As Japanese upscale-lifestyle hotel brand, Zentis, forays into the international market for the first time since pandemic restrictions put a damper on its July 2020 debut, seasoned hospitality professional Mikio Akiyama has stepped up as general manager of the brand’s inaugural property, Zentis Osaka.
Akiyama brings with him more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including a decade with owning company Palace Hotel Co., Ltd. His arrival at Zentis marks a homecoming for the Kansai native, who began his career at Hyatt Regency Osaka in 1998. The next decade saw him in various sales positions outside of Japan, including four years with Accor in Singapore and Thailand followed by three years with Hyatt in China before returning to Bangkok to work for IHG.
“Akiyama’s global perspective and wealth of experience with international brands throughout Asia will prove invaluable as we introduce Zentis to overseas travelers,” said Daisuke Yoshihara, president of Palace Hotel Co., Ltd.
Akiyama joined the Forbes Five-Star Palace Hotel Tokyo in 2013 as one of its associate directors of global sales, spearheading the team responsible for outreach in Asia and the Middle East and handling the high-profile clientele originating from those markets. Four years later, he transitioned to an associate director of operations role before being promoted to director of rooms, a three-year stint during which he assisted the luxury property with steering its way through the pandemic.
Three years since its launch in the domestic market, the Zentis brand has now flung its doors wide open to international guests as Osaka experiences a renewal in inbound travel from overseas, following Japan’s lifting of all border restrictions at the beginning of May.
As Palace Hotel Tokyo continues to draw acclaim for its full-service embrace of discerning luxury travelers, Zentis is charting its own course with its upscale, select-service lifestyle concept aimed at savvy wanderers seeking comfort and design at accessible price points.
Zentis Osaka is the debut property of Palace Hotel Group’s Zentis label, a brand with designs on raising the bar on select-service hospitality. Sixteen stories tall, the contemporary build features interiors by internationally renowned UK design firm Tara Bernerd & Partners and a pedigree that stems from the award-winning Palace Hotel Tokyo – the independent, homegrown brand that has redefined luxury Japanese hospitality.
Subtly edgy, wonderfully Japanese and naturally resplendent, the 212-room hotel pays homage to a city known for its industrious charm with an industrial chic look and laid-back feel. Osaka’s first addition to the bespoke collection of Design Hotels features local design touches, including shigaraki-yaki bedside tables crafted in the kilns of Shiga, shodo-inspired wallpaper installations and contemporary works by a local artist.
The dining concept at UPSTAIRZ – the hotel’s lounge, bar and restaurant – was conceived by a team with a Michelin-star track record and features a menu with Japanese and French influences.
Located where the riverside business area of Dojimahama and the high-end entertainment district of Kita-shinchi meet and set amid lush greenery, Zentis Osaka presents a distinctive urban oasis ideal for savvy, design-conscious travelers.
