Category Archives: Hotels

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 …

Fortune Hotels has opened Fortune Select Cedar Trail in Mashobra, Shimla with the inaugural fare of Rs 9999 plus taxes. This rate is valid for bookings made till April 12. The hotel offers a range of accommodation options in a crescendo of views, panoramas, balconies and terraces. The rooms, filled with natural light, are spacious with large bay windows and private balconies. Tantalise your taste buds against the backdrop of majestic Himalayas with a lavish menu at Zodiac – the all-day diner or relax with family and friends at Neptune bar and lounge.The hotel is located amidst a lush oak, cedar and pine tree forest and at an altitude of 2100 metres above sea level with sweeping views of the majestic Himalayan range. This beautiful hotel is ideally located at a distance of 33 km from the Shimla airport while the Chandigarh Airport is 130 km away. All the popular tourist attractions of the Shimla hills are at a close driving distance from the hotel — Kufri (12 km), Mall Road (16 km), Jakhoo Temple (10 km), Tatapani (44 km), Lakkar Bazar (12 km) and the Ridge (13 km). Spanning two floors, the hotel’s meeting and event space can house up to 300 guests and are ideal for corporate events and meets. The hotel is fully geared for spectacular destination weddings that are sure to look right out of a fairy-tale. Additional hotel highlights include high speed Wi-Fi connectivity, round the clock dining, activity zone, and a fitness centre equipped with state-of-the-art exercise equipment designed for guests committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle even on holidays.

Lords Hotels & Resorts has announced its latest property in Andhra Pradesh with Mourya Lords Inn, Kurnool. The hotel boasts of 117 guest rooms along with two F&B outlets, three banquet halls, a pool and a spa. Located in KJ complex at Bhagya Nagar, the hotel is just 1 km from Kurnool Railway Station. The nearest Airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport – Hyderabad which is at distance of 180 kms. Another nearest airport is Kurnool International Airport which is at a distance of 28 kms. Kurnool Airport will be operational from May 2019. Kurnool is the fifth most populous city in the state and is reckoned to be one of the gateways to Hindu Pilgrimage Sri Sailam. It is also an excellent place for history buffs since it’s full of historical monuments that offer the glimpse of fine ancient architecture. Kurnool district also has a number of oil mills, textile mills, stone polishing units, cement plants, and chemical industries.

Marriott International has announced its three-year growth plan, which includes opening more than 1,700 hotels around the world, at its meeting with institutional investors and security analysts at the New York Marriott Marquis. Marriott will outline its plan to add between 275,000 and 295,000 rooms by 2021, supported by the strength of its record 478,000-room pipeline, including roughly 214,000 rooms already under construction. Marriott will disclose that its new room openings during this period could contribute $400 million in fee revenue in 2021 and $700 million annually when stabilized. The company’s three-year growth plan assumes, but does not forecast, comparable hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth of 1 and 3 percent, compounded annually.

Hotel Leela Venture Limited (HLVL) has entered into a binding agreement with a Brookfield Asset Management (Brookfield) sponsored private real estate fund, to sell by way of slump sale, four owned Leela hotels located in Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Udaipur and the property that it owns in Agra. The transaction also includes assignment of all Hotel Management contracts currently in operation as well as all management contracts for hotels which are currently under development, along with the employees of the hotels. The total transaction value is Rs 3950 crore plus the applicable transaction costs. This is subject to approval of shareholders, lenders and other regulatory and statutory approvals. Simultaneously, the promoters who own the Leela brand would also be transferring the Leela brand to Brookfield for all hospitality businesses. JM Financial Limited acted as the exclusive financial advisor to HLVL for this transaction. Commenting on the transaction, Vivek Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, HLVL said, “The Leela is rated amongst the top hospitality brands in the world and I am confident that the brand will receive a boost and be further strengthened and continue to be known for its world-class services.” Ankur Gupta, Managing Director and Head-India Real Estate, Brookfield Asset Management remarked, “The Leela is one of the finest hospitality groups in India and over the years it has gained extraordinary recognition from some of the most prestigious authorities on travel and luxury in the world. We are excited with this opportunity and look forward to completing this transaction at the earliest, while ensuring that all operations remain unaffected.  We expect the Leela hotels to continue to be market leaders.”

Q4 has been an outstanding quarter for Sarovar Hotels Chain. Vijay Jaiswal, Senior Vice President- Sales and Marketing, Sarovar Hotels and Resorts, says, “We have exceeded on our target in Occupancy, ADR and RevPar. We have seen a growth of 2% in Occupancy and ADR grew by 4% in Q4 2018 vis-à-vis Q4 2017. Amongst the cities that have performed well are all major metro cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and cities like Goa, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur. Cities that have not performed well for our hotels are Kerala and Mashobra(Shimla) due to heavy floods and monsoon in these regions. We are forecasting to do well in coming quarter and poised to meet our targets. This is based on our current trends for this quarter. However, the general elections in April & May can be an impeding in our performance.”

Accor is taking a leap in technology this year as its going to introduce its day use service in India where the guests can stay for 12 hours anytime in the day and will pay 60% less of the actual room price. Speaking more on this, Arif Patel, VP, Sales, Marketing, Loyalty and Distribution, India & South Asia, Accor, says, “Today, if you want to use a hotel room from 8 am to 8 pm, its very difficult to book. To solve this, Accor will soon enable its guests to book the room maximum for 12 hours any time in the day that suits them. It will up to the hotel if they want to release their 6 am to 6 pm slot of 7 am to 7 pm, 12 pm to 8 pm etc. You will be able to book hotel room just for the day use, online. One can make this booking with a discount of 60 per cent on the total room rate.”

Rohit Chopra, Regional Director of Sales, Accor – India & South Asia believes that India offers great opportunities in the luxury segment. “Accor is exploring opportunities for the extended stay segment with discussions for developments under the Novotel Suites under way in Gurgaon and Bengaluru. We believe that India has tremendous scope in the luxury segment, given the increasing demand and spends in the country. We are also looking at introducing the Mövenpick and Ansagna brands in the country and plan to develop resorts in Rajasthan, Goa, Kerala, the hills and the north east of the country and Coorg.”

Marriott International has announced the launch of Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri. Comprising 130 rooms, meeting and conference facilities, and an mix of dining options, the Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri’s banquet hall has 4000 sqft of indoor and outdoor space. “The opening of the first Courtyard by Marriott in the East of India marks a great milestone for Marriott International”, said Gaurav Singh, General Manager, JW Marriott Kolkata & Cluster General Manager, Bangladesh “It was a matter of time before the Marriott Brand came to Siliguri, the Gateway to the North East of India. Marriott is globally renowned for its intuitive service and commitment to providing guests with truly enriching experiences. We believe this property will create a new atmosphere and be an integral part of this city’s growth story.”