Retailer Muji to open hotel in Tokyo

JAPANESE retailer Muji is the latest homeware company to enter the hotel business, announcing plans to open their first branded property in Tokyo.
The Japanese brand, which sells everything from clothing to homeware and is known for its minimalist aesthetic, will be opening its newest hotel project in Tokyo's posh Ginza district in the spring of 2019.
The news comes after the company announced plans to open a branded hotel in China's Shenzhen province by the end of the year.
To be housed in a sprawling 10-storey mixed-use commercial building complex, the tentatively named Muji Hotel will occupy the last four floors of the building.
The building will also house a sprawling retail space named Muji Goods, which will become the chain's global flagship store.
Muji is the latest company to make the transition from interior décor and furniture retailer to hotel development.
American brands West Elm and Restoration Hardware are also developing properties across the US, using the popularity of their brands as a jumping-off point.
Restoration Hardware's first property will open in New York's meatpacking district as a 14-room boutique hotel, while West Elm announced plans to open properties in markets like Savannah, Detroit and Minneapolis beginning 2018. — AFP Relaxnews