Category Archives: Hotels

Located in the capital city of Chhattisgarh, Courtyard by Marriott Raipur is the 14th property for the brand in India, and the second in the state, joining Courtyard by Marriott Bilaspur. The hotel has the largest guest suite in the city, at 699 square feet. The rates for the Deluxe rooms start at Rs. 5500 per night, while the Courtyard Suite is priced at Rs. 13000 per night. Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Neeraj Govil, Market Vice- President, South Asia, Marriott International Inc., said, “The business community in South Asia, specifically in India, is growing at an unprecedented rate and this community is looking at lodging options that combines comfort and value. Central India in particular is evolving at a rapid pace and we want to be a part of this growth story, Raipur is an upcoming business and MICE destination, making it a key player in the region. We believe our new property will efficiently cater to this growing business segment. As always, we are committed to providing great value to our customers, while bringing the best brands within the Marriott portfolio to the Indian markets.” Each of the 96 rooms and 12 suites feature high-speed wireless internet; LED TVs; a well-appointed work area with comfort lighting and ergonomic chairs, an iPod docking station; and a coffee machine. The suites offer visual alarms and notification devices for the door and phones. The property has a relaxing Spa, with two well-appointed therapy rooms to provide soothing spa treatments, affording guests much needed relaxation after a long day. The hotel is an ideal venue for corporate and social events.  The 425-square-metre ballroom can be divided into two function space to suit events of various sizes. …

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has tied up with OYO Rooms to offer standardised accommodation and a convenient booking platform to rail travellers. OYO Rooms will power the IRCTC hotel-booking page, offering their inventory and promise of standardizsd amenities to Rail passengers. Speaking on the tie-up, CMD, IRCTC Dr. A.K.Manocha said, “We are committed to drive efficiencies and enhance our service through innovation. OYO Rooms has propelled the hotel market in India towards new horizon and pioneered the standardisation of affordable hotel-rooms. This partnership contributes another chapter to the successful narrative of Made in India initiatives and how tech-enabled solutions will power the next wave of innovation. We have made the necessary technology integrations and will be actively communicating about this newly available option through e-mailers, information on e-tickets so that our travellers can explore and utilise these services.” Abhinav Sinha, COO OYO Rooms said, “We are honoured and delighted to power the hotels-booking engine of IRCTC and serve Indian railway passengers. With this tie-up IRCTC customers will have ready access to OYO’s inventory of predictable, standardised and affordable hotel accommodation, across 170 cities in India. As India’s widest and largest network, we feel confident of catering to the passengers’ needs and look forward to making this alliance a great success.” He added, “OYO Rooms was conceived with a vision to change the way travellers view out-of-home stay. Our aim is to deliver home-like comfort at affordable prices so that wherever you may be travelling to, you would want to stay at an OYO booked through IRCTC-OYO network. The first step towards fulfilling this mandate was to expand our footprint to provide the comfort of a wide network. …

Budget hotel rooms aggregator, OYO Rooms has acquired its rival ZO Rooms. OYO’s largest investor, SoftBank has listed the transaction in its most recent financial report. However, the value of the acquisition has not been disclosed. The acquisition came after Zostel Hospitality, the promoters of ZO Rooms, failed to raise additional funds for further growth from their existing investors or bring in new investors. Zo Rooms raised roughly USD 35 million from Tiger Global and Orios Management in 2005.

SAMHI and Marriott International have introduced the first ever integrated property – Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott in Bengaluru, as part of their joint venture. The 336-room integrated property is set in the commercial hub of Bengaluru. Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road features 170 rooms that comprise 134 deluxe, 24 executive deluxe rooms and 12 suites. The property is strategically located in Outer Ring Road of the city in the commercial IT hub. Craig Smith, President and Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Marriott International, who was present at the launch, said, “Marriott International has always been at the forefront of driving innovation in the hospitality industry in India and to further this commitment, the Marriott International group has for the first time, invested in a property in the country.” He further added, “The property, which is our first integrated hotel complex in India, is set to provide an unrivalled hospitality experience to the office-goers in Bengaluru with its state-of-the-art facilities and a commitment to customer experience excellence.” Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road is the 2nd Fairfield by Marriott hotel in the city and comprises of 166 guest rooms including 112 deluxe rooms and 54 deluxe pool view rooms.  Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott together bring to guests a luxurious Mediterranean restaurant called BG’s which offers a splendid ambience that is available in an indoor and outdoor setting and a magnificent spread of Mediterranean cuisine prepared by a specialty chef.

Thailand’s Minor Hotel Group (MHG), has announced the first Oaks property in India with the development of Oaks Neemrana, in partnership with India-based NSP Associates (India). Neemrana is a fast developing business hub located southwest of New Delhi, on the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor, a mega infrastructure project worth US $90 billion, approximately 90 km from Gurgaon and 140 km from Jaipur. Its history dates back to the 15th century with the construction of the famous Neemrana Fort Palace, which was restored in 1991 and subsequently converted into a hotel that began attracting tourists to the destination. Oaks Neemrana is under development in the centre of the town and is scheduled to open in 2017. Facilities at the 116 unit Oaks Neemrana will include an all-day dining restaurant with sky garden, a lobby café and lounge area, a pool bar, meeting space of 160 square metres with capacity to accommodate up to 80 people, plus a gym and a kids’ play area. There will be three different room types: 68 Studio Apartments; 40 One Bedroom Apartments and eight Two Bedroom Apartments. Dillip Rajakarier, CEO, Minor Hotel Group, commented, “We are excited to announce both the first Oaks in India and also the first Minor Hotel Group property in India. The Oaks brand is a great fit for this market, which represents a huge opportunity, and we are confident that the property will be a great success. We are delighted to be partnering with NSP Associates and look forward to working closely with the team to bring this new hotel to the market.”

OYO Rooms has crossed its one millionth hotel check-in. OYO Rooms presently operates in over 165 Indian cities through more than 4,500 hotels offerings 45,000 rooms. Having established its market leadership in India, OYO Rooms has also recently launched operations in Malaysia. Speaking on the occasion, Abhinav Sinha, COO, OYO Rooms, said, “OYO rooms was conceived with a vision to change the way travellers view out-of-home stay. We pioneered the transformation of unbranded hotels to offer a predictable, standardized and affordable experience to our customers. This latest milestone of crossing one million check-ins is yet another validation of the enthusiasm with which customers have responded to our offering.”

Thailand’s Absolute Hotel Services (AHS) is expanding its upscale Eastin hotel brand in India, with the launch of a new property in Darjeeling, West Bengal. Set atop a mountain surrounded by nature and views of the valleys and foothills of Kurseong, the land of the white orchids, Eastin Hotel Kurseong, Darjeeling, will open its doors in April 2016. The property will offer a total of 100 rooms and suites, a signature all day dining restaurant, a vegetarian restaurant, lounge bar, café terrace, banquet and meeting centre for the MICE market. The hotel will also provide wellness centre including one double and two spa treatment rooms, foot massage, ayurvedic massage, gym, meditation and yoga classes. AHS operates a collection of Eastin, Eastin Easy and U Hotels in several locations across India. AHS has re-branded the property as Eastin Hotel Kurseong, Darjeeling, from its earlier name Eastin Easy Kurseong Darjeeling. It is the first international 4-star deluxe resort hotel in Kurseong, Darjeeling district.

Mahabalipuram’s first exclusive beach resort, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort, opens with 105 rooms, as part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®). Set near the UNESCO world heritage site of Mahabalipuram, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort features world-class accommodation with ocean front suites and rooms, and three dining experiences including a specialty Chinese restaurant. The Resort offers rejuvenating spa journeys and family experiences with unrivalled IHG® hospitality standards. The opening was marked by IHG’s Shantha de Silva, Head of South West Asia and Bryan Gabriel, Director of Commercial, South West Asia, who joined Vijai Singh, General Manager of the Resort and Arindam Kunar, Area General Manager, South India, for an inaugural address. Media personalities from across the country arrived to join the occasion and unwind, experience the wide range of facilities at the Resort. Shantha de Silva, Head of South West Asia said, “Mahabalipuram forms part of South India’s glorious history and InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort encapsulates authentic aspects of the soul of Madras. With an encouraging response from local and global markets since the soft-opening in October 2015, we started out what promised to be a successful first year of operations. We take tremendous pride in the Resort, which is the latest addition to IHG’s revamped resort collection.” Vijai Singh, General Manager, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort, said, “We are thrilled to welcome guests from India and around the world to a truly special East Coast luxury resort experience. We promise to offer our guests personal connect and unparalled service. The Resort is the owning company’s second partnership with IHG® since the agreement with their sister hotel brand Crowne Plaza in Chennai in 2015.” The 105-room Resort offers a full range of …

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has announced the opening of its luxury hotel Taj Santacruz, Mumbai. The hotel comprises 279 rooms and suites which are among the largest in the city and blend contemporary elegance with touches of traditional Indian style. The modular design of rooms and luxuriously appointed amenities make them perfect for both business and leisure. The cushioned window seats in spacious rooms give the traveller the flexibility for in-room meetings. Farhat Jamal, Senior Vice President – Operations (West-India) & Africa, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, said, “Taj Santacruz will set a benchmark for luxury in North Mumbai for business and leisure travellers alike. It is the new jewel in the Taj crown.” Located just off the Western Express Highway, the hotel is close to the city’s financial and entertainment centres. The newest addition in Taj’s home city is the fourth group hotel in the financial capital. Pankaj Sampat has been appointed as the General Manager of the new property.

AccorHotels has announced the opening of its third hotel in Chennai city- ibis Chennai City Centre. Located on the city’s arterial and historic, Mount Road, the 155-room property is a short drive to Chennai airport and within close proximity to several shopping and entertainment attractions. This is the third AccorHotel in Chennai city followed by ibis Chennai SIPCOT and Novotel Chennai SIPCOT in 2014. ibis Chennai City Centre offers modern, comfortable and well equipped ibis rooms, a restaurant, a lounge and bar area, The Hub. “The opening of the ibis Chennai City Centre is a strategic milestone for the ibis brand in India. Offering consistency, quality and affordability, the brand combines the ultimate comfort of modern and well-equipped rooms with the highest level of service for business and leisure travellers. The opening of ibis Chennai City strengthens our brand presence in Chennai and adds to the growing ibis network of 12 hotels in the region,” said Jean-Michel Cassé, Senior Vice President, Operations, AccorHotels India. J.B. Singh, President  & CEO, InterGlobe Hotels, said, “Chennai has a growing demand for quality affordable rooms, and the ibis brand innovates constantly to illustrate its values of modernity, comfort and availability. The opening of ibis Chennai City Centre further consolidate the strategic partnership between AccorHotels and InterGlobe with the aim to enhance the ibis network growth in India.”