Hoshino Resorts operates a diverse portfolio of distinctive accommodation brands, including “Hoshinoya,” “Kai,” “Resonare,” “OMO,” “BEB,” and “LUCY.” Behind the unique local experiences, cuisine, and sense of fulfillment guests derive from their stays lie creativity and passion that aren’t immediately apparent at first glance. The untold stories behind each property. We take a look behind the scenes of the hospitality provided by “us”—the staff working hard at Hoshino Resorts properties across the country. The stars of this feature are Ryoko Isogawa, the first general manager of “OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka,” and Emimi Watanabe, the second general manager.
The story takes place at OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka. At OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka, there’s a guest room that’s notoriously difficult to book. It’s called the “Toden Room.” Surrounded by streetcars on all sides, this room has become the hotel’s signature feature. Its creation wasn’t the result of any grand plan or strategy. It all began with a small smudge of fingerprints left on the guest room window.
The First Challenge: “Toden Room Stay Plan” The current Toden Room didn’t come into being overnight. In 2020, we launched the “Toden Room Stay Plan,” initially limited to just five rooms. When we went to present the plan to Toei Transportation, the response exceeded our expectations. They agreed to lend us actual pieces of equipment used on the trams—such as the stop buttons and handrails—free of charge. The interior design at the time was entirely supervised by our staff. We aimed to create guest rooms where guests could fully enjoy the Toden experience while keeping costs to an absolute minimum. The result was a huge success. “This project was more popular than we anticipated,” says Mr. Isogawa. “Although it was originally intended to be a six-month limited-time offer, we continued it for over a year due to the high occupancy rate.” However, behind the success lay a challenge: the guest rooms were fun “only” for children.
© Source travel watch