Oct 09 (Nikkei) - Japan's Prince Hotels on Thursday opened the first location in a new chain offering the hospitality brand's lowest room rates.
The Prince Smart Inn Ebisu in Tokyo's Shibuya district features a contactless check-in by smartphone and average daily rates of around 10,000 yen ($94).
With its stripped-down services, the discount chain attempts to attract 20- and 30-somethings to a hotel group known for high-end and family-oriented accommodations that offer a full range of amenities and meticulous Japanese omotenashi hospitality.
"This is venturing into uncharted territory for Prince Hotels," said Takashi Goto, president of Seibu Holdings, the hotel group's parent company.
The new hotel shows adaptations to the coronavirus pandemic. Guests have as little interaction with staff as possible.
Guests check in using multilingual touchscreens, one of the hotel's features for cutting interaction with staff.
