In 2022, Hyatt announced plans to launch a new hotel brand in Japan. The company has now revealed more details, including when and where we can expect the first properties to open. This is a concept I’m excited about.
Continue reading: ATONA, Hyatt’s New Japanese Ryokan Brand
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Strange choice of name. In Spanish, “atona” means a female sheep that raises a lamb of another mother. With an accent on the a, it would mean “unstressed” or “toneless” in Spanish or Italian — basically, “atonal.”
In Japanese it means the expression of deep connection. Given this is a domestic Japanese brand it shouldn't be confusing for global travellers as I'm sure the promotion of the inns will explain the meaning.
I get that the concept is cute and authentic and all, but I just do not like it. I want a regular hotel room and for hundreds a night, I am not sleeping on the floor on a futon. My college days are over.
"Ryokan brand" — now there's an oxymoron. Tell me you don't understand what a ryokan is (or should be) without telling me directly.
Au contraire, the sleep you will get on a proper Japanese futon is far superior to even the best Western-style beds in the world.
I see what you mean, but it is like excluding boutique hotels to becoming a brand. I could see for instance a ryokan replicated in various villages, the same as Hoshinoya does with their ryokans.
I would expect these to be positioned fully in the luxury segment. If not, don’t see how a 30-50 key rural property with the anticipated amenities and required staffing (including on site restaurant) would work with the Hyatt franchise and loyalty program fees. And given room rates at western affiliated chain hotels in Japan these days (where the aloft, AC, Indigo and Hyatt House in Tokyo are frequently easily USD 500+ a night), I bet room rates will be at least USD 1,000 a night. And don’t expect much WOH award availability with such few rooms.
I was thinking the same thing. I'm sure they'll be nice Japanese- flavor luxury spa hotels, but the whole point of a ryokan is to be a truly local and authentic experience; not a branded chain. Different strokes for different folks though - the real ryokans will still be there
Having slept on both I'm gonna say Western beds are better for me. Guess it depends on how you were raised and what your preferences are
The Aman Tokyo folks just told me Aman has purchased land to build an Aman property in Hakone for 2027 or 28, should be great, I love hakone.
Where in Hakone, though, is the question. If it's far off the Hakonetozan Line and local bus routes, it will have limited appeal to foreign tourists, most of whom aren't amenable to renting cars.
I mean, if it isn't in line with what a ryokan "should" be, it might be the most amusing unintended multlingual pun the industry has seen in a while.