The Sharon Springs site in New York where the hotel operator plans to build a luxury resort. — Hoshino Resorts
Hoshino Resorts, a 110-year-old company famed for its luxury hot springs hotels in Japan, will open its first resort location in the United States, in a small New York town.
The hotel operator plans to build a luxury resort with up to 40 rooms in Sharon Springs – a 3.5-hour drive from New York City – that will open by 2028, according to a statement on the company’s website. The announcement was accompanied by a photo of the brand’s CEO, Yoshiharu Hoshino, next to a town sign.
Hoshino, the fourth generation in his family to run the company, had made it his personal goal to bring Japanese hot spring resorts, also known as onsen ryokans, to North America, provided there was a natural hot spring source.
Onsen ryokans are typically small Japanese inns in remote and scenic locations, where guests relax by bathing naked in natural hot springs water and enjoy locally sourced and seasonal cuisine. Such lodgings are common across Japan, but Hoshino Resorts became the standard bearer for the luxury onsen ryokan experiences through its flagship Hoshinoya brand.
The announcement of Hoshino’s location in New York comes amid a tourism boom in Japan driven by a weak currency, and may also help familiarise potential US customers with the onsen ryokan concept.
There’s also been increased business interest in capitalising on the growing popularity around Japan’s cultural experiences. Earlier this year, Hyatt Hotels said it would be developing an onsen ryokan brand in Japan with a local partner.
Hoshino Resorts operates several hotel brands for a range of budgets, but is best-known for its high-end Hoshinoya resorts. It has a boutique hotel in Hawaii, but the newly announced resort will be the first location in the US. — Bloomberg
