Cross Section Media

a l l a b o u t h o t e l s & h o s p i t a l i t y

Volume 1. Issue 10. November 2012. Rs 50

Ista Hotels to be branded as Hyatt, March ’13 Yamuna Expressway gives hope for more tourists to Agra Sahara Group has ambitious growth plans Alternate accommodation versus hotels: the Bengaluru experience

Swiss Elegance comes to Indian Hospitality

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November 2012 hotelscapes

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New developments 4 Supertech ties up with Leela Palaces for

Noida hotel 6 Ista Hotels to be rebranded as Hyatt Hotels

New hotels 10 Thecountry’sfirstHyattPlaceopensinHampi 12 HHISelectcomesupinBengaluru

Tourism 20 SupremeCourtliftsbanonTigertourism

One-on-one 22 JMD Group forays into hospitality with a

hotelinGurgaon 26 Preferred Hotels set to expand base in India 32 TheMet,NewDelhigetsanewGMand

ahotelmakeover

Chef speak 36 Howhotelsbraceupwiththechallengeof

Japanese cuisine

Forum of the month 38 WilltheYamunaExpresswayboost

tourisminAgra

Brand analysis 42 SaharaStarandtheGroup’sexpansionplans 46 Moevenpick:thecountry’sfirstSwissluxury

hotelinBengaluru

Marketing 50 Allthatahotelwebsitemustencompass

to attract clients

Trends 52 Alternateaccommodationsversushotels

inBengaluru 57 Chef’suniformsmuststrikeabalancebetween

style and utility

Guest column 35 Securityalsocontributestoahotel’sROI

Volume 1 Issue 10 NoVember 2012

Editor:Navin S Berry AssistantEditor:Manisha Almadi Midha BusinessDevelopment:Sudhir SoodAdvertising:Saurabh Shukla Design:Ashok Saxena, Neelam AswaniHotelscapes ispublishedandprintedmonthlybyNavinBerryonbehalfofCrossSectionMediaPvt.Ltd. andprintedatAnupamArtPrintersB-52,Naraina,PhaseII,NewDelhiandpublishedfromIIIrdFloor, RajendraBhawan,210,DeenDayalUpadhyayMarg,NewDelhi-110002.Tel:91-11-43784444; Fax:91-11-41001627,41001628.E-mail:[email protected] issue of Hotelscapes contains 72 pages plus 4 pages cover

I couldn’t agree any more with your ‘Pilgrimage Tourism’ feature that Indian pilgrim cities need more branded hotels. It will help boost tourism. Hope the hoteliers across the country are listening.

Swati Shah, mumbai The feature on mid-segment hotels was an eye-opener – how these hotels are trying to find a foothold in the industry!

Raunak Singh, Gurgaon

r e a d e r s w r i t e i n

editoR’S noteThe Yamuna expressway has brought down the travel time from Delhi to Agra to a little over two hours. Has this impacted tourism in Agra? We speak to hoteliers in Agra to find out how hotel occupancies are faring since the opening of the expressway, in our ‘Forum of the month’.

Alternate accommodations, like serviced apartments and company guest houses, are an emerging trend in bengaluru, and are competing with hotels. We find out from hoteliers in bengaluru if these options are impacting their business, in our ‘Trends’ section.

We have some exclusive interviews in this issue. Vivek Kumar, Ceo, Sahara Star discusses the group’s expansion plans. Ashok Khanna, mD, IHHr Hotels reveals the rationale of Ista Hotels being rebranded as Hyatt Hotels. Karan bedi, Director, JmD Group, talks about the real estate major’s entry in hospitality with the launch of DoubleTree by Hilton in Gurgaon. biswajit Chakraborty, Gm, moevenpick, ben-galuru talks about the country’s first Swiss luxury hotel. Sanzeev bhatia, the newly appointed Gm of The metropolitan Hotel & Spa, New Delhi talks about the hotel’s recent makeover. Preferred Hotels share their expansion plans in India. We also have an interesting ‘Chef Speak’ section where the Sakura chef gives us an inside into the city’s most popular Japanese hotel restaurant Sakura.

Hotels must have a well-equipped website to draw Internet traffic to the maxi-mum. We talk about this in detail in our ‘marketing’ section. our ‘Tourism’ pages highlight the lifting of the ban on tiger tourism in the country which will once again benefit hoteliers. We continue to come up with the latest industry news such as the Supertech and Leela tie-up for a Leela Hotel in Noida.

In the ‘New Hotels’ section, we write about the first Hyatt Place hotel in India that has come up in Hampi, and the Kolkata based HHI Select brand’s foray into the South with a hotel in bengaluru.

besides, we continue to provide other industry news and updates. Do write to us with your feedback.

contents/editorial

A L L A B O U T H O T E L S & H O S P I T A L I T Y

Volume 1. Issue 10. November 2012. Rs 50

Ista Hotels to be branded as Hyatt, March ’13 Yamuna Expressway gives hope for more tourists to Agra Sahara Group has ambitious growth plans Alternate accommodation versus hotels: the Bengaluru experience

Swiss Elegance comes to Indian Hospitality

Atr

ium

Lou

nge,

Moe

venp

ick

Ben

galu

ru

4

| hotelscapes November 2012

new developments

Supertech ties up with Leela Palaces for Noida hotel

supertech already runs three ho-tels, all with Carlson Group. this would be their first development with another brand. within the

complex, they have plans for two more hotels, for which talks are going on with other brands in the business. Funds for these projects, in total envisaging an outlay of rs 2700 crores, will come from bank loans, private equity and also from property sales to the public.

the designated hotel will be suitably named the Leela Palace noida, will be situated in one of the five towers of su-pernova – india’s tallest and largest mixed use development located in sector 94, noida, on the cusp of the dnd Highway connecting with the noida expressway

start to Greater noida. the property will be an ultra luxurious hotel which will comprise approximately 250 exquisitely appointed guest rooms and suites, su-perlative restaurants, lounges, banquet facilities, internationally renowned spa and modern fitness centre. in keeping with the Leela’s high standards of ex-cellence, the hotel will offer exclusive services for corporate guests.

according to rK arora, Chairman and Managing director, supertech Limited, “supernova is an epitome of luxury and class and the Leela is also known for its opulent properties. this amalgamation of two premium brands will offer a connois-seurs destination with the best facilities and features to offer. noida is coming up

North India’s leading real estate developer, Supertech Limited and The Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the iconic luxury

hotel – The Leela Palace Noida, at Supernova, Noida. Supertech will construct and develop the property which will be operated and managed by The Leela.

with the best of facilities and infrastruc-ture which is attracting a lot of corporates to set up their businesses here, thereby increasing the demand for hotels in the city. also with the opening up of Yamuna expressway, the demand for this sector will witness a further boost.”

speaking on the occasion, Vivek nair, Vice Chairman and Managing director, the Leela Group said, “we are confident that with the unparalleled location and an excellent development partner we would be able to offer what discerning guests travelling on business or leisure desire and have come to expect from the Leela Group. we believe our expertise and op-erational excellence will further open up opportunities for continued growth and

From (L to R) Rajiv Kaul, Vivek Nair, RK Arora and Mohit Arora


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contribute to noida’s status as a major destination. the focus on infrastructure in noida including the newly opened Ya-muna expressway is now bound to attract increased tourist inflow and we would be delighted to welcome them to the Leela Palace noida.”

supertech is investing rs 450 crores in this venture which will be completed within a period of 48 months from its commencement. apart from the 250-room luxury hotel, also planned within the same tower is premium Leela residences, much like those abroad, where the apart-ments get sold to private investors, and are then offered for residences along with all guest services that are available within thee hotel. Leela Hotels have signed for similar residences along with Prestige Group in Bengaluru. Mohit arora, direc-tor, supertech said the pricing of these residences has yet to be worked out, but opined that these are likely to cost four times more than the average sale price for similar apartments in that area. these are likely to be made available in the open market sometime early next year.

about supernovasupernova is india’s tallest and largest mixed-use development spread across five

million sq ft of area located in noida, Uttar Pradesh. the project has five towers – spi-ra (the iconic tower, india’s tallest mixed use development of 80 floors standing at 300 meters), nova east, nova west, astra-lis and a hotel tower – the Leela Palace.

spira consists of residences, studio apartments, a 5 star hotel, shopping malls, office spaces and recreational centers, topped off by a world class res-taurant and bar, which boosts a bird’s eye view over the surrounding waterways of river Yamuna. the tower also has a heli-pad, an observatory deck, an exclusive club house, automated elevators and a panoramic view of the bird sanctuary. nova east and west are two adjoining towers with world class luxurious two and three BHK apartments. astralis, designed to suit the modern offices, provides a highly advanced working environment with landscaped terraces, rooftop garden and exclusive private terraces. the fifth tower has an ultra premium hotel prop-erty called the Leela Palace noida.

s u p e r n ov a a l s o h a s r a d i a n ce Place which is ultra premium luxurious mall, a combination of high street fashion, global brands, food outlets, entertain-ment zones, exclusive dining and podium rooftop gardens.

about supertech limitedsupertech Limited – an isO 9001:2000 certified company, has successfully com-pleted over 24 years in the real estate business and today it has revolutionised the real estate arena. the company has to its credit a customer base of 50,000 clients. supertech Group is scaling new heights every day because of its engi-neering techniques, innovative designing, architectural finesse, quality and timely completion of the projects undertaken. • Over 50,000 customers base• Over 7,000 residential and 1,000 com-mercial units delivered• Projects across 36 locations• Projects in hand worth Rs 12,000 crores

the group has been involved in build-ing many modern and finest residential, commercial complexes, townships, it parks and hotels in nCr and in new ur-ban settlements like Meerut, Moradabad, Haridwar and rudrapur.

the landmark projects of the company are supernova, OrB, north eye, emerald Court, 34 Pavilion, Cape town and eco Citi in noida, Upcountry and Golf Country at Yamuna expressway.

Leela Group currently manages eight award-winning hotels in india which includes prime urban locations in Ben-galuru, Gurgaon, Mumbai, new delhi and Chennai, and magical holiday escapes in Goa, Kovalam and Udaipur. Properties under development are at agra, Jaipur and ashtamudi (Kerala), Bangalore at Bhartiya City strategically located close to the airport. the group has marketing alliances with Germany-based Kempinski, Us-based Preferred Hotels & resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel alliance, the world’s largest alliance of independ-ent luxury hotel brands.

this partnership with supertech un-derscores the group’s new approach to hotel development – namely to go asset light. all their new projects are likely to go forward as management contracts, ex-cept for their two fully owned projects in agra and in ashtamudi where the compa-ny already has a land bank, and reflected in the company’s balance sheet. the com-pany has land banks in three other cities including Pune and Hyderabad and these are being developed with private players, not for hotels. ■

by navin berry

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new developments

Ista hotels to be rebranded as Hyatt Hotels

Strategic tie up for hotels in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Amritsar and Ahmedabad.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (nYse: H) announced that a Hyatt af-filiate has signed management agreements with iHHr Hospital-

ity Private Limited for five ista hotels in india to be re-branded by Hyatt. Under the agreement, the fully operational ista hotels will be known as Hyatt Bengalu-ru, Hyatt Pune, Hyatt Hyderabad, Hyatt

ahmedabad and Hyatt amritsar. the branding effort is expected to be com-pleted by March 2013. the agreements were signed by both parties on October 29, 2012 in London.

each of the five ista hotels enjoys pre-mium locations within their respective cities and reflects a contemporary and modern design that offers the business

traveller a convenient and stylish place to live, dine and meet. in recognition of their standing as one of india’s most success-ful home-grown brands, ista Bengaluru and ista Hyderabad have been awarded a position on the Condé nast traveller’s prestigious Hot List in 2006 and 2007, re-spectively. they were also ranked among the top business hotels in south asia by a

Ista Bengaluru


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RatneSh VeRmaseniOr ViCe President, reaL estate and deVeLOPMent, HYatt HOteLs &

resOrts, asia PaCiFiC

this opportunity allows Hyatt to further consolidate its distribution in india and

offer its guests a choice in new markets such as

Bengaluru, amritsar and ahmedabad.

participate in Hyatt’s extensive network of hotels in 45 countries. this deal will also allow iHHr to re-focus its efforts on fur-ther developments and its other brands, which include the award-winning destina-tion spa brand ananda in the Himalayas.

ashok Khanna, Managing director of iHHr said, “we are proud of our achieve-ment in establishing the five ista Hotels since the inception of the brand in 2006. we wanted to tap into the confidence and power of young india, so we listened to what those customers wanted and worked with excellent architects and designers to create ista. Clearly we got it right, because we won awards from the writers and read-ers of highly respected publications. the time is now right to step back to our role as owners and hand these ista hotels to a superb brand in Hyatt, which can take the business to the next level, through its marketing and brand strength. we are delighted with this relationship.”

Verma added, “the association with iHHr comes at a particularly poignant time for us at Hyatt as we will mark 30 years since Hyatt regency delhi opened as the first Hyatt hotel in india’s capital. since then, nine more hotels have opened under various Hyatt brands in india; and with the addition of the five ista hotels, our portfolio stands at 15 business and re-sort hotels in india. we want to continue building on our brand’s long presence and relationships in the country and are fortunate to be a major part of the indian hospitality industry today. we are grateful to all our developers, owners and guests for their belief and trust in Hyatt.”

the re-branding of the five ista hotels as Hyatt Hotels will mark the entry of the fourth brand from the company’s port-folio into india. Currently, india has five Hyatt regency hotels in Mumbai, Pune, delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, two Grand Hyatt hotels in Mumbai and Goa, and three Park Hyatt hotels in Goa, Chennai and Hy-derabad. there are currently more than 50 Hyatt-branded hotels under development in india, which are expected to add more than 12,000 rooms. the Hyatt Place brand will be the next to enter india, with Hyatt Place Hampi, followed by Hyatt Place Pune, Hinjewadi. the next six months will also mark the opening of three other Hyatt ho-tels in india – Hyatt regency Gurgaon, Hyatt regency Ludhiana and Hyatt raipur. ■

leading travel magazine.“as a company we see a perfect fit with

iHHr’s forward-thinking philosophy and vision,” said ratnesh Verma, senior Vice President, real estate and development for Hyatt Hotels & resorts in asia Pacific. “we feel honoured to have been selected as the new brand for their portfolio in in-dia. it is our constant endeavour to create preference for our brand by having ho-tels in markets where our customers are travelling. this opportunity allows Hyatt to further consolidate its distribution in india and offer its guests a choice in new markets such as Bengaluru, amritsar and ahmedabad. the re-branding will also enhance our representation with a great collection of high quality hotels that are already recognised as market leaders in guest experience and performance.”

the mutually beneficial association between the two hospitality companies will, in turn, enable the five hotels to en-large their global reach, become a part of Hyatt’s popular Hyatt Gold Passport loyalty programme and other marketing initiatives, take advantage of Hyatt’s well-established systems and processes, and

Lobby, Ista Amritsar

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Ista Hotels will get a wider distribution

new developments

what was the rationale behind ista, to start with? How many years went into their making? Under

whose ownership was ista?ista was created to fill a clear opportunity gap in the hospitality market for a trendy, upscale contemporary brand in fast growing indian cities with sunrise industries of it, ites and others. the first ista was launched in Bengaluru in 2005 and a new addition eve-ry one and a half years since. all hotels were owned by iHHr, except ista ahmedabad for which iHHr was the operator.do these hotels pass on their management effectively? does this mean the end of the road for ista, as a brand?who owns the brand now? in the past five years, ista attracted and retained a loyal following of upscale indian and global travellers seeking a refreshing and contemporary hotel experience. How-ever to take this to the next level and to

compete with the increasing competition now present in these cities, our properties needed global distribution and marketing strength. this is why, after considerable evaluation, we decided to handover man-agement of these properties to a global brand and finally selected Hyatt for their superior strengths i.e. a global distribution network, preferred customer relationships with key global corporates and strong loy-alty programme. we expect this move with Hyatt to drive better occupancy and rates to our properties. iHHr continues to own ‘Brand ista’. we have some plans for the future of ista and will get back to you as soon as these plans are finalised.and what does the new branding mean for you personally, and for your own hotel company?we have not given up ownership in any of our assets. Only day to day management is now with Hyatt and with this partnership, we hope to ensure that these properties

perform to their full potential. this also allows us to expand ananda as a brand on a global level. please explain the entire switchover.the switchover is currently in progress at all the hotels and we expect a complete and formal brand switchover from ista to Hyatt by March 2013.now, what are the properties in your portfolio?Bengaluru, Hyderabad, amrit-sar, Pune – properties owned by iHHr, to be managed by Hy-att. ananda in the Himalayas – owned and managed by iHHr.what are your plans for further expansion of your own brands, like ananda?ananda will continue to be owned and managed by us. we will be expanding the ananda brand internationally and in india. ■

as told to navin berry

Hotelscapes catches up with Ashok Khanna, MD, IHHR Hotels. IHHR Hotels continue to own the five properties, except they are now being sold as Hyatt Hotels. There are definite plans for Ananda to go international but these will be announced when finalised.


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Ananda in the Himalayas

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new Hotels

Hyatt Place Hampi is the first international hotel to be located in Hampi (Karnataka), one of t he e leven monument s in

india declared a world Heritage site by UnesCO.

Located amidst the lush green am-biance of Vidyanagar township in the Bellary district of Karnataka, Hyatt Place Hampi is an upscale, select-service hotel designed for multi-tasking travellers.

the hotel is located about 27 km from Hampi also known as ‘the city of Vic-tory’ which consists of splendid ruins and the finest specimens of medieval indian architecture. Offering over 83 monuments to witness, it includes civil, military and religious structures that are of interest to anyone, whether tourist or academic. it is a visual treat for people who want a glimpse into a great histori-cal period.

Hyatt Place Hampi is spread over

Hampi in Karnataka gets its first international hotel, Hyatt Place Hampi.

ten acres of exclusively landscaped gar-dens. the hotel offers 115 smart-designed spacious guest rooms including seven rooms with private plunge pools and three suites with spectacular views of the sandur Mountain range.

each of its rooms includes modern facilities like a 40-inch Led tV, a plush Hyatt Grand Bed, a three-seat sectional sofa or a cosy corner (sofa cum pull out bed) and a Hyatt Plug Panel media centre for connecting a laptop or media device to the tV, in room safe, tea/coffee maker and mini refrigerator.

Guests can relish their meal in a serene environment while enjoying beau-tiful views of the hotel gardens at Hyatt Place Hampi’s multi-cuisine 24-hours restaurant called the Gallery located on the lobby level. the open kitchen de-sign allows you to interact with the chefs and express your particular preference. with a seating capacity of 120 guests,

Hampi brings the first Hyatt Place in India, with 115 rooms on offer

the Gallery also offers two private din-ing rooms to celebrate special occasions and conduct private corporate meetings and a bar serving premium beer, wine and cocktails. the 24x7 Market featuring salads, sandwiches and a variety of bot-tled beverages is an added attraction at the hotel.

Hyatt Place Hampi also offers two meeting rooms (3,770 sq ft) equipped with the latest in technology including multi-media projectors, recessed screens, wireless hand-held microphones, video conferencing, a fully equipped 24-hours fitness centre, a 24x7 e-room with com-plimentary wi-Fi through the hotel, a 24-hours recreational guest lounge (fea-turing indoor games) and an outdoor swimming pool.

Hyatt Place Hampi is a comfortable stay and a refreshing new hotel experi-ence as well as an untouched destination to explore. ■


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new Hotels

One of the forerunners of the hospitality industry in Kolkata since 1969, Hotel Hindusthan international (HHi) announced

its foray in Karnataka with the launch of its property in Bengaluru under the brand the HHi select. the property originally known as the emilion was taken over by the HHi group and has been re-mod-eled to be a business hotel with modern amenities and affordable pricing. this is the first hotel under the HHi select brand.

Conceptualised by the Md of the group, dK Jaiswal, the HHi select Ben-

Hotel Hindusthan International (HHI) forays into South with the launch of the HHI Select brand in Bengaluru.

that they now are at par with the other HHi properties. we are committed to lay a strong foundation to deepen our focus in hotel development and look forward to a good response to the select category of brand,” said sanjiv Banerjee, VP, sales and Marketing, HHi Group of Hotels.

“HHi select Bengaluru promises lei-sure, impeccable service and great food. we are thrilled to offer to the residents of Bengaluru and people travelling here this unique hospitality experience,” added anil K nair, GM, HHi select Bengaluru.

each of the rooms in the Bengaluru

property has an elegant look with chic furnishing that brings the traveller a feel of ease and serenity. the rooms are well furnished with complimentary wi-Fi, comfortable beds, LCd televisions and 24 hour in-room dining. the premium rooms in the property offer web enabled television which allows the guests to en-joy internet facilities on a bigger screen sitting in the comfort of their bed.

the single multi-cuisine restaurant Onyx serves some of the best cuisines over a select variety of classic spirits. the interiors done in lilac, white, steel grey shades and onion pink makes it warm, inviting with distinct music playing in the backdrop. splashes of colour, trendy furnishings, and artistic food presenta-tions set the tone. the food offerings have been created with an eclectic touch to suit all tastes. this rest-o-bar offers a lounge environment complete with a dJ console for the guests looking to unwind themselves in the evening. the HHi select Bengaluru is an important milestone in the brand’s growth which has plans to further increase its national footprint. ■

HHI Select: A new destination for business travellers in Bengalurugaluru like any other HHi hotel reveals a new world unfolding from the old. Lo-cated in the posh JP nagar, HHi select Bengaluru is a 59-room property with a gym, rest-o-bar and two banquets. stylish and boutique in design, the hotel offers a dedicated business center for the busi-ness traveller. Guests can look forward to HHi’s unique offerings in Bengaluru with this expansion in brand presence.

“we have extensively renovated the property and we are very happy to have launched our first property in Karnataka. we have trained the staff of the hotel so


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accor, the largest international hotel operator in asia Pacific, is celebrating the significant ex-pansion of its ibis hotel network

across india. the leading economy brand from accor is continuing to grow rapidly with a record opening of three ibis hotels in Q4 of the year – ibis Hosur road Ben-galuru, ibis navi Mumbai and ibis nashik. interGlobe Hotels, the india joint ven-ture of accor and interGlobe enterprises, currently have an active development programme for 19 ibis hotels with 3,600 rooms across india, all of which will open by 2015. a further six development op-portunities are under active negotiation by the joint venture and are expected to

are making. Our decision to ramp up de-velopment is based on the rapid economic growth that we are seeing across the coun-try, combined with the acute shortage of quality hotel accommodation at value for money price. we believe our ibis hotels in india are exactly what both domestic and international travellers need and want most while travelling in india.”

ibis hotels in india and in more than 53 countries across five continents provide quality, consistent accommodations at an affordable price and are backed by a “15-minute satisfaction guarantee”. ibis hotels are always well located for busi-

news flasH

Accor & InterGlobe Hotels continue with expansion of ibis hotel networkThey plan to launch 19 ibis hotels in India by 2015, and more development projects are underway.

be transacted within the next 12 months.this record performance is proving

a growth engine in driving accor hotel development around the region and help-ing accor capture a growing share of the business travellers in the upcoming com-mercial districts of Mumbai, nashik and Bengaluru.

speaking on the expansion, Jean-Michel Cassé, senior Vice President, Operations, accor india says, “accor is focused on india as a core growth mar-ket and the expansion in 2012 has been positive with a number of significant openings during the year. we are par-ticularly delighted with the opening of an ibis hotel within the important pre-

cincts of Bengaluru, navi Mumbai and nashik. while the ibis in navi Mumbai is centrally located and is easily accessible from the neigh-bouring cities of Mumbai, Pune and thane; ibis nashik’s strate-gic location within the industrial zone caters to all business needs. in Bengaluru, ibis Hosur road is currently the only international brand hotel in south Bengaluru serving the economy segment to business suburbs. we are com-mitted to offering our customers more choice in consistently high quality accommodation in the re-gion. the opening of these hotels strengthens accor’s presence in this market and will help us fur-ther promote the ibis brand. we have the strength of a successful international brand coupled with a very affordable price point.

Uttam dave, President & CeO, interGlobe Hotels says, “we are very pleased with the progress we

Jean-Michel Cassé


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news flasH

needs. For leisure purposes, various tourist attractions are easily accessible from the hotel, including Muktidham, Pan-chavati, Pandavleni, Jain temple, Phalke smarak, sula Vineyards, Gargoti Mineral Museum and many more.

strategically located near business districts and entertainment area, the 185-room ibis Bengaluru Hosur road is an ideal choice for travellers to the business suburb of the electronics city, Bannerghat-ta and the Koramangala trade districts. the hotel comes equipped with the lat-est soundproofing technology, to create a tranquil ambience within the hotel. ■

newest hotel in Mumbai – ibis navi Mum-bai. The 196-room property is conveniently located in navi Mumbai’s thane-Belapur road and is easily accessible by road and rail from Mumbai, thane and Pune. in addition to its central location, ibis navi Mumbai offers guests first-class facilities and international service standards.

ibis nashik with 123-rooms is locat-ed in nashik, ‘the wine capital of india’ and the third most industrialised city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune. the hotel’s strategic location on nashik trimbakeshwar road within the indus-trial zone at satpur caters to all business

ness and leisure travellers, and feature modern and ergonomic bedrooms, 24-hour service, and well-priced food and beverage offers tailored for the market.

all ibis hotels in india make a strong commitment to responsible and sustain-able development. the ibis Gurgaon has already achieved the isO 14001 certifi-cation and all future hotels will make a similar commitment to the environment.

about ibis navi mumbai, ibis nashik and ibis Hosur road Bengaluruas a global and modern yet affordable hotel brand, ibis proudly introduces its

ibis Navi Mumbai

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news flasH

in its commitment to being a respon-sible corporate citizen, radisson Blu Plaza Hyderabad has introduced a first-of-its kind sustainability Credit

programme with an objective to mini-mise negative impact on the environment, encourage healthy living and positive behaviour, ensuring safe and secure at-mosphere.

they believe that their responsibili-ties extend beyond business investments and are consistently engaging in activi-ties that contribute towards improving the environment around. through this new programme, they aim to provide their guests with solutions which will help them contribute to the environment while con-

Radisson Blu Plaza Hyderabad introduces Sustainability Credit for corporate events

The hotel launches an innovative drive towards sustaining a healthy and greener environment.

niShan SilVaGeneraL ManaGer,

radissOn BLU PLaza HYderaBad

it’s not always about selling your services to the customers but also

building trust in the brand. Our new ‘sustainability

Credit’ programme is about responding to the moral

imperatives to address both climate change and resource depletion.

tinuing to proceed with a successful event backed by the hotel’s 100 percent guest satisfaction guarantee and their ‘Yes i Can! Philosophy’. For each solution they choose, the hotel will give them tangi-ble credits in the form of a cash discount which will reflect in their final bill.

On starting this unique sustainability initiative, nishan silva, GM, radisson Blu Plaza Hyderabad said, “we at radisson Blu Plaza Hyderabad believe that it’s not always about merely selling your services to the customers but also building trust in the brand, only then will they begin to see opportunities and understand what it means to ‘wow’ the customer by giving them more than they expected. Our new ‘sustainability Credit’ programme is all about this and responding to the mor-al imperatives to address both climate change and resource depletion.

the adjoining grid gives an under-standing of the various credit points, with a rupee evaluation of the same against it. a guest can earn these credits by select-ing the feature against the value, based on which the per person cost can go down by a maximum of rs 150.

SuStainability cReditS

credit Scorer Value in Rs

aC temperature+2˚ 45aC temperature+1˚ 35Flower arrangement 30scribbling pad 10Coaster 5water bottle 5Pencil 5Ball pen 5Flip chart paper 5Candy 5total value 150

about radisson Blu plaza Hyderabad Banjara Hillsset amidst the tranquil and posh loca-tion, radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is one of the most contemporary and modern hotels of Hyderabad. the hotel with 155-rooms, two restaurants, dilmah t Bar and a Lobby Lounge and Bar is al-ready a favoured destination for diners and guests looking for an exclusive din-ing experience. ■


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news flasH

Indian Hotels Company Ltd. and Charme II Fund have proposed to combine with Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. to create one of the world’s preeminent collections of luxury hotels and resorts.

the tata Group has enviable overseas assets in automo-biles (range rover) and in tea (tetley). the group has been looking at hospitality and has narrowed down on to Orient-express Hotels as an appropriate fix with their

own profile of hotels in india and overseas. Continuing their inter-est to acquire controling interest in Orient-express Hotels, indian Hotels Company Ltd (indian Hotels) recently announced that it has, along with Charme ii Fund, an italian fund managed by Mon-tezemolo & Partners s.p.a, sent a letter to Orient-express Hotels Ltd. (nYse: OeH) proposing to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Orient-Express Class A common stock for $12.63 per share in cash.

indian Hotels and Charme ii Funds proposal, which would create one of the world’s pre-eminent portfolios of luxury hotels and resorts, is valued at approximately $ 1.86 Billion, including Orient-express net debt. the all-cash offer represents a 40 per-cent premium to Orient-express closing stock price on October

Indian Hotels continues its quest of Orient-Express Hotels,

this time with Charme II Fund

The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai

RK Krishna Kumar


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news flasH

completed in parallel with the due dili-gence efforts.

agreement with James sherwoodindian Hotels has entered into an agree-ment with James sherwood, former chairman and founder of Orient-express, whereby sherwood has agreed to eliminate certain rights he would otherwise have to acquire the Cipriani Hotel and related assets in the event of an acquisition of Orient-express by indian Hotels.

about indian Hotels company ltd.indian Hotels is the hotel operating com-pany of the tata group. indian Hotels and its subsidiaries, collectively known as taj Hotels resorts & Palaces, comprises pres-ently of 99 hotels in 56 locations across India with an additional 16 international hotels including such iconic hotels as the taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, the Pierre Hotel in new York City and the taj Lake Palace in Udaipur.

about montezemolo & partners and charme ii fund

Charme ii Fund was established by the Montezemolo family, and is managed by Montezemolo & Part-ners s.p.a, to make investments in leading companies with strong ties to italy. Montezemolo & Partners was founded by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, one of italy’s most prominent businessmen who serves as Chairman of Ferrari s.p.a. as well as Vice Chairman of UniCredit. the Montezemolo and Charme Group are renowned in italy and abroad as reputable investors in leading luxury group companies. in their current portfolio there is, among other investments, Poltrona Frau Group, world leader in high end furniture and design, representing the three main high end furniture companies in italy such as Poltrona Frau, Cassina and Cappellini. Polt-rona Frau Group has been listed by the Montezemolo Group in 2006 at the Milan stock exchange and is al-ready a partner of tata sons in Casa décor, a joint venture company, es-tablished in 2008 to expand and promote the Poltrona Frau Group brands in india. ■

17, 2012,the last trading day prior to this announcement, a 45.2 percent premium to Orient-express’ 10 trading day average of closing stock prices, and a premium to the 52-week closing high of $ 10.90 per share.

“indian Hotels has great respect for Orient-express and its collection of unique luxury hotel properties around the world and we are very excited at the prospect of bringing our two great companies and brands together,” said rK Krishna Kumar, Vice Chairman of indian Hotels. “we believe this premium all-cash offer represents a compelling and immediate value proposition for Ori-ent-express’ shareholders and provides Orient-express with access to the addi-tional capital necessary to preserve its properties and heritage while potentially expanding its footprint.”

Kumar continued, “while we would have preferred to negotiate confidentially with Orient-express, Us securities laws required public disclosure of our propos-al. However, we are prepared to devote all necessary resources to expeditiously complete due diligence. we look forward to Orient-express’ prompt reply and the opportunity to engage in further discussions that will result in a mutu-ally beneficial transaction for both companies shareholders and other constituencies.”

a senior iHCL spokesperson togeth-er with a Montezemolo & Partners’ spokesperson assured Orient-express stakeholders of their deep commit-ment to the company. “Orient-express would remain an independent and autonomous company with its own Board of directors. the active pres-ence of Montezemolo & Partners, as Manager of Charme ii Fund, will be extremely strategic for supporting the italian assets and operations of OeH and for tata Group it is an ideal part-ner sharing common ethical values and business principles.”

Matteo di Montezemolo, CeO of Montezemolo & Partners added, “Orient-express represents, with its history and iconic assets, a supreme and unique jewel in the luxury ho-tel industry. we strongly believe in our longstanding partnership with the tata Group and we are sure that we will together represent the ideal

shareholders to further expand Orient-express worldwide business model.”

financing and approvalsindian Hotels has secured the requisite capital to consummate the entire transac-tion, including debt financing from Bank of america n.a, iCiCi Bank and standard Chartered Bank. Given Orient-express’ award-winning and irreplaceable col-lection of properties throughout italy, indian Hotels also has an agreement in place with Charme ii Fund to invest $ 100 million for a minority stake in the combined company. Charme ii Fund is managed by Montezemolo & Partners s.p.a., and makes investments in leading companies with strong ties to italy.

due diligenceindian Hotels offer is based upon publicly available information regarding Orient-express Hotels and is conditioned upon the satisfactory completion of custom-ary due diligence. Further, indian Hotels believes the negotiation of a mutually acceptable definitive agreement can be

Orient-Express Hotel

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The lifting of the ban will encourage tourists to visit wildlife destinations once again, and this will increase hotels occupancies in times to come, writes anil Kumar Bhandari.

the lifting of the ban on tiger tour-ism in core areas of reserves and sanctuaries by the supreme Court recently is a shot in the

arm for tourism. a Bench of Justices aK Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar on 16th October said, “this court passed an or-der on 24th July that till final guidelines are issued, core areas won’t be used for tourism. now that the national tiger Con-servation authority (ntCa) has notified the comprehensive guidelines under the wildlife act for tourism in and around tiger reserves, we modify the interim or-der and direct that henceforth tourism activities will be strictly in accordance with the guidelines.”

this order followed additional solicitor-General, indira Jaising’s submission that on 15th October the government had noti-fied the revised guidelines for the 41 tiger reserves to be followed by the states.

the ntCa (normative standards for tourism activities and Project tiger) Guide-lines, 2012 under section 38-O (C) of the wildlife (Protection) act, 1972 for Project tiger which were issued on 15th October, have laid down normative standards for tourism activities in tiger reserves.

the objective of these guidelines is to move from wildlife tourism to eco-tourism which is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environ-ment and improves the well-being of local people.”

GuidelinesOn promotion of tourism, or eco-tourism in tiger reserves, the guidelines state – tourism in the context of tiger reserves is contemplated as eco-tourism, which needs to be ecologically sustainable nature-tour-ism. this is emerging as an important component of the tourism industry.

since, tourism has been happening in areas of national parks and wildlife sanctu-aries which are now designated as core or

Supreme Court lifts ban on tiger tourism


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operators shall not cause disturbance to animals while taking visitors on nature trails. the Planning Commission allocated rs 5,889 for the tiger population in the 12th Five-Year Plan, a nine fold increase from the 11th Plan allocation of Rs 615 crore. “several new thrust areas have been iden-tified for implementation. this includes strengthening protection and furthering the co-existence agenda in buffer areas of tiger reserves, besides voluntary relocation along with regulatory monitoring of the tiger population and their habitat,” the 12th Plan document for wildlife says.

project tigernow ongoing as a centrally sponsored scheme, the project was launched by the Government of india in 1973 in nine re-serves of different states (assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and west Bengal) over an area of approximately 14,000 sq km. since then, the project cover-

age has expanded considerably to 41 tiger reserves, encompassing about 64,000 sq km in 17 states with 35,125 sq km of notified core/critical tiger habitats and 28,750 sq km of buffer/peripheral areas in 17 states.

due to conservation efforts in designated tiger reserves, india has the maximum number of tigers along with its source areas amongst the 13 tiger range countries in the world. Project tiger has put the endangered tiger on an assured path of recovery, as revealed in an assessment of tiger, co-predators, prey and habitat. the 2010 survey indicated a poor status of the tiger population in areas outside tiger reserves and protected areas.

Boost for tiger tourismthe decision will bring cheer to the tiger tourism industry which is val-ued at more than rs 1,000 crore by experts. india is home to the world’s largest population of tigers, estimated to be 1,706, according to the World

wildlife Fund. that number reduced from more than 100,000 at the be-ginning of the 20th century due to poaching and habitat encroachment.

the preservation and protection of the tiger population is not only the responsibility of the government

or the courts, it is also that of the tour-ism industry. tiger reserves were set up throughout india to provide a protected environment for animals living in their natural environment. resorts and villages were set up for tourists, domestic as well as foreign, to see the tiger and its habitats.

Lifting of the ban will be beneficial for a number of reasons. Hotels and resorts within the forests outside of the core areas will again welcome wildlife enthusiasts and tourists who had cancelled their pro-grammes. it will also revive the process of revenue generation by way of taxes for the government and more employment opportunities. the livelihoods of local communities inhabiting the areas in and around the reserves, and whose income depends on various components of wildlife tourism, will improve and the threat from poachers will be curtailed, resulting in a larger tiger population. reason enough for the tigers to roar once more.. ■The writer is Chairman, AB Smart Concepts

critical tiger habitat, regulated low impact tourism (visitation) would be allowed in such ar-eas subject to site-specific carrying capacity. However, no new tourism infrastructure should be permitted in such core and critical tiger habitats.

Further, the buffer forest areas should also be devel-oped as wildlife habitats with the active involvement of local people living in such areas.

the oppor tunit ies for stakeholders would include management of low-cost ac-commodation for tourists, providing guide services, sale outlets, managing excursions, organising ethnic dances and the like.

tourist facilities and tour operators tourism infrastructure must conform to environment-friendly, low impact, low height aesthetic architec-ture; renewable including solar energy, waste recycling, water management, natural cross-ventilation, no use of asbestos, discharge of only treated sewage, no air pollution, mini-mal outdoor lighting, and merging with the surrounding landscape. the use of battery-operated vehicles shall be en-couraged to minimise pollution wherever terrain permits.

a curriculum shall be developed for training of guides and drivers in the art, craft and ethics of wildlife tourism, re-sulting in certification. Courses may be scheduled during the non-tourist season. Prior to every tourist season, certified guides and drivers shall go through a refresher course or workshop. these courses shall also build up their capac-ity to identify birds and provide natural history information on other species, to slowly wean them away from a tiger-cen-tric obsession.

in order to allow free passage to wild-life, developments shall be sensitive to the conservation of flora and fauna, and the corridor value of the area in and around tiger reserves. tourist facilities and tour

Hotels & resorts within the forests outside of the core areas will again welcome wildlife enthusiasts & tourists who had cancelled their programmes.

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Real estate major JMD Group forays into hospitality in Gurgaon

Asia Alive

The lobby


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Hotelscapes gets an exclusive interview with Karan Bedi, Director, JMD Group on the group’s decision to foray in the hospitality sector by launching a business hotel in the Millennium City.

what is Jmd Group all about? what inspired you to enter the hospitality sector, and

with what expectations?JMd Group is a professionally managed company of multi-dimensional and mul-ti-faceted activity established in 1989 with the sole mission of promoting and developing real estate infrastructure. the group enjoys rich legacy bestowed upon by its management who have a fine track record of excellence and with pride achievements to their credit in the field of real estate. JMd Group has now reached a level of unshared epitome of comfort, innovation and excellence in real estate fraternity. it is thoroughly focused to offer comprehensive, contemporary solutions in commercial, residential and leisure segments of the industry. JMd has over the years created a niche for itself infus-ing latest available technology, backed with total commitment to deliver what it promises. it has been over a decade during which JMd has created a series of architectural beauties in delhi and nCr.

JMd Group has always been synon-ymous and focused to comprehensive development solutions in the commercial and entertainment sectors and in turn has earned a perfect punch line “defin-ing Quality” for itself. during the span of one decade, the group has developed commercial complexes like JMd regent square, JMd regent Plaza, JMd Kohinoor, JMd Pacific square, JMd arcade, JMd Galleria, JMd Megapolis, JMd Goverdhan City, Ludhiana and JMd Garden.

Having a diversified experience, the management decided to enter the hospi-tality industry with the motive to deliver a business hotel which compliments the Millennium City. with sheer passion and dedication we have tried to deliver a

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The Food Store

King Guest Room


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product which will satisfy all the needs of a business traveller giving the comfort of home.

Your first hotel is with Hilton – a double tree – professionally, what kind of hotel is this, with what cost budget, your projected break-even, average arr predicted. where have you pitched this property as for rooms, banqueting etc. How do you find the location of this property?doubletree by Hilton, Gurgaon is an upscale business hotel with all the amen-ities of a 5 star deluxe hotel and it is professionally managed by Hilton world-wide. JMd Group took a very realistic arr and occupancy numbers in consideration for its financial planning. we are expect-ing a break-even of our investment by 2018, the hotel has already achieved its operating cost break-even. we expect this hotel to perform at least at market arr’s or better than other similar upscale 5 star hotels in the city.

doubletree by Hilton Gurgaon is strategically located on the Golf Course road and is catering to most of the fortune 500 companies and the premium residen-tial complexes in the vicinity. the hotel will also enjoy further growth from the active development happening on the ex-

KaRan bedidireCtOr, JMd GrOUP

JMd Group took a very realistic arr and occupancy numbers

in consideration for its financial planning. we are expecting a break-

even of our investment by 2018, the hotel has already achieved its operating cost

break-even.

tension road and new sectors in Gurgaon.

You have a specialty restaurant opening ahead, a first of its kind? tell us more about the concept.Casablanca is a Moroccan restaurant, indeed first of its kind. Casablanca trans-ports diners to the unexplored land of Morocco. the cuisine inspired by Mediterranean style of cooking prom-ises to enthrall food lovers with its new dimension of flavours and aromas. dJ per-formance and the live music brings the restaurant to life together with its indoor-outdoor spaces, extended air-conditioned cabanas and lounge seating. Casablanca has an expat chef from Marrakesh and the initial response has been very posi-tive, i personally found the food very delightful, i expect most indian clients to enjoy the Moroccan cuisine as it also uses similar spices.

You have more projects ahead in hospitality, when do they open up and with whom?Yes, we do have a couple of projects in the pipeline and we have tied up with iHG Group- Holiday inn express, a mid budget category to serve the customers at com-petitive prices. One is under construction at Sector 62, Golf Course Extension Road, Gurgaon. it’s a mixed development of five

acres comprising three commercial tow-ers and one hotel tower of 168 rooms. The expected delivery of the project is end of next financial year. we have one tie up for noida as well where we are still in the planning phase.

at a time like this, when the world economy is in some disarray, what is the projection for the hospitality industry in Gurgaon? on what factors do you base your assessment?i am personally very positive about the industry and the whole economy as per say. as a country we are yet to reach our peak and the downside as we see today is only temporary. Most of the international companies are still eyeing to enter india and that’s exactly what motivates us to develop right now to reap the returns in the future. Globally we are still one of the most preferred nation. One other major factor is that domestic travel has gone up by manifolds and is predicted to do so. ■

as told to navin berry

Banquets

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Preferred Hotels set to expand base in India

Preferred Hotels set to expand base in India

International chain of sales, marketing and distribution providers to independent luxury hotels across the globe, Preferred Hotel Group

is all set to expand their hotel base in the Indian market. With leading international hotels benefitting from the Preferred patronage, they throw light on the group and their upcoming developments in India.

International chain of sales, marketing and distribution providers to independent luxury hotels across the globe, Preferred Hotel Group

is all set to expand their hotel base in the Indian market. With leading international hotels benefitting from the Preferred patronage, they throw light on the group and their upcoming developments in India.


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SauRabh Rai bhatnagaRreGiOnaL direCtOr, sOUtH asia,

PreFerred HOteL GrOUP

we allow hotels to align with the brand that best fits

their needs, ranging from the luxurious Leela Palaces Hotels & resorts and the imperial new delhi to the

rasa resort Jaipur and samsara Jodhpur – a unique destination.

Based in newport Beach and Chicago, Preferred Hotel Group is a global pro-vider of sales, marketing and distribution services to independent luxury hotels in the americas, europe, africa, the Middle east, asia, australia, new Zealand and Pacific. With 36 sales offices worldwide, the group operates

from cities like Birmingham, dubai, Frankfort, Hong Kong, Mexico City, new delhi, Paris, Philadelphia etc. during the third quarter of 2012, they welcomed 24 new mem-ber hotels bringing their year-to-date growth to 65 new member hotels. The company also saw a 12 percent increase year-to-date in reservations booked via its diverse distribution channels, in comparison to this time last year. renowned names like Oriental riverside Hotel shanghai, the scotsman Hotel (edinburgh), Preferred Hotels & resorts (wynn Las Vegas), encore (Las Vegas) and Old Palermo Hollywood (Bue-nos aires) have served as notable additions throughout the company’s six brands.

the six renowned brands of Preferred Hotel Group include Preferred Hotels & re-sorts, Preferred Boutique, summit Hotels & resorts, sterling Hotels, sterling design and summit serviced residences. together they bring competitive advantage to hotel owners and operators through brand prestige and global operating scale. it provides state-of-the-art group, corporate and leisure sales, integrated marketing solutions, global connectivity and reservations services, electronic distribution services, and technology and guest services support to its members.

the company recently hosted it’s first-ever press conference to provide indian hoteliers a high-level insight on Preferred Hotel Group. the group gave out the com-pany’s impact in india, asia, and the world, the value it provides to hoteliers and consumers in india and upcoming developments. in light of Preferred Hotel Group making its foray into the nation, we talk to their President Lindsey Ueberroth and their regional director, south asia, saurabh rai Bhatnagar on their plans for tapping the indian market and what news they have to bring with them to the independent luxury hotels of the country.

Excerpts from the interview with Saurabh Rai Bhatnagartell us more about the preferred Hotel Group, highlighting it’s position in india.Preferred Hotel Group is experiencing fast-paced growth in india. the compa-ny’s significant double digit growth in india has been a growing trend and busi-ness on-the-books for the remainder of the year indicates that it has the potential of being one of the fastest emerging mar-kets for the company. Being chosen as the venue for this year’s ‘Preferred annual Conference’ indicates our importance towards the indian market.

today, Preferred Hotel Group repre-sents 29 of the most prestigious hotels in india, and the globe, including the Leela Palaces Hotels & resorts, the impe-rial new delhi, ananda in the Himalayas, devi Garh etc. Most of these hotels have been voted as the best in their respective league by readers/consumers and the most celebrated adjudicators worldwide. we are committed to growing our port-

The Leela Kempinski Mumbai

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folio and envisage us to be a 35 member hotels and resorts by end of 2013.

what are the services that you offer and provide to your partner hotels?Preferred Hotel Group offers an all-en-compassing support system for individual hotels and resorts around the world. we like to call it our Preferred advantage. Unlike large chains, we provide opportu-nities for hotels to increase their revenue but still maintain their independence and flexibility.

Our success is supported by a dedi-cated team of 200 professionals in over 33 sales offices with a dedicated team of experienced industry sales leaders in worldwide sales offices, providing interna-tional sales support to our member hotels is one of our primary delivery propo-sitions. Our hotels receive access and insight to key decision makers through managed accounts, which include cor-porate travel managers, leisure travel agents, and meeting planners, as well as brand presence at global tradeshows and events. we have proven ability in be-ing able to lend support with corporate,

leisure and MiCe sales effort.Preferred Hotel Group’s proven inter-

national market strategies help hotels attract new customers through multi-channel promotions, which include regionally themed campaigns for market penetration, build awareness and gener-ate sales as part of brand campaigns and stay connected with customers through e-mail marketing initiatives. another key strength for Preferred Hotel Group in india is our strong marketing alliances. we have formed strategic partnerships, such as american express, to endorse our global marketing support with strong regional impetus. earlier this year, in con-junction with american express Platinum, we were able to bring our Preferred Golf (www.preferredgolf.com) programme to india, which is a premium collection of the finest golf resorts in the world.

we also provide end to end electronic distribution and strategic revenue man-agement technology and training to our hotels, to enhance their sales abilities through our multi-channel distribution platforms and seamless connectivity through our central distribution platform.

Preferred Hotel Group is the largest synXis brand partner worldwide. Our state-of-the-art global connectivity, reservation services, electronic distribution support, and reputation management has been piv-otal to the success of our member hotels in the region. Our new integrated Quality as-surance programme, which amalgamates social media monitoring with traditional site inspections, has been very well re-ceived by our hotels in india in particular.

How does this symbiotic relationship with the hotel work?Our partnership model is all about merg-ing regional market intelligence with global performance. Our india office team ensures that we consistently engage with all our member hotels to fully understand their business objectives. then a strategy is laid out to encapsulate all deliverable goals, which is subsequently shared with our global sales and marketing offices to drive performance and business results.

for association, how does a hotel approach you?a potential member hotel could easily

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Lobby, The Imperial, New Delhi


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engaging guests with a winning blend of personality and style that are ideally situated within close proximity to popular business and leisure destinations. • Sterling Design – a vibrant collection of independent hotels that deliver a unique experience for the discerning travel-ler, defined by a common emphasis on high-tech amenities, entertaining public spaces, and an appreciation for art and design.

as you would note from our above brand portfolio, we have the bandwidth to partner with hotels across price points, ranging from 5 star luxury to 4 star deluxe and across market segments, from corpo-rate traveller oriented business hotels to destination resorts.

name some hotels which are your clients already and also the cities where you have partner-hotels present. Preferred Hotel Group’s multi-branded structure makes it a unique option for hotel owners and operators. we allow hotels to align with the brand that best fits their needs, ranging from the luxuri-ous Leela Palaces Hotels & resorts and

go to our website (www.preferredhotel-group.com) and access the ‘Become a Member Hotel’ link and approach us. i can of course be directly approached as well. the above website link provides all preliminary information on our partner-ship model.

How did the idea to venture into india materialise?PHG welcomed its first member hotel – the imperial, new delhi a decade ago in 2002. this is around the time where the concept of independent hoteliering took surge and the country saw an advent of multiple home grown hotel companies/brands. this is what put india on our global business development strategy and we knew it was pivotal for us to enter the market full force. we subsequently opened our south asia office in new delhi in 2008. Being one of the most visited countries by tourists, it has given us tre-mendous opportunity for growth. i am proud to say that independent hotels in our country rate amongst some of the finest in the world and hence, we remain bullish about our growth in the region.

india also is one of the fastest growing outbound travel source markets and we are committed to growing our business in terms of supporting our global member hotel portfolio with corporate and leisure business from the country.

what kind of hotels are you targeting in india for association?Preferred Hotel Group’s multi-branded structure makes it a unique option for hotel owners and operators. Our various brands include:• Preferred Hotels & Resorts – ultimate luxury collection of independent hotels and resorts in the most desirable loca-tions around the world. • Preferred Boutique – an elite brand rep-resenting distinctive boutique hotels that showcase style, service and personality on an intimate scale. • Summit Hotels & Resorts – an interna-tional collection of acclaimed properties that offers a luxury experience to the so-phisticated business and leisure traveller in a cosmopolitan setting. • Sterling Hotels – a worldwide collection of hotels with character and distinction,

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The Leela Palace, New Delhi

30


the imperial new delhi – a member of Preferred Hotels & resorts, to the rasa resort Jaipur and samsara Jodhpur – a unique destination and a member of our dynamic sterling design brand. Our other partnerships in the region include ananda in the Himalayas, zuri Hotels and resorts, devi resorts, the suryaa new delhi and most recently, waterstones Hotel in Mumbai, among others.

Our portfolio in india is spread across over 15 cities, covering all critical busi-ness hubs including new delhi/nCr, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune etc and key leisure locations like the Himala-yas, rajasthan, Goa and Kerala.

locations with a micro hotel economy of their own. Moving forward, we continue to evaluate potential business alliances across the region, particularly in loca-tions where we do not have a presence yet, for example ahmedabad and Kolkata.

How is the indian hotel industry different from its global counterparts?the indian hotel industry is similar to and different from the global scenario in many ways. Hospitality in the country has witnessed exponential growth over the past decade and there is still phenomenal room to grow. However, this growth rate is up against challenges like rising cost of real estate, expensive human resource, and insufficiency of skilled resources. eventually, the industry finds a balance of its own once it nears maturity. above highlighted factors, coupled with intense competition, are driving the operating profitability down.

Operating profits are always inflated in emerging markets and as the market ma-tures, business profitability reduces and settles down. On reaching this stage, it is only the seasoned and pedigree hoteliers who are able to sustain. so the scenario in india is in a transition stage, where it is now moving towards maturity. numerous asian countries have already witnessed such evolution over the past few decades and india is now following suit. this is just a natural progression for a maturing hotel industry.

Going by the response you have received, how relevant do you think is the concept in india?we are a firm believer in the concept of ‘independent Hotels & resorts’ that provide a signature experience of the respective destination. Our business concept of partnering with independent hotels/hotel companies to provide them with an international pedestal to effec-tively compete with global brands is here to stay. Having been in india for a decade now, our experience ranges from partner-ing with existing fully operational hotels and helping them position their brand in-ternationally, to working with preopening hotels to help them with a global launch and carve a distinct positioning for their brand. ■

as told to avni Mehrotra

one-on-one

what kind of cities are you planning to target – would they also include tier 2 cities or only metros?Our india growth strategy encapsulates consolidation and further growth in metropolis, as well as focus on tier 2 cities, where we already have presence in some emerging hubs like Vadodara. Bigger cities are getting segmented into satellite townships, with a hotel demand and supply balance of their own. Hence it is no longer sufficient to look at a metro as one city. For instance new delhi has clearly been segmented into downtown, Gurgaon, noida, Greater noida, Ghazi-abad, Faridabad etc with each of these

Excerpts from the interview with Lindsey Ueberroth tell us more about preferred Hotel Group and the various advantages of associating with the Group.Preferred Hotel Group is a global travel company that provides sales, marketing and distribution support to global inde-pendent hotels and small hotel groups. we stand out as an alternative to the big chains as a popular and more discerning choice for hoteliers who want to receive

the benefits of a big brand while preserving their independent brand identity, but without the high cost. Our wide representation which includes more than 650 of the finest hotels, resorts, and serviced residences in over 85 countries is a perfect example of appreciation and acceptance in this business. How do you feel india or asia in general is a good market for the preferred Hotel Group?Currently, Preferred Hotel Group represents 155 of the finest hotels and resorts in the region, and we are committed to firmly increasing our presence in asia. to sup-port this goal, Preferred Hotel Group has implemented dedicated global business support capabilities. there are six offices in the region with 20 full-time employees who are committed to creating opportunities for member hotels to increase their revenue. i am proud to say these efforts are paying off. as of date, revenue and room bookings for our member hotels in asia are up significantly. total revenue year-to-date is up 25 percent; in addition, room nights are up 19 percent. what message would you like to give out to indian hoteliers and to the indian hospitality fraternity on behalf of the preferred Hotel Group?we are committed to our business in india. Having entered the market in 2002, we were the first independent hotel company to open a full time office in the country. since then, we have grown our team on the ground to serve our member hotels to our fullest potential, and plans are afoot to expand our team further in the coming year. Our family personally visits the country every year to meet and interact with our team and hotel owners to ensure that we have our ear to the ground. india is a very dynamic business market, which makes it very chal-lenging and interesting at the same time.


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Meet sanzeev Bhatia, who has been elevated to the position of General Manager for The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, New Delhi. He talks to Hotelscapes about his new role, and the recently renovated hotel.

tell us about your association with the hospitality industry.i have been associated with the hospitality industry since 1982.

during this span, i have served as vari-ous heads of departments across hotels. My favourite area was rooms division and sales.

i joined the Metropolitan Hotel & spa in december 2005 as Head of Front Office and later on was promoted as Head – rooms, eaM, asst. General Manager and

Sanzeev Bhatia takes over as GM of The Met, New Delhi as the hotel completes its makeover

finally the General Manager. it was not an easy journey, i saw many ups and downs during the last seven years but i am hap-py i succeeded. My expertise in rooms division, vast contacts in corporate and travel world and skills of e-business got me the edge over others.

You have been elevated as the General manager of the met. tell us about your new role. the title of General Manager was given

to me on 1st april 2012 but i was inde-pendently handling the operations from last two years in the capacity of eaM and aGM. in my new role, i am responsible for revenue growth, brand building, cus-tomer retention, customer satisfaction, a world class hospitality with excellent services to its customers, excellent expo-sure and high positioning of the hotel on all internet channels, intelligent financial management, training and development of the existing team, their career build-


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SanzeeV bhatiaGM, tHe MetrOPOLitan HOteL

& sPa, new deLHi

due to economic slowdown, the inbound business has reduced drastically and

due to cost reduction, the corporate movement has

also suffered. in this present scenario, retention of

customers is the major key which can be achieved only

through better services, product and by providing

value for money.

ing, retention of the team members and recruitment of new players.

How do you plan to take the met to greater heights? i have planned a better revenue growth strategy for the Met which includes re-tention of our existing customers and one of the steps in this direction is the special deal for repeat customers on our hotel’s website which is the recognition of their continuous patronage. through expansion of our data base of corporate and travel segment, we will add more accounts to our hotel. internet and Gds are other very important segments in today’s business scenario. though we have excellent presence and positioning there but since it has a great potential, we will explore more possibilities. Our team members are our greatest assets and their training and development will bring excellent results for us so i will focus in that direction too. Our goal is to make the Met as no complaint hotel. Our city centre location is a big advantage for us, so we will use it fully. through effective sales and marketing strategies my focus will be an enhanced brand building for the hotel.

with heavy investments, high oc-cupancy, increased arr’s, high F&B revenue generation and innovative tech-nology usage, on key factors like Fdi inflow, infrastructure growth, environ-ment conservation and protection – the

Met will keep on contributing significantly in spawning india’s hospitality industry growth and making it one of the leading players in the global industry.

what are the changes you plan to bring about? in addition to few goals mentioned above, my entire team will be working hard to provide an excellent stay and dining ex-perience to our guests. in product, we do not need any changes at present as it’s a recently renovated hotel but we will surely work together to enhance our ser-vice standards, cleanliness and hygiene aspects. since the cost of operations has gone very high in last few years, we will be working towards more effective financial management. though, we have already done lot of work in this direc-tion by installing CFL and energy saving devices to control the energy cost. wast-age control is another important step we have taken.Deluxe room

The lobby

34


the met has recently undergone renovation. what are the new features of the hotel? the Met recently went into a complete overhaul renovation and unveiled its new identity and a luxe avatar. now, guests can enjoy luxury with a conscience as in-novative design, modern technology and eco friendly practices have been used. From lobby to guest corridors, rooms, restaurants, spa, swimming pool area – all have been renovated. the hotel lobby has a fresh look with the standing check in / check out counters, new lighting, sitting areas, in rooms the new pocket spring mattresses from an international brand provides a comfortable sleep, new linen, eco friendly carpets, an interna-tional branded mini bar, safety lockers, bed side control panel, new key card op-erated door locks, international bathroom accessories in bathrooms, and the best amenities in bathrooms are some of the features of the renovated hotel.

the renovated rooms are more luxuri-ous ensuring the guest is relaxed and the stay is pleasurable. Contemporary design with high-end facilities, state-of-the-art technologies like LCd tV’s, lighting/air-conditioning management systems and enhanced security systems make the hotel truly modern and urban. improved design and amenities have been added to give the bathrooms a chic international feel.

are there any other areas you’d like to throw light on? in recent years, there has been an un-manageable and tremendous burden on natural resources. to combat these is-sues, the Met formulated new ideas for environment protection and sustainable development in its new avatar.

the Met strengthened its ecoMet pro-gramme inspired from both ancient Vedic and modern science. the programme is isO14001:2004, an environment Manage-ment system Certification given by an internationally recognised certification body which implies that the Met abides by all environment policies, and express-es the concern towards environment, society and public at large.

the Met believes in providing luxury with a conscience and therefore has cre-ated ecoMet. the objective of ecoMet is to create perfect balance between human

consumption and provisions of nature by implementing policies based on three ‘r’s – reduce, reuse and recycle.

t he Met ha s a lso cre ate d Met reach, corporate social responsibility programme, wherein, support and re-sources to underprivileged communities is provided by supporting a wide range of socio-economic, educational and health initiatives. in doing so, the Met works restlessly with nGO’s and charitable or-ganisations to ensure improvement in various areas of society and community and makes every effort to make society a better place.

what are the challenges you face and how do you overcome them?More availability and less demand is the biggest challenge at present in hotel in-

one-on-one

dustry. due to economic slowdown, the inbound business has reduced drastically and due to cost reduction, the corporate movement has also suffered. in this pres-ent scenario, retention of customers is the major key which can be achieved only through better services, product and by providing value for money. Our main focus will be to add more and more customers and retention of existing cus-tomers for the hotel. due to availability of more job opportunities in the market, retention of well performing and trained staff is another challenge for me. the only way out to retain the best is through con-sistent training and timely growth to the deserving ones. increase in operations cost can only be tackled through better financial management. ■

as told to Manisha alMadi Midha

Chutney, Bar + Tandoor

Zing Gourmet Shop


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Security alSo contributeS to a hotel’S roi

“The stereotypical

CCTV cameras and untrained

guards, who are ill-equipped to deal

with situations, have to be

foregone in favour of an enhanced

solution that covers training, planning, fire safety, better

lighting, perimeter patrolling,

emergency preparedness and video systems.”

GUest colUmn

Most international travellers now opt for security as their number one priority. this, in turn, has led to a trend of savvy tourists

who are willing to pay more for a hotel that takes its security measures seriously, from a super-secure floor where one has limited, exclusive access, to stricter front desk han-dling. a greater awareness regarding security concerns means that travel and tour opera-tors now make this a priority and are more likely to enquire about the safety measures adopted by a hotel.

Contrary to popular belief, guests actually appreciate the vigilance hotels put in to ensure their safety and react with a high acceptance, as long as the hotel staff is well briefed and courteous in their manner. Gone are the days when the guest would get irritated at security procedures. in fact, the hotel gets a pat on the back for taking its guest protection seriously and ends up with a good reputation.

training of security personnel and other hotel staff is done very conscientiously these days, which actually has improved the safety and security standards of hotels. there are standard duties that must be carried out, ir-respective of how advanced technology and equipment has become and this includes the regular patrol of hotel corridors, back areas and perimeter. not only should the security officer note that hotel standards are being met with regard to service, he should also check that fire exits are clear; no unneces-sary clutter such as food or luggage trolleys are left lying around in the corridors; no doors are left unlocked; no service shafts are left open, and so on.

it is also true that security solutions today can require large investments; however, it is the responsibility of the hotel operators to justify these costs. the stereotypical CCtV cameras and untrained guards, who are ill-

Sanjeev Kadian explains how hotels can beef up their security measures and it eventuallycontributes

to the hotel’s profitability.

equipped to deal with situations, have to be foregone in favour of an enhanced solution that covers training, planning, fire safety, bet-ter lighting, perimeter patrolling, emergency preparedness and video systems.

an alarming trend on the rise that’s been noticed is that of data security protection. in today’s age of mobile and cloud expertise, rarely does one find companies not using smart mobile technology, and, as such, devic-es remain unprotected and thus prone to data theft. a related problem is that of ‘skimmers’, which are essentially devices that capture credit card information when used for pay-ments. while this issue is currently being faced more by stand-alone restaurants, the day is not far off when this threat could spread to hotels. these two problems can lead to a third, far bigger issue – that of insurance fraud and liability. the latter term will lead to hoteliers being held responsible for acts perpetrated with criminal or malicious intent by a third party. the only way for an hotelier to protect himself or herself against this is to ensure that he/she has a corporate lawyer on board.

although many hoteliers perceive security as an afterthought, simply because it is not seen as a “profitable” area, enhanced security measures do contribute to return on invest-ment (rOi) for hotels in the long run. along with intelligent security technology, it is es-sential to have a disaster recovery plan and crisis/emergency management plan in place. enhanced security is more about bringing conscious practices into operation and ac-tively engaging the workforce. Further, any security officer’s liaison with local authorities should be excellent, so that not only are they forewarned about any danger, but also have the authorities maximum co-operation should they be faced with a challenging situation. ■

The writer is Chief Security Officer, The Grand, New Delhi

36


Tetsu Akahira, Master Chef, Sakura, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, New Delhi talks about the growing popularity of Japanese cuisine with Indians.

cHef speaK

tetSu aKahiRa Master CHeF, saKUra, tHe

MetrOPOLitan HOteL & sPa, new deLHi

sashimi, grilled codfish, tare Yakitori are few popular

dishes. we get our supplies from Japan or thailand which subjects to the

quality and price. sakura contributes approximately 30

percent of total F&B sales.

what does sakura mean? sakura is a name of a Japanese flower that is considered very auspi-

cious in Japan.

what makes sakura stand out? sakura, the award-winning restaurant at the Metropolitan Hotel & spa, new delhi is the pioneer in introducing au-thentic Japanese cuisine to india. the ultimate expression of flavour, that’s the focus at sakura’s Japanese kitchen. the authenticity of the food keeps sakura ahead of other Japanese restaurants in

delhi. sakura offers the best of Japanese cuisine – prepared from the freshest food flown in from Japan. the artistic integrity of this world-class Japanese restaurant ensures the guests of a spiritual and a purifying experience indulging all sens-es and providing them with a complete sensuous pleasure. Highly reviewed and greatly loved by its patrons, sakura re-mains unrivaled for expertly executed Japanese fare.

How aware is the indian market about Japanese cuisine? which are the most popular dishes? indian market is well aware of the Jap-anese food. in fact Japanese food is becoming more popular like Chinese and thai. the only difference between these cuisines is that Japanese cuisine is accepted authentic. sushi and Yaki-tori have even reached local markets and very soon will be available and sold at local markets. sashimi, grilled codfish, tare Yakitori are few popular dishes.

what are the trends in Japanese cuisine? any innovations you’ve brought about? Japanese cuisine is as popular as other cuisines in india. even indian market has accepted the cuisine well and is going in positive direction. the footfall of indians has increased over brunches and late dinners. Brunches on saturdays and sun-days are very popular. we have recently renovated sakura, and our menus keep changing.

is there any special training for the chefs at sakura? the staff is thoroughly trained from time to time as per the requirements. Tempura Moriawase

Japanese cuisine: how hotels brace up with the challenge Japanese cuisine: how hotels brace up with the challenge


| 37

cHef speaK

Japanese cuisine is as popular as other cuisines in India. Even Indian market has accepted the cuisine well and is going in positive direction. The footfall of Indians has increased over brunches and late dinners.

what are the challenges in operating the restaurant? the biggest challenge is to get good Japanese chefs who know more about Japanese cuisine than a Japanese chef. at times, food supplies from abroad and equipment are also a challenge.

where do you get supplies for the restaurant from? we get our supplies from Japan or thailand which subjects to the quality and price.

How much does a meal for two cost? a meal for two costs rs 5000-5500 plus taxes.

who are your clients? Cosmopolitan, high end, and well traveled indians and business people associated with Japanese companies visit sakura the most.

How much does sakura contribute to the hotel’s business? sakura contributes approximately 30 per-cent of total F&B sales. ■


Sakura

38


forUm of tHe montH

Will the Yamuna Expressway give a

boost to tourism in AgraThe Yamuna Expressway has brought down the travel time from Delhi to Agra to a little over two hours. Hotelscapes talks to hoteliers in Agra to find out if this has

helped increase tourism and hotel occupancies in the city of the Taj Mahal.


| 39

forUm of tHe montH

ITC Mughal sanjay sharma, General manager with the opening of the Yamuna express-way, tourist inflow to agra will definitely improve. Over the past few years, agra has become a preferred destination for conferences and weddings. with the opening of the Yamuna expressway, agra would surely be looked upon with the convenience of reaching the city, encouraging conferences and weddings. this convenience might lead to increase in the number of day trippers as well.

agra is also a day destination. with the opening of the expressway, the day trippers will surely have the ease of commuting. it would be a choice for the leisure domestic travellers for overnight stay as well. the Yamuna expressway has encouraged leisurely travellers to look at agra as a choice of preferred destination for overnight stays and thus leading to enhanced average length of stay at the hotel.

in fact the Yamuna expressway has encouraged greater occupancies in the Golden triangle. itC Hotels have three luxury properties – itC rajputana, itC Mughal and itC Maurya in Jaipur, agra and new delhi respectively. itC Hotels’ world class properties in this tourist friendly zone have seen higher occupan-cies with the ease of connectivity via the expressway.

the hotel revenue has also gone up considerably during the weekends. agra being a leisure destination, the mix is interesting of both the business and lei-sure travellers. since the opening of the expressway, the weekends at itC Mughal are booked to capacity.

For the luxury getaway, we have the welcombreak packages which offer the choice of short break for families, culi-nary break for an experiential culinary journey and Kaya Kalp breaks for rejuve-nation at the country’s largest spa, Kaya Kalp - the royal spa.

agra needs a boost in tourism as it is marked on the global map with the existence of the taj Mahal being one of the seven wonders of the world. in the past few years, besides being a leisure destination, agra is also recognised as a preferred destination for MiCe and wed-dings. we are looking at both business

Market place at Greater Noida: where the new Yamuna Expressway to Agra starts

40


and leisure travellers. Business travel encompasses majorly the MiCe segment. also with the change in the travel sce-nario agra is witnessing a growth in the domestic sector as well.

agra is popular because of the world heritage monuments, however due to connectivity; it was looked upon as a touch-and-go destination. Jaipur and delhi are the preferred ones because of air connectivity. the average age-group of tourists we get are between 30-48 years.

itC Mughal has been a destination in itself, for it has been positioned as a resort and spa. with its choice of unique products – an all-suites wing namely royal Mughal suites with five grand Presi-dential suites with a private plunge pool, best of gourmet collection and the coun-try’s largest spa Kaya Kalp – the royal spa and state-of-the-art MiCe facilities, itC Mughal leverages for increasing its length of stay.

itC Mughal looks forward to hosting many more guests in the coming months. the Yamuna expressway has definitely impacted tourism in agra.

forUm of tHe montH

aShoK KumaR JainCHairMan and ManaGinG direCtOr,

asHOK OswaL GrOUP

the average hotel occupancies have

increased by 25 percent and have doubled on

weekends. Hotel revenue has increased by 15

percent on an average. Leisure travel has

definitely increased.

SanJay ShaRma GeneraL ManaGer,

itC MUGHaL

with the opening of the Yamuna expressway, agra

would surely be looked upon with the convenience of

reaching the city, encouraging conferences and weddings.

this convenience might lead to increase in the number of

day trippers as well.

Akbar Mahal, The grand lobby, ITC Mughal Kalakriti


| 41

forUm of tHe montH

RaJiV naRainseniOr ViCe President (OPeratiOns)

JaYPee PaLaCe HOteL and COnVentiOn Centre

we have introduced new weekend packages and also

special rates for lunches for the guests travelling on expressway. tourism can further be increased by

creating leisure activities on the expressway.

Ashok Oswal Group ashok Kumar Jain, chairman and managing director tourists are feeling good as they are able to save travel time. the average hotel oc-cupancies have increased by 25 percent and have doubled on weekends (Friday, saturday and sunday). Hotel revenue has increased by 15 percent on an average. Leisure travel has definitely increased and we hope business travel will also increase in future. weekend bookings have gone up and no rooms are available on weekends. as a result, all hotels are offering their own packages to attract do-mestic tourists. But i feel tourism in agra needs a boost. agra is not as popular with tourists as delhi and Jaipur are, in the golden itinerary, due to the absence of proper infrastructure and air connec-tivity. the average age-group of tourists we get are between 30-45 years.

the Yamuna expressway will play a vital role in increasing tourism to agra in the near future. we get both leisure and business travellers and we are hoping for a significant growth on both sectors.

Jaypee Palace Hotel and Convention Centre rajiv narain, senior vice president (operations) domestic tourism has gone up since the opening of the Yamuna expressway. the hotels are fully occupied during week-ends. Hotel revenues have gone up by 20 percent on weekends. the expressway will also increase business travel to agra, apart from leisure though we get more of leisure tourists.

we have introduced new weekend packages and also special rates for lunches for the guests travelling on expressway. However, tourism in agra definitely needs a boost as it has more potential.

the average age-group of tourists we get is 45 years old and above. we get more tourists from delhi than nCr. tour-ism can further be increased by creating leisure activities on the expressway like amusement parks, international eateries etc. we are targeting both MiCe and lei-sure travellers. ■


Jaypee Palace Hotel and Convention Centre

42


Sahara Star and Group’s expansion plans

Brand analYsis

a businessman, a planner, a true trailblazer, Vivek Kumar, is the youngest CeO and executive di-rector of sahara india Pariwar.

He has been associated with sahara india Pariwar since his completion of education and has successfully carried out innumer-able responsibilities in varied areas of the group’s business.

in his own words, he personally owes all his success to the unceasing tutoring and guidance he has received from the Chief Guardian, Managing worker and Chair-man, shri subrata roy (saharasri). Vivek Kumar, over the years in the group, has successfully excelled and accomplished in varied responsibilities. He reported to subrata roy as the first executive assis-tant in all the group activities such as aviation, mass communication, housing and infrastructure, corporate events and communication for over five years.

in 2002, he took over the flagship hotel of sahara india Pariwar – Hotel sahara star. since the inception of the project, he has spearheaded the groups’ efforts in hospital-ity, offering a totally new experience.

hotelscapes finds out more about the future plans, hopes and aspirations of Vivek Kumar.

what has been your experience in converting the erstwhile centaur Hotel into Hotel sahara star and the investments that came with it.we took upon ourselves to transform Centaur into a world-class hospitality ex-

Sahara Group’s expansion in the overseas markets have been making rounds in the hospitality circuit in recent months, even though its flagship property in Mumbai has been

around now for more than a decade. With a bag full of experiences and groundbreaking ideas, the prime domestic airport located property in Mumbai, has seen a steady traffic flow, a

must-visit for the globetrotters and business travellers. Providing a home away from home for the jetsetters, the hotel has changed the face of the game. Read on to know more about this growth, as Hotelscapes catches up with the group’s hospitality division CEO, vivek Kumar, who has spearheaded this change, and continues to promise that there is more to come.


| 43

Brand analYsis

size and facilities. we proudly boast of the world’s largest pillar less clear-to-sky dome. we also have the customised balconies in each room, which have been structurally re-engineered, to give it a retro feel of the 1970s. sahara star has the world’s only private dining room inside a marine aquarium. the magnificent 55,000 sq ft tropical lagoon at the center, which was a pool in erstwhile Cen-taur days, is a big attraction today.

in Magnum Opus, the new extension, we shall launch the project by offering a multi-di-mensional lifestyle complex with 50,000 sq ft pillar less event hall with 28 ft height.

How do you tackle the competition with indian hospitality brands such as taj and leela and international brands such as marriott and Hyatt?we focus on ensuring that the guests ex-perience the hotel as next best only to their home and also provide a myriad of leisure entertainment and dining options. sahara star has highest revPar as per str Global London report amongst its competitive set, including Grand Hyatt, Hyatt regency, itC Maratha, Jw Marriott, Leela and taj Lands end. in occupancy, sahara star’s rank is four out of seven by capturing nine percent more than its fair share by securing occupancy of 72 percent against competition set’s 66 percent. In arr, sahara star’s rank is two out of seven by capturing eight percent more than fair share by aggregating arr of 9400 against competition set’s 8700. thus in revPar, sahara star’s rank is one out of seven by capturing 18 percent more than fair share.

You have acquired the Grosvenor House. How is it to run Grosvenor House along with marriott? sahara Group had announced plans to open more restaurants and night clubs to add to the Grosvenor House’s allure, how has that come about?Grosvenor House was acquired by us

perience, an architectural landmark with a vision of fusion of hospitality and enter-tainment. the result is Hotel sahara star. since it was our first foray into the hospi-tality industry we dispatched teams to the best hotels across the globe to understand and embrace best practices globally in the industry. Hotel sahara star’s magnum opus phase is on and will complete by 2013. we purchased Centaur at rs 115 Crores and have invested rs 800 Crores so far.

what is the Usp of sahara star that makes it stand apart from the many business and luxury hotels mushrooming in the city?Built with a vision of fusion of hospital-ity and entertainment, sahara star has a horse of unique aspect in terms of design,

44


from royal Bank of scotland and is man-aged by Marriott. we work closely with them based on a business plan based on market research, trends and in depth sales and marketing plan. we are explor-ing plans to add an indian restaurant, nightclub and spa in the near future.

Has Grosvenor House proved to be a gateway for sahara to open new business ventures in london?this acquisition is part of our expansion plans and we look forward to introducing some of our business ventures, interna-tionally.

are you keen to shore up your international business by snapping up undervalued iconic properties in the Us and the UK?aamby Valley is a creative expression of our Managing worker and Chairman sa-harasri and we are open to trophy assets that have a potential in hospitality or in real estate.

what will be the monies involved in your international projects? each project is evaluated on its merits, based on its business potential, eBid-ta margins and return on investments; hence the scale varies accordingly.

are there any other future international and domestic acquisitions on cards?we are keen on expansion into real estate, hospitality and multi-dimensional lifestyle complexes in both international and do-mestic arena.

the rural growth story in india is very strong and most hospitality brands are targeting the smaller cities. is sahara hospitality also planning something for these cities? we are currently present in Mumbai only and are actively considering lifestyle pro-jects across other tier 1, 2 and 3 cities in india with our vision of creating multi-dimensional lifestyle complexes.

Brand analYsis

please throw more light on your idea of ‘fusing hospitality with entertainment’.Our focus is on providing guests a unique and diverse value by multitude of enter-taining options. at sahara star we offer:• Function spaces offering flamboyance of getting married under the world’s largest pillar-less dome. • Mermaid shows and scuba diver per-formances in world’s only private dining room inside a marine aquarium. • Live ghazal performances at aafrein, the kebab restaurant. • Magician shows in all restaurants.• Daily laser and fire shows under the world’s largest pillar-less dome at Flute. • Entertaining options for kids during sunday brunch. • Live band performances at the Flute, the champagne bar. • The biggest New Year eve bash.

How important are value additions for a hospitality brand?it is essential to focus on value additions


| 45

such as spas and nightclubs for a hospi-tality brand as they create leisure and entertainment experience for everyone, whether one prefers high-energy or a more intimate experience. night clubs may com-pete for attention, but brands must aspire that none can rival the sophistication and style of their signature spots. a natural offshoot here is enhancement of revenue per available guest (revPaG).

will the aamby valley format repeat in some other cities in the domestic or international market?international luminaries have visited aamby Valley and have shown interest in taking similar experiences elsewhere. we are looking at setting up cities elsewhere.

How is aamby valley city different than other upcoming townships?aamby Valley City is being developed to be amongst the top five destination cities in the world and has become the first ever isO 14001 certified hill city in the world with the Genoa (italy) based rina (reg-istro italiano navale), the international classification and certification agency certifying the project for its environmen-tal management system (eMs).

what is the expansion plan for sahara hospitality? will it be through acquisitions or greenfield projects?india is considered to be one of the most lucrative hotel markets in the world and has the second largest hotel construction pipeline in asia. with exponentially grow-ing affluence, india is expected to play a major role in the global economy and

Brand analYsis

drive both leisure and business travel in the coming years. Hence, to keep up with the pace we are looking at both build and buy routes in domestic and international circuit.

How do you think the fdi approvals in india will affect the hospitality industry?the only reason that Fdi in hospital-ity has slowed down is because of the complications of executing projects; the market situation, the development costs of land and hotel, are expensive.

what are your views on the hospitality industry in india and abroad?the indian hospitality industry is cur-rently on a weaker note with subdued pricing power eroding margins. Globally weak macro-economic scenario and senti-ments have sapped the industry’s ability to sustain inflation adjusted average room realisations (arrs). Muted arrs and high costs have led to one of the weakest performances in recent years.

with uncertainty continuing to cloud the near term, wavering business/consumer confidence and a sluggish economy, there is no significant trigger. Overall, we expect this to be a slow and long slog to recovery.

all the same, we remain optimistic on the long term growth story for the indian hospitality industry. the improving de-mographics and rising affluence throw up significant growth opportunities for the hospitality sector especially in BriC (Brazil, russia, india and China) regions. Over the medium term we expect a struc-

tural change, with supply in the industry diversifying across price points. Further, with the entry of international brands in the economy segment, standardisation of product offerings is expected. the market is expected to move towards a sustain-able value-for-money proposition.

what is your advice for fellow hoteliers?we ensure that our patrons have the feel of our hotel being next best place to their home. at the end of the day, we sell sleep. Guests today, want rooms that remind them of home. that can be reflected both in the design aesthetic as well as ameni-ties and technology.

no one knows hospitality better than us as we were born with the culture of Atithi Devo Bhava and hence respect ‘Guests as God’.

it’s an information-on-demand era. Guests are utilising new technology such as mobiles and tablets, to conduct research and to make accommodation bookings. also the hoteliers should re-spect the emerging online and social media. social media is consuming eve-rything we’re doing in the industry from how a customer shops, what the customer looks at, how they evaluate us, whether they trust us or not. the use of online platforms is transcending age and demo-graphics.

Look no further than revenue manage-ment. there are algorithms that can run revenue management, but it is also good to have the human element overseeing even the best autopilots. ■

as told to Priyanka desai

Aamby Valley City

46


Brand analYsis

Moevenpick brings the Swiss touches to hospitality in India


| 47

Brand analYsis

Hotelscapes chats up with the dapper and dynamic Biswajit Chakraborty, General Manager of India’s flagship Swiss luxury

business hotel – Moevenpick Hotel & Spa Bengaluru.

scheme of things. the multiplier effect vis-à-vis our strategy has already begun, our tripadvisor ranking is now at two out of 502 business hotels in the city of Bengaluru within three months.

since your launch last year, how have your occupancies fared, compared to the competition? in effect we have been properly opera-tional from eight to nine months although the hotel soft opened about a year ago. the momentum has actually gathered in the last three to four months whereby the occupancy graph has really moved up.

Combined with significant footfalls in the restaurants our strength in banqueting has also added to domination in the MiCe segment. For a new hotel we are very sat-isfied with the momentum, we are already ahead of a prominent competitor in our vicinity and yet to catch up with another one in the vicinity where the gap is closing.

moevenpick Hotel & spa Bengaluru is a new five star luxury business hotel in a city where there

already are several prominent indian and international five star hotels. what business strategies and plans have you drawn up to meet the challenge?Moevenpick Bengaluru is the first truly ‘swiss’ hotel in india. it is also our flagship therefore the entire company’s focus is on this hotel. the success of Moevenpick Bengaluru and growth of the company in india and neighboring countries is inter-twined.

Our business strategies and plans are simple and like a good ‘swiss watch’ – we bank on precision, high quality, timeli-ness of delivery, anticipation of customer tastes/trends and above all operational excellence.

this philosophy would be the focus for product, process and people in our

biSwaJit chaKRaboRtyGeneraL ManaGer, MOeVenPiCK

HOteL & sPa BenGaLUrU

Moevenpick’s location is futuristic since Bengaluru is growing towards the airport

and hotels strategically located here would benefit

from this growth. Our challenge would be to get

the right occupancy.

Intimate balcony room

48


Brand analYsis

Here our ‘swissness’ and quality ratings are definitely helping. Our guest engage-ment is very high with a high degree of personalisation, feedback and implementa-tion which has taken us ahead.

the hospitality business in Bengaluru has been well established for quite some years now in view of the booming it and communications infrastructure in and around. How do you fare in terms of room rates and rack rates and the perks offered along with that?Moevenpick as a philosophy does not charge for internet/wi-Fi. this has been appreciated by our target audience. since Bengaluru is primarily it driven in terms of business for hotels we have cutting edge technology on offer to our guest. this includes state of the art business services, wi-Fi enabled public areas, conference rooms with new technology, security enabled elevators, wi-Fi in hotel fleet being installed etc.

Our Moevenpick corporate office in

dubai is also developing apps in hand phones to ease hotel viewing and booking.

Our room rates are competitive and value for money and are customised for various companies based on volumes and patronage. For long stay guests there is further customisation in terms of food and beverage, housekeeping, airport transfers etc.

we are on the verge of branding and launching the Club at the Moevenpick which is though priced a little above would optimise satisfaction in terms of offering service and technology for the end user.

as india’s flagship swiss hospitality

property, what is your Usp that is decidedly distinct? what sets you apart and different from the competition?the very fact that we are completely swiss and have blended our operations with the indian warmth has given us a new path. Moevenpick is very particular on its core strength i.e. food and bever-age whereby innovation, presentation, freshness of ingredients and a whole range of variety/concepts are the corner stones of our offerings. therefore, both visually and on sampling our food and beverage ranks miles ahead of others, which has helped set us apart.

Moevenpick is also a ‘Collection of Hotels’ and not a chain whereby we have an extensive bandwidth deluxe, five star/upscale hotels without get-ting into sub brands. this philosophy is very simple for the customer to compre-hend, imbibe and be sure of our quality whenever Moevenpick steps into a new market.

Moevenpick is particular on its core strength i.e. food and beverage whereby innovation, presentation and freshness of ingredients are the corner stones of our offerings.

Power meeting room


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Brand analYsis

what are the current business and corporate trends in Bengaluru that drive the demand for upper crust, world class luxury hotels like yours?Bengaluru is a heavy mix of well healed international guests especially the young-er generation who do not compromise on quality and understand the global trends of fashion, food and hospitality.

therefore it is very simple for a trusted swiss brand like Moevenpick to estab-lish itself by meeting their expectations and keeping abreast with their chang-ing tastes and trends. Moevenpick as a brand is constantly evaluating, learning, giving its people inputs globally to en-sure every hotel understands their region or market is in sync with its corporate quality philosophy – ‘natural enjoyment-sustainability’ which is critical in today’s corporate as well leisure hospitality.

the current business trends in Ben-galuru are poised for growth in the it segment as well as the aerospace arena. the Moevenpick Bengaluru’s location

A lot of Indians who travel to Europe and the Middle East are very familiar with our brand – Moevenpick and have been to the Bengaluru hotel from day one.

is futuristic since Bengaluru is growing towards the airport and hotels strategi-cally located here would benefit from this growth. Our challenge would be to get the right occupancy and average room rate mix.

it would be enlightening to know your forward marketing and connectivity plans with potential clientele from india and overseas.Our reach and presence in europe and Middle east is considerable. Guests from these areas are very conversant with our brand and are excited about the new hotel here inducing usage.

a lot of indians who travel to europe and the Middle east are very familiar with our brand – Moevenpick and have been to the Bengaluru hotel from day one. the com-pany is now embarking from expansion in asia, China etc where the brand awareness will rub off on our Bengaluru hotel.

For the Us market we have distinctive sales offices as well as B2B integration with online travel agencies which get us our fair share.

the corporate office is working on simplifying our website, search engine optimisation (seO) and gives us a lot of support in revenue management as well as marketing. For the domestic market our own sales force is very well net-worked in india and pursues both Fit’s and MiCe business successfully.

However everything hinges on opera-tion and quality, it is a very well known fact that 30-40 percent of business comes from word of mouth which is happening successfully due to our quality ratings. ■

as told to kishore and sMita iyengar

Banqueting reception and loungeBanqueting reception and lounge

50


marKetinG

When you don’t use cheap marble on your reception, why would you settle for a cheap website

A well designed, informative, easy to navigate, properly optimised and properly marketed website can reap windfall gains for you, and ignoring the same may knock you out

completely from the ring, writes avijit arya.


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marKetinG

aViJit aRyaFOUnder & CeO,

internet MOGULs

in the last decade, while most of the hotels have

gone online, many of them are still doing with their old, swampy websites – low on information,

difficult to navigate, and unattractive.

Hoteliers as a whole are yet to realise the full potential of web 2.0.

The importance of web presence for hoteliers can hardly be over-stated. Given that every eight out of 10 tourists garner information

about their destinations, and hotels online, no one can afford to underestimate the importance of web presence any longer. Avijit Arya recently put it in perspective by saying in the hospitality industry, if you do not exist in the virtual world of Internet it means you do not exist at all.

In the last decade, while most of the hotels have gone online, many of them are still doing with their old, swampy websites – low on information, difficult to navi-gate, and unattractive. Hoteliers as a whole are yet to realise the full potential of Web 2.0, and what it can achieve for their hotel businesses. Just floating a website is not enough. One must realise that the hotel web page is in essence, a customer’s first impression of your hotel brand, and you have only a few seconds to incarcerate his imagination, and satisfy all his queries, or else he will navigate to some other page. So, the question arises what features an ideal hotel website must have, to convert

online booking systemMany hotel websites offer this facility to its clients. Clients can make a booking online, just by a click on the webpage, and pay online as well. This system is convenient for both hoteliers, as well as their clients. Travellers always prefer booking their ho-tels well in advance of their trips, to avoid last minute hassles, and hoteliers can earn extra revenues. Always provide your cli-ents the option of ‘one click booking.’

links to social mediaMarketing on the social media is an impor-tant part of the overall marketing strategy for hotels. By providing links connecting your website to social media, you not only tap into a whole new world of marketing opportunities with countless possibilities, you can also develop a database of every-one who scrolled on your webpage. This is crucial as it enhances ‘communication with the clients.’ You can use this database for keeping your clients informed about all future products, services, special packages and also get back their valuable feedback.

The morale of the story is, assign the job to professionals, get the best web page in the industry, and go for the kill. ■

The writer is an hotelier, digital marketing guru, Founder & CEO of Internet Moguls

prospective travellers into its clients?

informativeAbove everything a hotel web page must be informative, and must be competent enough to satisfy all queries of the guests. Some of the basic information that every-one expects is — total number and types of rooms, tariff for each room type, facilities offered, availability of restaurant/bar, cui-sines available on the menu, hotel location, nearby tourist destinations, any available special packages etc. What’s important is that all this information is provided, with-out coagulating the outward show of the web page. Designing informative, ‘easy to navigate’ web pages is, perhaps the most formidable challenge. All the ‘opening into new tab’ buttons on the home page should be properly visible, stand out by them-selves, and must direct to the right page.

search engine optimisation (seo)The web page must be designed in accor-dance with the rules of search engines. If your web page is not optimised to rank higher on search engines, people will not land on your page, and it will affect your marketing strategy, and adversely affect your revenues. Always take profession-alised services for SEO.

52


trends: BenGalUrU

the slowdown has been pulling every economy, country, in-dustry and company towards it just like a black hole. But as

they say, every adversity gives birth to newer trends and ideas. Profits are falling, warehouses are overflowing but companies are carrying out business, they are striking deals and meeting clients. the hospitality industry, that gives a home away from home to the business leaders of any economy, plays a very pivotal role.

Bengaluru, the it hub attracts busi-ness travellers from across the globe. so when the business travellers started feeling the pinch of hotel accommo-dations, the city was quick to offer various other excellent alternatives in the form of serviced apartments, home stays and guest houses to suit the re-quirements of the executive clientele. these serviced apartments offer facili-ties like 24-hour power back up, wi-Fi/internet, laundry and catering services. Moreover, given the traffic scenario in Bengaluru, most executives prefer ser-viced apartments or home stays near their office over the luxury of hotels.

we spoke to the hotels to understand their view point and see how these al-ternate accommodations are hurting their business. Last week, Hotel Hindu-sthan international (HHi) announced its foray in Karnataka with the launch of its property in Bengaluru under the brand the HHi select. that brings us to the question, what is it that the hotels are optimistic about even during a low phase of the business cycle?

A large number of travellers are shifting from traditional hotels to the non-conventional guest houses, serviced apartments and home stays. Hotelscapes finds out how this trend is

impacting the hotels of India’s southern state of Bengaluru, the silicon valley of India.

Lobby, HHI Bengaluru

Alternate accommodation versus hotels: the

Bengaluru experience


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trends: BenGalUrU

HHI Group of Hotelssanjiv Banerjee, vp, sales & marketing the recession of 2008-2009 touched al-most every industry and the hospitality industry is no exception. However, the hotel business has started bouncing back and we are witnessing a marginal increase in the rate of growth of the oc-cupancy rates.

as far as the hotel industry is con-cerned, the downturn or recession is over for us. the occupancy rates are picking up and there is a nominal rate of growth that is being recorded. there is a kind of a stability that is seeping in and that in itself is good news – the fact that there is no negative growth.

the leisure traveller is the one who is looking at cheaper and different alterna-tives like home stays. Once in a while you want to be near the nature and experience the gadget-free environment. the question is how long can you stay away from the luxuries of a city life and the amenities when business is at the back of your mind.

thanks to meetings, incentives, confer-ences, and exhibitions (MiCe) trend, the demand for conference halls has gone up manifolds and you do need hotels for such events, you cannot carry them out from serviced apartments.

according to statistics, the year on year rate of growth in the occupancy rate is two-three percent across the industry and the room rates are also going up by a similar rate. while many say that 2014 can be the turning point but it is still a wait

l yateeShManaGinG direCtOr,

Kr inn BOUtiQUe HOteL

with the advent of social media people have access to a larger group of people

outside their physical network. therefore many travellers have branched

out to other alternate accommodations.

and watch situation. why would a business traveller turn

to the serviced apartments? they are more affordable but at what cost? Hotels provide much more, they have in-house restaurants that are open 24x7, there is an in-house laundry service and you have service at your doorstep 24x7 – why would one want to stay at a serviced apartment where these services are absent?

serviced apartments are not really a threat, the market is correcting itself. the demand-supply gap will be merged soon. Moreover these alternate accommoda-tions cater to a different market segment altogether, the budget traveller.

KR Inn Boutique Hotell Yateesh, managing directortraditional hotels like ours are doing brisk business despite the recession thanks to the business segment. More than the oc-cupancy, it is our banquet and conference halls that are taken on hire for various business events. rest, it all depends on what we offer in the form of services to convert this interest into actual sale.

though the figures do not look that rosy, but we have managed a steady oc-cupancy rate of 55 percent ever since the recession of 2008, braving the global economic outlook.

we have been attracting customers across all segments, both business and leisure. Moreover, another positive sign is that room rates have not dipped sub-stantially over the past two-three years. However nominal it may be, but they have been increasing.

SanJiV baneRJeeVP, saLes & MarKetinG,

HHi GrOUP OF HOteLs

thanks to MiCe trend, the demand for

conference halls has gone up manifolds and you

do need hotels for such events, you cannot carry them out from serviced

apartments.

KR Inn Boutique Hotel

54


trends: BenGalUrU

growth path but thanks to the corrup-tion claims and the delayed reforms, it has not helped the industry much. so the slowdown is genuine and for real.

if you compare the first half of 2011-12 with the forecast figures of 2012-13, it is not a very good scenario. Moreover, we ex-pect a terrible 2013 if not as good as 2012.

the combined effect of all our efforts in the recent past has been at best a steady and stable performance. there has been no major growth story to speak about.

Our company is at a very nascent stage of its foray into the indian mar-kets so we have not witnessed a major push in the occupancy rate. But yes our gestation period would be longer now, if we were expecting a certain projection in two years it will now be achieved in five years.

Our Bengaluru property is positioned to cater to the business traveller only, so there has not been a major dip in the oc-cupancy rates as the business traveller is still driving the growth figures. However, our delhi property that is more of a leisure travel oriented one, it faces competition from a lot of other hotels and thus the

ShwetanK SinghVP, saLes and OPeratiOns,

PreMier inn

indians will continue to look for budget options as well as

different experiences, so the trend of alternate

accommodations is here to stay. it is a healthy trend as it encourages tourism.

competition is pretty high on that front.indians will continue to look for

budget options as well as different experiences, so the trend of alternate accommodations is here to stay. it is a healthy trend as it encourages tourism. we believe that once the luxury traveller has experienced the ‘different stay,’ they are bound to come back to the traditional hotels for the traditional services that we have on our platter.

as there are different options for the customers, there are different kinds of customers for the hotels, everyone has a place under the sun, so we do not worry much about these serviced apartments or guest houses or the home stays.

we tell the business traveller that after a day’s hard work, come and sleep on our comfortable beds – these are manufac-tured by the same company that supplies to the royalty of the UK. who would not want to experience this at least once? Moreover we tell our customers that if for whatever reason you are not happy with our service, you can come to us in the middle of the night and we will return your money.

However, we need to understand that times are changing. with the advent of social media people have access to a larger group of people outside their physical net-work. therefore many travellers have for sure branched out to other alternate ac-commodations but there is market for all.

we have tried to attract customers by changing our menu to suit the domes-tic as well as the international traveller. Moreover, we offer discounts on mem-berships and extend festive offers to our frequent travellers.

Competition is definitely increasing with these home stays, serviced apart-ments and guest houses but if you look at a macro picture, this was expected and despite this trend, we still forecast a 12-15 percent rate of growth for our company.

Premier Inn shwetank singh, vp, sales and operationsFrom 2008 to now, the global economy has been sinking and it has affected the hospitality industry adversely. india has been witnessing a reasonable rate of


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trends: BenGalUrU

The Lemon Tree & Red Fox Hotelssaurabh nandi, chief marketing officerwhile the economic slowdown of the last few years is holding ground and is expect-ed to continue for another two years, we see a rising demand from value conscious consumers who are looking for products/brands that offer the best value-for-money. domestic consumption led demand will lead to increased spend, both for busi-ness and leisure travel, especially in the up-scale and mid-segment hotel sector.

Our average occupancy across india has been approximately 65-70 percent since 2008. with regard to the room rates, different cities have seen different trends – where the inventory was previously in extreme short supply and over the last five years large inventory has been infused into that market e.g. Pune, Ben-galuru – there has been a rationalised process and prices (at all star categories) have reduced. in other cities, there has been a steady increase in room rates over

the last three years.Holiday rentals and serviced apart-

ments cater to a somewhat different segment from hotels i.e. long stay and extended stay and the needs of these customers require a different price-prod-uct-service platform. Mid-market hotels focus on the transient traveller and the medium/long stay visitor who looks for accommodation that satisfies his business and leisure needs. we don’t see a very significant overlap of target customers between these two product categories. Home stays again offer a completely dif-ferent experience and appeals to a niche audience. Overall, as the market for travel and tourism continues to grow, we will witness many new options for travellers and on the whole it only helps expand the market.

we regularly offer attractive packages and deals for our guests and reward them for choosing us consistently. Our analysis of consumer feedback tells us that our repeat customers (35 percent, amongst the highest in the industry) come to us because of the experience and not be-cause of discounts. they mostly come

SauRabh nandiCHieF MarKetinG OFFiCer, tHe LeMOn tree & red FOX HOteLs

Holiday rentals and serviced apartments cater

to a different segment from hotels i.e. long stay

and extended stay and the needs of these customers require a different price-product-service platform.

Lemon Tree

56


trends: BenGalUrU

back because they really liked the experi-ence at Lemon tree and found the service to be warm, friendly and personalised. the refreshing ambience is a specialty of Lemon tree and helps business travellers unwind. LtH offers an array of special amenities for guests including an LCd television with dVd player (where avail-able), wi-Fi net access, tea/coffee maker, multi-cuisine restaurant offering an ec-lectic range of cuisines, mini-bar, fitness center, swimming pool, electronic lock-ers apart from a range of other smart amenities. But the true differentiator is the spirited and cheerful ambience that only Lemon tree offers.

the latent demand for mid-priced ho-tels rooms in india is only just emerging. the market is deep enough to absorb the increased inventory across metros and mini-metros so there is space for all. However, winning brands will make them-selves truly relevant to consumers and build an emotional connect with them. LtH’s sharply differentiated brands and a strong cost-focused business model will keep us viable and profitable and above all a preferred choice for customers.

Corporate travel will see increased

spend especially in the high growth sectors like banking, finance, retail, healthcare and insurance (BFi) etc. Cor-porate/business hotel demand should grow at 10 percent annually and signifi-cant latent demand will emerge due to the creation of low-priced rooms (similar to the airline industry).

The Lalit Ashokamit samson, General managertraditional hotels, with value for money propositions are doing a good business. the year 2008 saw a dip in arr because of the recession. However, 2009 and 2010 saw an increase of 15 -20 percent. the year 2012 is forecast to end at a very marginal growth of approximately five percent.

it is only the budget travellers who are turning to serviced apartments of home stays. But we do not take it as a threat at all as the discerning business travellers seek comfort which hotels are equipped to provide. the Lalit Group knows that the only thing that can get our customers back to us is the warmth we have to of-fer and it shows in the number of repeat customers we have. ■

as told to lavanya singhal

amit SamSonGeneraL ManaGer,

tHe LaLit asHOK

it is only the budget travellers who are turning to serviced apartments of home stays. But we do not take it as a threat at all as the discerning business travellers seek comfort

which hotels are equipped to provide.

The Lalit Ashok


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Chef’s uniforms must provide a balance between style and utility

trends

Chef’s uniforms have undergone a considerable change in the last few decades, especially in terms of design. today, there is

a growing trend for colourful uniforms. though white remains the base colour, young chefs in the industry want to ex-periment with varied colours, patterns and designs.

the role of professional designers cannot be ignored in giving an image makeover who also have to stick to ba-sic practical aspects of the attire. zubin Mehta and his team designs uniforms to meet all the necessary requirements. the main purpose of the uniform cannot be ignored in the realm of look and feel.

each part of a chef’s uniform plays

Though chef’s uniforms have evolved in design over the years, balancing style and utility remains a challenge, says Zubin

mehta, elaborating on the multiple uses of chef’s uniforms.

an important role in protecting him from everyday kitchen hazards. For example, a chef cap is worn to prevent the hair from falling into the food; it also absorbs the sweat on the forehead. the chef jacket is traditionally double-breasted to protect against hot spills, splatters and burns. the design also allows the chef to unbut-ton a flap and switch to a cleaner front, if there is a need to conceal stains or spills.

Chef’s uniforms have evolved signifi-cantly from simple designs to the best fabrics and stylish designs, but the func-tionality of the attire still remains the top most priority, and thus balancing between utility and style is a challenge. ■

The writer is Director-Uniforms Unlim-ited (creator of the brand ‘Chefs Unlimited’)

zubin mehta direCtOr, UniFOrMs UnLiMited

the chef jacket is traditionally double-

breasted to protect against hot spills, splatters and burns. the design also

allows the chef to unbutton a flap and switch to a cleaner

front, if there is a need to conceal stains or spills.

58


events

aa

Traditional cake mixing ceremony at The Park, New Delhi

the cake mixing ceremony is a com-munity event. the ceremony heralds the festive season of Christmas and

captures the spirit of new Year. during this ceremony, the chefs, all the executives and sometimes even celebrity guests partici-pate in this ritual at the Park, new delhi. they marinate the dry fruits to be used in the cake, by soaking them in liquor, brandy, rum and whatever other spirits, flavouring agents and other taste-makers used. the greater the duration of soaking, the better and richer is the end product.

everybody participates in stirring this splendid mix. Come december, this mix is ready for baking. Christmas is no fun without the traditional Christmas cake, and making this cake is no quick and easy task. Preparations begin months in advance.

the age old ceremony of cake mixing starts a few months before Christmas and the winter festivities and is considered to be an usher for good tidings and happiness. there are massive steel basins with candied

ginger strips lining the bottom, and huge trays filled with fruits – raisins, black cur-rants, candied peel, candied cherries, tutti frutti etc. and of course the all important ‘spirit of the season’ in bottles – wine, rum and whisky etc to soak the fruits with. the chefs and other employees compete with one another to drop coins in the mixture to follow the age-old tradition of stirring silver coins, tiny wishbone, silver thimble, gold ring and an anchor into the mixture.

Christmas cake is an english tradition that began as plum porridge. People ate the porridge on Christmas eve, using it to line their stomach after a day of fasting. soon dry fruits, spices and honey were added to the porridge mixture, and eventually it turned into Christmas plum pudding.

all Christmas cakes are made in ad-vance. Many make them in november, keeping the cake upside down in an air-tight container. a small amount of brandy, sherry or whisky is poured into holes in the cake every week until Christmas. ■


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events

accor and air France presented the world-acclaimed dance and entertainment troupe, Moulin rouge from Paris, to new delhi/nCr, as a part of the ‘world of ac-

cor’ celebrations in the upscale settings of the new attitude hotel Pullman Gurgaon Central Park.

while ‘world of accor’ – accor’s global sales exposition provides an opportunity for its valued clients to discover the group’s brand portfolio, as well as meet hotel representatives from around the accor world, the event also presented a plat-form for air France to further strengthen their relationship with their loyal customers in india.

according to Jean-Michel Casse, senior Vice President, Op-erations, accor india, “accor’s service philosophy is rooted in our French origins. as our hotel brands grow their presence in india, we are keen to familiarise our customers and partners with our heritage and present a taste of our French culture and glamour in india. ‘world of accor’ validates our commitment not only in terms of expansion in the country but also engag-ing our key clients in india with our global network.”

Commenting about the event, Yeshwant Pawar, General Manager, south asia, air France-KLM said, “air France has been constantly making efforts to build a connection with its indian customers. Keeping this focus in mind, we are delighted to bring the French musical dance entertainment of Moulin rouge and hope they rejoice in this entertaining performance and get acquainted with the French heritage experience.”

now in its ninth year, ‘world of accor’ is held in 14 destina-tions across asia Pacific, including Greater China, southeast asia, north asia, india and the Pacific. the exposition show-cases accor’s global hotel network, along with new products and services to travel agents, wholesalers, corporate clients, MiCe organisers and tourism partners. ■

World of Accor 2012 makes a statement with the French extravaganza, Moulin Rouge

Partnership with Air France brings renowned dance troupe, Moulin Rouge to India for two exclusive performances.

60


awards

in recognition of outstanding commitment to quality and ex-cellence, the imperial, new delhi has been bestowed with international Gold star for Quality award at the 37th internation-

al star Quality Convention Geneva 2012 held recently. the award is in the realm of Customer satisfaction, Leadership, innovation and Prestige as established in the QC100 tQM Model, part of the annual programme of B.i.d., Business initiative directions awards, designed to recognise the prestige of the outstanding companies, organisations, and businessmen in the business world.

the award was received by Vijay wanchoo, the hotel’s senior executive Vice President & General Manager. He said, “the award is a befitting tribute to the legacy that the imperial has carried for the last seven decades and reflects the valuable support from its discerning guests.” He further added, “it’s not just a moment of immense pride for the imperial for being recognised for its outstanding commitment to quality and excellence, it also reflects our assurance to publicise the quality culture with employees, sup-pliers, clients and the community, as we work towards maintaining high standards of quality at all times.”

the award ceremony was attended by companies from 74 countries, together with leaders from different business fields, professionals from the worlds of economics, arts and corporate image, quality experts, as well as academic personalities and rep-resentatives from the diplomatic corporations. ■

The Imperial receives B.I.D International Gold Star for Quality Award at Geneva

The Imperial receives B.I.D International Gold Star for Quality Award at Geneva


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awards

Continuing on its winning streak, Hyatt regency Chennai has won the coveted ‘Best international Hotel Marketing’ in the world award at the grand ceremony held in London.

this award is the finale to the sequence and has been preceded by awards at the national and asia Pacific levels. Following its successful launch in august 2011, Hyatt regency Chennai has consistently worked towards an integrated marketing approach and the results have been rewarding.

Hyatt regency Chennai was the official representative for the asia Pacific region, competing with europe, africa, arabia, UK and the americas for the ‘Best international Hotel Marketing’ in the world ceremony, held in London on 4th november 2012. sun-jae sharma, General Manager – Hyatt regency Chennai received the prestigious honour for the hotel in London.

speaking about the win, sharma said, “it is truly gratifying to achieve an award which has become the gold standard for the global hospitality industry. to be recognised by peers for our efforts in india followed by representing asia Pacific and now the coveted global award is a true honour for us.”

director of sales & Marketing, Hyatt regency Chennai – shubham Chandra said, “with the distinction of being the first Hyatt hotel in southern india, Hyatt regency Chennai has always strived to be innovative and represents the brand’s core value of creating memorable guest experiences.” ■

Hyatt Regency Chennai wins Best International Hotel Marketing awardHyatt Regency Chennai wins Best

International Hotel Marketing award

62


The Westin Chennai Velacheryshrikant wakharkar has been ap-pointed as the General Manager. His key responsibility entails into overseeing hotel operations, strat-egising and driving the sales and revenue from key source markets and local markets, ensuring brand adherence and compliances and grooming his senior management for career growth. wakharkar started his career as a Management trainee with taj Bengal, Kolkata in 1989. He has worked with taj Mahal Palace and tower, Mumbai; taj President, Mumbai and taj samudra Hotel, Colombo, sri Lanka in the role of Food & Beverage Manager. He has also been associated with Hyatt, intercontinental and the Grand in his career spanning over 23 years.

srijan Vadhera has been appointed as executive assistant Manager. Vadhera will assist the GM in sales and marketing along with revenue management cognitive decision making and operations. Vadhera began his career with Grand Hy-att, new delhi and was promoted to Convention services Manager/Catering sales Manager at the Hy-att regency Kolkata. He launched and established zuri Hotels & re-sorts in Bangalore and started the sales offices for zuri in delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin and ahmedabad. He has also been responsible for the rebranding of radisson Goa, radisson Kumarakom, Country inn and suites, and zuri Hotels. He has a career spanning 11 years.

Chef Pravin Bagali has been ap-pointed as executive Chef. He aims at tantalising the taste buds of his guests with the perfect gourmet experience. He has been bestowed with the starwood Presi-dent award in 2007. He has opened six restaurants and banquet op-erations along with participating in three hotel pre-openings. Chef Bagali started his career as Com-mis at the Oberoi Bangalore. His career spans across india, Uae and the Maldives with hotels like the Oberoi, the taj, Marriott, Villa Hotels, Moevenpick and starwood Hotels & resorts.

The Westin Mumbai Garden City anuraag Bhatnagar has been ap-pointed as General Manager for the westin Mumbai Garden City and area General Manager for westin Hotels, Mumbai and Pune. Bhatnagar has over 20 years of ex-perience in the hotel industry and is with starwood for the last 12 years. Prior to joining starwood, he was with the Oberoi Hotel. He

has been the General Manager for Le Meridien Jaipur, Le royal Meridien Pune and the westin Pune. in his last assignment at the westin Pune, he was awarded GM of the Year for Luxury Hotels by a publication, and the westin Pune was awarded Hotel of the Year, asia Pacific for 2011.

The Claridges Surajkund siddharth Varma has been ap-pointed as director of rooms. He has an experience of more than 14 years in the hospitality sector in Front Office and Food & Beverage. He has been associated with Oberoi Hotels & resorts, Hyatt Hotels, and radisson Hotels & resorts. He was a core member of the pre-opening team at the

Claridges surajkund, as the Front Office Manager and was then promoted as director of rooms at the Claridges, new delhi. Varma completed his hotel management graduation from iHM Jaipur, followed by an MBa from iMt, Ghaziabad.

shikha B singh has been ap -p o i n te d a s M a n a g e r P r & Communications. she has an ex-perience of over seven years in the hospitality industry and has been associated with interConti-nental Hotels Group, shangri-La, Choice Hotels india and radis-son Hotels & resorts. in her new role she will expand the business of the property and manage all core Pr and communications operations. she will focus on de-

veloping marketing strategies. singh is a post graduate in Public relations from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, new delhi and holds a Masters degree in english Literature.

People


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Jaypee Vasant Continental New Delhi Chef eagle wu has been appoint-ed as specialty Master Chef for the Chinese restaurant ano tai. with over 17 years of experience, Chef wu has mastered his culi-nary skills in sichuan and Hunan cuisine, Chongqing Hot Pot and medicinal food. His cooking adven-tures began in 1995. He mastered his skills as a sichuan culinary master chef from his days with Bao-ming-zhu hotel in Beijing.

Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi rohit tokhi has been appointed as the executive Chef. He brings with him over 16 years of rich culinary experience and is the recipient of a coveted magazine’s Chef of the Year 2011 award. His professional accolades include helping win a popular publication’s awards from 2010-2012 for spectra (multi-cui-sine), diya (indian) and zanotta (italian) restaurants as well as rubicon Bar at the Leela Kemp-inski Hotel. 360 degrees restaurant at The Oberoi, New Delhi has won a publication’s award under his culinary supervision. Chef tokhi holds a diploma in Hotel Management from iHM, Mumbai.

The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi and the Westin Sohna Resort and Spa deepak Bhatia has been appointed as executive Chef. in his new role Chef Bhatia will oversee culinary operations at the various F&B ven-ues, banquets and in-room dining.Chef Bhatia’s gastronomic journey boasts of distinct pre-openings, exotic locations and hotels includ-ing Hyatt international in delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, nepal, taipei, singapore, Bangkok, Brunei and Baku, Oberoi Hotels and resorts, Leela Kempinski and Qantas Flight Catering in Melbourne, australia and distinct stints in india at Kolkata, Mumbai and new delhi.Chef Bhatia has received his formal education in Hotel Manage-ment from iHM, Mumbai and Oberoi school of Hotel Management.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabadnishan silva has been appoint-ed as the General Manager. His key responsibilities will include overseeing the hotel’s opera-tions, expansion and growth in Hyderabad. He will also work to-wards building the brand in the diverse and challenging south indian / Hyderabad market. silva has an extensive background in

the hospitality industry, spanning 18 years. Prior to joining radisson Blu Plaza in Hyderabad he has held management positions with Hilton Hotels in india, sri Lanka, China, Philip-pines, Malaysia, Maldives and switzerland. He holds a Masters in Business administration (Univ. of Leicester, UK) and diploma in Hotel Operations Management (Lucerne, switzerland).

Pavan Kakar has been appointed as director – sales & Marketing. He comes with over 17 years of experience in hotel sales and mar-keting and his key expertise lies in developing and implementing sales strategies in sync with mar-ket conditions. in his new role he will be responsible for directing all sales efforts towards achiev-ing the operational goals for the property. Prior to radisson Blu Plaza, he has worked with Carlson

Hotels, nikko and Golden tulip Hotels & resorts – south asia as Corporate director for sales & Marketing. Kakar is a hotel man-agement and a business management graduate from new delhi.

swami nandan has been appoint-ed as the executive Chef. He will oversee culinary operations of the hotel including the restaurants and bars, in-room dining and ban-queting. with close to a decade of experience, he has worked in india and the UK in hotels like the itC Hotel Maurya sheraton, new delhi; itC Hotel Grand Cen-tral & towers, Mumbai; itC Hotel Kakatiya sheraton, Hyderabad; itC sheraton Chola, Chennai;

Michelin star restaurant, Benares restaurant and Bar, and Mayfair, Berkeley square; Vatika restaurant, wickham Vineyard, southampton and Marcus wareing, Hyde Park.

People

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Products...

Bose introduces the Videowave ii system, the next generation of its

breakthrough entertainment system that combines a high-definition tV, home the-atre sound system, and music system into one revolutionary product.

the system, available in 140 cm and 117 cm screen sizes will feature a 1080p Led backlit display for stunning images, a new, more refined industrial design, and an updated click pad remote for the easiest, most intuitive control of home entertainment ever developed.

the system delivers a brilliant, crisp picture as the display includes an alumin-ium-finish bezel for both model sizes, and a thinner, sleeker frame for the screen.

Powerful, but slender and elegant enough to be wall-mounted, it uses just one cable to connect to a small console which can connect up to six devices, in-cluding an apple tV, Blu-ray disc player, cable or satellite box, gaming devices etc.

Featuring a click pad remote which uses just a few buttons, a touch-sensitive

click pad, and an on-screen interface to control everything, Videowave eliminates the multiple remotes for multiple devices.

it integrates a home theatre system behind the display, yet delivers unmistak-able cinema sound that is immersive and powerful. there are no separate speak-ers, no bass module, and no speaker wires. exclusive Bose PhaseGuide sound radiator technology is combined with a seven-element speaker array and ad-vanced Bose digital signal processing to distribute spacious sound well be-yond the screen so channels of sound are heard in places where there are no speakers.

the new Videowave system comes with a dock for an iPod or iPhone and completely transforms music listening. the system’s built-in speakers reproduce instruments and vocals with the clarity and separation of a multi-component audio system.

the Bose Videowave ii system has a detachable table stand and is compat-

New Bose VideoWave II Entertainment System

ible with third-party Vesa wall brackets (sold separately). it replaces the Bose Vid-eowave system, and is now demonstrated and sold in select Bose stores.

the Videowave ii system 140 cm model will be available for rs 4,99,388 and the Videowave ii system 117 cm model will be available for rs 4,19,513. For more information visit www.bosein-dia.com/Videowaveii or call toll-free at 1-800-11-2673

Kohler has launched another in-novation enhancing the personal

hygiene experience – C3 toilet seats with bidet functionality. designed with state-of-the-art technology and imbedded with personal convenience, the C3 toilet seats offer a gentle wash, preset to your individual preferences. a touch of the keypad controls the rate and temperature of the water flow and also offers benefits far be-yond traditional plumbing. the self cleaning functionality wands ensure a complete hygienic performance.

Heated seats, a selection of water tem-perature and flow settings, deodoriser function user presets and warm air drying at three speeds are just some of the attractive features that this range offers. in addition it offers front and rear wash, self cleaning nozzle, water temperature and pressure control, warm air-dryer, seat sensor, deodoriser / filter and a lot more. the range is available at all Kohler outlets across india. For more information visit http://www.kohler.co.in

Kohler launches C3 for cleanliness, comfort and convenience


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sweden based laminate flooring brand Pergo introduces its latest

patent design natural Variation. this is a new feature which gives a long lasting raw effect to the floor. Pergo not only designs authentic looking decors, but also introduces smart technologies that make laminate flooring even more sophisticated. this special technique randomly gives each plank a chalked and nat-urally rustic look, creating endless variations.

the natural Variation is offered in classic plank format with four bevelled edges and featuring Pergo’s new embossed-in-register (eir) surface texture. decors vary from light blonde oak to dark coffee, with grey and taupe in between. all natu-ral Variation products feature the

company’s titanX surface, which makes them suitable for high-wear domestic environments as well as moderate-wear public areas. Other patented technologies found with these floors include PerfectFold for easy installation and Compact soundBloc for built-in sound reduc-tion. the planks are available in 1288x195 mm and are priced at rs 220 per sq ft.

natural Variation Pergo laminate flooring has the look and feel of a real wood floor. these products aim at representing the best combina-tion of the distinctive character of genuine wood flooring with all the advantages of Pergo’s highly dura-ble laminate. For more information visit www.pergo.com

Products...

Turquoise: The multi-system by Oyster Bath Concepts

turquoise – the multi-system for the bathroom is a highly personalised pleasure zone that ensures shared wellness in one place. the small

anti-scaling hydro massage jets and rain type overhead shower with dome light extends singular bathing ecstasy.

while the FM enhances the aural delight before the health aspect takes over with the provision for medicated steam along with electronic control steam function and electronic temperature control with chromo therapy treatment. it also features a shampoo rack, moveable shower stool and two sets of shower rail for added comfort. the product costs rs 409,500.

Oyster Bath Concepts Pvt. Ltd. is renowned for offering bathroom in-novations with a varied range of wellness and bath fitting products. the brand ‘Oyster’ is known for its wellness products whereas its range of bathroom fittings is known by ‘Brook.’ the Oyster product line includes Jacuzzis, spas, steam rooms, shower enclosures, bathtubs, shower panels while the Brook product line includes faucets and showers. the products are priced from rs 4,000 to rs 25,00,000. For more information visit www.oysterbath.com

Pergo launches patented design feature Natural Variation

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Sleep Studio by Hush ‘Hush’, one of the most recognised brands in super-luxury sleep

and comfort products has introduced sleep studio concept in the cities of Mumbai, new delhi, Chandigarh and Coimbatore.

the idea behind introducing this range was to give prime impor-tance to a mattress where we retire for a minimum of six to eight hours every night. Hence Hush sleep studio encourages clients to actu-ally sleep-test products in mock bedrooms before buying them. with the convenience of polite and well-trained sleep specialists, customers can slide on to the different mattresses or sleep-systems to experience them first. each mattress is orthopaedic in nature and scientifically designed to maintain the ‘s’ shape of one’s spinal cord.

duvets, a classic alternative to conventional blankets add a touch of sophistication and luxury to even an ordinary bed. For sensitive sleepers, tossing and turning is a thing of the past with the Hush royal Partner Perfect. For those individuals seeking extra back support, Hush Grandeur is your pick. Hush Memory Comfort provides with a soothing sense of weightlessness while the Hush Posture X would give you that extra bounce. sleep studio by Hush is available from rs 30,000 to rs 100,000. For more information call 022-24956070/24956171

OSIM uPhoria- A comprehensive leg massager for your calves, ankles and feet

Products...

inspired by the distinctive soothing pain of an effective foot reflexol-ogy massage, OsiM uPhoria’s leg

massager targets vital meridian points on the legs to promote positive energy flow for better health and well-being.

enhanced with OsiM’s sig-nature wrap -around squeeze

massage, roller reflexology, vibra-tion and warmth therapy, the OsiM uPhoria features a five-in-one mas-sage that produces the benefits of an outstanding tui na massage. it goes beyond the surface to pamper your legs and care for your total well-being. the wrap-around power squeeze massage cleverly hugs the varied feet sizes of different users to thoroughly loosen tight muscles. activating the vital reflex points on

soles of your feet it is programmed to complement the squeeze massage for an indulgent and health-yielding reflexology massage. the vibration massage stimulates blood circula-tion to encourage higher efficiency of the body’s natural detoxification process. Further the warmth therapy promotes a smoother flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to your legs. the massager comes equipped with manual massage options, customis-able massage intensity, adjustable angle for personalised massage com-fort and a removable and washable cover for easy maintenance. OsiM uPhoria leg massager is perfect for hotel spas and suites where value additions are being sought after. For more information visit www.osimindia.com or call 09871900900


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compiled by avni Mehrotra

World Bazaar presents Hand Woven Wicker

Furniture world Bazaar have introduced the Hand woven wicker Fur-

niture and extended a premium range of stylishly functional designs. the uniquely woven wicker weaves and patterns have been distinctly crafted to testify your refined sense and sensibility. Falling under the label ‘world Bazaar Originals’ the range comprises of beautiful chairs of different designs to compliment your residential and commercial aes-thetics, ensuring to transform every space, compact or expansive ranging into a dream retreat. the company ensures that this is one of the most comfort-able, durable, magnificent collections crafted for most stylish homes. each piece takes 30-35 days to come into final shape and is crafted by a single artist. the collection is accompanied with luxurious comfortable seating and backrest cushions, and is sure to impress.

the collection is hand woven, dirt repelling, very strong and utmost environ-ment-friendly. it is available from rs 50,000 onwards for a set of two. For more information visit www.worldbazaarindia.com or call 9811945621

Products...

Wood Stone Collection by

Antica Ceramicaantica Ceramica recently launched their ‘wood

stone Collection’ from Baldocer-spain. Baldocer is a modern company which specialises in bringing technological solutions to ceramic applications. with so many options available, you will be able to transform your space into an elegant, sophisticated, dazzling array of fine quality tiles mixed with your thoughts, dreams and ideas.

the wall or floor tiles come is a vast array of options for colours, styles and sizes. ‘wood stone Collection’ is an innovative digital method for the decoration of ceramic surfaces which combines any natural texture with the ceramic qualities of Baldocer products. each piece represents great care in order to offer a product of high quality following their own modern style. the tiles are priced at rs 100 per sq ft. For more information call 011-25116195

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news snippets domestic

ACCOR SELLS 60 PERCENT STAKE IN 15 FORMULE 1

PROJECTS ACROSS INDIA

accor, the largest international hotel operator in asia Pacific, announced that it has sold a 60 percent stake in 15 wholly-

owned Formule 1 hotel projects in india, to private equity firm, samhi. Following the deal, accor will maintain a 40 percent stake in the hotels and will continue to operate them under long-term operating agreements. accor will retain the rights to own and or develop further Formule 1 projects in india.

today, accor has 15 wholly-owned and leased developments

Carnation Hotels, the joint venture with Lemon tree

Hotels announced signing of a management contract for the Himachal Pradesh based upscale suryavilas Luxury re-sort & spa.

The 36 - room proper ty which is owned by Bajaj Hill resorts Pvt. Ltd. entered into a 10-year renewable agree-ment with Carnation Hotels for management of the property. Under the agreement, suryavi-las will become part of the Lemon tree Premier portfolio.

the agreement was signed by rattan Keswani, Co-Pro-moter and Managing director, Carnation Hotels and anil Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Hill re-sorts Pvt. Ltd. it is expected to enhance distribution for both partners. Himachal Pradesh

CARNATION HOTELS ACQUIRE MANAGEMENT RIGHTS FOR SURYAVILAS LUxURY RESORT & SPA IN HP

is increasingly becoming the location of choice for high end luxury travellers in the resort and spa category due to its proximity to Chandi-garh, cities of Punjab, and Haryana and delhi. with the commissioning of the new ex-pressway between Panchkula and Parwanoo, the resort can be reached in less than six hours from delhi.

speaking on the occasion, Keswani said, “we are delight-ed to add suryavilas to the growing Lemon tree Premier portfolio. this resort gives us a ready foothold in the lucrative resort and spa market in the hill state of HP. it enriches the portfolio mix for our brand. we are exploring setting up more suryavilas resorts with Lemon tree Premier branding with the

Bajaj family. Lemon tree has a presence in Goa, Kumarhatti, aurangabad and Kerala (Lake Vembanad). it gives custom-ers a choice of destinations between the seaside, moun-tains, a historical site and the backwaters, making us an inte-grated player across the most popular leisure destinations in india. Carnation Hotels is currently exploring ten man-agement opportunities across a spectrum of cities and busi-ness segments.”

Gayatri Bajaj, Managing director, suryavilas Luxury resort & spa said, “apart from the advantage of bring-ing world class management to the table, this agreement will help suryavilas gain tre-mendously in global exposure and access to consumers by

being part of this fast growing group.”

suryavilas is an upscale luxury resort development in HP and shall expand to 50 rooms from its current 36 rooms. it is situated off the Ku-marhatti-nahan road in solan district, which is a 55 km, one hour drive from Chandigarh. nestled in a valley, amidst verdant hills and refreshing greenery, the resort has been successful with indian custom-ers from nearby cities.

the management and op-erations of the resort will be taken over by the Lemon tree Group on 1st december 2012 and this resort will be known as ‘suryavilas, a Lemon tree Premier resort’, effective 1st February 2013, after amalga-mation of all systems. ■

under the Formule 1 brand of hotels in india. Of these, the first two hotels have opened in Greater noida and ahmedabad with a further hotel opening in Pune Hinjewadi by the end of this year.

The sale of the 60 percent stake to Samhi is in line with the group’s ‘asset-light’ strategy to increase the proportion of its hotels operated under management contracts and franchise agreements. samhi is a leading indian hotel investment and development firm focusing on ownership of branded hotels across key cities in the indian sub-continent, specifically in the ‘value-for-money’ mid-scale and economy segments. ■


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innovative Facebook application invites asia Pacific fans to discover ibis brand

family and win hotel stays.as part of a new global rebranding cam-

paign, accor’s ibis brand family of economy hotels is launching the world’s biggest vir-tual pillow fight, with the ibis Pillow Fight Party Facebook application. the campaign invites netizens in asia Pacific to discover the ibis family as they throw virtual pillows at each other and stand the chance to win hotel stays at ibis hotels in popular destina-tions in the region.

the campaign, which targets Facebook users in the asia Pacific region, invites consumers to discover the unique person-ality of the ibis brand family in a fun and creative way. the inspiration for the cam-paign is the brand’s iconic pillow logo.

the pillow fight runs until november 21, 2012 and all fans of the ibis Facebook page in asia Pacific can take part in the fun. the first step is to become a fan of the ibis Facebook page and connect to the ibis Pillow Fight Party application. next, participants create customised pillows

IBIS HOSTS WORLD’S BIGGEST VIRTUAL PILLOW FIGHT

and craft personalised messages to their friends. then, the mayhem begins, as players throw their pillows at each other to score points – each virtual ‘throw’ earns one point, while each pillow thrown back at them nets them two points.

at the end of the six-week campaign, the top ten highest-scoring players will win a three-night stay at selected ibis family hotels in popular asia Pacific des-tinations including Bangkok, Bali and singapore. in addition, each week one randomly ‘Mystery Pillow’ also rewards one player with a hotel stay.

“we are very excited to celebrate the re-branding of the ibis brand family with the launch of the ibis Pillow Fight Party Face-book application,” says Jens Uwe Parkitny, Vice President, digital Marketing and dis-tribution, accor asia Pacific. “Given the rapidly evolving social media landscape and its growing importance for reaching consumers in asia Pacific, we believe that this application is one of the best ways to introduce the ibis family to our target cus-tomers. in a way, the Facebook community

in the region mirrors the ibis brand – en-ergetic, savvy, connected and on-the-go,” Parkitny added. “we think this application will energise our Facebook fans and help them discover the ibis family in a fun way.”

today the ibis brand family has 178 hotels in asia Pacific, including seven ibis hotels in india. the ibis Pillow Fight Party Facebook application can be played by Facebook users based in asia Pacific on desktop browsers and on iOs and an-droid mobile devices, and is available in english, thai and Bahasa indonesia. Fans can take part in the pillow fight and learn more about the ibis brand family by visit-ing the ibis Facebook page. (http://www.facebook.com/ibis). ■

CARLSON REzIDOR INTRODUCES ExCLUSIVE REWARDS PROGRAMME – CLUB CARLSON FOR PLANNERS

Carlson rezidor Hotel group, one of the world’s largest and most dynamic

hotel companies has recently introduced exclusive rewards programme viz., Club Carlson for Planners. You can earn valu-able rewards for booking your next meeting, event or conven-tion with this ‘fastest to free night’ rewards programme.

Club Carlson for Planners is a unique hotel rewards programme exclusively for meetings and event planners. whether you’re planning large or small corporate events, or ar-ranging dinners and weddings,

you can earn points with Club Carlson for Planners when you book your event at any of more than 1,000 participating Carlson rezidor Hotels worldwide.

Begin with enrolling your-self for Club Carlson (if you are not already a member). Plan a meeting or event at one of these Carlson rezidor Hotel Group brands: radisson Blu, radisson, Park Plaza, Park inn and Coun-try inns & suites by Carlson.

Book your next event and request Gold Points through the Planners programme from a participating hotel. earn three Gold Points per Usd/

euro spent on total qualifying event purchases up to Usd/euro 5,000 at any participating Carlson rezidor hotel. earn five Gold Points per Usd/euro spent on total qualifying event purchases of more than Usd/euro 5,000 at any participating Carlson rezidor hotel.

Cash in your points and reward yourself, by choos-ing from free award nights at more than 1,000 participating Carlson rezidor Hotels world-wide, airline miles, and more! Learn more at www. clubcarl-son.com when you click on the ‘redeem’ tab. ■

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news snippets international

HYATT ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST BRANDED HOTEL IN SRI LANKA

autograph Collection, Marriott inter-national’s (nYse: Mar) exclusive

portfolio of independent hotels, continues its global growth with the opening of its first property in asia Pacific. newly opened, the stones Hotel-Legian Bali, represents the debut of autograph Collection in the region. this new luxury hotel, located in one of the world’s most idyllic destina-tions, continues to position autograph Collection as the premium collection for the independent-minded traveller.

The Stones marks the 36th hotel to be added to the collection’s rapidly ex-panding roster of independent hotels in key destinations throughout the United states, the Caribbean, Latin america, europe, and asia. the portfolio is on track to include nearly 40 hotels by year end, marking an average of one property joining per month since the collection’s inception in 2010.

each autograph Collection hotel possesses its own distinct identity and appeals to discerning travellers who are looking for a creative experience that only an independent hotel can deliver. Joining autograph Collection allows each property to further showcase its own extraordinary personality. through the collection, each hotel gains access to Marriott international’s global sales and marketing

channels, including the award winning Marriott rewards loyalty programme.

Located on the southern tip of Legian Beach on the resort island of Bali, the stones opens as a brand new hotel, blend-ing beach simplicity with urban chic. iconic architectural design meets eclectic sophistication at the stones which offers 308 stylishly appointed guest rooms and 22 suites, including a palatial Presidential suite. the focal point of the property is the 3,000 sq m pool surrounded by pri-vate cabanas. the hotel features a wide selection of culinary offerings at three innovative restaurants.

Guests can explore the indigenous elegance of the hotel’s dazzling vertical gardens as well as find tranquility and relaxation in the hotel’s Celestine spa, offering five treatment rooms and three massage lounges. Finding inspiration in traditional Balinese massage and body treatments, the spa features natural spa products by ritual alami. Located adja-cent to one of the island’s most popular beaches, the stones is situated 20 minutes from ngurah rai international airport and within walking distance to shopping centres, restaurants and leisure activities located in Kuta, Legian and seminyak. ■

AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION DEBUTS IN ASIA PACIFIC WITH OPENING OF THE STONES HOTEL-LEGIAN BALI

Hyatt Hotels have announced the signing of its first property in sri Lanka. the coproration has entered into a manage-

ment agreement with sinolanka Hotels and spa Private Limited for a Hyatt regency hotel in Colombo.

“sri Lanka continues to be a growing market, and we are ex-cited to work with sinolanka on this iconic project in Colombo,” said ratnesh Verma, senior Vice President, real estate and de-velopment, asia Pacific for Hyatt Hotels & resorts. “establishing our brand’s presence in key gateway cities like Colombo is an integral part of our strategy to drive preference for the Hyatt brand in the south asian region. we believe the hotel’s excel-lent location and full range of services and dining options will meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers. it is our privilege to work with sinolanka and be part of the government’s initiatives to develop tourism infrastructure in sri Lanka.”

“we are pleased to work with Hyatt on the first Hyatt-branded hotel in sri Lanka,” said Gamini senarath, Chairman of sinolanka Hotels and spa Private Limited. “Hyatt regency Colombo is expected to be a flagship development for sri Lanka, demon-strating the rapidly expanding opportunities in this country’s tourism sector.”

expected to open in 2014, Hyatt regency Colombo will be a 42-floor hotel on Galle road, which is one of the arterial roads in the central business district (CBd) area. the hotel will feature 475 guestrooms and 84 serviced apartments, as well as a lobby lounge, an all-day dining, multi-cuisine restaurant, three special-ty restaurants, a bar, eight spa treatment rooms, a fitness center, a swimming pool, and a regency Club lounge. additionally, the hotel will offer more than 17,000 sq ft (1,579 sq m) of enclosed meeting space, including a 7,500 sq ft (696 sq m) ballroom. ■


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Marriott international, inc. (nYse: Mar) announced that it expects to more than double the size of

its portfolio in the asia Pacific region in the next few years. with 132 hotels open in asia and a pipeline of signed and ap-proved deals now totaling an additional 143 properties, the company expects to grow to at least 265 hotels by 2016, with more than 80,000 rooms in 16 countries.

Commenting on the announcement, simon Cooper, Marriott international’s President and Managing director in asia said, “we are delighted with our growth in the region and believe it is a great tes-

tament to the popularity of our brands and the quality of our hotels in asia that we expect to double in size by 2016. We operate a strategically targeted brand portfolio and our products clearly reso-nate with our guests, our hotel owners and the communities in which we oper-ate. we have seen great growth across our portfolio and expect to be launching new brands in the region soon, with the introduction of Fairfield by Marriott in india next year and the launch of our edi-tion brand in Bangkok in 2014. we expect to grow dynamically but sustainably in asia for many more years to come.”

Marriott international currently oper-ates eight brands in asia Pacific: Bulgari Hotels & resorts, the ritz-Carlton, Jw Marriott, renaissance Hotels & resorts,

international news

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL ON FAST TRACK FOR ASIA GROWTH

Marriott Hotels & resorts, Courtyard by Marriott, Marriott executive apartments and the recently launched autograph Col-lection of hotels that debuted in asia with the opening of the stones Legian, Bali this month. the company sees tremendous growth potential targeting different market segments from luxury to mid-scale.

this major growth in the region is driven by consumer preference for the company’s global brands as can be seen by the doubling of membership in Mar-riott rewards – Marriott international’s award-winning loyalty programme in asia last year. Marriott rewards grew to more

than one million members in China alone, which continues to lead the company’s asia growth. with 127 open and signed hotels in China, the company expects to open on average one hotel per month in the country for the five years. in india, 23 hotels with Marriott international’s brands are already under construction and the company is likely to grow from 15 hotels to 50-plus hotels in the next few years.

“while China and india are the driving forces for our business in asia,” Cooper continued, “we are also seeing growth with new signings and openings in in-donesia, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and elsewhere in the region. we see this as a golden age of travel around the world, and our Marriott Hotels will be there to welcome all travellers. in the process, we

Marriott International expects to double number of properties in Asia Pacific by 2016.

are opening doors to a world of opportu-nity for our guests and associates alike, by offering great careers to our associates across asia, while delivering rewarding guest experiences across our growing brand portfolio. we expect to create some 36,000 new jobs in Asia through our growth and development to increase our workforce to more than 76,000 associ-ates in the region by 2016 including some 40,000 in China alone.

across asia, the company signed a record-breaking 13 new hotel deals in au-gust alone. these include a luxury Bulgari hotel in shanghai, Courtyard by Marriott amritsar, a Marriott resort in picturesque dali, a Marriott in Hengyang, and a renais-sance hotel in Xuzhou. Marriott already has a significant market presence in the key cities of Beijing, shanghai and Hong Kong. the company is now entering emerg-ing primary and secondary cities across China and further enriching the portfolio through the addition of more resorts.

in China, Marriott is currently operat-ing in 11 Chinese provinces and expects to be operating in an additional 13 provinces and regions by 2016 includ-ing Hunan, Heilongjiang, inner Mongolia, sichuan, anhui and Macau, which rep-resents an additional 32 Chinese cities. Marriott international expects to have hotels in 24 of the 34 provinces, munici-palities, autonomous regions and special administrative regions in China by 2016.

Marriott has been a tireless advo-cate for removing the barriers to travel through its membership in the world travel and tourism Council (wttC) and world economic Forum’s aviation, travel and tourism Council. a primary focus has been on new models of mobility, such as the e-visa and reciprocity among nations to make travel easier. the company is also training its associates and teams outside of China to welcome and host many of the expected 80 million Chinese travellers this year with the introduction of its Li Yu programme. ■

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international news

resorts, Stephen ho. ViPs attending the ribbon cutting ceremony included, Managing director of CdL, Kwek leng Joo; General Manager of w singapore – sentosa Cove, Stephane Fabregoul; Chairman of singapore tour-ism Board, chew choon Seng; and Chairman of sentosa development Corporation, dr loo choon yong.

Following after, and in keeping with local traditions, a glittering lion and dragon dance performance expressly commissioned for this event pulled out their best stunts to entertain guests and bring in luck for the recently opened hotel. Guests were then ushered to the Great room where they were treated to amplified speeches from Kiang, as well as Beng and Ho.

“as a global hotelier, it brings me great joy to present the w singapore – sentosa Cove. we are proud to partner with starwood Hotels & resorts to officially open this exciting and stylish marina retreat to sentosa Cove. the savvy and stylish w brand will redefine the luxury wa-terfront lifestyle and invigorate the marina community. as singapore moves into a brand new level of life, work and play, we bring the wow into the mix, establishing singapore as one of the most compelling destinations in the region to visit,” said Beng.

“starwood Hotels & resorts is very proud to strength-en our presence in singapore with the entry of w Hotels,” said Ho. “while w Hotels offer well-heeled travellers a cutting-edge lifestyle hotel brand, we also have a role to play in the local creative community, providing mentor-ship to grow and showcase a new generation of talents.” ■

w singapore sentosa Cove premiered ‘island Glamour Unleashed’ to more than 1,000 stylish, well-heeled guests in celebration of its recent opening. Guests enjoyed a global

line-up of emerging dJs, cutting-edge performance acts, pulsating music and bold fashion, curated by local insiders as well as w Hotels Global Music director Michaelangelo L’acqua. the event welcomed the who’s who of singapore, including local celebrities, influencers, tastemakers and hip individuals like Kit Chan, zoe tay, andrej Pejic, steph-anie Carrington, Jaymee Ong and dominic Lau.

‘island Glamour Unleashed’ fused all of the elements that define w Hotels globally as the category innovator and industry leader by showcasing the latest in design, fashion and music. Flown in from the UK especially for the event, superstar dJ Mark ronson spun his famous beats alongside L’acqua throughout the night. the fresh-est fashion trends from local up-and-coming fashion designers took to the runway at a high octane fashion show, featuring works of Chelsea scott-Blackhall from label dzojchen and Priscilla shanmugam from label Ong shunmugam. throughout the hotel, forward design and interactive experiences took center stage embracing the eclectic and evolving culture of w Hotels worldwide.

the evening began when Minister of trade and indus-try, lim hng Kiang, the Guest of Honour, initiated the ribbon-cutting ceremony. He was flanked by executive Chairman of City developments Limited (CdL), Kwek leng beng and President of asia Pacific, starwood Hotels &

W HOTEL LAUNCHES IN SINGAPORE AT SENTOSA COVE

W Singapore Premiere – Stephane Fabregoul, Kwek Leng Joo, Lim Hng Kiang, Kwek Leng Beng and Stephen Ho


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Date of Publication: 20/11/2012

RNI No. DELENG/2011/17937Posting Dt. 22-27/11/2012

Reg No. DL(C) 01/1353/12-14

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