Category Archives: Hotels

jüSTa Hotels and Resorts has launched Design Hotel Chennai, at Phoenix Market City, Chennai. A 26-room boutique hotel, the property aims to seamlessly connect past and present international design movements to the timeless local traditions of South India. Designed on the styles of four distinct contemporary art, each floor at Design Hotel is an infusion of traditional South Indian Art / Architecture, namely – Ati, Maya, Rooh and Nunya; and has been designed by renowned interior designer – Pronit Nath.

YC Deveshwar is all set to step down as the Executive Chairman & CEO of ITC in February 2017. He completes his term on Februrary 4, 2017. However, he will continue to function as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the company. Deveshwar is the longest serving Executive Chairman of ITC till date. The news has reportedly come in the form of the notice to the shareholders of the company, ahead of the AGM on July 22. Deveshwar joined ITC in 1968 and became the Executive Chairman in January 1996

The Lemon Tree Hotel Company is all set to launch its second upscale hotel in Gurgaon. Lemon Tree Premier, City Center will have 61 rooms and multiple room categories including Superior, Deluxe Room, Executive Room and Garden Room. The hotel will cater to both business and leisure travellers. The hotel is located in the heart of the millennium city and is close to NH 8 expressway and a short distance from Signature Towers, Unitech Business Park and Unitech Trade Centre.

AccorHotels and Cyberabad Convention Centre, a joint venture between Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) and Emaar Properties PJSC, Dubai, announced the renewal of their agreement for the management of the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). This follows the completion of a 10-year commitment to manage and operate the 287-room hotel and the 15-acre convention facility in Hyderabad. Both facilities operate in a complementary yet distinctive manner, guided by Novotel’s brand promise of meeting the needs of everyone, anywhere and anytime. Cyberabad Convention Centre and AccorHotels also announced a refurbishment programme for the hotel and the convention centre to build on the complex’s current position as South Asia’s most recognizable and modern convention facility.

Keys Hotels has announced its expansion plan with asset-light strategy and has already launched three new hotels – Keys Hotels in Vishakhapatnam, Keys Hotels Malabar Gate in Calicut and Keys Lite Om Niwas in Jaipur. While Vishakhapatnam is an owned hotel the other two are franchisee hotels. The company also plans to open 8-10 new management contract hotels in the next 12-18 months by adopting assest light strategy. Speaking about the expansion strategy, Anshu Sarin, CEO, Berggruen Hotels Pvt. Ltd. said, “Keys Hotels is committed to expand its footprint across smart cities and we will adopt assest light strategy to support this growth.  We are pleased to launch three new hotels as a part of this expansion plan. Calicut, Vizag and Jaipur are very important markets for us as all three cities attracting a large volume of tourists and business travelers. Apart from these cities we are looking to be present in major smart cities and we have aligned our growth plans accordingly.” While the Keys Hotel Malabar Gate, Calicut is ideal for nature lovers as it is situated 2kms away from the Calicut beach and 52 kms away from Thushagiri waterfalls, Keys Hotel Vishakhapatnam is best suited for history lovers as it is located at an optimal distance from the Visakha Museum, Submarine Museum and the Kailasa Giri. Keys Lite Om Niwas in Jaipur is best suited for people who are fond of architecture as it is strategically located near the iconic Pink City, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and Amber Fort.

Lemon Tree Hotels is all set to cash in on growing Indian tourists and corporate travel to the UAE, as it plans to operate eight properties in the next three years in the region. The company will be opening a mix of hotels and serviced apartments in Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Dubai, where it expects to operate its first property. According to Rattan Keswani, Deputy Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels, they are trying to harness the spending power of Indians through this development. Lemon Tree has tied up with the Sydney-based real estate agent Raine and Horne to open Lemon Tree properties in the region, including in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The company, which operates properties under the Lemon Tree and Red Fox brands, said the planned hotels would have between 60 and 100 rooms on average, and could include pool, spa and up to three restaurants. Lemon Tree Hotels is also looking at Sri Lanka and the Thai capital Bangkok. Sanjay Chimnani, MD, Raine and Horne, said it would be looking at neighbourhoods in Dubai such as Jaddaf, Business Bay, City Walk, Al Barsha, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Jebel Ali and Jumeirah Village Circle to open more properties.

InterContinental Hotels Group has announced the opening of the first Crowne Plaza in Pune-Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre. The 173-room hotel will operate under a management agreement with The Advantage Raheja Group and has been rebranded from an existing property. Room rates start from Rs 5000 plus taxes. Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre lies in the Koregaon Park district, just 20 minute drive from the airport and nearby key local businesses, venues and attractions, this hotel is ideal for hosting business travellers who need convenient access to the city while utilizing ample space for large corporate meetings and events. Designed to truly make business travel work, the hotel will undergo an extensive refurbishment to upgrade guest rooms, public areas, restaurants and meeting space. Furniture and fittings and other interior elements will be enhanced to create more inviting dining options and engaging spaces for both business and social interactions. Commencing June 2016, the refurbishment is anticipated to be complete early 2017 and the hotel will remain fully operational during this time. The hotel is equipped with 24-hour business services and meeting facilities as well as 11,800 sq. ft. of banqueting space. It also features a fully-equipped 24-hour fitness centre and a newly designed swimming pool, as well as a rooftop restaurant and lounge that are designed to keep guests productive, connected, rested, and refreshed during their stay.

Lords Hotels and Resorts, has announced the launch of its latest property in Agra – Hotel PL Palace. Located in the heart of the city at a close proximity to the Taj Mahal, the hotel aims at offering affordable luxury. Segmented under its brand, ‘Lords Inn’, Hotel PL Palace houses fifty-six contemporary rooms with all facilities, an in-house coffee shop, a specialty restaurant and bar, and is equipped with a state of the art health and fitness club, a rejuvenating spa and also a roof-top pool. “We take immense pride and pleasure in announcing the launch of our twenty-sixth property, especially because we did not have presence in the east, until now. Besides, this property will be the kind that will be as inviting for foreign tourists who visit India to witness the grand splendor of the Taj Mahal as it will be to MICE travelers,” says P.R. Bansal, Managing Director, Lords Hotels and Resorts.

The Al Sawari Group will purchase a six-acre site near the Taj Mahal from The Leela Group in the historical city of Agra to develop a hotel complex, marking the group’s entry into India. Al Sawari Holding has also entered into a management agreement with the Leela Group to operate a 100-room Leela Palace Hotel on this site. Another management agreement has been signed with AIANA Hotels and Resorts, a global hotel management company, to operate a 150-room Aiana Hotel on the same plot. An MoU was signed between H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of Al Sawari Holding and Al Faisal Holding and Vivek Nair, Chairman & Managing Director, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. “We are delighted to partner with Al Sawari Holdings, and view this agreement as a forerunner to several other developments in India and overseas. The proposed Palace hotel will combine unparalleled views of the Taj Mahal with a truly luxurious hospitality experience in Agra. We are also looking forward to further strengthening our presence within the golden triangle by adding a Palace hotel in Jaipur and will continue our efforts to expand in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer,”said Vivek Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. “We are delighted to announce the expansion of the AIANA portfolio in India with the signing of a management agreement with A Sawari Holding to operate AIANA Agra – a 150 room hotel in one of the most visited leisure destinations in India.”, said Amruda Nair Joint Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Aiana Hotels & Resorts L.L.C.“With the signing of our 6th hotel in India, we will continue to follow the cluster strategy …

Announcing the debut of its convention dedicated to India’s nightlife, Riyaaz Amlani, President, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), revealed that it will be held at St. Regis in Mumbai from July 17-18, 2016. It will be the first platform specifically designed to bring together and recognise the various stakeholders of one of India’s most vibrant and fastest-growing industry – nightlife. The event is a joint initiative of Kickstart Entertainment and NRAI. “The two-day convention will have multiple business sessions with speakers from the sector from across India. This will include three international speakers as well. We are also looking to get attendance from the government, including the Ministry of Tourism, Home and Excise because we don’t fall under any single ministry. We are also inviting someone from the Government of Maharashtra since it is happening in Mumbai. We want them to listen to our problems and see that this is a serious industry.”