Category Archives: Hotels

Furaveri Island Resort & Spa enters India market through a market representation agreement with India Sales Associates. “Regarded as a Truly Maldivian resort with modern facilities, Furaveri Island Resort & Spa is the perfect getaway in Maldives. Expansive green landscape in 23 hectors, overlooking a white sandy beach and panoramic ocean views are the setting for a relaxing holiday in the most beautiful surroundings. Furaveri Island Resort & Spa is located 151 kilometers (95 miles) north from Malé International Airport, is accessible by direct scenic seaplane flight or domestic flight followed by a 45-minute speedboat journey, offers an unmatched experience for individuals, couples and families. Whether you are an adventurer seeking the underwater experience, an explorer looking for a remote exotic island or a fishing enthusiast ready for the big catch” – said Manas Sinha, Director, INDIA SALES ASSOCIATES. Led by one of the Maldives most celebrated chef, resort is geared to serve the authentic Indian cuisine and Jain meals, aside the wide variety of International and specialty Fusion Asian and Casual Mexican cuisine.

Sarovar Hotels and Resorts expands its portfolio in Delhi- NCR region with the signing of another project in Ghaziabad. This will be Sarovar’s eighth property in Uttar Pradesh. The other hotels of the group are in Agra, Vrindavan, Lucknow, Jhansi and a recently signed hotel in Greater Noida West. Commenting on the development, Anil Madhok, Executive Chairman, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, said “In order to maximize further growth and expansion opportunities, we are delighted to consolidate on our presence in Delhi NCR. With the opening of Sarovar Portico, we aim to cater to these markets by offering best value to business and leisure travellers in sync with Sarovar’s signature hospitality.  

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced that 2019 will mark record growth for Hyatt in India. Expansion plans foresee the addition of over 2,100 guestrooms through the opening of more than 14 new properties over the next 24 months. Aside from growth in the larger capital cities, the emphasis will be on leisure and cultural destinations, with a focus on emerging cities within India. As a result of an increasingly favorable business climate and heightened tourism spend, encouraged by relaxed visa rules and a growing upper middle class, there is a general demand for growth in the hospitality industry in India. This expansion includes hotels in eight new markets in the country, thereby establishing Hyatt’s brand presence across 27 cities in India over the next 24 months. “Hyatt is one of the longest-running international hotel management brands in India, the first Hyatt hotels in India opened over 30 years ago,” said Dhruva Rathore, Vice President Development-India, Hyatt. “Our heritage and experience in this complex market, paired with the strong relationships we hold with local developers and owners has helped make India one of the top three growth markets for Hyatt globally.”

The Accor Showcase this year saw more than 1,400 attendees that interacted with Accor representatives from hotels and resorts in India and abroad representing 1,500 properties. For the past three years, the Accor Showcase has brought together key industry and Accor hotels and resorts representatives from India and around the world. Over the years, the Showcase has served as an ideal platform to ideate on working together to leverage a thriving domestic and outbound tourism market in India. This year saw some of the most prominent corporates, wedding planners, leisure travel planners, travel agents, OTA’s (Online Travel Agencies), etc. as attendees. The event saw participation from countries such as Seychelles, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Hungary, New Zealand, Australia, Mauritius, Maldives, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Spain. Some of the participating hotels were Raffles Seychelles, Raffles Maldives, Rixos Premium Belek Antalya, Fairmont Monte Carlo, Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi, SO Sofitel Vienna, Fairmont Nairobi, Fairmont Dubai, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Fairmont & Swissotel the Stamford Singapore, Fairmont Marina Abu Dhabi, Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul, Novotel and MGallery Phuket, MGallery Bangkok, Sofitel Budapest, Mövenpick Hotel Switzerland, Movenpick Colombo, Pullman Bali, Pullman Baku, Grand Mercure Bangkok, Novotel Madrid Center, Adagio Paris. Weddings and MICE travel was the primary focus of most attendees for both Indian and international properties. The most popular destinations amongst the attendees were Bali, Istanbul, Seychelles, U.A.E, Baku amongst others. The Accor Showcase 2019 was fruitful for many properties as they were able to close deals within the event hours.

Oberoi Hotels & Resorts has revisited its identity to ensure it reflects all its core values. It recently has presented the “Oberoi Sun”. The “Oberoi Sun” translates the warmth, energy and sense of well-being of the guest experience. Along with this, the brand has also launched its newly revamped website that hopes to capture an online experience that mirrors the brand’s hotels and resorts. The website has endeavoured to capture the unique Oberoi experiences offered across all the hotels and resorts through a film. Talking about the branding initiative, P.R.S. Oberoi, Executive Chairman, The Oberoi Group says “For all of us at Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, our guests come above everything else. This has been the foundation of our existence for over 85 years and holds as true in our hearts and minds today as it did when the first Oberoi hotel was established by my father Rai Bahadur M.S. Oberoi in the 1930s. With a deep belief and commitment to our guests, we thought who better to guide us into the future than our guests, initiating an exciting journey of brand re-discovery for Oberoi.”

The Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India has finally recognised Swosti Premium Hotel as a 5-Star Hotel. Swosti Premium, Bhubaneswar is located close to the Biju Pattanaik International Airport and close to many 5 star attractions or ancient temples of Odisha. The different categories of luxury accommodation are- business suite, executive suite, premium, and deluxe and one will find comfortable amenities well-appointed rooms.

The Indian Hotels Company has opened door for its Taj brand in Rishikesh with the opening of Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa, Uttarakhand. This will be the company’s third hotel in the state. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, said “We are honoured to partner with Mr. Mehra for Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa, an exciting new addition to IHCL’s expanding resort portfolio. With its idyllic setting and unrestricted views of the Himalayas, the resort is well positioned to tap into the growing potential of the wellness and spiritual tourism market. This is consistent with our commitment to offer global travellers new and unique experiences in hospitality.” The resort, 30 kilometres from Rishikesh, is spread over 12.5 acres of terraced gardens on the banks of the river Ganges in the shadow of the mighty Himalayas. Each of the spacious 79 rooms have panoramic views of the Ganges with its white sandy beach, and the majestic mountains. Taj Rishikesh is a unique blend of contemporary and rustic in communion with nature. It is an architectural tribute to the Garhwal region in the Himalayas where it is located. “Rishikesh is an extremely popular destination across the world. We are delighted to partner with The Indian Hotels Company Limited. We look forward to working with them to bring the legendary Taj brand to this unique location.” said Mr Arjun Mehra, Managing Director, Darrameks Hotels & Developers. Guests have a choice of distinctive culinary options which include an all-day diner; a specialty restaurant offering cuisine inspired from the entire Himalayan belt, and an open-air pizza bar. The resort is an ideal destination for intimate weddings and conferences with indoor and outdoor …

Lords Hotels and Resorts has announced the opening of its 60-room property, Diyalo’ Lords Plaza Birgunj- Nepal. The hotel features contemporary rooms and suites, business center, four conference rooms, three F&B outlets – bar, multi-cuisine restaurant and roof-top dining, spa, gym, pool and casino. The inauguration ceremony was followed by lighting of lamp by Ex Prime Minister of Nepal, Sherbahadur Deuba and the felicitation was done by Pushpendra Bansal – Chief Operating Officer, and Rishi Puri – Vice President, Lords Hotels and Resorts.

OYO currently has close to 176,000 rooms in India and another 322,000 rooms in China, according to a latest analysis by Hotelivate. It has grown considerably in China in just 12 months since January 2018, apart from its home market, India, and other new international markets. Additionally, OYO has a presence in Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, the UK, the UAE, and more recently, the Philippines. Totally, OYO has over 515,000 rooms across above 17,000 hotels worldwide, with a goal to be the largest and most preferred hotel chain for the budget mid-scale segment by 2023, globally. For the first time, an Indian hospitality company is growing at an indisputable scorching pace. Skeptics from the ‘traditional’ hotel industry have scoffed at the OYO model, pushing it aside with arguments such as, it is simply an aggregator of budget hotels; it has a poor quality of service; or its deliverables are not comparable with the mainstream hotel industry, as stated by the report. OYO started off as an aggregator back in 2013, but in the past five years, it has evolved into a full-scale hospitality company that operates exclusively franchised and leased assets, growing each day through its innovative model.

Twenty14 Holdings has announced plans to launch Port Muziris – South Asia’s first Tribute Portfolio hotel, part of Marriott International, near Cochin International Airport. The 55-room property is all set to be opened to the public in April. “We are thrilled to debut the first Tribute Portfolio in South Asia. At Twenty14 Holdings, we share the vision of offering a unique experience for guests,” said Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director, Twenty14 Holdings. “Kerala has long been one of the most sought-after destinations worldwide, and we are excited to be part of the state’s flourishing tourism sector. We look forward to extending our legacy of providing outstanding hospitality to guests across Kerala and India through our bespoke properties,” he said. Tribute Portfolio, launched by Marriott, is a collection of independent hotels around the globe with a focus on expressive design moments, vibrant public spaces, and a flexible food and beverage model. “We are delighted to announce the first Tribute Portfolio hotel in India with the opening of Port Muziris hotel in Kochi. This will also mark the debut of our 16th brand to join the Marriott International portfolio in India,” said Neeraj Govil, Area Vice President — South Asia, Marriott International. He added, “We are honoured to partner with Twenty14 Holdings for their first hotel in India. With its unique design and vibrant social spaces, we are sure this hotel will become a preference for leisure travellers.” Port Muziris which includes 55-keys, 2 F&B outlets and a 150-pax capacity ballroom is Twenty14 Holdings’ first property in India. Currently, the hospitality investment firm has over $750 million portfolio of properties around the world, including the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – the Caledonian in Scotland, Sheraton …