Category Archives: Hotels

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.”

Emaar Hospitality Group’s latest property—The Address Boulevard has finally opened its doors to guests. The hotel has formally started operations on March 1, 2017 and is all set to welcome guests. Address Boulevard has 196 spacious rooms including 116 spacious Deluxe Rooms, 44 Deluxe Club Rooms, 28 One-Bedroom Suites, seven Two-Bedroom Suites and a luxurious Presidential Suite offering spectacular views of The Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa. In addition, there are 532 serviced apartments including duplexes and two penthouses, with short-term guests at the residences also guaranteed access to the hotel’s facilities. Situated in Downtown Dubai, the property offers the best in hospitality and service. With their signature dining concept The Restaurant at Address, expansive spa facilities, engaging Qix club for children, effortless access to The Dubai Mall and the state-of-the art serviced residences, the property offers a panoply of experiences and tastes. Located in heart of Dubai, it is the second tallest building in the Boulevard district, sixth tallest in Dubai and 36th tallest in the world.

Expanding its overseas portfolio, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. announces the signing of its latest project in Africa, Sarovar Premiere Lusaka in Zambia. This development marks Sarovar’s presence in the five countries in Africa including Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Zambia. Sarovar Premiere Lusaka is an 82 key all-suite hotel conveniently located around the city centre. Built in elegant designs with all modern facilities, it is the only all-suite hotel in town which will offer the space and comfort of a personal apartment, an extension of a home. The hotel is being developed by Neelkanth Group based out of Zambia whose core business lies in steel, lime, copper cables and real estate. Sarovar Premiere Lusaka is expected to open in 2018. Sarovar Premiere Lusaka represents Sarovar’s exponential growth in Africa. Making its presence in Lusaka, the largest city of Zambia and one of the fastest developing cities in South Africa, the group hopes to spread the signature Sarovar hospitality across the continent here. Upon completion, Sarovar Premiere Lusaka will offer 82 guest suites, an all-day dining, a bar lounge and an alfresco diner. The hotel will also make for an ideal destination with its excellent banquet and conference facilities. Those looking for some leisure indulgences can unwind at the spa, swimming pool or the wellness centre equipped with the best of services and amenities.

Wyndham Hotel Group has announced the addition of three new hotels under the Ramada and Ramada Encore brands to its India portfolio. In order to expand the brand across Eurasia, the recent additions at Kumbhalgarh (Rajasthan), Jalandhar (Punjab) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) further strengthen Wyndham Hotel Group’s presence in the northern belt of the country. Wyndham Hotel Group now has 28 operational hotels in India and 36 hotels in the Eurasia region. “India is an integral part of Wyndham Hotel Group’s global growth strategy. The addition of these three hotels will broaden our footprint not only in the country but also in the region. Having enabled greater visibility of the Ramada brand to India’s growing foreign and domestic travellers, we hope to drive additional brand familiarity and increased loyalty this year,” said Deepika Arora, Regional Vice President, Eurasia, Wyndham Hotel Group. Ramada Resort Kumbhalgarh (Rajasthan) opened on December 22, 2016, while Ramada Encore Jalandhar (Punjab) opened on December 23, 2016. The company also opened Ramada Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) on December 26, 2016

Delhi’s iconic Centaur Hotel which was built for the 1982 Asian Games, will soon be razed to grounds. This is being done as part of the expansion of Terminal 3 of Delhi’s international airport where more space will be required to park aircraft. According to DIAL, the site of the hotel will be required by December 2019. The Centaur Hotel IGI Airport operates 376 rooms. The Hotel was constructed in 1982 as a business cum leisure hotel and construction was completed in a record period of 18 months to coincide with the inauguration of the 1982 Asian Games held at New Delhi.

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s  Radisson Blu Jammu, opened with 119 rooms and suites with modern amenities, for corporate and leisure travellers. The room rates per night start from Rs 6750. The hotel is a 14 minutes drive from Jammu Airport (IXJ) and six minutes by car from Jammu Tawi Railway Station, the city’s main railway station. The hotel features flexible meeting spaces including a 25,000 sq. ft. Royal Ballroom that accommodates up to 2,000 guests with additional pre-function space and a lawn for pre-event cocktails. Located at the epicenter of Jammu’s economic activity, the hotel is within close proximity to the corporate hub, Bahu Plaza, industrial estates, Bari Brahmana, Gangyal and Samba, several leading educational institutions and multi-specialty hospitals. The hotel features other facilities including 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, “Jammu is a region that enjoys strong domestic leisure demand and is home to some of the most visited destinations in India. Integral to our India growth strategy, is expanding in leisure markets and state capitals. With the opening of Radisson Blu Jammu, we will make inroads into the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir; we are delighted to be partnering Skyline Hotels in this iconic hotel.”