IHG increases its network in Japan with Kobe's well-established Shinkobe Oriental Hotel, rebranded as the Crowne Plaza Kobe. The addition of this hotel to IHG's network comes shortly after the establishment of its joint venture with All Nippon Airways to form the IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan.

The 37-storey, 595-room hotel is Kobe's tallest building and a landmark in the city's Kitano and Sannomiya area. Features include 11 food and beverage outlets, four levels of Crowne Plaza Club floor accommodation and 23 meeting rooms of various sizes. The hotel is directly connected to the Shinkobe station and adjacent to the Express by Holiday Inn Shin Kobe, also part of the InterContinental Hotels Group portfolio.

"The launch of the Crowne Plaza brand into Kobe is a timely one and puts us in a strategic position to serve the diverse business needs of the multinational community in Kobe. Introducing our second hotel in Kobe, one of Japan's most important seaports, underscores our commitment towards further enhancing our network across the country," said A. Patrick Imbardelli, chief executive, InterContinental Hotels Group Asia Pacific.

Panorama Hospitality president, Robert Wilson, said: "We look forward to working with InterContinental Hotels Groups and having access to their resources. We believe this conversion to Crowne Plaza will significantly enhance the recognition of this hotel and enable it to attract more visitors from around the world. We can now offer a new, international hotel experience for our guests in this attractive and fascinating city". 

IHG-ANA Hotels Group Japan, which commenced operations on 1 December 2006, is now the largest international hotel operator in Japan, the world's second largest hotel market. IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan now operates a combined estate of 43 hotels with over 12,500 rooms across the country.