Category Archives: Hotels

Located in the heart of the city, Mövenpick Hotel Colombo has been in operation for two years. It’s also the first international five-star property to open in the city in 25 years, a milestone that reflects the country’s new-found energy and optimism. With 219 stunning rooms and suites offering panoramic views of the city or Indian ocean, this cool urban hotel offers unparalleled charm and beautiful spaces. The rooms are spacious, ranging from 33 sqm to a whopping 254 sqm. Furnished in contemporary style, the rooms allow guests to rejuvenate and unwind. All guests enjoy complimentary access to the infinity pool and Jacuzzi located on the roof top to soak up the sunshine or just laze around with a good book and watch the sun go down. The Presidential Suite of the Mövenpick Hotel Colombo is one of a kind with two elegant bedrooms, 1 King and 1 Twin, a comfortable living room, large bathroom with a Jacuzzi and a fully equipped pantry. The large 254 sqm offer the perfect space for up to 4 adults.

As a part of the expansion of its luxury portfolio, Accor will open its second Fairmont hotel in India. Though the timeline has not been disclosed by the group, the hotel is said to be under construction. The property will have 646 luxury rooms. Earlier this year, Accor has also announced the entrant of its new luxury brand- Raffles in the Indian market which will make its debut in 2020 in Udaipur. India’s first Fairmont in Jaipur is an ode to the pink city through awe inspiring architecture and decor, inspired by the Mughal dynasty and Royal Rajputs of yore.

According to a report titled ‘Demystifying the Indian Online Traveller’ commissioned by BCG and Google, the Indian hospitality space is expected to accelerate to $13bn worth of gross bookings in 2020, $10bn of which constitutes hotel bookings and the remaining is constituted by bookings of short-term rentals and other lodgings. Players in these alternate spaces have the potential to innovate as travellers, both domestic and foreign, become more open to alternate stay options. In 2020, budget and luxury hotels are expected to be areas of growth. The former is expected to grow at 13.5 per cent driven by the growth of the Aspirers segment on the demand front and the consolidation, standardisation and branding of currently upbranded properties through aggregator-based start-ups on the supply front. Mid-scale hotels or the two-and three-star properties will continue to maintain their dominance.

Discover the World has announced that it now represents Deutsche Hospitality in India alongside the other countries of France, United Kingdom, Ireland, United States and Russia. Deutsche Hospitality’s Vice President of Group Sales, Daniela Lindner said, “We have great experience with Discover the World representing us in other countries.  We wanted a trusted partner to enable us to expand our corporate and MICE opportunities.” “We are pleased Deutsche Hospitality has put their trust in us once again and this time in India,” said Ian Murray, Discover the World’s Executive Vice President.  “With us being so familiar with all of the hotel brands under the operation of Deutsche Hospitality, it will make it very easy to set up and begin selling and marketing their five well-known hotel brands—Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, MAXX by Steigenberger, Jaz in the City and IntercityHotel and Zleep Hotels—in India.”

Despite registering a decline in occupancy rates, two-star hotels witnessed maximum growth in average room rates (ARR) and increased by about 8.5 per cent y-o-y during FY18, according to a report by Hotelivate. This was followed by three-star hotels that registered a growth of about 5% y-o-y in FY18. 4 star and 5 star D hotels recorded a growth of 3 per cent y-o-y each in average room rates. Five-star hotels, however, registered the lowest growth about 1.8 per cent y-o-y in the group during the year. This may be attributed to the gradual escalation of commercial activity in Tier II and Tier III cities as well as increased domestic travel.

Revenues from business travellers will grow significantly over the next few years, according to a CII-PwC report. Although MiCE has not been a significant contributor to the Indian hospitality sector so far, this trend is likely to change with better planning as well as improved infrastructure. On the other hand, few CEOs believe that leisure travel will keep pace with growth seen in business travel and MiCE. A large section of leisure travellers continue to perceive hotels as a luxury.

Mumbai-based Explora, led by Managing Partners, Karishma Kazi and Sunny Katara, has now signed a new agreement with Pavilions Hotels & Resorts to promote three of their properties in India with effect from June 1, 2019. These include The Pavilions Phuket, The Pavilions Bali and The Pavilions Himalayas and categorised as high-end, luxury properties. Revealing this is Sunny Katara, Managing Partner, Explora, who says, “The luxury hotel chain has chosen us to be their strategic partner for Business development in India. This is an exclusive agreement for the India market. They chose us because they saw the good work we have done for our other clients. India is an important market for them and they are looking to tap the growing Indian outbound. We have recommended starting with roadshows in multiple cities as their focus is pan-India.”

The Indian Hotels Company Limited has introduced the iconic Taj brand in Agra with the opening of Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra. The hotel is spread over 4.5 acres is ideally located within walking distance from the Taj Mahal. The 239 spacious rooms are elegantly designed in a contemporary style. The hotel offers multiple dining options such as Palato, the all-day diner, Daawat-e-Nawaab, the Indian specialty restaurant and two lounges – Liquid Lounge and Tea Lounge. The pièce de résistance is Infini – The Sky Lounge, a rooftop bar with stunning views of the Taj Mahal. Guests can enjoy a swim in the infinity pool which also overlooks the Taj Mahal. Rohit Khosla, Executive Vice President – Operations, North and West India, IHCL, said “We are excited to bring the Taj brand to the historic city of Agra. Agra is renowned world over for being one of the most culturally rich cities. Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra offering spectacular views of the Taj Mahal promises to be a great draw for both, domestic as well as international travellers.” This luxury hotel in Agra is an ideal destination for large conferences and destination weddings. It offers 40,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor banqueting space including a 14,000 sq. ft. pillar-less hall which is one of the largest in North India. “Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra is located in close proximity to major tourist attractions. It is ideally suited for leisure travellers and is the perfect venue for conferences and weddings. I am looking forward to welcoming guests to this new luxury address in the city.” said Rajat Tuli, General Manager, Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra. With …

Gold Stone Hotels and Resorts expands its portfolio in Dhanaulti, Uttrakhand under its  brand name, ‘Comfort’. Dhanaulti has emerged as a satellite hill station to Mussoorie and benefits from close proximity to the beautiful valley of Dehradun. The spread out  35 Keys Hotel has two Banquets, 01 Restaurant & Entertainment Zone apart from Fitness Centre & Spa. Housing facilities for all age groups, the Hotel is a Self Reliant option for the clientele intending to un-wing in the serene nature. The hospitality group has signed eight properties under its flagships in a spectacular short span of just four months.

Radisson Hotel Group has unveiled new global offering for the meeting and events segment. Known as Radisson Meetings, the incentive is available across the group’s seven hotel brand. Radisson Meetings is developed around the three core elements of successful events – Personal, Professional and Memorable – while being 100% carbon neutral through offsetting . Eric De Neef, Executive Vice President & Global Chief Commercial Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We are investing in our meeting venues at our 1,100+ hotels worldwide, in training of our teams, and in technology. A state-of-the-art IT infrastructure and distribution platform are core elements helping us to deliver our brand promise.” With the launch of Radisson Meetings, Radisson Hotel Group automatically offsets the carbon footprint of every meeting or event taking place at our hotels worldwide, at no cost to attendees or organisers. To do this, Radisson Hotel Group has teamed up with FirstClimate, one of the largest carbon offsetting organisations in the world.