Tag Archives: Puneet Chhatwal

Speaking at one of the sessions of the of the virtual conference, Hospitality Tomorrow, Puneet Chhatwal, MD and CEO IHCL said, “Among the segments that will come back first, I think opportunistic business is going to be key like repatriates, which we did not even know where it came from, we did not even realize that it could be a new market. Secondly people will take domestic trips, within driving distance to begin with, then some corporate demand will come up once the airports start functioning, as well as railways and highways. Step by step business demand will resume, maybe not at the same pace. Maybe some people will take vacations within the same city for an extended weekend. Since people are fed up of being inside their houses. ”

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is introducing the iconic Taj brand in Himachal Pradesh with the opening of Taj Theog Resort & Spa, Shimla. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, said, “We are delighted to open our first hotel in Himachal Pradesh. This will be the company’s first mountain resort. With this new addition, we have expanded our resort portfolio which is the largest in India. The state has great tourism potential and we look forward to expanding our footprint to showcase the pristine beauty of this region.” Nestled amidst thick Cedar forests and spread over five acres, every nook and corner of the hotel offers mesmerising views of the mighty Himalayas. Taj Theog Resort & Spa’s design and architecture echoes colonial charm reminiscent of hill station appeal. Each of the 99 rooms, with warm wooden furniture, traditional rugs and tall French windows offer spacious balconies overlooking snow peaks and quaint villages. “Taj Theog Resort & Spa is a sanctuary amidst conifers, cedars and tiny hamlets with the stunning skyline of the Himalayan range as a backdrop. It serves as an ideal location for guests seeking a mix of adventure and relaxation coupled with Taj’s legendary service.” said Naveen Barthwal, General Manager, Taj Theog Resort & Spa, Shimla. Guests have a choice of distinctive culinary options which include an all-day diner – Tragopan that offers the robust Pahari cuisine along with global cuisines and comfort food; Peony, the oriental restaurant offers Sichuan and Cantonese cuisines.

Taj has opened its second hotel in Udaipur – Taj Aravali Resort & Spa. Nestled in the foothills of the picturesque Aravali mountain range, the resort is spread across 27 acres of lush landscaped gardens. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), said, “Taj has been instrumental in developing India’s tourism potential in Rajasthan and putting the state on the global map with the iconic Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, since 1970. With the opening of Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, we are enhancing our offering for the global traveller and reinforcing our commitment to Udaipur – the Venice of the East.” The resort has 92 luxurious rooms, suites and tents with panoramic views of the Aravalis. The design ethos is contemporary with a mix of traditional Rajasthani influences and furnishings inspired by Mewar’s world-class equestrian heritage. The hotel is conveniently located an hour away from the airport. Anand Nair, General Manager, Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, Udaipur, said, “Taj Aravali Resort & Spa is ideally located to enjoy nature while also staying connected to the pulse of Udaipur’s vibrant character. We look forward to welcoming guests to experience Taj’s legendary service.” Guests have a choice of distinctive culinary options which include an all-day diner – Tiri; a specialty vegetarian restaurant – Javitri; an alfresco grill – Ridgeview and a bar – Odeypore Lounge.

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has announced another Taj-branded hotel in Lucknow, in partnership with Luxus Hospitality. With this addition, IHCL will now have three hotels across two of its brands in the city. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, said, “We are delighted to partner with Luxus Hospitality. This signing is aligned to Aspiration 2022 with its focus on aggressive domestic growth. The company is optimistic about Lucknow as it is an important centre for governance, business, culture and tourism.” The Taj-branded hotel will be located at Vibhuti Khand, New Gomti Nagar Centre with close proximity to key corporate parks, institutions and recreational facilities. It will comprise 185 spacious guest rooms, an all-day diner, a specialty restaurant, a bar, a wellness area and banqueting facilities. Amit Singh, Director, Luxus Hospitality, said, “We are proud to partner with The Indian Hotels Company Limited for its iconic Taj brand and bring their famed hospitality to Lucknow.”

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has announced the signing of a new Vivanta hotel in Kathmandu, marking the entry of the brand in the city. This will be IHCL’s second hotel in Nepal after Meghauli Serai in Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Commenting on the signing of this agreement, Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL said, “We are honoured to partner with R&R Hotels and Resorts for this new hotel. Kathmandu is an extremely popular destination and this hotel will help us complete a tourist circuit with Meghauli Serai, our Taj Safari Lodge in Chitwan National Park.” The hotel will have approximately 111 spacious rooms and suites with a selection of rooms offering panoramic views of the city. The hotel will also include all-day dining and specialty restaurants, a bar, banqueting facilities and a spa. Commenting on the partnership, Rahul Chaudhary, Director, R&R Hotels and Resorts, said, “We have had a long standing association with IHCL for a range of hotels in multiple destinations. We are extremely proud to carry this relationship forward with the new Vivanta in Kathmandu.” Kathmandu has been at the centre of Nepal’s history, art, culture and economy. Some of the most popular attractions include the sacred and famous temple Pashupatinath, one of the biggest stupas in the world Boudhanath Stupa and Narayanhiti Palace Museum amongst others.  

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has announced the signing of a new Taj Hotel at Deira Creek in Dubai in partnership with Ithra Dubai, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO, IHCL said, “The Middle East is a significant market for IHCL. We are honoured to partner with Ithra Dubai for this new hotel in Deira – the historical and cultural centre of Dubai. IHCL has a long tradition of managing marquee hotels with rich heritage links across the world.” The new Taj hotel is a greenfield project slated to open in early 2022, conveniently positioned 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport. This hotel will be part of Deira Waterfront Development – one of Dubai’s most significant rejuvenation projects. An urban oasis, the hotel will have approximately 200 spacious rooms and suites with a selection of rooms cantilevered over the water, with scenic waterfront views. The hotel will include all-day dining and specialty restaurants, a bar and lounge, banqueting facilities and a spa. Issam Galadari, Chief Executive Director, Ithra Dubai, said, “We are delighted to partner with The Indian Hotels Company Limited and look forward to working with them to bring the iconic Taj brand to the Deira Waterfront Development in Dubai.” IHCL also operates Taj Dubai in downtown Business Bay and has two new hotels, Taj Jumeirah Lake Towers and Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm, Dubai opening in late 2018 and 2019 respectively

Hotelivate has kicked off its 6th Hotel Operations Summit India (HOSI) at Taj Palace, New Delhi with stimulating discussions on topics pertaining to the hospitality industry. HOSI, the only dedicated forum for hotel professionals in the region, aims to empower today’s hospitality leaders through enabling conversations on management and operations-related issues, the rapidly evolving marketplace, latest industry trends, benchmarking and best practices. With the focus on increasing the diaspora of the speaker by bringing in leaders from businesses that are intricately tied up with the hospitality industry, the programme encompassed a series of keynote addresses by distinguished speakers and thought-provoking group discussions. Notable speakers included industry leaders such as Anshuman Bapna, Chief Product Officer, Goibibo; Dilip Puri, Founder and CEO, Indian School of Hospitality; Jiggs Kalra, Mentor and Culinary Director, Massive Restaurants; Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer – South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group; Rattan Keswani, Deputy Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels; Navjit Ahluwalia, Senior Vice President and Country Head – India, Hilton; Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, OYO Rooms; Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO, Indian Hotels Company, to name a few.

In a major milestone, The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has announced its foray into the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with a partnership with Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company in the prestigious King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) project, one of the largest urban rejuvenation projects in the city of Makkah. Commenting on the signing of this agreement, Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, said, “We are honoured to partner with Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company in bringing the first Taj hotel to Saudi Arabia. This signing is aligned to our strategy of a strong focus on global growth markets and to be present where our guests travel to.” This hotel will be IHCL’s fourth venture in the MENA region. The company manages Taj Dubai located in the Burj Khalifa downtown area. It will also open another two hotels in Dubai in the next 12 to 18 months. The hotel, scheduled to open in January 2023, will have approximately 340 keys, banqueting facilities and several restaurants to serve all tastes. Commenting on the partnership, Eng. Mohammad Al Ganawi, Chief Executive Officer, Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company said, “We look forward to working with them to bring the iconic Taj brand to the unique development project in Makkah.” As the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the site of his first revelation of the Quran, Makkah is the holiest city in the religion of Islam.

Indian Hotels Co Ltd (IHCL) has announced that Rahul Pandit, MD and CEO, Roots Corporation, a subsidiary of IHCL that owns and manages Ginger Hotels, has resigned effective April 2, 2018 due to personal reasons. Pandit has been with the company for around three years. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director, IHCL and CEO, Roots Corporation, said, “The Board respects Pandit’s decision and thanks him for his leadership. During his tenure, Ginger expanded its portfolio  in line with the company’s growth strategy whilst achieving its highest customer satisfaction ratings . We wish him the very best with his endeavors. There is a stable leadership team in place at Roots Corporation and we will continue to pursue our aggressive plans for the company.” Pandit stated, “It has been an honour to lead Roots Corporation over the last few years. It was an exceptional learning experience which added value to my professional journey. I would like to thank my board members and colleagues for their support during my stint.”

Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has appointed Puneet Chhatwal as its new CEO. He was earlier the CEO of Deutsche Hospitality, which owns the Steigenburger chain of hotels in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Chhatwal reportedly said, “IHCL has some of the most iconic hotel properties in India and at key gateway locations across the world. I look forward to working with the talented teams at IHCL and under Mr. Chandrasekaran’s leadership to take this iconic company forward.” He will replace Rakesh Sarna who is stepping down with effect from September 30, 2017.  Chhatwal started his career with ITDC and was the Chief Development Officer of the Rezidor Hotel group, which owns the Radisson brand of hotels, before joining Deutsche Hospitality in 2012. Raj Rana, CEO, South Asia at Carlson Rezidor, reportedly said, “I welcome him back to the hospitality industry in India where he started his career.” Source: The Economic Times