IHG Hotels & Resorts operates 19 hotel brands with more than 6,300 hotels in over 100 countries. In Japan, IHG Hotels & Resorts currently operates about 47 hotels under seven brands from Hokkaido to Okinawa (as of March 2024). For this interview, we asked Mr. Seiichi Kotake, General Manager of ANA Holiday Inn Sendai, about the charms of the area surrounding the hotel.
Name: ANA Holiday Inn Sendai
Location: 1-4-1 Shinji, Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
–How did you come to work at the ANA Holiday Inn Sendai?
At the time, I wanted to become an instructor because I wanted to make use of the skiing I had been doing since childhood, and I found a job at a hotel that had a ski resort. I was assigned to the food and beverage department, and my life as a hotelier began. After 7 years of working at my previous job, I had a chance to join Holiday Inn Sendai (now ANA Holiday Inn Sendai) when it opened in July 2001. I have worked in various sections including food and beverage service, sales, IT, human resources, and accounting, and have been in my current position since January 2022.
–What kind of hotel is it?
In 2022, the first floor lobby, all-day dining, and some guest rooms will be renovated. In 2022, the first floor lobby, oldie dining room, and some guest rooms will be renovated.
The standard and premium floors, which will be renovated in 2022, will feature a total of eight types of artwork inspired by the symbols of Sendai, allowing guests to fully experience Sendai’s unique atmosphere. In the center of the Chef’s Table restaurant on the first floor is a pillar inspired by the zelkova tree, which is the city tree of Sendai, creating a warm and inviting space in which to enjoy your meal.
–please let me know if you have any personal favorites tourist spots or restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel.
As the name suggests, the Shinji area where the hotel is located is an area where temples and shrines are concentrated. It is said that when Sendai was first founded, the area was located at the demon’s gate from Sendai Castle, and the temple town was built to protect it from disasters. The Shin-dera Koji Green Path, about 10 minutes from the hotel, is planted with cherry trees and camellias, and its 640-meter long promenade is a hidden gem known only to those in the know, where you can spend a relaxing time while experiencing the four seasons in the “City of Trees” Sendai.
–What restaurant menu do you recommend?
The menu features J-Western style cuisine using fresh Tohoku ingredients, starting with Miyagi’s local cuisine in the morning, and continuing with local Tohoku ingredients from lunch through dinner. For dinner, the restaurant offers mainly small dishes based on the concept of a “creative Italian bar to enjoy with sake” and features a lineup of local sake from the Tohoku region, focusing on how to drink, select, and serve it.
–What souvenirs do you recommend?
Sendai is famous for its beef tongue, sasa-kamaboko (bamboo grass cake), and zunda-mochi, and there are a variety of stores, from long-established establishments to new stores. There are a variety of shops, from long-established shops to new shops. Each store has its own characteristics, such as thickness and texture, as well as taste. When you visit Sendai, why don’t you visit many stores and find your favorite flavor? If you are in doubt, please ask the hotel staff.
© Source travel watch
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.