NEWSWORTHY
Sex, drugs and ... slavery? Human trafficking hidden in U.K. hotels
Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll — nothing new for the hospitality industry but British hoteliers say loud music, used condoms and alcohol could hint at something darker: modern-day slavery. Add last-minute bookings, paying in cash or landing without luggage — all are warning signs ...
Overnight stays at Shimane 'dinosaur hotel' museum gaining popularity
The Okuizumo Tane Museum of Natural History in Okuizumo, Shimane Prefecture, is a rare complex that is both a museum and hotel, and a recent dinosaur exhibition has seen it become a real hit with children. Following the end of normal business hours at around ...
Japanese government to require wheelchair-accessible rooms at new hotels
The government said Tuesday it will mandate that new hotels over a certain size make at least one of their rooms accessible to people in wheelchairs. The revised barrier-free enforcement order approved by the Cabinet applies to hotels or inns with more than 50 rooms ...
First case of unlicensed private lodging in Japan sent to prosecutors
Four people are suspected of providing accommodation to tourists in Kyoto without obtaining a permit from the local government.
Major Japanese hotel chain operator Fujita Kanko Inc. opened its first overseas hotel in Seoul on Friday in a bid to capture demand from the growing number of Japanese travelers to South Korea amid easing geopolitical tensions on the peninsula. Hotel Gracery Seoul, developed with ...
Hotel association in hot spring city Beppu teams up with Airbnb
A hotel association in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, a city known for its hot springs, said Monday it will work with Airbnb Inc. to attract more tourists from abroad. A total of 111 hotels and inns that are members of the Beppu City Ryokan Hotel Association ...
Japan aims to increase number of wheelchair-accessible hotels before 2020 Games
The central government aims to increase the number of hotels with wheelchair-accessible rooms ahead of the 2020 Games, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. Under the plan, operators of newly built hotels and inns with 50 or more rooms will be required beginning September ...
Don Quijote plans to build high-rise complex in Shibuya
As Tokyo's famous Shibuya district undergoes major redevelopments, Don Quijote Holdings Co. is joining the fray to add to the momentum. The operator of the popular Don Quijote discount chain said Monday that it plans to open its first high-rise complex, which will have stores, ...
Trunk (Hotel) banks on lodging experience that goes beyond the room
In the morning, two millennial-age men sit at a table together sipping coffee while typing away on their computers. As lunch time approaches, office workers file in for a bite to eat. At dusk, fashionable crowds sip on swanky cocktails and listen to local ...
Two Osaka hotels join global war on plastic waste by banning straws
Joining the worldwide movement to combat plastic waste, two international hotels in Osaka are moving toward paper straws. "We switched to paper straws on July 1, and the response from our customers has been very good, as they understand the problems of plastic straws," said ...
The land ministry plans to revise Japan’s standards for barrier-free hotels to increase the number of rooms suitable for wheelchair users ahead of the Olympics.
Japanese concierge goes the extra mile at iconic London hotel
No request is ever too much for Toru Machida, who prides himself on fulfilling the needs of guests at one of the world's most famous five-star hotels. Machida, originally from Tokyo, is the head concierge at The Savoy, the grand London inn that has played ...
