Hilton has signed three new luxury hotels in Japan, adding pace to the growth of its LXR and Conrad brands in the country.
The LXR additions are a conversion and a new build, adding both urban and rural properties to the Japanese portfolio, and widening the choice for guests who are part of the Hilton Honors loyalty scheme. The first property will be created in Tokyo, with the repositioning of the Hotel Gajoen, an iconic property with an established profile in the city. The hotel will continue to trade over coming months, while a rolling refurbishment prepares it for life under the LXR brand.
Conversions and New Builds Feature
The Tokyo hotel is owned by international investor Brookfield. It is a landmark property, with a dramatic interior that includes the Hundred Step Staircase, a wooden structure that is registered as a historic asset. Once fully refitted, it will have 60 guest rooms, with a spa and fitness centre, plus a selection of meeting and event spaces.
“The introduction of LXR Hotels & Resorts to Tokyo offers a new and distinctive option to both domestic and international travellers,” said Hirohisa Fujimoto, vice president of development for Hilton across Japan & Micronesia. “We are committed to preserving the rich heritage of this iconic property while catering to the evolving expectations of curious, experience‑seeking travellers that define the LXR Hotels & Resorts brand.”
And a second signing is something of a contrast, with plans for LXR Hakone. Set within one of Japan’s major hot springs regions, this will be a resort property with vistas of lush forest, a retreat with mountain air and a close to nature feel. Sankei Building and Haseko Real Estate are working on the hotel development, which will be ready to open in 2028. It will be a 90 minute train ride from Tokyo, and guests will be able to walk to several local cultural landmarks.
LXR made its first appearance in Japan in 2021, with the opening of Roku Kyoto. It is now building pace, with plans to open an LXR hotel in Miyajimaguchi, Hiroshima in 2028. Additionally, an agreement with YTL Hotels is seeing that company’s Kasara Niseko Village hotel convert to the LXR brand.
A Conrad for Kobe City Centre
The new Conrad will be the company’s first hotel in Hyogo prefecture, and will open in 2030. A consortium led by ORIX Real Estate Corporation is completing a major new project in the city of Kobe, and the hotel will be part of this. Conrad Kobe will be on the upper floors of a new mixed-use high-rise tower, with direct connections beneath to Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae rail station.
The hotel will have 136 rooms, along with an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre and spa. There will also be a ballroom, designed to support conferences and events. Currently, Hilton has Conrad hotels open in Tokyo and Osaka, but the brand already has pipeline sites coming, with Conrad Nagoya preparing for a July 2026 opening, and Conrad Yokohama due to open in 2027.
