Category Archives: Hotels

Asia Pacific region’s hotel exhibition by AccorHotels – AccorHotels Showcase kicked off its 2017 India leg today at Sofitel Mumbai BKC and will travel to New Delhi on March 24. Joined by AccorHotels’ executives from across 95 countries representing more than 4,100 hotels and resorts worldwide, the event will offer attendees an insight into the group’s new developments, products and services. In its 14th year touring the region, AccorHotels Showcase provides travel agents, wholesalers, corporate clients, tourism partners and MICE organisers an opportunity to discover AccorHotels accommodation trends, news and stunning hotels and resorts from around the world. This year, AccorHotels commences its 12-destination series as it moves through cities, visiting landmark AccorHotels across Asia Pacific. In India, exhibitors from globally sought-after destinations such as France, Spain, Malaysia, Indonesia, UAE and Singapore will be present at the event, representing celebrated hotels like Fairmont Ajman, SO Sofitel Singapore & Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa, Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower, Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul, Novotel Madrid Center and more. Over 400 guests comprising top corporates from India, Travel Management Companies, Travel Agents and Tour Operators, PCOs and Wedding Planner are set to attend the event in each city.

Thailand-based Absolute Hotel Services has launched a boutique apartment hotel, Eastin Residences Vadodara in Gujarat. The property is located in main Alkapuri, the hub for shopping, family attractions and commercial centre. All 44 residences are classified into 3 major categories – ‘Studio Apartment – Twin & Double ’, ‘Deluxe Studio Apartment’ and ‘One Bedroom Apartment’. The hotel exudes a completely ‘Glocal’ vibe by blending global standards with local and ethnical elements that is reflected in the interiors. The hotel houses an all-day dining restaurant, ‘The Glass House’, which offers multi-cuisine dining options throughout the day, wherein guests can choose from an extensive à la carte menu comprising of local, regional and international favorites. Facilities also include gym and mini mart cum wine shop. Speaking on the launch of the hotel, Shalil Suvarna, Vice – President Operations and Pre-Opening, AHS (India), on behalf of Eastin Residences Vadodara, said, “We are extremely delighted to announce the launch of the Eastin Residences Vadodara which is part of the international Eastin Hotels and Residences. This one of a kind concept fills in the need for guests who are in the city with long or extended stays. Vadodara, Gujarat’s 3rd largest city is seen as an emerging business hub and while it gives us geographical extension, it is wonderful to be part of the city’s advancement.

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has set a target to achieve 200 operating hotels in its Asia Pacific portfolio by 2020 and is well on track to achieve the same, informed Thorsten Kirschke, President- Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The Group announced strong 2016 results with 77 openings across the globe, the most since 2009 and signed 122 new properties marking its fourth consecutive year of signings increases. A steady growth was recorded for the Group in the Asia Pacific region with the opening of 14 hotels in 2016. In India, the Group holds a strong portfolio of 140 hotels in operation and in various stages of development. “Asia Pacific continues to be one of the most promising and energetic growth regions of the world,” said “The underlying hotel performance on a like for like basis has yielded robust improvements of 8 per cent (800 bps) GOP growth. We continue to be on track to achieving our goal of attaining 200 operating hotels in our Asia Pacific portfolio by 2020,” he added. Increased strength and alignment in branding and operations also resulted from the company’s successful integration of the master license agreement for the Country Inns & Suites By Carlson brand in India. The global portfolio now includes 1,143 hotels and 180,250 rooms in operation and the global pipeline remains strong with 303 hotels and 50,000 rooms under development.

Carlson Rezidor announced the opening of its new hotel-Radisson Blu Atria Bengaluru, featuring 167 guest rooms and suites with modern amenities. The hotel is located 45 minutes away from the Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) and 10 minutes from the City Railway Station. The hotel has four F&B outlets for guests. The hotel has over 1,250 square meters of flexible room configurations with its six meeting spaces and two boardrooms, capable of accommodating large wedding receptions or intimate team meetings complemented with state-of-the-art presentation and audiovisual tools. Other facilities available at the hotel include the Business Class Lounge, business center, swimming pool, spa and fully-equipped fitness center. Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said, “Bengaluru is a progressive market and continues to thrive on high economic activity, an international focal point of India’s growth momentum. The opening of Radisson Blu Atria Bengaluru is a testament of our footprint in the region and a reflection of the unique brand identity that we bring to the city. We are proud to be in partnership with A.S.K. Brothers Ltd. to launch this upper-upscale hotel.” The new hotel is set to introduce the brand’s internationally renowned, Yes, I Can!SM service philosophy with sophisticated design and premier accommodation. Commenting on the opening, Sunder Raju, Executive Director, A.S.K. Brothers Ltd, said, “Radisson Blu, a new addition to Bengaluru’s hospitality landscape, brings fresh vibrancy to the marketplace. The brand stands out in creating experiences that constantly reflect the modern traveler’s needs, desires and aspirations. We are pleased to collaborate with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship in delivering hospitality services and enhancing the brand in Bengaluru.”

Lords Hotels & Resorts has signed up its 27th hotel property at Sasan Gir in Gujarat. Presently run as Vishal The Greenwoods, the hotel will come under the Lords Hotels & Resorts banner and will begin operations under the new management this month. One of the closest hotels to The Gir National Park, Vishal Lords Inn – Gir Forest offers an unparalleled locational advantage to tourists visiting the park. Located at a close proximity to the Madhuvanti Dam, the premium property offers seventy-two keys to stunningly spacious villas, luxurious suites, and plush rooms. Some of the other amenities include a mini theatre, swimming pool, game zone, a well-furnished restaurant and above all a great view of the Gir Forest. The discerning guest, the hotel houses an Ayurveda spa and even a shopping arcade. The launch of this hotel follows the opening of a hotel property in Bharuch which the hotel chain had signed up last year. The addition of this property makes Lords Hotels & Resorts the largest and the most dominant hospitality chain in the state of Gujarat. “Being the only region in Asia that is home to lions, Sasan Gir enjoys a round the year tourist inflow including foreign tourists. The region is a dry deciduous forest however the hotel has been developed in absolute contrast to its surroundings. With plantations of several trees and exotic plants, the infrastructure will provide the guest with a green and clean environment while in the hotel premises. The hotel also co-ordinates lion safari options for the guests. While the services and amenities will be at par with any other hotel in the neighbourhood, the tariffs will be much more economical,” says …

Dubai-based JA Resorts & Hotels, that currently has properties in Maldives, Seychelles, and Dubai, will be making inroads into a new destination with its property in Sri Lanka. Pooja Wadhwa, Partner, Avant Garde Consulting, that is the promoting the group in India, reveals, “JA Resorts & Hotels is now making its way into a rather unexplored region in Sri Lanka later this year. Its third luxury beach resort, JA Eclipse Beach Resort, is under construction on the east coast of Sri Lanka and is due to open in the last quarter of 2017. It will be a premium tropical beach resort in Kathiraveli with 33 acres of greenery and a beach front of 450 metres.” Local design features such as laterite stone walls, wood teak ceiling, veneer teak walls, split granite and rich vibrant Sri Lankan textiles have been incorporated in to the design. Moreover, JA Hatta Fort Hotel, the group’s charming getaway retreat located an hour’s drive from Dubai, recently underwent a major refurbishment and is now all set to welcome guests for leisure, special occasions, business and incentive stays. It is set in 80 acres of manicured gardens in the majestic Hajar Mountain range and has quaint chalet-style rooms, with rock feature swimming pools and restaurants.

AccorHotels has announced a new group online booking tool— Leisure Online ( LOL)—for its travel trade partners. The digital solution provides travel professionals with real time availability and best rates guaranteed for leisure group bookings of 15 to 60 people (from 8 to 30 rooms) at more than 900 hotels and resorts worldwide, including India. Leisure Online is  user-friendly and designed like a booking engine for easy use. It is available anywhere, anytime giving bookers the flexibility to make reservations with ease and in no time. It allows bookers to consult single, double and twin room availability in real time, receive automatic access to the best available rate (rates are dynamic net rates and inclusive of breakfast) with an option to confirm instantly. Accessed via www.accorhotels.com/tourism, the Leisure Online booking tool also enables online users to pre-book directly in the hotel’s system, including additional services such as restaurant bookings and porterage at the click of a button. Further, being an online tool, Leisure Online notifies hotels in real time and they respond to requests within 24 hours. Arif Patel, Vice President Sales, Marketing, Distribution & Loyalty, AccorHotels India, said, “Indians today have emerged as the world’s newest globetrotters, spurred by a vastly improved spending power coupled with declining airfares, improved connectivity and strong uptake for Visa on Arrival and evisas. Increasingly more Indians, especially from non-metro cities are turning to travel as the primary leisure option and the trend will continue to stronger in times to come. That said, group bookings remain a cumbersome task for tourism fraternity.”

AccorHotels and Rixos Hotels have entered into a strategic partnership illustrating AccorHotels’ strategy to expand its presence in the Upper Upscale/Luxury market, with a primary focus on developing global activities in the resort segment. Under a long-term joint venture, both parties intend to collaborate, develop and manage Rixos branded resorts & hotels worldwide. Upon closing, AccorHotels will own a 50% interest in the joint venture management company. Through this joint venture, AccorHotels will integrate in its network 15 iconic hotels that are ideally located in premium resort markets in Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Russia and Europe and which benefit from strong room rate performance. As part of this transaction, Rixos plans to reflag five city-centre hotels to AccorHotels brands which will also be managed by AccorHotels. To this portfolio, Rixos will add a second iconic hotel in Dubai in the very short term as well as two other properties by the end of 2018 in Abu Dhabi and the Maldives highlighting the expansion of the Rixos brand into this key resort market. Rixos is one of only a handful iconic resort brands in the region that caters to both high-end transient and group customers. It is recognized as one of the leading luxury destination brands in Turkey and the Middle East due to its best-in-class facilities, dining options and entertainment venues. Each unique property is able to capture the traditions of its surrounding while providing signature experiences, unforgettable sensory offerings, and unparalleled level of tailored services. The Rixos collection includes notable landmark assets such as Rixos Premium Belek in Turkey and Rixos The Palm in Dubai. Additionally, Rixos has invested in Turkey’s largest life and entertainment center, The Land of Legends …

Kohinoor International Management Institute (KIMI) has collaborated with United Kingdom’s hospitality management institute ‘University College Birmingham (UCB)’ to offer its students an opportunity to earn a degree from the foreign university. At an event held recently at the Hotel Kohinoor Continental, the two institutes signed an MoU that entails KIMI’s students getting an advanced entry onto a related undergraduate degree programme at UCB, after having successfully completed two years of study at KIMI. The management course comprises of eight semesters of which four semesters will be covered in India and the rest will be covered in the UK. At the end of the course, the KIMI students will receive a British degree and will also have the benefit of interning in an international environment.

Meliá Hotels International has concluded its three cities roadshow in Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, from February 20-22, 2017. The roadshows were aimed to strengthen and build up relationships with key travel partners across India and showcase the USPs of the brands — Gran Melia, ME by Meliá, Paradisus, Melia Hotels & Resorts, Innside by Melia, Tryp by Wyndham and Sol by Melia. Led by, Ruben Casas, Senior Director Sales and Marketing, Asia Pacific, and senior hotel representatives, the roadshows witnessed active participation from several trade partners, travel consultants, major tour operators, wedding planners and media. Ruben Casas said, “India has witnessed stupendous growth in the past years and the evolved hospitality scenario provides a positive base for several new businesses to establish and grow. Last year we set up our Representation office in India to further expand our market share and work extensively in this region and have witnessed a huge increase in its share in our revenue. We are keen on tapping all segments of travellers—family, luxury, honeymooners, wedding, business and leisure, as Melia Hotels International counts a presence of more than 370 hotels in 40 countries and 7 brands targeting each of those segments.  We have participated in SATTE and met a good number of potential travel professionals. Furthermore, these meetings give us the opportunity to meet and show our gratitude to them for their support and provide new opportunities to drive business.”