Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company chief executive, Chevy Chase, has signed two new hotel agreements in Japan which will double the luxury lifestyle brand’s presence in the country.

The Ritz-Carlton has signed an agreement with Kanehide, a prominent conglomerate in Okinawa, for the development of The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa, as well as with Sekisui House, one of Japan’s leading home builders, for the development of The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto.

These two new hotels are in addition to the company’s existing hotels in Osaka and Tokyo.

Herve Humler, president of The Ritz-Carlton, said: “We are delighted to have signed not just our first resort in Japan with The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa, but also our first hotel in the culturally rich city of Kyoto.

“We have waited a long time to develop our brand in Japan and it is wonderful to be able to double our presence in this great country from two to four hotels.

“The Ritz-Carlton hotels in Tokyo and Osaka have proved the Japanese love affair with the brand and we are excited to be committing to Japan’s future as a luxury destination for both business and leisure travellers.”

Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa

The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa, which will open in April 2012, will also see the award-winning luxury brand appoint its first Japanese General Manager to lead the hotel.

Jun Yoshie, who previously worked as executive assistant manager sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo will lead an experienced team ladies and gentlemen at this wonderful resort property.

Speaking on his announcement Yoshie commented: “I am honoured to have been asked to be the general manager at this iconic hotel in Okinawa.

“The combination of this great hotel with the excellence and commitment to quality will make this hotel not just a leading property in Japan but a resort to compare with the very best in the world.

“Japan is a key market for The Ritz-Carlton and the addition of this great resort to brand’s existing hotels in the country will help to further strengthen its luxury leadership position in Japan.”

The stunning Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa will offer 97 luxurious guest rooms with excellent views over a golf course down to the East China Sea, the Motobu Peninsula and beyond to Ie Island.

The hotel will be situated within the premises of the Kise Country Club and surrounded on three sides by its 18-hole Championship course overlooking the ocean.

The Kise Country Club is bordered by undeveloped wooded land adding to the beautiful setting and location of the resort.

The hotel will replace the existing Kise Bettei Hotel & SPA after an extensive renovation of more than 1 billion yen.

The existing property will close in August of this year and reopen as The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa in April 2012.

The new look interiors will be created by ILYA Corporation and the concept of the new hotel will be a combination of The Ritz-Carlton style with the local Okinawan culture to create something subtle and tranquil, yet truly luxurious.

The newly renovated hotel will feature three destination dining outlets, as well as a lounge and bar, an ESPA spa and full leisure facilities including a pool and gym.

Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto will offer 136 luxurious guest rooms with an average size of 50 square meters for standard rooms, making them the largest in the city.

The hotel will also feature two dining options, banquet and meeting rooms, as well as a spa and will set the benchmark for international luxury hotels in the city.

The hotel will have an excellent strategic location as an urban resort on the Kamogawa River, Nijho Ohashi, close to Kyoto’s popular downtown areas including Gion and Kawaramachi-dori, the city’s retail and entertainment district.

The hotel’s guestrooms will offer stunning views of the river and the Higashiyama Mountains.

City.Mobi

Also in Japan today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Kyoto.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Kyoto.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.