ONYX Hospitality Group is set to welcome its first hotel in Japan with Amari Niseko, following a management agreement signed with Metropoly Holdings Limited, a Hong Kong-based Asian real estate development, investment and asset management firm.

Scheduled to open in 2024, Amari Niseko will be a central feature of the much-awaited Aruku-zaka Street mixed-use development designed to complement the Hirafu area’s unique character and setting. Created as a village hub for both visitors and the local community, Aruku-zaka Street will be made up of a series of low-rise buildings framing central plazas and a vibrant pedestrian walkway. Aruku-zaka Street will be home to a carefully-curated selection of lifestyle, retail and food and beverage offerings, complemented by residential apartments and the all-new Amari resort.

Located at a strategic site in central Hirafu, in the Kutchan town of Abuta-gun district just off Route 343, Amari Niseko and Aruku-zaka Street will be easily reached via a two-hour scenic drive or train journey from New Chitose Airport in Sapporo.

A year-round resort and the ideal base for skiing in the winter, and hiking and biking in the greener months, Amari Niseko will offer 126 rooms in a variety of studio, one-bedroom suite and two-bedroom suite configurations. Featuring contemporary Thai-inspired design with touches from the locality, Amari Niseko will also offer a concept restaurant that transitions from all-day restaurant to a destination cocktail bar as night falls.

Amari Niseko will be a central feature of the much awaited Aruku-zaka Street mixed-use development created as a village hub for both visitors and the local community with low-rise buildings framing central plazas and a vibrant pedestrian walkway.
Douglas Martell, President and Chief Executive Officer, ONYX Hospitality Group, said: “Originally from Thailand, Amari has been going places and introducing its unique take on contemporary Thai-ness to new markets like the Maldives, Malaysia, China and Sri Lanka in recent years. We are excited to be introducing our flagship brand to yet another new destination with the signing of our very first hotel in Japan. We look forward to a long-term collaboration with Metropoly Holdings as the sole hotel operator of the landmark Aruku-zaka Street development in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.”

Renyi Ang, Managing Partner of Metropoly Holdings Limited, said: “Aruku-zaka Street will be the first development of its type in Niseko, a large-scale private development aimed at providing generous public space and endless activities for the local community and tourists alike. We have always believed in our vision to create a vibrant year-round destination with plenty of shops, restaurants and open space. We are confident that the brand-new Amari Niseko will leverage ONYX Hospitality Group’s expertise in hospitality management and success as one of Asia’s fastest growing Asian hotel companies, and propel Aruku-zaka Street to become an exciting landmark project that continues to further bolster Niseko’s reputation as a world-class tourist destination.”

The Amari collection of hotels and resorts by ONYX Hospitality Group brings to life a contemporary re-imagining of Thailand’s rich cultural roots and the influence of its dynamic creativity to locations both near and far. Each property in the Amari portfolio highlights the textures and flavours of its unique setting through architecture, design, art, cuisine and service complemented by touches of contemporary Thai-ness.

The last three years have been significant for the regional expansion of Amari, with the brand being launched in multiple new locations including Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China and Laos.

Based in Bangkok, ONYX Hospitality Group has a growing regional portfolio of close to 50 operating properties across three core brands in seven countries. The Group has a robust development pipeline of more than 20 new properties in markets such as China, Malaysia and Laos, and has set a target of having 99 hotels open by 2024 as part of its journey towards being the best medium-sized hospitality player in the region.