IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a significant agreement to incorporate 14 hotels located in Kyoto, in collaboration with its partner GCP Hospitality, the hotel division of Gaw Capital Group.
The operation includes 1,063 rooms and is configured as one of the largest transformations of hotel assets carried out in Japan in recent times.
The project anticipates that the hotels will be integrated gradually over the next 12 months, once the planned renovation works are completed.
The agreement incorporates twelve hotels under the mid-range brand Garner – which recently reached 100 establishments – in addition to a Holiday Inn Express, the third of this brand in the country, and an independent property.
With this simultaneous entry into key areas near Kyoto Station, Shijo, and Gojo, IHG reinforces its position as one of the leading international hotel groups in Japan's cultural capital.
The expansion of IHG's portfolio in Kyoto strengthens its footprint in the city and adds to its current offering, which includes luxury and lifestyle brands, premium and essentials such as Six Senses Kyoto, ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto, Holiday Inn Kyoto Gojo, and Garner Hotel Kyoto Shijo Karasuma.
The company wants to take advantage of the appeal of the business traveler-oriented hotel segment, a niche that has so far been primarily in the hands of domestic chains. The company claims that there is a wide margin for expansion in this market across the country and assures that "they are ready to work on more portfolios."
The management of IHG for Japan and Micronesia emphasizes that this operation is supported by the strong growth that the Garner brand is experiencing in the Japanese market and the growing interest of owners to integrate into its global distribution network and loyalty programs.
IHG launched Garner in Japan in 2025 with the opening of three Garner hotels in Osaka.