IHG Hotels & Resorts operates 19 hotel brands with more than 6,400 hotels in over 100 countries. In Japan, IHG Hotels & Resorts currently operates approximately 47 hotels under seven brands from Hokkaido to Okinawa (as of June 30, 2024). For this interview, we asked Yasuhiro Iemura, general manager of ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Okayama, about the attractions around the hotel.
Name: ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Okayama
Location: 15-1 Ekimoto-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
–How did you come to work at the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Okayama?
After working at “Crowne Plaza Bangkok Kulumpini Park” for 8 years, I was transferred to “ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Osaka” in 2018 and returned to Japan. After that, I worked at “ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Hiroshima” and “ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Abe Kogen” and rebranded Holiday Inn and newly opened InterContinental, I came to Okayama as General Manager in 2022.
–What kind of hotel is it?
Originally opened in 2005 as the Okayama ANA Hotel and rebranded in 2015 as the ANA Crowne Plaza, the premium brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts, the hotel features 219 guest rooms, a restaurant and bar consisting of Japanese dining, casual French cuisine, teppanyaki, and the Sky Bar. The 490-square-meter ballroom and the 19th-floor Sky Banquet can accommodate a wide range of banquets from meetings to receptions and weddings. Conveniently located directly connected to JR Okayama Station, which can be accessed without getting wet even on rainy days, the hotel is used by both business and leisure travelers. The Okayama Convention Center is adjacent to the hotel, and since it is the only foreign-affiliated hotel in Okayama City, many foreign guests use the hotel. We are committed to providing a safe and comfortable stay for our guests from all over the world.
We are also actively engaged in collaborations with local communities. The Japanese dining room regularly holds promotions using ingredients from Maniwa City and Shinjo Village in the prefecture; with Kume Minami Town, vegetables and ingredients such as yuzu and cucumbers that are out of standard and cannot be shipped are used in smoothies and breakfast to reduce food loss; the executive chef holds on-site cooking classes at a local community center; and the 70th anniversary of the opening of the park was celebrated. In April 2024, the first IHG hotel in Japan will launch a partnership with Japan Harvest, a charity based in Kibichuo Town, Okayama Prefecture, The hotel is committed to tackling food loss by donating unused processed food items from the daily breakfast.
–What is the unique experience of the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Okayama?
The Sky Bar on the top floor is conveniently located overlooking the entire JR Okayama Station, and is a hidden spot where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Shinkansen, Yakumo and other limited express trains, the two-story Marine Liner, and conventional trains from their approach to departure. Although the angle is different, train views can also be enjoyed from the upper-floor twin rooms on the south side of the hotel, which are very popular with guests with children.
In addition, we regularly change our breakfast menu to include dishes using Okayama ingredients and Okayama specialties for the enjoyment of out-of-prefecture guests. For example, once a year we hold a breakfast menu contest and a drink menu contest for our culinary team as in-house events, and the top winners are featured on our breakfast menu and introduced to our customers. As of October 2024, we are serving “Tomato & Dragon Fruit Juice,” the June winner, and “Okayama Rice Flour Galette with Okayama Pacchetto Junovese Sauce,” the September winner. Junovese Sauce” and “Okayama Rice Flour Galette with Okayama Pacchetto Junovese Sauce” are served and we receive compliments from many customers every day.
–please let me know if you have any personal favorites tourist spots or restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel.
Korakuen Garden, one of the three most famous gardens in Japan, and Okayama Castle, famous as the Karasu Castle, are located 2 km from the hotel. Kurashiki’s Bikan Historical Quarter, with its atmospheric scenery, is only 30 minutes away by train. Naoshima Island in the Seto Inland Sea, famous as an “art island,” is also conveniently accessible, making the hotel a hub for many guests visiting the Seto Inland Sea and Shikoku.
My personal favorite spot is Kibitsu Shrine, which is said to be a shrine associated with the legend of Momotaro. The 360-meter corridor leading from the main shrine is worth a visit. From mid-June to early July, the hydrangeas that cover the slopes on both sides of the approach to the shrine are colorful and spectacular.
It is only 30 minutes away from the hotel by train, so please stop by when you visit Okayama. Okayama is also famous for its sunny weather, and one of its advantages is that you rarely have to worry about the weather when sightseeing.
–What restaurant menu do you recommend?
Urbano, a casual dining restaurant on the first floor, offers a course menu of salads and main courses made with colorful vegetables and sauces, and lightly flavored with ingredients from each of the four seasons. In addition, our pastry chef creates colorful desserts using Okayama’s specialties, such as the Cheinmuscat and white peaches, and we offer a variety of fun menu items, such as three-dimensional and visually pleasing parfaits and afternoon tea sets that you will definitely want to take pictures of. We offer a wide variety of food and beverages, as well as a variety of services to meet the needs of our customers.
At the Osafune teppanyaki restaurant on the 20th floor, the chef prepares seasonal vegetables and high-quality beef in front of your eyes while you enjoy conversation. Sky Bar & Lounge 洊, also on the 20th floor, offers a wide selection of spirits and craft beers, from popular Japanese whiskey vintages to spirits produced in Okayama. The bartenders here also create original cocktails according to the season, which we hope you will try.
–What souvenirs do you recommend?
We recommend Okayama Triple Cask, a single malt whisky produced in Okayama Prefecture, which has been in the news since Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers gave it to Manager Roberts. This is also available at “Sky Bar & Lounge 洊” and we hope you will try it. In addition, the casual dining restaurant “Urbano” on the first floor offers gluten-free doughnuts as a takeout item from October 2024. The taste is satisfying for those with flour allergies as well as for those without allergies. The coloring is also gorgeous, making it a great souvenir item.
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