Nobu Hospitality has announced plans to expand Nobu Hotels and Restaurants in Thailand.

The brand has partnered with the region’s leading lifestyle real estate group, Asset World Corp (AWC), and signed a memorandum of understanding to complete an area development agreement covering Thailand with the intent to open “multiple” Nobu Hotels and Restaurants exclusively with AWC. 

The portfolio will include Bangkok’s first ever Nobu restaurant, which is expected to open in time for the New Year at the end of 2021 and is tipped to be extended into a Nobu Hotel. 

A statement from Nobu Hospitality - founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro and director Meir Teper - said each hotel and restaurant would be “fully engaged” with the local market and would offer guests a place to “relax and savour an experience in an atmosphere charged with a sense of being part of something extraordinary”.

Trevor Horwell, chief of Nobu Hospitality, said: “We are excited to be entering into a new partnership with AWC. Our strategy looking forward is to grow our brand with both regional and national partners so that they can access our business model and strength on a multi-site basis as others have successfully done before.”

Wallapa Traisorat, chief executive and president of AWC, added: “We are thrilled about this collaboration with Nobu, which is such a perfect partnership of the AWC and Nobu brands and our shared belief in unique offerings, design and creating experiences.

“From a business perspective, introducing Thailand’s first Nobu restaurant will enhance the value of our existing property Empire Tower, turning it into a large mixed-use facility and lifestyle experience destination right in the middle of the Bangkok CBD.”

He added: “Our shared growth plan is to extend to a hotel under the Nobu brand in the future, which is to feature exquisite cuisine at every meal and a distinct, intriguing design. All of this is an affirmation that AWC is committed to building value for the tourism industry, that we are a key player ready to meet the existing and future needs of tourists from across the globe as well as Thai travellers of any lifestyle.”