Marriott International Signs Contract with Sekisui House to bring The Ritz-Carlton brand to Fukuoka with 162-Room Hotel

Property would be the iconic brand’s seventh hotel in Japan, and expand its presence to the southern island of Kyushu

Tokyo – 12 July, 2019 – Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced it has signed an agreement with one of Japan’s most acclaimed property developers, Sekisui House, to open a new Ritz-Carlton hotel in Fukuoka – a deal that would bring the iconic brand’s legendary service and signature luxury to this exciting part of Japan for the first time. The hotel will be developed and owned by Daimyo Project TMK, a consortium of five companies including Sekisui House, Ltd., the project manager for the hotel. The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka, which would be the brand’s seventh hotel in Japan, is slated to open in Spring 2023.

“We are thrilled to announce the signing of The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka, with Sekisui House, a longtime developer of Marriott International hotels,” said Craig S. Smith, President and Managing Director of Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “The signing of this property underscores continued demand for The Ritz-Carlton brand 20 years after it first entered Japan and Fukuoka, with its rising inbound tourism, is an especially ideal location.”

Sekisui House has already worked with Marriott International to open three hotels in Japan and in addition to The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka, has another 19 in its pipeline across the country.

“We are delighted to bring The Ritz-Carlton brand to Fukuoka, as part of this exciting development project in the city,” said Yoshihiro Nakai, President and Representative Director, Sekisui House, Ltd. “Through our long-standing collaboration with Marriott International, we are certain that The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka will raise the bar for luxury hospitality, and inspire meaningful journeys for both leisure and business visitors to this wonderful city.”

The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka will be part of a new, 24-story tower that will include high-end retail and office space. The tower is set to rise within “Tenjin Big Bang,” a redevelopment project led by Fukuoka City aimed at creating an attractive urban lifestyle destination within the city’s core commercial and business districts.

The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka will be located a 15-minute walk from Hakata Station, where the Shinkansen bullet train conveniently links the city with Tokyo and Osaka. Fukuoka International Airport is only six kilometers from downtown Fukuoka, with direct connections to Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and many other cities. Attracting millions of visitors annually, Fukuoka is known for its shopping outlets, unique destination cuisine, interesting museums and fresh sea air. Major visitor attractions include Fukuoka Castle and Ohori Park, the home of many public cultural activities, of which will be within walking distance from The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka.

The lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka will be located on the first floor of the building, with front-of-house facilities, 162 guest rooms and suites occupying the 18th to 24th floors offering stunning views of the city skyline in addition to the legendary Ritz-Carlton Club experience. The hotel will feature six food and beverage outlets, including all-day dining, specialty restaurants, a boutique patisserie as well as The Bar & Lounge where guests can enjoy memorable evenings with expertly crafted cocktails and drinks. A ballroom and two meeting rooms will make perfect venues for meetings and special events. The hotel will also feature a chapel for romantic weddings and other celebrations. An indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and the acclaimed The Ritz-Carlton Spa®, will elevate guest experiences and create exceptional, unforgettable memories for visitors to Fukuoka.

This signing also underscores Marriott International’s growing luxury portfolio in Japan, where the company now has eight open luxury hotels – including four Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Okinawa, The St. Regis Osaka, and three Luxury Collection hotels, including The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, Suiran Kyoto, and IRAPH SUI, Miyako Okinawa – along with eight more luxury projects in the signed pipeline.

About Sekisui House

Sekisui House is a leading housing company that has supplied over 2.4 million homes since its establishment in 1960. As a living environment developing company, we are building houses and developing towns from a long-term perspective based on the idea of sustainability that protects the global environment and ensures a better housing life. In addition, we are focusing on development projects in urban areas such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka aiming to develop more value-added real estate. Sekisui House's collaboration with Marriott International also includes The St. Regis Osaka, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, Four Points by Sheraton Nagoya, Chubu International Airport, W Osaka, Moxy Osaka Shin Umeda, The Westin Yokohama, Courtyard by Marriott Nagoya, and 15 Fairfield Hotels alongside Michi-no-Eki across various destinations in Japan.

About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, MD., part of Marriott International, Inc., currently operates more than 100 hotels and over 45 residential properties in 30 countries and territories. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.ritzcarlton.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc.

About Marriott International, Inc.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,000 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 131 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company now offers one travel program, Marriott Bonvoy™, replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®(SPG).