Category Archives: Hotels

Sterling Holidays plans to come out with a travel insurance scheme for its customers from June 4. The scheme will cover door-to-door holiday insurance from departure to arrival. “Companies in India do not offer comprehensive insurance to customers. So, this scheme will cover for mishap as also for lost or missed baggage. The aim is to cover the customer for the entire trip,” said Ramesh Ramanathan, Managing Director, Sterling Holidays. The launch got delayed due to backend work and testing, he said. Now, members as well as non-members can get the benefit of this plan. The firm has tied up with Digit Insurance, a part of the Fairfax group. The hospitality firm plans to expand to Rajasthan, Coorg, and Port Blair. The company is keen on Varanasi too. “One of the oldest cities in the world, it (Varanasi) has heritage, history and is also attracting lot of visitors both Indians as well as foreigners. Also, in the last three years, a lot of focus is being given on its cleaning up,” said Ramanathan. The company plans to double its inventory from 2,200 to 4,500 rooms in three-four years and aims to increase the number of resorts to over 50. Source: The Hindu Business Line

Treebo has announced its acquisition of Events High, a marketplace for experiential events and activities for an undisclosed amount. Events High’s acquisition is strategically aligned with Treebo’s mission to become India’s most loved travel network by delivering delightful experiences to every traveller. Events High offers customers information on, and ability to book activities like treks and hikes, cooking classes, dance classes, concerts, heritage walks, nightlife, etc. in eight cities – Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata and Goa. The move will effectively enable Treebo to enter the thriving events and activities segment in India. Post the acquisition, Treebo has absorbed the entire Events High team. Commenting on the acquisition, Sidharth Gupta, Co-founder, Treebo said, “We are on a mission to offer delightful experiences to travellers and build the most loved travel network by offering curated local events and activities to our customers through Events High. Experiencing these local activities is a core part of people’s travel plans. More so now than ever before, people are keen to buy ‘experiences’ not ‘things’.” Nikesh Garera, Co-founder and CEO, Events High said, “Customers value engagement and unique experiences, and Events High has always been committed to curate these experiences and make them discoverable. Stay is an integral part of the huge number of travellers who attend such experiences, and with Treebo we share the vision to offer delightful experiences to such travellers.”

ITC Hotels has announced the addition of ITC Kohenur in Hyderabad as the 12th hotel to join its luxury portfolio from today. Located in the heart of Hyderabad’s new business district overlooking the picturesque Durgam Cheruvu Lake, the hotel endeavours to create ‘rare and priceless’ experiences through its super-premium offerings – 271 high technology-enabled rooms, suites and service apartments, six culinary brands, meeting and convention spaces, and Kaya Kalp spa. Located in HITEC city, the architecture and design of the hotel mirror the facets of the feted jewel by bringing to life art, culture, cuisine and heritage of the region in a contemporary milieu. Inspirations range from the striking boulders of Hyderabad to the famous Bidri work, showcase of local arts and crafts to presenting the rich culinary legacy of the region. A stand-out in-room tech feature is the amalgamation of all services through the E-Butler iPad. The hotel also features nine versatile meeting, banquet and conference spaces. This includes the pillar-less Deccan State room, which can be divided into two separate halls, each with its own pre-function area. The hotel also boasts of two sprawling outdoor venues, the Pearl Deck & the Golconda greens that are perfect for a range of theme events, corporate functions, celebrations and parties.

Ginger Hotels, operated by Roots Corporation, has signed a new hotel in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. This will be Ginger’s first hotel in Jhansi, a city that is amongst those selected for the ‘Smart City’ initiative by Government of India. Ginger Jhansi will have 76 rooms, an all-day diner, and a meeting room. Located exactly opposite the railway station, the proposed hotel is a convenient option for travellers visiting the historic city of Jhansi for business or leisure. The hotel is a greenfield development and is slated to open by late 2020. “We are delighted to partner with Khard Hotels for the new Ginger hotel and to set foot in the historic city of Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. This will be the first branded hotel in the city,” says Deepika Rao, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Ginger Hotels. The Ginger portfolio has 45 operating hotels across 32 cities, with another eight hotels in the pipeline. The Indian Hotels Company, of which Roots Corporation is a subsidiary, has five hotels in the state of Uttar Pradesh – The Gateway Hotel Fatehabad Road Agra; Vivanta and Ginger in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow; Taj Nadesar Palace Varanasi and The Gateway Ganges Varanasi.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced the rebranding of Hyatt Bangalore MG Road to the Hyatt Centric brand, marking the brand’s first hotel in India and 23rd worldwide. The Hyatt Centric brand targets millennial-minded travellers who want to be in the middle of the action. “We are delighted to introduce the Hyatt Centric brand to our guests in India with the opening of Hyatt Centric MG Road Bangalore,” said Sunjae Sharma, Vice President – Operations, India, Hyatt. “Based in the hustle and bustle of Bangalore’s city centre, we are confident that Hyatt Centric MG Road Bangalore will serve as a platform for guests to easily explore and share all that is vibrant, and exciting, about the garden city. The launch of a Hyatt Centric hotel in India strengthens Hyatt’s portfolio in the country and highlights our commitment to offering the authentic experiences guests want.” Designed by Studio HBA, the hotel boasts a contemporary feel with eclectic touches that capture the city’s cosmopolitan vibe. Its 143 contemporary and playful guestrooms, including four suites with terrace gardens overlooking the aquamarine blue pool, have been stylishly redecorated and infused with local flare. With features like complimentary Wi-Fi and a 48-inch flat-screen TV, each guestroom offers the perfect setting to relax after the day’s adventures.

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has signed a new Ginger hotel in Visakhapatnam. It will be Ginger’s second hotel in the city. Ginger Hotels’ portfolio has 45 operating hotels and seven hotels in the pipeline. The announcement reflects the company’s strategic domestic expansion to drive growth momentum. Deepika Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Roots Corporation said, “We are delighted to partner with SSR Builders in Visakhapatnam for this hotel. We are happy to expand our presence in Visakhapatnam, a key city in Andhra Pradesh.” The new Ginger in Visakhapatnam with 56 rooms, an all-day diner, meeting room and a fitness centre located at Gajuwaka amidst a commercial hub with close proximity to companies like Tata Motors, Nestle, BHEL, GAIL and many others. The hotel is slated to open mid-2019. IHCL has two other hotels in the city – The Gateway Hotel Beach Road Visakhapatnam and a 68-room Ginger hotel close to the Visakhapatnam railway station.    

Lemon Tree Hotels has announced the opening of its new hotel, Lemon Tree Hotel, Baddi, marking its entry into this industrial town of Himachal Pradesh. Carnation Hotels, the hotel management arm of Lemon Tree Hotels, will be managing this mid-scale hotel. The management agreement was signed by Rattan Keswani, Deputy Managing Director – Lemon Tree Hotels & Whole Time Director – Carnation Hotels, and M/s Royal Park (Owner). Speaking on the occasion, Rattan Keswani, said: We are pleased to add Lemon Tree Hotel, Baddi to the growing fleet of hotels and thank the promoters for their trust in us. This property enhances our portfolio mix and helps us enter the lucrative industrial town of Baddi, which is home to over 2000 medium and large industries besides being a convenient transit location for guests travelling to popular leisure destinations in the hills.” Expressing his delight at the opening, Ashok Kukreja, Managing Partner, M/s Royal Park stated, “We are happy to partner with Lemon Tree Hotels in bringing their midscale brand to Baddi. With their world class management by our side, we are sure to develop this new hotel into the most preferred destination amongst business and leisure travellers visiting this industrial town.” Spread across 5 acres, this vibrant hotel, with pleasing fountains in the driveway, boasts of a magnificent swimming pool, manicured lawns, wide open spaces and a stylish ambience.  

Lemon Tree Hotels has recently announced the formal opening of Lemon Tree Hotel, Banjara Hills, its fourth hotel in Hyderabad. The hotel is strategically located adjacent to CARE hospital, in close proximity to major commercial hubs and popular malls. It is easily accessible from RGIA Airport, and is only a 45 minutes drive from Hyderabad Railway station. The hotel is conveniently located near popular tourist places like Birla Mandir, the Necklace Road and a short drive from the Secretariat, the Assembly and various heritage sites like Charminar, Mecca Masjid and Golconda Fort. Commenting on the launch, Vikramjit Singh, President, Lemon Tree Hotels said, “A very demand driven micro-market with immense business potential, Banjara Hills is an urban commercial centre of importance. We look forward to welcoming our discerning guests here. With this opening, Lemon Tree Hotels further strengthens its footprint in the city.” Lemon Tree Hotels, Banjara Hills will have 85 rooms and will cater to travellers looking for value-for-money accommodations in Hyderabad. Each room has been tastefully decorated and suited to meet the specific needs of a business traveller with a full sized working desk and an ergonomic executive chair, to make business-on-the-go productive. With this new opening, Lemon Tree now holds a cumulative inventory of 663 rooms in the city.

Marriott Hotels hosted its South Asia Market Place at Westin Gurgaon. Representatives from a total of 53 hotels across the region were present at the event with 120 customers for one-on-one meetings. The customers included travel trade, MiCE agents as well as corporates. Hema Hariramani, Area Director, National Sales- India, Marriott International said, “We started this concept last year. The first edition of  South Asia Marketplace was held last year in November and we started with JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity. We saw overwhelming response over there and the latest edition happening at Westin Gurgaon for the first time again is bigger and better, because we have changed the format a little bit. Last year we started with the trade in the morning and then we went on to one-on-one meetings, which was only for two hours. However, after doing a survey and customer feedback as well as discussion with internal partners, we were told to have more time for one-on-one meetings, and hence we have extended the time for the same to three and a half hours and everybody has liked this format and has been well received. We will make more changes in it next year and hope to make it bigger and better.”

The Tamara Kodai is the newest addition to The Tamara brand of luxury resorts. It is located in the historical La Providence in Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu and offers 53 suites of French Provincial design, each boasting of a bedroom with large balcony, living room, and an attached bathroom. Each suite features wooden floors, room heaters, contemporary in-room amenities, complimentary high-speed internet, LED TV with satellite channels and 24/7 room service facility. It also has a Ball Room that can accommodate more than 100 guests with a spacious pre-function area. Wellness facilities will include The Elevation Spa, Yoga Lounge and a fitness centre. La Providence is a historical structure dating back to the 1840s that was known to be one of the first structures to come up in the region. An expansion took place staying as close to the old colonial style of architecture as possible.