettes are the best.' The food strategy, combining local flavours with operational pragmatism, is ingenious. By outsourcing fish and meat prep, the team offers variety without overwhelming staff. The hotel's live kitchen adds a dose of spectacle, turning breakfast into an event. 'We want to offer as many dishes as possible,' Okamura says, 'but we're short of staff.' Despite the odds, Belluna's gamble is paying off. Bookings pour in at twice the expected rate, buoyed by inbound tourism and school holidays. President Yasuno's gamble to leap from mail-order to morning omelettes is starting to look like a masterstroke. As the episode closes, viewers are left with a clear message: in Japan's business hotel wars, it is not just about rates or location. It is about imagination, resilience and knowing exactly what your guests did not realise they needed.
Hans India
28-04-2025
- Hans India
Woman's Dream Trip to Japan Turns Into a Nightmare After Finding Man Hiding Under Hotel Bed
Solo travel offers women the freedom to explore the world, but it also comes with unique challenges, as safety concerns can sometimes turn a dream trip into a nightmare. In a chilling incident that has gone viral, Natalisi Taksisi, a solo traveller from Thailand, faced an unimaginable situation during her stay at a hotel in Japan. What was supposed to be an exciting solo adventure quickly turned terrifying when she discovered a man hiding under her hotel bed. In a video shared by Taksisi on social media, she explains that after a day of sightseeing, she returned to her hotel room and noticed an odd smell coming from beneath the bed. Her curiosity quickly turned to horror when she looked under the bed and saw two eyes staring back at her. Shocked and panicked, Taksisi immediately alerted the hotel staff, who contacted the police. However, the situation was made even more unsettling by the fact that the hotel's CCTV cameras were reportedly non-functional at the time of the incident. The authorities later discovered a power bank and a USB cable left behind in the room. Despite the traumatic experience, Taksisi claims the hotel refused to issue her a full refund, even after she sought compensation for the emotional distress. She was forced to check into a different hotel that night, but by the next day, she had yet to receive a copy of her police report. Sharing her experience on Instagram, Taksisi wrote, 'I found a man under my bed in a hotel room in Japan. This was supposed to be a safe solo trip. What happened changed everything.' She also mentioned spending $510 on the APA Hotel for the stay. The video quickly went viral, garnering nearly two million views. Social media users expressed shock and outrage over the incident. One user commented, 'This hotel has to be banned on every booking platform.' Another said, 'Sorry this happened to you, but APA Hotel is not a safe choice for women traveling alone.' The story sparked further conversation about the importance of safe accommodations for solo travellers, with many expressing sympathy and support for Taksisi. One viewer wrote, 'This is so traumatising even for the audience just hearing the story. I hope you're better now, and thank you for sharing your experience to raise awareness.'
India Today
28-04-2025
- India Today
Woman finds Asian man hiding under bed in Japan hotel, shares scary experience
A Thailand-based woman's solo trip to Japan took a horrifying turn when she discovered a man hiding under her bed in her room at the APA Hotel in a video posted on Instagram, Natali narrated her scary experience that triggered a discussion regarding security protocols in hotels.'I booked my solo trip to Japan because I thought Japan was a very safe country. I stayed in a very well-known chain hotel in Japan – APA hotel – that is in Tokyo near Ryogoku Tower,' she said, adding that the place 'looked legit with a key card that allowed me access only to my floor and to my room.'advertisement Everything was fine on the first day, she said, but her peaceful trip turned into a nightmare soon after. After a day of sightseeing, she returned to her room around 7:30 pm, unlocked the door with her key card, and settled into bed. It was then that she noticed a strange smell coming from beneath the bed.'At first, I thought it was coming from my hair or the bedsheets. But then, I realised it was coming from under the bed. Jokingly, I thought what if there was a dead person lying under the bed? But when I leaned over to check, I saw a pair of eyes staring at me. I saw an Asian man under my bed,' she Natali screamed as the man, an Asian male, emerged from under the bed and stared at her for several seconds: 'Those seconds felt like my life was over. Then, he started to scream too and ran out from my room. I screamed for help and the hotel administration came and called the police. They found a power bank and a USB cable under my bed. I kept asking the hotel how it happened. And they didn't have any answer for me. Even more, they suggested upfront that police won't find the intruder because they had no cameras.'advertisementFeeling unsafe, Natali moved to another hotel and demanded a full refund. In the meantime, she received no contact or apology from APA Hotel, prompting her to reach out to the booking platform, Agoda.'When I reached out to Agoda, through which I booked the hotel, they offered me $178 in coupons, which was ridiculous compared to the $600 I paid for three nights. I called the hotel directly, demanding a full refund and proper report by the evening. They agreed to refund my original payment. But the police couldn't identify the intruder,' she the rest of her trip as a nightmare, Natali said that she couldn't sleep: 'I was constantly on the edge, checking every corner of my room. I eventually wrote to the hotel, demanding compensation for emotional damage, asking for $1600. They refused, saying it wasn't their policy. Now, I am left wondering how someone could get into my room, how someone knew that I was alone in that room and how the hotel can't take responsibility for such a severe breach of safety.'Watch the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Natali (@natalisi_taksisi)In the comments section, a viewer, who claimed to be a former duty manager, said that the master keys to hotel rooms are typically only accessible by housekeeping staff and the duty manager, suggesting that hotel employees could have been involved."The key system can track which master key was used, so if the hotel hasn't found answers, it's pretty much obvious the hotel staff is at fault," a user others shared similar experiences at APA Hotels, with some speculating that the intruder might have been a hotel employee.'I had a similar encounter with APA, but in Osaka. I sat on the bed while watching TV and an old man just walked into my room, as though it wasn't his first time. And I have no idea how he managed to come in. He looked at me while I looked at him with shock and fear. He stood there for a while and went off. I also moved to another hotel the next day and never booked APA anymore,' a user said.'I used to work in a hotel and I can tell you that the hotel can definitely find out who possibly that person was,' another user Watch
