Hawaiian investor to develop Japanese upscale hotel brand

Japan-based Hotel Okura Co. has formed a partnership with Trinity Investments, a Hawaii-based private real estate firm, to create an exclusive joint venture called Nikko Style, an upscale select hotel brand that will soon be introduced throughout Japan.

Trinity is also seeking to raise up to $300 million of equity to initially fund the new Nikko Style chain, with the first hotel that will be under the branding slated to open in the year 2020.

“Japan’s hotel inventory is arguably the most underserved amongst developed countries worldwide, with little segmentation by major brand companies into the upscale select service space where branding and value-driven price points will be highly attractive to the country’s new visitor demographic,” said Sean Hehir, president and CEO of Trinity. “This collaboration with our long-standing partner Hotel Okura on Nikko Style will serve to fill this void, allowing for the rapid penetration of a new but familiar brand throughou