“A resort hotel that fosters connections” The first hotel bearing Daiwa House Realty Mgt.’s
new resort hotel brand recently opened in Okinawa.
It fosters connections and strives, pursuing ideal hospitality.

We drive through Yanbaru, the lushly forested northern area of Okinawa’s main island. Occasionally, we see a house with a red-brick roof and windswept cropland. The view eventually opens up as we approach Kouri Bridge, which extends straight ahead across the sea. The seawater on both sides of the bridge is a crystal-clear “Kouri blue.” Beyond the bridge, Baton Suite Okinawa Kourijima comes into view. Although there are many ways to approach the hotel, this must be the most spectacular.

We arrive at the hotel via a narrow island road. As we get out of the car, the only sound we can hear is birdsong. It is a resort hotel like a hideaway with only 35 guest rooms, all suites with ocean views. The lobby and guest rooms offer sweeping views of Kouri Bridge and the emerald-blue sea. The elegant pool has a secluded feel, the spa offers services to relax and delight the senses, while the restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine made with local ingredients.

The hotel is located in an area with many attractions, from the pristine white sand of Kouri Beach to Nakajin Castle Ruins (a World Heritage Site) and Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. Likewise, a large theme park called Junglia Okinawa is scheduled to open in summer 2025.

Baton Suite is a new hotel brand created by Daiwa House Realty Mgt. Co., Ltd. (DHRM) and Okinawa Kourijima is the first in the series. DHRM has 76 urban hotels (mainly Daiwa Roynet Hotels) in Japan and one overseas. Daiwa Roynet Hotels brand hotels are operated by Group company Daiwa Roynet Hotels Co., Ltd.

The company was inspired to add resort hotels to its portfolio of urban hotels, because, as the Daiwa House Group company that excels in the hotel business, it wanted to provide a new hospitality venue for all Daiwa House fans.
This was an opportunity for DHRM to expand its hotel business, adding resort hotels to urban hotels. It would also allow the company to offer Daiwa Roynet Hotels members and regular guests a place to enjoy time away from the city at a resort. Further, the experience fostered in resort hotels would help improve the services provided by approximately 1,600 employees working in Daiwa Roynet Hotels.

The development of DHRM’s first resort hotel was entrusted to Yoichi Miura, who is head of the Hotel Business. The first question was where the hotel should be located. After visiting resort areas and resort hotels all over Japan, Mr. Miura decided his top candidate was Okinawa, a place he had visited many times over the years that captivated him. He then received information about a promising property in Kourijima. It had only been open for about two years, but the timing coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which had led to the owners considering a sale. Mr. Miura immediately set out for Kourijima.

“This is it!” Mr. Miura decided on the spot. The hotel made the journey exciting from the moment of crossing Kouri Bridge. Once you are on the other side, you are on an island where time passes more slowly. The views of sea and sky from the hotel windows were breathtaking.

He would remove the internal walls of the cramped lobby to make it more spacious and open plan, changing the layout so that guests are greeted with views of the sea as soon as they enter. The hotel could be transformed into a more comfortable resort hotel.

But no hotel is complete with just a building. To tell the story of a truly enjoyable trip, you need excellent people. The general manager is especially crucial, because it is a position that affects the hotel’s character and quality of service. Who should be appointed general manager of the new hotel? There was a flurry of opinions within the company. Among Daiwa Roynet Hotels’ employees were many who had served as general manager or in other positions at resort hotels. Although the majority called for a general manager with experience, Mr. Miura thought of a particular person in mind.

Mr. Miura regularly visits the company’s 76 hotels around the country, chatting with employees and observing guests. Things you may not notice in the office are obvious on the ground. One of the 76 hotels stood out for its positive atmosphere. As soon as guests arrived at reception, the whole staff warmly greeted them with a smile. Staff members also got on well with each other and they all looked happy in their work. An unhappy staff cannot make guests happy. This hotel’s general manager had won its staff’s affection and respect, and he would go on to create the same atmosphere at the next hotel he was assigned to.

“I want to appoint Hitoshi Fujii general manager of Baton Suite Kourijima.”

When approached by Mr. Miura, Mr. Fujii’s intuition told him “this could be exciting.”

Mr. Fujii has had an interest in customer service ever since he was at university. He concluded that hotels were the pinnacle of customer service and joined Daiwa Royal Co., Ltd. as a temp. He then became a contract employee, gained a full-time position, and was eventually appointed general manager of a hotel. He had launched a new urban hotel in the past, then a tough challenge but now a fond memory. A resort hotel would provide opportunities to acquire new customer service skills different from those needed in urban hotels. He resolved to start again from scratch, firmly believing that it would be exciting.

The company invited applications for all other positions at Baton Suite Kourijima through two channels—in-house recruitment and local hires. Many employees applied for positions. The company prioritized candidates who could serve customers with a smile and deal with new challenges in imaginative ways. The approach to local hires was the same. Rather than focus on previous experience working in resorts, the company hired people with a smile and positive manner—people who liked serving customers.

As opening day approached, the hotel was in a hectic state, with interior decorating and preparations for the opening in full swing. Mr. Miura spoke to the entire staff at a morning meeting: “Hey everyone, have you stayed here yet? If not, please do. Gain an understanding of the guest’s perspective so we can all ponder what maximizes customer satisfaction and what makes guests want to come again and again. Let’s make changes if we think we can improve on something, even if you think it’s already decided.”

Mr. Miura’s approach has been consistent from day one. “Let’s reset all that we have fostered in the Daiwa Roynet Hotels business and start again from scratch.” There is no progress if the company remains attached to past successes, including customer service and operations. One of the reasons for appointing Mr. Fujii general manager was that he had no experience working in resort hotels and the flexible mindset of youth.”

While shouldering these expectations, Mr. Fujii still finds himself caught up with past experiences. He feels what he has fostered with Daiwa Roynet Hotels is competitive with rivals. There should be no need to abandon everything from the past. That said, he also realizes that the focus of customer service is different at urban hotels and at resort hotels.

Resort hotels, where guests stay for extended periods, require more friendly communication and personalized service; whereas a fast, efficient service with sensitive awareness of guests’ needs is essential at urban Daiwa Roynet Hotels, which on average handle more than 100 check-ins and check-outs per day. Mr. Fujii knows that this experience is an asset, but constantly asks himself: What kind of resort hotel is authentically us?

He is not alone. All hotel employees continually explore what their authentic style of customer service is. What greetings do customers find most pleasant: “Welcome!” or “Good morning/afternoon/evening”? They find out by becoming customers themselves. They create their own Welcome Drinks menu of two or three items and explore how feasible they are for staff working the floor. They experience customer service and all equipment and supplies in person.

Mr. Fujii became an official resident of Nakijinson, where the hotel is located, and personally seeks out local specialties. He selected as a Welcome Drink Okumidori, known as Japan’s first green tea crop of the season, which is grown in Kunigami on the northern edge of the main island. He also visited a plantation that grows rare Okinawa coffee. He does not hesitate to visit other nearby resort hotels to ask for tips and ideas on hotel operations and hospitality. Traveling extensively and meeting and talking to many people, his openness and willingness to learn has made people warm to him and helped him build a local network of contacts.

This is how he is personally creating hospitality that comes naturally, not one prescribed in a manual, by providing services that he himself would appreciate. These services will likely continue to evolve after the hotel opens as they reflect personal insights and customer feedback. Perfection does not exist, but that’s what makes the work rewarding. Hotel employees walked with a spring in their step as they rushed to prepare for the big day.

When interviewing job candidates, Mr. Miura often asks whether they have a dream. It can be work- or family-related, or something else. People who have a dream or vision for the future and enjoy discussing it in an interview generally have a clear idea of what they want to do after joining the company, and they are able to sustain effort toward achieving their goals.

Daiwa House founder Nobuo Ishibashi taught his people to “have a dream and live in the world of imagination and original ideas.” Having a dream or goal naturally inspires people to progress. As they challenge themselves, they strive to improve things, come up with ideas, and put them into practice. Even if something doesn’t work out, they will make the experience count toward the next success. “What’s important,” says Mr. Miura, “is to do your very best and continue to grow.”

General Manager Fujii also has a dream. “Many of our guests will come here expecting to enjoy Kourijima’s stunning scenery and the island’s charms. We want our customer service to surpass their expectations by providing a welcome that delivers one better. We want to help them create memories by doing things like surprising guests on their birthday or staging a marriage proposal. Our goal is for our guests to go home satisfied with service that delivers far more than scenery.

Does Mr. Fujii have personal dreams too, ones separate from his aspirations for the hotel? “I’ve done what I wanted to do ever since I joined the company. Even when I was a temp, I often made suggestions for making the work environment more enjoyable and attracting the kind of coworkers who would appreciate it, because I believed that this would deliver spaces and customer service that satisfies our guests. How I feel has not changed since I joined the company. I have always enjoyed working in the hotel business, and here I still am today. So maybe I’m already living my dream.”

Daiwa House Realty Mgt. also has a new dream—to have 100 hotels, both resort and overseas hotels, in 2030. Resort hotels will not only be at seaside locations, but in the mountains and hot-spring areas as well. Making plans to turn the dream into reality is endlessly exciting.

As Baton Suite Okinawa Kourijima (the company’s first resort hotel) prepares to open its doors, staff have gained a confident, determined demeanor. They each have their own ideas about a resort hotel that is true to who they are and are acting accordingly. The experience they gain here will be fed back to urban hotels, helping to improve the overall quality of the Daiwa House Industry’s Hotel Business. Young leaders who develop their careers in the Hotel Business may even one day join the management team.

Baton Suite Okinawa Kourijima opened on March 27, 2025.

Like our guests’, our journey starts here.