Single suite hotel tests co-creation model with four Hiroshima firms

Glider Associates, Inc. has launched its first collaborative regional hotel project, craft hotel antenna HIROSHIMA, aimed at creating a co-creation framework for local enterprises entering the tourism industry.

The single-suite accommodation opened in September in Hiroshima. Glass manufacturer Ishizaki Holdings, founded in 1918, acts as the primary project owner under its newly established urban revitalisation programme. Hiroshima-based spatial design firm Daisho Kogei oversaw interior design and construction, local accommodation operator Moopon Corporation manages facility operations, and Glider Associates handles brand development and business planning.

The initiative addresses regional shortages of tourism operators by creating an entry model for companies outside the travel sector to make use of existing corporate assets, including real estate and local business networks. To distribute economic gains into the surrounding district, the facility adopts a model that separates accommodation from food and drink services, steering visitors toward independent restaurants, shops and cultural activities across the city.

The Hiroshima facility accepts one private booking per day. The suite incorporates furniture and bedding produced by regional manufacturers, alongside a raised seating platform constructed with glass techniques developed by Ishizaki. Staff provide guests with neighbourhood guides compiled from local residents and enterprises to encourage exploration of surrounding commercial districts.

This launch comes after trials at craft hotel antenna SHINJUKU KOENJI in Tokyo. It achieved an 82.3 percent occupancy rate and monthly profitability in July 2026, recording an average party size of 4.6 guests and an overseas visitor ratio of 60.9 percent.

Glider Associates is seeking co-creation partners across Japan, inviting consultations from regional businesses, local authorities and property owners seeking to convert vacant or underused buildings, increase commercial property values or enter the accommodation sector.