MILLENNIUM Mitsui Garden Hotel, the first hotel in Japan for Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (M&C), has outperformed its management’s expectations since opening last December.
General manager Ayako Iwasaki told TTG Asia e-Daily that the hotel had enjoyed an average occupancy of above 80 per cent for the past four months, with 20 to 30 per cent of bookings coming from travel consultants and the rest through online channels.
The hotel is operated in partnership with Mitsui Fudosan Group. Mitsuru Adachi, president of Mitsui Fudosan Hotel Management, remarked: “We had expected to start with 70 per cent, so business has exceeded our expectations.”
Iwasaki attributed the strong performance to the hotel’s prime location.
The 329-key hotel is located in the busiest part of Ginza, Tokyo, placing it among numerous shops and entertainment destinations. It is also a 20-minute walk to the Tokyo International Forum, one of the key convention venues in the Japanese capital. Guests enjoy easy access to other parts of Tokyo, as the hotel sits above Higashi-ginza train station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya line.
Leisure travellers make up 70 per cent of the hotel’s clientele, while the rest are business travellers.
“Asia is our biggest market, followed by Europe and the US. Most of our Asian guests are from China, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore, largely because these markets have convenient flight access to Tokyo,” explained Iwasaki, adding that sales and marketing efforts have also been targeted at these Asian markets through roadshows.
Meanwhile, the hotel’s Bottega-inspired exterior and Zen garden-inspired interior have caught the eye of the judges of US-based International Design Awards, earning it the Silver Award for interior design.
M&C chairman Kwek Leng Beng played an integral role in the hotel’s planning and building phases, working closely with Mitsui Fudosan and designers.
Iwasaki said the win not only boosted the hotel’s brand and appeal, it also instilled pride and inspired loyalty in its staff.
