Category Archives: Hotels

Affirming India to be a major focus area in the Asia Pacific region for AccorHotels, Gaurav Bhushan, Global Chief Development Officer, AccorHotels, reveals that the company is bringing its luxury brands into India this year. “We have a very interesting line up in 2018 for our luxury and leisure hotel brands. Raffles, Fairmont and Banyan Tree are the brands that we are bringing into India. We are very excited about the opportunity. While the mid scale segment is increasing steadily and doing well, there is also a very big opportunity in the luxury, the lifestyle and the leisure space. That is the new frontier from our perspective.” He adds that the company expects to add five hotels with an approximate key count of 1,000-plus rooms to its network in 2018. “We already have 45 operating hotels in India and are actively signing up new hotels. So India is a major focus for us in the Asia Pacific region. And we expect our growth to be very strong and very robust in the next few years,” Bhushan says.

K Raheja Corp’s hospitality company, Chalet Hotels has ambitious growth plans through both greenfield and brownfield acquisitions. Sanjay Sethi, Managing Director & CEO, Chalet Hotels, says, “We have about four hotels under development right now. These will add roughly about 800 more rooms to our current portfolio of 2800-odd rooms. These will take about two to three years to build.” Chalet Hotels currently has about eight hotels, of which seven are owned by Chalet Hotels 100 per cent and operated by Marriott. One out of the eight is run by Chalet Hotels. Speaking about the route that the hotel company will take for growth, Sethi says, “We have ambitious plans. We are looking at acquisition opportunities in the market and we want to grow through both greenfield and brownfield acquisitions.” While charting these plans, Chalet Hotels will stay true to its portfolio which is largely upper, upscale and luxury segments. “Of course we are also looking at upscale assets also. So a couple of developments we are doing are in that segment. We will stay in the upscale and upper upscale because that’s a sweet spot for us. We might do select luxury, or mid-segment hotels as well,” Sethi adds.

Belmond Worldwide together with The Oberoi Mumbai recently organised an Italian Food Festival at the Vetro, Oberoi Mumbai, from January 28 that will go on till February 12. During this festival, Belmond Worldwide also hosted a travel trade event which included cocktails and canapes curated by Chef Roberto Gatto to celebrate the Italian flavours. Executive Chef Roberto Gatto and Executive Chef Attilio Di Fabrizio from Belmond Hotel Cipriani,Venice and Belmond Villa San Michele, Florence respectively were in Mumbai to unveil the best kept secrets of Italian cuisine. Laura Di Bert, PR Director, Belmond Italy, Spain & Portugal said, “I am proud that my chefs are attending the event, as a unique opportunity to deep dive into the Indian world through a mutual interest: food.”

Dusit International recently organised ‘India Roadshow 2018’ as part of its newly-acquired focus on India as a source market for its hotels and resorts. Designed to present Dusit’s ever-growing global portfolio of distinctive properties to the Indian travel trade fraternity, the roadshow featured one-day workshops held in both Mumbai and Bengaluru. B2B sessions along with sessions for wedding planners were also conducted. On both occasions, Dusit executives presented the company’s properties in Thailand, Maldives and Dubai, as well as key openings in 2018 across Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. Dusit International is represented in India by its Global Sales Office in Mumbai, headed by Keshwar Bhagat, Director of Sales. Prachoom Tantiprasertsuk, Vice President Sales, Dusit International, said, “As evidenced by the recent opening of our new Global Sales Office in Mumbai, India is a key market for our international properties, and this roadshow is just one of the ways we are actively promoting our brands and hospitality to Indian travellers. Taking into account our own expansion, which will see our current tally of 27 properties top 80 worldwide within the next four-to-five years, we will be well positioned to leverage the rapid growth of India’s outbound market with a plethora of options for MICE and leisure travellers.”

Sarovar Hotels & Resorts announces the opening of Taurus Sarovar Portico, New Delhi – IGI Airport. Strategically located near the IGI airport, Taurus Sarovar Portico features 83 guestrooms and it is the second hotel opening of the year by Sarovar Hotels after the opening in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The hotel offers state-of-the-art business and conferencing facilities, Fitness Center, Alfa 63 – an all-day dining multi-cuisine restaurant, In-Room dining, and meeting rooms. The hotel is owned by Taurus International Projects. Commenting on the opening, Ajay K. Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels, said, “We are delighted to be consolidating our presence further in the Capital city. The opening of Taurus Sarovar Portico seeks to complement the demand for quality accommodation, especially near the airport both by business & transiting travellers. Our superior banqueting facilities will make meetings and events easier, complemented with our signature Sarovar hospitality, whether it a business get-together or a social occasion.” Sarovar Hotels is targeting to have 100 hotels under its portfolio by 2020. Expected openings in 2018 include hotels in Jaisalmer, Jhansi, Jaipur, Somnath, Dibrugarh, Junagadh, Gorakhpur and Lusaka, Zambia.

Expanding its bouquet of hotels, Fortune Park Hotels launched its 46th hotel in the country, Fortune Park, Haridwar. Located on National Highway 58, this first-class full-service hotel is just 5 km from SIDCUL, the industrial hub, 10 km from Haridwar Railway Station and 12 km from Har Ki Pauri. Fortune Park, Haridwar offers a selection of 48 contemporary rooms, including 30 Standard Rooms, 6 Fortune Club Rooms and 12 Suites. All the rooms are replete with modern amenities including 24 hour room service, satellite LED TV, hi-speed Wi-Fi internet connectivity, electronic safe, mini bar and  hair dryer. Commenting on the launch, Samir MC, Chief Operating Officer, Fortune Park Hotels, said, “We are delighted to partner with the promoters who have reposed their confidence in our brand. We would put in our best to uphold this trust and also look forward to more alliances with the group in the near future. Keeping in mind the rapid strides this city has made during the recent years, we are confident of receiving a good response for this hotel.” The dining choices at the hotel include Orchid, an all-day dining multicuisine restaurant featuring a selection of Indian, Oriental and Continental delicacies and Fortune Deli offering confectionery and delicious breads.  

Garish Oberoi, President, FHRAI, says the hospitality industry has been repeatedly asking for infrastructure status which hasn’t been mentioned this year as well. “Among the positives in the Budget is the Rs. 500 crore allocation for ‘Operation Green’ to promote Farmer Producers Organisations (FPOs), agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management,” Oberoi adds. He notes that focus on technology is very relevant in this digital age. “The Budget allocated to the Railways to the tune of Rs. 148, 528 crore to build infrastructure, laying tracks, Wi-Fi and CCTVs will help improve them. In tourism 10 prominent tourist sites will be made into national tourist sites. New Greenfield Airports are in the offing and building airport capacities to handle 1 billion trips can give a boost to connectivity. Post demonetisation and GST many hotels have become Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). We still await measures by the government to deal with NPAs. In totality, the Budget is more for the ease of living and not so much the ease of doing business. While the focus on healthcare and education is commendable, the biggest challenges to growth and employment generation are low credit offtake and ease of doing business, neither have been supported by the Budget,” Oberoi says.

Radisson Jodhpur opened its doors to the magnificent city of Jodhpur with 96 rooms. The hotel is the first Radisson to open in the city. Spread over around 70,000 square feet, the hotel constitutes 96 rooms across Superior, Business Class, Studio Suites, Single Bedroom Suite, Two Bedroom Duplex Suites and Presidential Suite categories. The hotel boasts over 30,000 square feet of total meeting space comprising three banquet halls. It also features a state-of-the-art fitness center with modern equipment and a spa service with two treatment rooms. The banquet facilities at the hotel also feature a party lawn spread over an area of approximately 14,000 square feet for organising stylish parties. “I am delighted to welcome our first Radisson hotel to Jodhpur. The hotel’s architectural grandeur combined with the brand’s service ethos will enthrall guests travelling to the city. We appreciate the commitment that Madhav Heritage has made in this hotel and the trust they have demonstrated in the Radisson brand,” said Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Positioned to be a preferred hotel in the upscale segment and the first choice among leisure and business travelers, the hotel is situated two kilometers from the airport and four kilometers from the railway station. It is situated within a radius of five kilometers from international tourist attractions like Ummaid Palace, Birkha Bawri Step Well, Merangarh Fort, Ghanta Ghar and Mandore Garden.

Desaru Coast, the newly created integrated premium destination in Malaysia, met the Indian trade recently in New Delhi and held an exclusive showcase to inform about their varied offerings and developments. The new destination is located at the south-eastern region of Malaysia, spanning over 3,900 acres along an unspoiled 17 km beachfront facing the South Coast Sea, and is easily accessible via land, ferry and air. “Desaru Coast’s India tour will open doors for us to connect with buyers of all sectors within the travel-value chain commerce whilst positioning Desaru Coast as the destination of choice amongst holidaymakers and business travellers alike within the region. We look forward to sharing a preview of the destination that will appeal to international travellers with its myriad offerings,” said Muhammad Zainal Ashikin, Chief Executive Officer, Desaru Development Holdings One Sdn Bhd. He further informed that they are opening in stages currently, and will be fully open in June 2018.

Karma Group has announced the acquisition of a new property in Dharamshala. Surrounded by the Dhauladhar ranges, the property has 25 rooms and suites, a restaurant, pool, gym with future plans including a Karma Spa. “I am delighted to announce the acquisition of our newest resort in the beautiful town of Dharamshala,” said John Spence, Founder and Chairman, Karma Group. “We will be renovating the property to bring it up to our high standards and expect to have it open for the main Indian holiday season. To be in the adopted home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is wonderful and particularly fitting as Karma Group has drawn much inspiration from his philosophies.” Dharamshala is a popular destination for tourists wishing to visit Tibetan temples and monasteries and is a starting point to a number of trekking trails.