~ Singapore's first luxury hotel in Japan, scheduled to open in 2025 ~ General managers of Capella Kyoto and Patina Osaka announced

John Blanco is an American of Venezuelan descent who has built a distinguished career in luxury hotels around the world, including The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and The Kahala Hotel & Resort.

He was then appointed General Manager of Capella Bangkok, where he managed the hotel, utilizing his extensive experience in luxury hotels. Within a year of opening, the hotel had won numerous prestigious awards, including from the international travel magazine Travel + Leisure.

Now, as General Manager of Capella Kyoto, he will use his global perspective, based on his experience managing hotels around the world, to provide guests with an exceptional stay experience, representing diverse cultures and values.

Ellen Franke has gained experience at The Ritz-Carlton hotels around the world, and has served as General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi in Malaysia since 2018. She has now been appointed General Manager of Patina Osaka, the second such hotel in the world and the first in Japan.

Leveraging the experience and leadership skills he has cultivated over many years in luxury hotels, and in line with Patina 's brand philosophy of respecting individuality and providing a one-of-a-kind stay experience, he aims to operate a new lifestyle hotel that meets the expectations of today's socially conscious travelers.

John Blanco will also serve as general manager of Capella Kyoto and Patina Osaka.

With a new general manager in charge, UD will continue to integrate the construction of "Capella Kyoto" on the former Shinmichi Elementary School site and the rebuilding of the Miyagawacho Kaburenjo, creating new value for coexistence while cherishing the history and culture that have been loved and protected by the community. In addition, UD will work on the development of "Patina Osaka" on the former NTT West Japan Headquarters building site, a place with ties to the NTT Group, as well as the development and operation of Naniwa Palace Site Park, which is close to the hotel and is highly anticipated by the community.

■Comment from Kou Ikeda President and CEO of NTT Urban Development Corporation

"We are extremely pleased to welcome John Blanco and Ellen Franke, both of whom have distinguished careers in luxury hotels, as general managers of these two hotel development projects, which we are developing with great passion. Under their strong leadership, we will continue to work together with the Capella Hotel Group to prepare for the opening of both hotels next year, in order to provide a one-of-a-kind stay experience for guests visiting from Japan and abroad."

Capella Kyoto will be built on the site of Shindo Elementary School, located in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. This school was established in 1869 (Meiji 2) by local residents as one of the local Shinmichi schools and has been loved for over 100 years. In addition to approximately 90 guest rooms, including suites, the hotel will be equipped with a restaurant, banquet halls, and a spa, and as the flagship hotel of the Capella Hotel Group, it will offer world-class hospitality. The hotel's interior design will be handled by Brewin Design Office, an interior design firm based in Singapore. Brewin Design Office was founded in 2012 by Robert Chen and has worked on numerous projects throughout Asia, mainly focusing on hotels, luxury residences, and commercial facilities. Capella Kyoto will be the first hotel in Japan for which Brewin Design Office is in charge of interior design.

Furthermore, the Miyagawacho Kaburenjo, which will be reborn alongside Capella Kyoto, is a venue where geiko and maiko from Miyagawacho, one of Kyoto's five geisha districts, hone their traditional performing arts and present their work. By implementing integrated development that combines the hotel and local facilities, the aim is to inherit the "memories of the town" that the local people have preserved for generations, create "new value for coexistence," and further develop Shinmichi area and the geisha district culture.

Patina Osaka, the first urban hotel from Patina Hotels & Resorts, a lifestyle brand developed by the Capella Hotel Group, is located on the Uemachi Plateau, the birthplace of Osaka's history, close to two of Osaka's important historical heritage sites, Osaka Castle and the ruins of Naniwa Palace. Standard rooms are over 50m², with approximately 220 rooms, including some with balconies, and the hotel will feature a spa and fitness area, a sky lobby, restaurants, and a banquet hall that can also accommodate MICE events, aiming to become a new symbol of Osaka as an international tourism and cultural city that will host the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.

Furthermore, development in the Hoenzaka Kita Special Block, which includes Patina Osaka, will take advantage of its excellent location near Osaka Castle Park and Naniwa Palace Ruins Park to create a green space connecting the two parks and a comfortable pedestrian space. At Naniwa Palace Ruins Park, a group represented by UD is promoting the "Naniwa Palace Ruins Park (Northern Block) Development and Management Project and Naniwa Palace Ruins (Southern Block) Management and Management Project," Osaka City's first Park-PFI project. The NTT Group will work on the integrated environmental development and management of the surrounding area, contributing to improving the area's accessibility and its development as a historical and tourist hub.

Capella Hotel Group is a leading hospitality management company based in Singapore with two hotel brands and currently operates hotels in eight regions.

As a member of the UD Group, UDHM is a company committed to creating rich and attractive towns through hotel management. Since its establishment in April 2018, the company has collaborated with various hotel management companies, including those entering Japan for the first time, to develop hotels across the country that take advantage of the unique characteristics of each town and location. The company currently operates a total of five hotels, and plans to add eight hotels with approximately 1,300 rooms, including those in the planning and development stages.