Hotel101 eyes Japan debut in December

DoubleDragon Corp. is preparing to expand its international hotel footprint further as its 482-room Hotel101-Niseko in Hokkaido, Japan moves closer to opening in December, positioning the company to generate recurring revenues in Japanese yen for the first time.

The project has reached a major construction milestone with the completion of the building's exterior, while interior fit-out works are now in full swing ahead of its scheduled launch later this year.

Once operational, Hotel101-Niseko will become the largest hotel in Kutchan, Niseko, strengthening DoubleDragon's bid to establish the Hotel101 brand in major international tourism markets.

The opening will also mark another milestone for the company as it becomes the first Filipino homegrown hotel chain to build and operate a hotel in Japan.

The Niseko property follows the March opening of the 680-room Hotel101-Madrid in Spain, which enabled the company to begin generating recurring revenues in euros from overseas operations. The Japan hotel is expected to diversify that income stream by adding Japanese yen-denominated revenues.

Hotel101-Niseko will feature two indoor swimming pools, a mineral hot bath, sauna, fitness center, meeting facilities, an all-day dining restaurant, children's playground, ski rental shop and ski locker facilities.

The hotel is located in Niseko, one of Japan's premier winter destinations known globally for its powder snow, ski resorts and views of Mount Yotei. During the summer season, the area attracts visitors through hiking, rafting, mountain biking, golf and hot spring resorts.

DoubleDragon said Niseko's accessibility has also improved with new international air links, including direct services from North America to Sapporo's New Chitose Airport. For Filipino travelers, direct flights from Manila to Sapporo offered by Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines are expected to further boost tourism demand.

The Japan expansion forms part of Hotel101 Global's strategy of building a worldwide portfolio of standardized hotel properties supported by its proprietary hospitality business model.

The company said it aims to develop one million Hotel101 rooms across 100 countries primarily through licensing arrangements that generate long-term recurring revenues.

Hotel101 currently operates properties in Manila, Fort Bonifacio and Madrid. Following the Niseko launch, additional openings are planned this year in Davao and Cebu.

DoubleDragon said 2026 is expected to be its biggest year for hotel expansion, with 2,229 new rooms scheduled to become operational across Spain, Japan and the Philippines.

The company expects its growing portfolio of hotels, alongside its leasing businesses in community malls, industrial warehouses and office properties, to further strengthen recurring income streams.

DoubleDragon's total assets currently stand at ₱225.3 billion. The company also noted that Hotel101 Global made history in 2025 as the first Filipino company with a subsidiary listed on the U.S. Nasdaq, while Hotel101-Madrid became the first overseas operation of a Filipino hotel chain earlier this year.