Category Archives: Hotels

Dimitris Manikis, President, EMEA, Wyndham Resorts and Hotels, said, “India wants to be one of the fastest-growing hospitality countries in the world. Its growth in infrastructure means that it will need brands like Wyndham. Thus, we plan to have 150 properties by the end of 2025 as India is the market with the biggest potential for us.”

Expanding upon its renowned commitment to offer guests an extensive selection of diverse destinations throughout the Asia-Pacific region, Cross Hotels & Resorts has signed a major hotel management agreement with PT Yetosa Pratama Sukses (Puri Group) for Cross Batam Antapura, a 340-key tropical island paradise. Developed under the ‘Luxury by Design’ concept and set amid stunning natural beauty, the resort is scheduled to welcome its first guests in 2027. Forging a new partnership with Puri Group, one of the bigger property developers on Batam Island, Indonesia, this is Cross Hotels & Resorts’ inaugural property on the booming island. Cross Batam Antapura is a hybrid resort, offering guests a choice of 250 contemporary hotel rooms and 90 luxury pool villas, all centered around a low-rise Water Courtyard. Seamlessly blending traditional Indonesian designs with modern refinement, the striking resort provides a serene setting that invokes personal wellbeing. Located only 13 minutes from Hang Nadim International Airport, a short drive from the international ferry terminal and close to three international golf courses, Cross Batam Antapura is sure to appeal to holidaymakers, day-trippers and event planners alike. The integrated resort offers a harmonious blend of tranquility and excitement, from secluded retreats to exceptional dining experiences. Adults can relax with rejuvenating spa services while juniors are presented with a vibrant recreational and entertainment scene. “It has been an honour working with Puri Group and to present our aspirational goal of being APAC’s hotel management operator of choice for owners seeking an innovative alternative to those offered by larger chains. While Cross Batam Antapura is our first resort on Batam Island, it becomes our eighth property in Indonesia. Batam Island is a gateway to the rest …

RateGain report revealed that 40 per cent of the bookings of mid-size hotel chains happen through Online Travel Agency (OTAs). In contrast, for large-scale hotels 32 per cent of bookings come through OTAs, concluding that large-scale hotels mostly use their brand name for bookings, while mid-size hotels take a balanced approach worldwide.

Ranjith Krishnan will be heading the Sales Department of Imperience Hotels & Resort as their new Director of Sales. Ranjith moved from Accor Group, where he was the Director of Sales at Novotel Kochi Info Park. Ranjith comes with twenty years of experience in hospitality industry that too in Sales and Marketing with leading international brands like Le Meridien, Starwood, Marriott and Accor Group. Ranjit started his career with Le Meridien Kochi in Reservations and while leaving them he was the head of room sales division as Associate Director of Sales. Imperience Hotels & Resorts currently handles the Sales & Marketing of six boutique resorts located in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Their product portfolio includes Chandy’s Windy Woods Munnar , Chandy’s Drizzle Drops Munnar Top Station, Reen Resort, Anavilasam, Thekkady and their associates Vythiri Resort, Wayanad, Vayal Veedu, Muthanga and Kaav Safari Lodge, Kabini. ‘Since Ranjith has got the opportunity to handle all major segments of Hotels Sales like Travel Trade, Corporate, MICE, Retail and Airlines, his joining will further strengthen the Salesforce of Imperience Hotels & Resorts and will benefit its member hotels in channelising business from all these major segments’ says Dileep Kumar P I, CoFounder & CEO of Imperience Hotels & Resorts.

IHCL further strengthens their footprint in Bhutan with the signing of an 83-key hotel in Thimphu. This hotel will be rebranded to an IHCL – SeleQtions. Speaking on the occasion, Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President, Real Estate & Development, IHCL said, “We are delighted to expand our presence in Bhutan. The country’s growing popularity as a short-haul international getaway, particularly amongst Indian travellers, presents a significant opportunity for us. Thimphu’s strategic location makes it a natural inclusion in the popular Paro – Thimphu – Phobjikha itinerary, allowing us to create a seamless circuit for those seeking to explore this Himalayan kingdom.”

The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI is slated to host a conclave titled ‘Empowering Hospitality’ at The Grand Bhagwati in Ahmedabad on Friday, June 21, 2024. The conclave will have Nalinkumar Chaudhary, Director, Gujarat State Fire Prevention Services, Gandhinagar and Sukanya Pondugala, Assistant Director (Technical), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), GoI as the Chief Guests for the day. The event will feature speakers – Dr V. Pasupathy, Food Safety Expert & Founder of Parikshan FSS ; M Arunkumar, Managing Director of Envu India and Mr Hemant Khadse, CEO, East Corp Group who will share expertise in their respective domains and address critical hospitality matters including the opportunities and challenges in FSSAI compliance, pest management in the food industry and, fire and safety at hotel and restaurant establishments.

Royal Orchid Hotels (ROHL) announced the inauguration of its fourth hotel in the National Capital Region and the second in Gurugram – Regenta Inn, Gurugram – thereby asserting its presence in key gateways of the country, this time around, the national capital. Conveniently located near Medanta – The Medicity in Gurugram, this hotel makes it a convenient option for people from across the country traveling for medical tourism, assuring them of convenience and peace of mind as they attend to the health of their dear ones. Chander K. Baljee, Chairman and Managing Director, ROHL said, “We’re thrilled to announce the opening of our new hotel in Gurugram. With 106 hotels under our management, the opening of Regenta Inn, Gurugram is in sync with our strategy to cater to diverse travellers, cutting across segments of business and leisure. Our new hotel changes the perception of what a budget hotel should be – with extremely well appointed rooms and facilities that mimic a larger hotel. We cater to those traveling to the satellite city for medical tourism and to avail healthcare facilities.” The property boasts about 50 smart and spacious rooms. The hotel features “PINXX”, ROHL’s signature all day neighbourhood diner serving a familiar menu of Pan-Indian and International cuisines. Offering a spacious banquet hall and a conference room, the property’s meeting space of approximately 800 square meters will also be able to accommodate a both business and leisure events.

Sharing latest insights on domestic tourism, Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) said, “Domestic tourism has been powering our growth trajectory this summer. We have achieved both our top-line and passenger numbers of 12 months of 2023, within the first six months of 2024.Indians are displaying keen appetite to explore their own country and we are witnessing exponential demand for multiple domestic trips – Young India’s working professionals and DINKs are opting for multiple mini-cations, combining public holidays with weekends for short getaways, in addition to longer domestic vacations lasting 15 days.”

Speaking at the 17th Outlook & Update Meeting by PATA India Chapter in New Delhi, Manisha Saxena, DG, Tourism, has said that it is important to segment the offerings across India. “We cannot offer everything to everyone. We need to work with state governments to create more accommodation as this is a big bottleneck, especially for MICE,” she said.

Leading online travel service provider Trip.com has released its 2024 Trip.Best Global and Asia 100 list, where Cross Chiang Mai Riverside has become a top choice for Instagrammers in Chiang Mai in the category of 100 Instagrammable Hotels due to its stunning design and visually appealing aesthetics. The desire to capture beautiful images for Instagram has led everyone to constantly search for picturesque backgrounds at the hotel. The hotel provides roomy suites with a blend of classic and mid-modern styles. Each room features expansive balconies with picturesque river views. Guests can enjoy panoramic riverside scenes from the rooftop pool and gym. The tastefully decorated interiors and unique furnishings are perfect for Instagram-worthy photos.