Sekisui House and Marriott International opened Fairfield by Marriott Okayama Hiruzen Kogen (1385-9, Hiruzen Kamitokuyama, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture), the 20th location in nine prefectures under the brand and the first in the Chugoku region.
A hotel brand that serves as a travel hub for the Trip Base Roadside Station Project, a regional development project that has been promoted since 2018. The adjacent “Roadside Station Kaze no Ie” offers local dairy products such as local Jersey milk and cheese, and the location allows guests to experience the great outdoors through trekking and horseback riding in the highlands and foothills of Daisen in summer, and skiing and snowboarding in winter.
The four-story building has a total of 99 guest rooms (35 king/64 twin rooms), and on the first floor there is a “common space” where you can freely bring your own food and drink and a “market place” where you can buy drinks and souvenirs, and a “library” where crafts and books are displayed.
In addition, since many adventure tourism guests are particular about their outdoor gear (equipment and gear), the hotel has installed “sports lockers” where motorcycles, bicycles, and ski boards can be placed. These lockers can be used when experiencing nature activities scattered in the vicinity of the hotel.
Room rates start at 14,520 yen per room (for double occupancy). A breakfast plan (reservation required) is also available, which includes a “breakfast box” filled with ingredients and specialties of the Hiruzen plateau.
Toru Ishii, Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer of Sekisui House, gave a speech at the opening ceremony held to commemorate the opening. He commented on the features of the hotel, saying, “The Roadside Station Kaze no Ie is conveniently located right off the Hiruzen Interchange, and we believe that it will bring new customers and new consumption to the area by providing overnight stays. We also aim to revitalize the local economy by specializing in overnight stays.
Carl Hudson, Area Vice President for Japan and Guam, Marriott International, commented, “With the national travel support and other local promotions and programs in place to revitalize tourism, we believe this is a great opportunity for domestic travelers to explore destinations they have never been to before. We believe this will be a great opportunity for domestic travelers to explore destinations they have never been to before,” he commented. Regarding future inbound tourism levels, he said, “Japan is one of the most popular post-pandemic overseas travel destinations, and we are confident that it will gradually return to its pre-pandemic peak.
Noboru Ota, Mayor of Maniwa City, took the stage as a guest of honor and congratulated the hotel, saying, “I hope that the hotel will further prosper as a major base for the Maniwa area, and that the Hiruzen area will send out more and more information, leading to the revitalization of Maniwa itself.
© Source travel watch