ISELIN, N.J.
APA Group, owner of APA Hotels & Resorts—Japan's largest hospitality organization—announced a new partnership with New Jersey-based Friendwell Group of Companies, a group of real estate companies, to introduce and develop the Always Pleasant Amenity (APA) Hotel Franchise in the U.S.
The new APA Hotel Franchise LLC, based in Delaware, opened its first U.S.-based property, the 200-room APA Hotel Woodbridge at Metropark, N.J., on Nov. 13, 2015.
APA Hotel Woodbridge (formerly the Hilton Woodbridge Hotel), which is owned by Friendwell Group of Companies, will remain open for both leisure and business travelers during a multi-phased renovation and redesign of all guest rooms, suites and all public areas, including the large lobby, 30,000 square feet of conference facilities, a new signature Japanese restaurant, and a full service bar. The public areas are slated to be completed by summer 2016, followed by all guest rooms by spring 2017.
"While the APA organization will introduce its Japanese culture and high-level service to the U.S. market, Friendwell's diverse group of U.S. hotels have achieved great success in blending Asian and American cultural touchpoints, which creates a perfect synergy for our new U.S. partnership—APA Hotel Franchise," said Tsun-Jen Cheng, Chairman of Friendwell Group of Companies.
APA Hotel Franchise combines APA Hotel's 30 years of business in Japan with 347 properties to date and Friendwell Group's growth in diversified real estate investments and hotel management. A company originating from Taiwan, Friendwell now owns 3,000-plus hotel rooms in its growing U.S. portfolio, spread across Hilton, InterContinental Hotels Group and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
