Roadside Rest Area Hotels Coming To Japan

Above, a roadside rest area between Tokyo and Koriyama. Screen capture by Armand Vaquer.

Ever been to a roadside rest area in Japan? If not, they are something to see and try out.

Back in 2004, while en route by bus from Tokyo to Koriyama, G-TOUR made a stop at one such roadside rest area. It was nothing like the rest areas one finds along U.S. interstates. They have restaurants and other shops in them.

With that in mind, a plan for hotels next to roadside rest area around Japan that involves a major U.S. hotel company.

The Asahi Shimbun reported:

A Japanese housing developer and a leading U.S.-based hotel chain operator are teaming up to open hotels in autumn 2020 on land plots next to roadside rest areas across Japan. 

Sekisui House Ltd. and Marriott International Inc. said they are banking on demand from inbound travelers who will be visiting provincial areas. 

Initially, the companies plan to operate 15 hotels in five prefectures, and increase total numbers of guest rooms by about 1,000 annually by opening additional hotels in subsequent years. 

The hotels will be operated under the “Fairfield by Marriott” brand, the first to carry that name in Japan. The rates are expected to be set at approximately 10,000 yen to 15,000 yen ($88 to $133) per room per night.

The article reports that there will be no restaurants at these hotels. Since the roadside rest areas have them, why bother?

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