Category Archives: Hotels

After close to two weeks of relative uncertainty, many misconceptions, and quite a few incorrect assumptions, hotel and restaurants in Mumbai will have an opportunity to clear the cloud over GST and receive clarity on any doubts regarding the new tax law. For this, the Hotel and Restaurant Association Of Western India (HRAWI) has organised a seminar on ‘GST Law – 2017’ on July 13, 2017, at the Trident, Nariman Point. The seminar, open to both its members and non-members, will be addressed by eminent experts who also will help resolve any queries with regards to the new tax and billing systems. “The GST is a big change to the taxation system for our country and to get familiarized with any change takes time. Over the last one week the association has been trying to identify the most common issues and queries posed by hoteliers and restaurateurs and also by customers. Through this seminar we intend to put to rest any ambiguities and address any grey areas with respect to GST. We have brought on board the best minds and experts on matters of taxation and who would be happy to help us bridge any gaps in our understanding of the GST. We are positive that participating hotels and restaurants will greatly benefit from this seminar,” says Dilip Datwani, President, HRAWI.  

Ashmiholdings Private Limited announced taking over the charge of their first venture, The Bristol Hotel, Gurugram. Speaking on the successful transfer of The Bristol’s operations, hospitality industry veteran Dr. Amit Modi, Managing Director of Ashmiholdings Private Limited and CEO of The Bristol Hotel said, “We are happy to be taking over the operations and re-launching The Bristol Hotel. We believe that the property has great potential to grow beyond its former glory. With the new renovations and the soon-to-be-announced F&B outlet launches we are positive that we will be able to create a new benchmark in the hospitality sector. We believe, we can bring about a structure and organisation to the day-to-day operations of the hotel which in turn will add to the growth and success of The Bristol Hotel.” He further added, “Our vision is to re-establish The Bristol as a professionally managed hotel which is known for its delectable choice of F&B and the availability of its spacious one-of-a-kind banqueting space which will be bringing back the charm of The Bristol as a new wedding destination in Gurugram. We are gearing up for the re-launch of the newly refurbished rooms including the ritzy Presidential Suite, and the coffee shop – Palmyra, soon-to-be Gurugram’s exclusive new hang out spot.”

Prince Hotels, a consolidated subsidiary of Japan-based Seibu Holdings Inc., has acquired StayWell Hospitality Group including all the business operations of StayWell Group which operates and develops 30 hotels globally. Prince Hotels will establish the 100% fully owned Australian subsidiary StayWell Holdings and this new company will acquire all shares of SWHG’s 22 operating subsidiary companies from SWHG. Proceedings are expected to be completed within the next three months. This business acquisition will further strengthen the globalization of the Seibu Group’s hotel and leisure businesses which serve as a driving force for continued and stronger growth for the Seibu Group. This acquisition will add the 30 hotels operated and developed by SWHG in 7 countries and 21 cities to the existing Prince Hotels network which serves as the core of the Seibu Group’s hotel and leisure businesses. The new properties will serve as further global development and operation platforms, which will allow the Seibu Group to expand the profit earning opportunities of its international hotel business and carry out faster development of hotels in Southeast Asia, Asia and Oceania, the Middle East, and Europe. Seibu Group plans to deploy 100 hotels in 10 years. Shigeyoshi Akasaka, President and Representative Director, Prince Hotels, said, “Prince Hotels is enjoying good performance with the recent growth of tourism within Japan. During these favorable conditions, we are looking toward the year 2020 and beyond and focusing on international expansion.”

Fern Hotels & Resorts has recently announced the opening of its 31st hotel, namely, Amanora The Fern in Magarpatta, Pune, Maharashtra. Suhail Kannampilly, COO, Concept Hospitality, says, “Amanora is the second property we are opening under the Fern brand. We already have a property at MIDC Pune and we have got a very good response from the market. People have realized how committed we are to responsible luxury. This will also give them a chance to participate in their little way to the cause of environment.” The 26-key property, which is spread over 4.5 acres with a capacity to cater 3000 people, is owned by City Corporation Limited. It also has a squash court, a tennis court, a gym, a spa, a library and a huge indoor swimming pool. It also has an amphitheatre.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) for hotels will be charged on the rack rates, or declared rates of hotels, which will have a considerable impact on the hotel industry. According to the notification number 11/2017-Central Tax (Rate) New Delhi, dated June 28, 2017, “For accommodation in hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, campsites or other commercial places meant for residential or lodging purposes, the ‘declared tariff’ will be the basis of tax to be levied.” Declared tariff has been explained as to  include charges for all the amenities provided in a unit of accommodation (given on rent for stay), like furniture, air conditioner, refrigerator or any other amenities, but without excluding any discount offered on the published charges leading to some ambiguity. However, Rashmi Verma, Secretary Tourism, Government of India, had announced in an interactive meeting in Mumbai that the GST rates are on actual invoiced rate and not on published tariff. She also assured to look into any discrepancy or anomaly in the language or wordings of the same.

In order to serve their clients better in India, Serena Hotels has appointed Nijhawan Group as their local representative in the country. Serena Hotels is a leading hospitality brand offering quality accommodation, unique holiday and conference solutions, and cultural heritage and adventure tourism in East Africa, with 24 upmarket hotels, safari lodges, resorts and safari camps located in some of the most exquisite and prime locations in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Mozambique. Announcing this partnership, Priyanka Nijhawan, Director – Representations, Nijhawan Group explained, “We will support the tour operators and travel agents in their sales and marketing efforts to maximize the numbers of Indians staying at Serena Hotels. With the addition of Serena Hotels to our representation portfolio, we can now offer a niche product in East Africa to our travel partners to further enhance the experience of their clients”.

Treebo Hotels has announced its association with TripAdvisor, which will open up a global audience of 390 million monthly users looking to make hotel reservations for budget hotel chain. Commenting on the partnership, Sidharth Gupta, Co-founder, Treebo Hotels, said, “TripAdvisor is one of the key touch points for us to connect with our users. These users have already been posting and reading reviews of Treebo’s top-rated properties on TripAdvisor. Now they’ll also see be able to see the best available prices and book hotels on TripAdvisor itself. We are expecting TripAdvisor to contribute close to 5 per cent of monthly bookings in the next three months, becoming a key distribution channel for us.” This partnership will allow TripAdvisor users search and book – via meta – quality hotel experiences across over 50 Indian cities. Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager, TripAdvisor India, commented, “TripAdvisor’s aim is to help the Indian traveller save time and effort when planning their travel with tools that make it easy to find the best hotel offering that suits their needs wherever they are going. With Treebo on board, both local and international travellers will be able to find good quality budget accommodation in India they know they will have a good experience at.”

Royal Orchid Hotels announces the opening of one more hotel under its brand ‘Regenta’ in Deharadun, Uttarakhand slated to open on 25 June, 2017. With this, it will now have a total of 44 hotels. The 74-key Regenta LP Vilas is a luxurious hotel spread over a lakh sq. ft. area with a capacity to cater to 4,000 people. It is centrally located among other Dehradun hotels within the city and close to the famous business hub Selaqui, international airport and railway station. The hotel offers a picturesque view of the forest and features a multi cuisine restaurant and a bar. The hotel is also, first of its kind to offer luxurious and spacious venue to host any kind of event with eight unique venues. Chander K. Baljee, MD of the Royal Orchid Hotels said, “Uttarakhand has always been an important market for hoteliers in terms of both business and leisure segments. Whereas under Narendra Modi’s Government, tourism is going to witness a boost and we intend to tap this segment with our existing portfolio along with our newly launched property in Dehradun.”

According to the latest monthly data from STR Global, India’s nationwide occupancy increased 5.4 per cent year-on-year to 61.4 per cent last month, which marked the highest absolute occupancy level for a May in India since 2007. And this extra demand is allowing hoteliers to hike their rates; India’s average daily rate (ADR) climbed 3.5 per cent to Rs. 5,406.77 (approx. $84) in May. These two factors combined to raise nationwide revenue per available room (revPAR) by +9.1 per cent to Rs. 3,319.71. RevPAR has now increased 4.2 per cent during the first five months of 2017, driven by strong domestic tourism and rising affluence among India’s growing middle class. Specifically in May, hotel demand was supported by the Indian Premier League cricket and the African Development Bank annual meetings in Ahmedabad.

Cygnett Hotels and Resorts has now entered Jammu and Kashmir with the launch of their first hotel in the region-Cygnett Park Asia in Jammu. The hotel houses 44 rooms and suites, with an open swimming pool, and other fitness services such as an in-house multi gym, sauna, steam, and whirlpool facilities. Sarbendra Sarkar, Founder & Managing Director, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts, says, “Cygnett Park Asia, Jammu is an exciting addition to the Cygnett Hotels portfolio. We believe the city of Jammu has incredible potential for business and hospitality growth, making it an obvious choice for the Cygnett Hotels brand. Working with one of the most experienced Hotels in this region will set new standards in offering guests a dynamic hotel experience, and this association will resonate the essence of The Cygnett Hotels and Resorts in its global expansion.” At Cygnett Park Asia, the menu features exquisite Kashmiri cuisine, an array of extensive continental, Chinese and Indian delicacies.