When luxury hospitality intersects with music and pop culture, a new kind of experience begins to take shape.

Marriott International’s travel program Marriott Bonvoy has announced Candy Dream, a special collaboration with global K-pop group TWICE. The program unfolds across six Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Japan through themed afternoon teas, alongside a concept room at W Osaka, launching sequentially from June 1, 2026.

Courtesy of Marriott International
Rather than a conventional brand collaboration, the project reflects Marriott Bonvoy’s broader shift toward experience-led programming—where hotels become platforms that connect music, food, and emotional engagement.

Hotels as Cultural Hubs

At the announcement event, Marriott Bonvoy also unveiled details of Music Fest by Marriott Bonvoy 2026, a nationwide music event series scheduled for this summer.

Hosted across properties including Aloft Osaka Dojima, Aloft Tokyo Ginza, W Osaka, Courtyard by Marriott Nagoya, Four Points by Sheraton Nagoya Chubu International Airport, and Sheraton Grand Hiroshima, the program will feature a range of musical formats—from jazz to DJ performances.

John C. Toomey, Chief Commercial Officer, Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Marriott International
Courtesy of Marriott International
The initiative positions hotels not merely as places to stay, but as cultural hubs embedded within local communities. In this context, travel becomes less about accommodation and more about curated moments shaped by sound, space, and shared experience.

The World of Candy Dream

Candy Dream draws inspiration from TWICE’s official colors and their signature light stick, the “Candy Bong.” Soft pastel tones, candy-themed desserts, and layered pink interiors translate the group’s visual identity into both spatial and sensory experiences.

From left: Shigeru Nojima (JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo), Tomoyuki Kanai (The Westin Tokyo), Frederic Moreau (The Ritz-Carlton Osaka), John C. Toomey, Yoshihiro Shono (W Osaka), Arata Nakagawa (Sheraton Grand Hiroshima), Richard Long (The Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka)
Courtesy of Marriott International
Echoing TWICE’s concept of delivering “two moments of delight,” the afternoon tea is designed to be enjoyed “first with the eyes, then with the palate.” This dual structure aligns naturally with Japan’s “afternoon tea culture” (often referred to as “nun-katsu”), where visual presentation and shareability are as central as taste.

Six Hotels, Six Interpretations

Across the six participating hotels, each pastry chef interprets the Candy Dream theme through their own culinary language.

At JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo, Executive Pastry Chef Shigeru Nojima highlights pastel-toned creations such as a beet and apple mousse finished with a delicate consommé cloud.

Courtesy of Marriott International
At The Westin Tokyo, Pastry Chef Tomoyuki Kanai focuses on seasonal lightness, pairing fruit with pink yogurt cream for a refreshing summer composition.

Courtesy of Marriott International
At The Ritz-Carlton Osaka, Executive Pastry Chef Frederic Moreau presents a buffet-style experience with colorful sweets and savory items, including pistachio custard and cupcakes.

Courtesy of Marriott International
At W Osaka, Executive Pastry Chef Yoshihiro Shono translates TWICE’s world through flavor, color, and aroma, with a lollipop marshmallow inspired by the Candy Bong as a standout piece.

Courtesy of Marriott International
Sheraton Grand Hiroshima incorporates local ingredients such as Hiroshima lemon into macaron designs inspired by candy pop aesthetics, while The Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka reimagines dessert structure through a macaron-based tart that reflects TWICE’s creative spirit.

Sheraton Grand Hiroshima | Courtesy of Marriott International
The Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka | Courtesy of Marriott International
While unified under a single concept, each hotel’s interpretation reveals distinct brand identities and regional nuances—transforming the project into a multi-layered experience.

A Stay Designed as Fan Experience

At W Osaka, the concept extends into a fully immersive room experience. The Candy Dream concept room features layered pink interiors, oversized ribbons, and TWICE’s character series “LOVELYS,” evoking the atmosphere of a playful, intimate sleepover.

Courtesy of Marriott International
Guests receive an exclusive welcome kit—including room slippers, an eye mask, a hair scrunchie, and a pouch—alongside a specially designed room key that can be kept as a souvenir.

In this setting, the hotel stay itself becomes an extension of fandom.

From Loyalty Program to Experience Platform

Marriott Bonvoy, which spans more than 30 brands across 145 countries and territories, has increasingly evolved beyond a traditional loyalty program into a platform for curated experiences. At the event, John C. Toomey, Chief Commercial Officer for Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), emphasized Japan’s strategic importance, noting the brand’s expansion to 121 properties across 30 prefectures.

Past initiatives—including collaborations with ENHYPEN and Formula 1 experiences—demonstrate how Marriott Bonvoy connects global audiences through shared cultural touchpoints. Within this trajectory, Candy Dream represents not only a fan-driven activation, but also a broader exploration of how hospitality can host music, emotion, and community.

A Lighter Definition of Luxury

What Candy Dream ultimately suggests is a redefinition of luxury. Rather than relying solely on tradition or exclusivity, luxury here emerges through storytelling, shareability, and emotional resonance.

By layering K-pop aesthetics onto the format of afternoon tea, and extending it into spatial design, Marriott Bonvoy introduces a softer, more participatory form of luxury—one that exists as much in memory as it does in place.