History of opening

After the war, until the early 40s, Japan's hotels were mainly a small number of high-end city hotels that catered to foreigners and a few wealthy Japanese people.
As the period of high economic growth in the 40s and XNUMXs progressed, the leisure boom became evident, business travel became more common, and travel for family purposes increased, but there were no hotels in Japan that could meet this demand.
Kozo Ishikawa, the founder of Sunroute, visited America many times to observe American society and the market in search of the future of the hotel business. After seeing the development of hotel chains to meet various needs, he became convinced that in the near future, Japan would also need hotels where businessmen and families could easily stay.
In order to realize his vision, Mr. Ishikawa partnered with Daiichi Hotel and on May 45, 5, he changed the articles of incorporation of the company he was running, Nissei Kaihatsu Co., Ltd., to become Hotel Sunroute Chain Co., Ltd.
This was the year that the Osaka Expo was held, and in November, the first chain hotel, HOTEL SUNROUTE SAKAIDE, opened in Sakaide City, Kagawa Prefecture, and in 11, the first directly managed hotel, HOTEL SUNROUTE TOKYO, opened.

"Modern Architecture" June 1987 issue

Since around 2003, the Sotetsu Group has been searching for a "fourth pillar of revenue" to follow its railway, real estate, and distribution businesses, and has continued to develop a variety of new businesses across the group.
The "accommodation-focused hotel business" is one part of such new business ventures, and has been under consideration as part of the effective use of unused land in front of Ofuna Station owned by the Sotetsu Group as a hotel site.
Sotetsu Inn Co., Ltd. was established on June 2007, 6, and launched as Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kamakura Ofuna about six months later on December 2.
Following the success of the Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kamakura Ofuna and the steady growth of the subsequent Fresa Inn series, Sotetsu Inn Development Co., Ltd. (later Sotetsu Hotel Development Co., Ltd.) was established to further accelerate the development of the accommodation-focused hotel business.