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Project Name:  ANA Intercontinental Beppu Resort & Spa

Location:  Beppu-shi, Ōita-Prefecture, Japan

Date Completed:  August 2019

Interior Designer:  Hashimoto Yukio Design Studio, JPA Design

Architects: Freecs, Shimizu Corporation

Hotel Group/Developer: IHG/ANA Hotels Group, Tokyo Century Corporation, Shimizu Corporation

ANA Intercontinental Beppu Resort & Spa is located on a hilltop in Beppu, Ōita-Prefecture, Japan – overlooking the bay and the city with a hot-spring steam rising over and has been described as an “onsen hot spring spa resort”- a unique resort of its nature.

With a fusion of the traditional Beppu Onsen and a global hotel resort, the property employs a mix of Japanese traditional materials and craftsmanship, to achieve what cannot be created elsewhere. A forest is utilised as the theme in the public area, you can see various spaces when you walk through the trees as the scenery changes step by step as you move along. There are various pieces of Japanese craftsmanship throughout the hotel, such as bamboo art and Onta-yaki pottery, both traditional methods were requested for this development.

An Onsen bath has two types, the first is the natural space with sculptural Kakeyu rock, the other being a serene space with Hinoki bath frame and a picture window. The idea was to allow guests to feel purified and rejuvenated. With a Roten outdoor bath overlooking the Beppu bay under the unique umbrellas and the powerful Beppu rock work, guests can energise their body and spirit with cherishing natural bliss and artisans’ craftsmanship.

Woven bamboo was used throughout the hotel – an ancient, special artisan skill in Beppu. Local artisans were asked to use their special skills into the designs, creating exquisite pieces such as the feature wall that can be seen in the lobby bar, a lobby artwork and a spa-treatment room partition.

The view from this hotel is a key aspect of this project. Beppu onsen are the largest hot springs in Japan, when cloudy, this creates an illusory atmosphere, with a “paradise above the clouds” feeling.