Category Archives: Hotels

In a survey of 7,500 people in 12 markets globally, an Amadeus-IHG study titled ‘Drivers of Change in Hospitality’ reports that 40 per cent of Indians have stayed in a personalised room that was customised to their needs (e.g. furnished with preferred furniture and room accessories). Traditional room types will no longer be the core product offered by hotels. Instead, guests will choose from room configurations that match their needs, the report states. This is known as attribute-based booking. In-room amenities, non-room inventory, and even tickets for out-of-hotel attractions can be flexibly included in bookings, and this very much represents the way that consumers want to be able to buy. Attributes that can be added into rooms include functional items, both low-tech and high-tech – a cot for infants or smart room technology. For example, some 64% of global travelers are interested in having access to a voice assistant (e.g. Alexa, Google Home) in their hotel room. Choosing which floor you stay on is also a customizable option.

Accor has introduced the concept of ‘Day Stays by Accor’ at its 51 hotels across India. Through this concept, guests can make bookings for 12 hours or less and pay with a discount of 60 per cent on the best available rate of the day and can shorten their stay, rest and save time. Whether you are in transit and have ample time to relax or attending a seminar in the city, or have something to celebrate an occasion, come and experience the impeccable hospitality with Day Stays by Accor. Le Club Accor Hotels members can also earn points through this programme.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has recently reported first-quarter 2019 financial results. The brand’s net income decreased 84.6% to $63 million in the first quarter of 2019 vis-à-vis 2018. Comparable system-wide RevPAR increased 1.8%, including an increase of 2.7% at comparable owned and leased hotels. Excluding the benefit from the timing of the Easter holiday, comparable RevPAR at system-wide hotels and comparable owned and leased hotels would have increased 1.4% and 2.2%, respectively. Comparable U.S. hotel RevPAR decreased 0.3%; full service hotel RevPAR increased 0.1% and select service hotel RevPAR decreased 1.3%. Net rooms growth was 13.7%, or 7.3% excluding the acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality LLC in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Global Hospitality Conclave will now take place on 12 October at The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel. The conclave is a strong platform for participants to project their capabilities and opportunities to the industry elite from across the global hospitality spectrum. The trends and opportunities in the current hospitality landscape of the country and the world at large.

Ginger has signed a new property in Dwarka, Gujarat, taking its count to 11 hotels in the state. The 99-rooms property will have an all-day diner, a meeting room and a fitness centre offering a truly seamless stay experience to its guests. The hotel is a management contract agreement with Bluerock Hospitality Ventures Pvt. Ltd and is slated to commence operations by the end of May 2019. Deepika Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ginger said, “We are happy to partner with Blue Rock Hospitality Ventures in the pilgrimage city of Dwarka. With this hotel, we will expand our footprint to 795 keys in the vibrant state of Gujarat.” Dwarka is an ancient city and is well known for its many temples. The city also has a beautiful beach overlooking the vast expanses of the Arabian Sea, a wildlife sanctuary and many more tourist attractions.  

Marriott International has opened the Port Muziris, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Kochi, the first ever Tribute Portfolio hotel in South Asia. The hotel marks the fifth Marriott International property in Kochi located at just 300 meters away from the Cochin International Airport. Commenting on this launch, Neeraj Govil, Area Vice President, South Asia- Marriott International, says, “The addition of the Tribute Portfolio in Marriott International’s brand footprint for South Asia reinforces our continued focus on providing a diverse collection of prime, distinctive properties across high potential markets in the region. Port Muziris, a Tribute Portfolio hotel is set to exemplify the brand’s vision, offering travelers a unique blend of old-world charm and contemporary amenities, topped off with signature Indian hospitality. The hotel presents guests with the opportunity to spark connections and experience the taste of surrounding communities in the state of Kerala.” “Port Muziris is going to add to the efforts to make Kerala a world-class tourism destination. I believe that it is where Kerala starts. The property’s uniqueness is visible through the soulful art spread across the property, the homely local food and the untypical rooms that bring out the vibrancy, vigor, and life of Kerala. At Twenty14 Holdings, we strive to keep our peerless hospitality growing by ensuring that each of our hotels is unique in its identity, intent, and immersion,” said Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director of Twenty14 Holdings. Port Muziris, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel features 54 artistically designed rooms, including three Executive Suites. The hotel design evokes grandeur and is reminiscent of the heritage residences found in Kerala. The hotel offers an exciting range of dining options, each with its own unique flavours and identity. With …

OYO Hotels & Homes has announced that it has agreed to acquire Amsterdam-based @Leisure Group. @Leisure is a leading vacation rental company in Europe and manages holiday homes, holiday parks, and holiday apartments. @Leisure Group, through its Belvilla, DanCenter, and Danland brands, offers more than 30,000-fully managed holiday homes across 13 countries in Europe and through its Traum-Ferienwohnungen brand, offers a subscription-based home management service with over 85,000 homes across 50 countries. This represents a total inventory of 300k+ rooms. @Leisure Group has the unique ability to offer varied collections of managed homes across Europe to customers from across the world. The acquisition helps OYO move a step closer in realizing its vision of becoming a global real estate brand while maintaining leadership in the hospitality industry.

International tourists’ spend on hotels in India expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 14 per cent by 2022, as per a latest study by KPMG and Google. Indian players currently enjoy a 55 per cent share of revenues in the accommodation industry. This is expected to reduce to 50 per cent by 2022 as international players plan to expand aggressively into Tier I and Tier II cities in India. Accommodation providers in these cities are set to witness influx of international travellers. Cities like Manali, Ooty, Gangtok are gaining popularity. Tier I and Tier II cities see the majority of leisure travel spending (approximately 87 per cent of overall international tourist spending is for leisure purposes). The accommodation market in these cities is dominated by several small and unorganised Indian players. Indian players have tapped into the opportunity through tie-ups with multiple sales representation companies for lead generation, global promotion campaigns and loyalty programmes. Promotional activities are supported by comprehensive marketing campaigns globally. Select large players have set up hotels overseas whereas smaller players depend on international travelers visiting India as it is challenging for these players to operate internationally without the desired scale. Online travel aggregators play an important role in organising the fragmented market and bridging the accessibility gap for international travelers by creating a transparent ecosystem.

After a bumper 2018, more hotel mergers and acquisitions are expected this year. The focus is shifting towards more private deals with smaller platforms. The top hospitality brands only account for around a third of hotel rooms around the world, making more acquisitions in 2019 likely. Tony Ryan, Managing Director of Global Mergers & Acquisitions in JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group says, “Most of the larger platform deals have already been done, so the big operators are now seeking out unique concepts and locations to complement existing product offerings – particularly as consumer demand changes. Those transactions will occur primarily in Europe and Asia, where there is greater opportunity for consolidation.” On the revenue side, having a global reach enables hotel groups to provide customers with the type of accommodations they want, where they want it. The purchasing power of a bigger operation can also mean significant cost savings, says Ryan. “Bigger players have more buying power than a standalone hotel, and so are able to pay lower commissions to distributors such as Expedia or Booking.com.”   With aggregation among the industry’s big guns more or less complete, the major global brands are turning their attention to smaller, niche players that can help them build out a full presence in every part of the accommodation market both geographically and by sector – in particular luxury, wellness, lifestyle, and entertainment. All the major brands are seeking to enhance their luxury offering, says Ryan. “That has a halo effect on the rest of the company. Given the room rates that luxury properties achieve, it can also be highly lucrative.” Examples include AccorHotel’s acquisition of FRHI Holdings (parent of the Fairmont, Raffles and …

Sarovar Hotels has announced the signing of a new hotel in Poovar, marking the group’s further foray into Kerala. One of the fastest growing hotel chains in India with over 80 operational hotels across 50 destinations in India and Africa, this will be Sarovar’s fifth hotel in  Kerala ,adding to its impressive presence in Vayalar, Thekaddy, Kochi and Thiruvanthipuram. Pooovar is a well-known tourist destination due to its unsurpassed natural beauty, unspoilt beaches and beautiful rivers. It is an ideal destination for relaxing and cherishing the exotic beauty of beaches. A trip to God’s Own Country will not be complete without a visit to the famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The hotel to be operated in mid-2019 will offer 90 beautiful rooms with a nature view, spa to rejuvenate oneself, bar, restaurant, Swimming pool and banquet facility for the social together and meetings.  Situated 35 km from Trivandrum Airport, this unique hotel can be accessed both by road and boat.   Commenting on the development, Anil Madhok, Executive Chairman, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, said” We are delighted to expand our presence in the state, adding one more leisure destination in our portfolio. We look forward to further growth and remain committed to further expansion in key markets of South India.”