IHG Hotels & Resorts will launch its popular voco Hotels brand in Japan for the first time, following the signing of a management agreement with NTT Urban Development Corporation (that will be represented via its subsidiary UD Hospitality Management Corporation) that will see it open the flagship voco Osaka Central in 2023.

The voco brand has seen phenomenal success since its global launch in 2018, and the signing of voco Osaka Central marks the 75th signing for IHG in just over three years, with 35 high quality properties already open around the world. As IHG experiences an unprecedented period of growth in Japan that’s recently seen it launch the Kimpton, Regent and Holiday Express brands into the market, it is now adding its lifestyle voco brand to its premium offering.

With a new brand comes a flagship opening, and the 191-room voco Osaka Central will bring a fresh and reliably different offering to Osaka’s accommodation landscape in 2023, with character and style that hasn’t been seen before in the city, and our attentive hosts that make guests feel right at home.

voco hotels combine individualised service and high-quality touches, from indulgent amenities to big, comfy beds. The voco name, originating from Latin ‘to invite’, represents the brand’s thoughtful, unstuffy and charming nature, where guests will always experience the brand’s charming touches, including a warm welcome, simple check-in, an arrival gift, lively social spaces, and guest rooms with thoughtful comforts like cosy bedding, luxury bathroom amenities and fast Wi-Fi.

Conveniently located just a few minutes' walk from Yodoyabashi, Honmachi and Higobashi stations, the hotel is surrounded by unique shops and the lush greenery of Utsubo Park. Along with its great facilities that include a restaurant, café, fitness gym and meeting rooms, it will make a great choice for both leisure and business travelers who want to enjoy the best that Osaka has to offer.

voco Osaka Central will also be a good fit for sustainability-conscious guests, with the hotel’s ‘tread light’ philosophy meaning it is committed to looking after the planet with the same care it looks after guests – from biodegradable coffee cups to energy-saving aerated shower heads, and bulk bathroom amenities. It supports IHG’s Journey to Tomorrow 10-year responsible business plan to help shape the future of responsible travel together with those who stay, work and partner with its hotels.

Abhijay Sandilya, Managing Director – Japan & Micronesia for IHG Hotels & Resorts,and CEO of IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, said: "We are excited to introduce the voco Hotels brand to Japan for the first time in partnership with NTT Urban Development Corporation. As IHG continues its period of expansion throughout Japan, we see a great opportunity for hotels that are fresh and different, with a colorful personality that combines the reassurance of a big brand with the informality and charm of an individual hotel. voco has been one of IHG’s most successful brand launches, due to its unique guest offering as well as interest from hotel owners who appreciate the brand’s flexibility. We can’t wait to see voco Osaka Central open in 2023, and we hope it’s the first of many in Japan.”

President and Chief Executive Officer of NTT Urban Development Corporation, Hiroshi Tsujigami said: "We are very pleased to partner with IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, to launch the voco brand and open this hotel in Osaka. With a focus on location, environment and uniqueness, we have used this experience to create a new city with the concept of 'Decorate and circulate from here.' And we aim to create the hospitality demand in the new era by valuing the history of Kyomachibori and creating a more lively area in the vicinity centred on the hotel. This opening builds on our experience in the hotel segment, which includes the opening of 'The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu', which is housed in a preserved primary school building, and 'lyf Tenjin Fukuoka', a co-living hotel for millennials, In addition to our cooperation with IHG, we also work with our group company, UD Hospitality Management, to weave a new story for Osaka through a hotel that will become a 'symbol of the city'."

voco Osaka Central will be IHG Hotels & Resorts’ sixth hotel in Osaka, complementing InterContinental Osaka, ANA Crowne Plaza Osaka, Holiday Inn & Suites Shin Osaka, Holiday Inn Osaka Namba and Holiday Inn Express Osaka City Centre Midosuji, as well as ANA Crowne Plaza hotels in nearby Kobe and Kyoto.