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 Kimifusa Shibata, general manager of the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Hiroshima, about the charms of the area surrounding the hotel.
Name: ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Hiroshima
Location: 7-20 Naka-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
–How did you come to work at the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Hiroshima?
Starting at the ANA Hotel Tokyo (now the ANA InterContinental Hotel Tokyo), he has worked at hotels in Sendai and Miyazaki, and then at the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel in Okayama and Fukuoka, where he served as general manager.
I arrived in Hiroshima in July 2023, following a company assignment. I hope to convey the charms of Hiroshima and the Setouchi area to people in Japan and abroad.
–What kind of hotel is it?
The hotel celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2023. In 2023, the hotel renovated the guest rooms on the club floors of the 19th to 21st floors and opened a new club lounge on the top 22nd floor.
The hotel also has five restaurant-bars and 14 banquet halls, and is familiar to local residents not only for lodging but also for dining, weddings, and banquets.
–What is the unique experience of the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Hiroshima?
Experience the beautifully renovated Club Lounge. The new Club Lounge, themed “Enjoy Hiroshima more and forget about time,” offers a panoramic view of the city of Hiroshima and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea from the south window on the 22nd floor, and personalized hospitality, including concierge service by dedicated staff to meet the diverse needs of our guests. The hotel also offers a personalized hospitality experience with concierge services and dedicated staff to meet the diverse needs of guests.
Hiroshima is a city of peace that is well known internationally, and is full of attractions such as beautiful nature, rich culture, mountain and sea foods, and sports. We would like to convey these attractions to everyone in Japan and abroad and invite many people to visit Hiroshima.
–please let me know if you have any personal favorites tourist spots or restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel.
The area around Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, a 5-minute walk from the hotel, is a great spot for a morning walk or jog. Hiroshima is also a thriving sports city, and in February 2024, a dedicated soccer stadium will open within walking distance from the hotel.
The cafe-restaurant in front of Peace Park is one of my favorite places. Overlooking Peace Park and surrounded by greenery that makes it hard to believe that you are in the middle of the city, it is a healing space where you can enjoy a quiet moment of relaxation and peace.
–What restaurant menu do you recommend?
The hotel offers five restaurant-bars: Japanese, Chinese, Teppanyaki, All-Day Dining, and Lobby Lounge.
In particular, the Japanese Cuisine Unkai, located on the 5th floor of the hotel, offers seasonal dishes. We also offer a variety of Hiroshima and Setouchi ingredients such as bigeye rockfish and local conger eel. We hope you will enjoy them with local sake from Hiroshima, a sake brewery, as well as a selection of sake from all over Japan.
Another attraction is the Japanese garden that extends beyond the windows. This emotional landscape, modeled after Hiroshima’s Shukkeien Garden, where carp swim leisurely in a pond under green trees, is a peaceful place to forget the hustle and bustle of the city.
–What souvenirs do you recommend?
Hiroshima Prefecture is a major lemon-growing region and produces the largest amount of lemons in Japan. A variety of products have been developed using the local lemons, and our hotel also produces and sells pound cakes specially made by our patissier using “monster lemons” from the Setouchi area. The refreshing acidity makes it easy to eat for all generations, and it is popular as a souvenir, so please stop by the “All-Day Dining Flûtier” on the first floor.
© Source travel watch
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