Category Archives: Hotels

Hotelbeds Group, a global bedbank and business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry, has announced plans for Tourico Holidays to merge with its Bedbank business unit. Joan Vilà, Executive Chairman of Hotelbeds Group said: “With the backing of Cinven and CPPIB we are entering the next phase of our development since becoming an independent company back in September. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Tourico Holidays will join Hotelbeds Group. Tourico Holidays has a well-deserved reputation for excellence and innovation that I have respected for many years. I look forward to working with its experienced leadership team. The proposed deal will enable us to enhance our footprint, especially in Tourico Holidays’ home market of North America whilst they will benefit from belonging to Hotelbeds Group’s global network. Together we will combine our best in class technology and distribution expertise for the benefit of both our hotel partners and clients. For the time being, both businesses will continue as usual, focusing on our top priority: providing the best possible service to our hotel partners and clients.”  Tourico Holidays’ CEO, Uri Argov added, “We´re very excited about what this deal can mean to the B2B travel industry. Tourico Holidays’ management team looks forward to bringing together these two great businesses in order to better serve our combined supplier and client base. At a cultural level, this deal is strong because our two organisations are both entrepreneurial, dynamic and high energy – and just like Hotelbeds Group, we´re passionate about what we do and focus hard on execution.”

Yatra.com has forged a strategic alliance with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to promote homestays and enhance tourism in the state through their holiday packages. As a part of this partnership, Yatra will list over 200 properties on its website and encourage the growth of homestays in Andhra Pradesh. The MoU was signed during the Partnership Summit at Vishakhapatnam in presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu. Through the partnership, Yatra will promote all the state tourism approved homestays, wherein guests can rent a room in the home of a local family (host) or the entire house. This partnership will give the tourists a chance to experience the hospitality of various families throughout Andhra Pradesh and enjoy wonderful home cooked food. Speaking on the partnership, Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C), Yatra.com said, “Homestays as a trend is rapidly gaining popularity in India. As new age travellers seek out unique experiences in the course of their travels, we believe that this kind of non-hotel accommodation has tremendous growth potential in the country. Also, the partnership with Andhra Pradesh Government will provide an alternate source of income for the local population and enhance their livelihoods without straining their existing resources, thereby creating sustainable livelihood and creating large scale employment.”

Consolidating leadership in the luxury private rental market, AccorHotels has initiated exclusive negotiations for the acquisition of 100 per cent of Travel Keys, one of the leading players in the private vacation rental market. Founded in 1991, Travel Keys represents a luxury collection of over 5,000 highly curated villas across more than 100 destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii & the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa.  A pioneer in the industry, the Atlanta-based company focuses on guest satisfaction, offering professional vacation planning and 24/7 concierge services. The combination of Travel Keys with onefinestay and Squarebreak will provide AccorHotels with a unique offering of about 8,500 addresses in the luxury private rental market, with highly curated properties in both the vacation & urban segments. The transaction is expected to close in Q2 2017 after customary due diligence.

G6 Hospitality, known for its economy lodging brands, Motel 6, and Studio 6 in the U.S., Canada and Hotel 6, Estudio 6 in Latin America, announced its global portfolio expansion by signing an area development agreement with Auromatrix Holdings. This new partnership will introduce Motel 6, Studio 6 and Hotel 6 brands to India, marking G6 Hospitality’s first venture into the market. “Our mission is to build on the iconic heritage of our brands to become the universally recognised leader in economy lodging, and expanding our portfolio to such an important market like India marks a significant milestone for G6 Hospitality,” said Jim Amorosia, President and CEO of G6 Hospitality. “Motel 6, Studio 6 and Hotel 6 operations in India are designed to suit the specific needs of travellers in the area. Combined with the expertise of our partners at Auromatrix, we are uniquely positioned to successfully launch a compelling new lodging option to both leisure and business travellers,” he adds. The new properties will showcase elements of the “Phoenix” room design featured at Motel 6 and Studio 6 properties in the U.S. and Canada. Unique room features planned for the properties may include wood-effect flooring, platform beds and flat screen TVs, offering areas that are highly functional, space-efficient and with a modern décor that provides extra comfort for budget-conscious travelers. Motel 6, Studio 6 and Hotel 6 rooms will also offer unique amenities to respond to the needs of the diverse market.

Sarovar Hotels has recently signed an agreement for a new hotel, KST Sarovar Portico, a 48 keys hotel located in Chattarpur. Ideally located in the major wedding hub of the city, KST Sarovar Portico features 45 rooms and 3 suites. Each room is well-appointed with modern amenities and elegant furnishings. Ensuring guests a seamless service and memorable occasion, the hotel offers remarkable and personalised service starting from 24 hours concierge and personal assistant service to a round the clock in room dining service offering traditional Indian and Mediterranean cuisine. KST Sarovar Portico is ideally located at convenient distance to main shopping & entertainment centers, religious spots as well as accessible to corporate hubs in South Delhi and Gurgaon. Nido, the bar and lounge facility, takes guests on an incredible gastronomic journey with its innovative food offerings.

Oracle Hospitality along with Airpay Payment Services, recently conducted a closed-door workshop for CIOs and IT Heads of top hotels in Mumbai and New Delhi. About 25 in Mumbai and 37 in New Delhi attended the event. The first India Oracle Hospitality Customer Event had a compelling agenda and was designed to address questions on Oracle Hospitality and the solutions it offers for the hospitality industry. The half day event had three speakers discussing various topics such as technology trends in the hospitality industry in India and globally, and maximising guest services beyond the front desk. This was followed by an overview of its products – OPERA Cloud, Hotel Mobile and Simphony Cloud. Meanwhile Amit Kapoor, CEO & Co-Founder, Airpay, spoke about the payment services company’s association with Oracle Hospitality and how hotels can re-invent consumer engagement on their portals. The two speakers from Oracle Hospitality were Jay Sherman, Senior Manager, Sales Consulting, Hotel POS, Oracle Hospitality (Asia Pacific & Japan) and Travis Macauley, Solutions Manager – Hotels.

Look To Book, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s global rewards program is celebrating its 25th anniversary and planning special promotions and offerings throughout the year to reward members for their efforts. Travel agents in Australia, Bangladesh, India, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand can accrue points through special Look To Book 25th anniversary programming which are redeemable for stays at hotels around the world, gift cards, airline miles etc. While Look To Book rewards agents with 10 points per 1 USD, members will have the opportunity to earn even more points as part of the silver jubilee celebration by registering and booking hotel stays during the ‘Earn Up To 25,000 Points’ promotion period of January 17 through March 31, 2017; taking the ‘25 Years of Look To Book’ quiz and earn up to 1,000 points; bookmarking the Look To Book 25th anniversary page for additional bonus points throughout 2017. “We are excited to be celebrating 25 excellent years of Look to Book. The travel agent community has played an integral role in the success of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and to show our appreciation, we will be offering the special anniversary programme throughout the year which includes earning bonus points and prizes,” said Sandy Russell, Vice President-Commercial Operations, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. “Club Carlson will also be rolling out new campaigns and engagement initiatives in the coming months as we celebrate this milestone,” added Russell.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced the opening of Andaz Delhi, marking the Andaz brand’s first hotel in India and 16th worldwide. Conveniently located in Aerocity, the hotel is within easy reach of downtown Delhi and the business hub of Gurgaon. Andaz Delhi opens with a partial inventory of its residential-style 401 guestrooms, including 45 suites. The hotel will also offer 129 serviced apartments, expected to open next year. The hotel offers 37,500 sq. ft. (3,484 sq. m.) of innovative meeting and event spaces, with fluid layouts and functional design creating environments that dissolve barriers and encourage creative thinking, interaction and conversation. The oval shaped pillar-less ballroom is one of the largest indoor luxury wedding spaces in Delhi and can accommodate up to 1,500 guests. The unobstructive design of the ballroom provides a blank canvas to customize and decorate the space based on the individuality and style of any guest. The unique Elephant Path adds a sense of drama to a traditional Indian wedding. Designed to capture the spirit of Delhi by renowned architect Bauer Latoza Studio from Chicago, and interior designer Virgile and Partners from London, the hotel integrates traditional Indian elements, colours and flavours into a modern design inspired by the unique craftsmanship of India.  Eight Andaz Studios offer residential-style meeting and event spaces with inspiring open kitchens and an outdoor terrace. “Andaz derives its name from the Hindi word for ‘personal style,’ and each location offers guests a fresh and stimulating hotel experience that fuels creativity and inspires them to engage in their own personal sense of luxury and style,” said Kurt Straub, Vice President of Operations, India, Hyatt. “The opening of Andaz Delhi marks a significant milestone …

OYO has come up with another offering and has launched OYO Townhouse, positioned as a friendly neighbourhood hotel. The new category will operate under the OYO Townhouse brand and aims for a footprint of 250 properties with 10,000+ rooms across 12 cities in India by end of 2017. OYO Townhouse offers a combination of a hotel, home, merchandise store and lounge and is targeted at Millennials, for whom price, convenience and a differentiated experience play an important role in determining choices. Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, OYO, said, “OYO Townhouse represents our ongoing commitment to continue innovating and creating world-class hotel experiences from India. Townhouse will operate as a hotel, community hotspot, cafe and merchandise store – to deliver an all-encompassing experience to guests. This launch marks a milestone in our journey towards the next level of Hospitality, consolidating our position as a category innovator and leader.”

Australian accommodation provider Oaks Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of Oaks Bodhgaya, marking the brand’s debut in India. Part of Minor Hotels portfolio of brands, the group has partnered with GP Group and Top Travel & Tours to open the new hotel, which represents an overall investment of $6.7m. The 78-room hotel includes 74 deluxe rooms offer 30 square metres of space and feature twin beds, a walk-in shower and some have a bathtub. Three suites, each offering 66 square metres of space, feature a king size bed, two bathrooms with a bathtub, a lounge and dining area. Designed specifically with disabled access, a deluxe suite of 40 square metres is equipped with two bathrooms featuring walk-in showers, along with well-planned living and dining areas. Business and event guests can take advantage of the banquet hall. “We are very excited to announce the opening of Oaks Bodhgaya which represents Minor Hotels’ debut in India,” said Thomas Meier, Minor Hotels Senior Vice President Operations – Asia. “Minor Hotels has been looking for the right opportunity to expand its footprint into India and we are pleased to have partnered with GP Group and Top Travel & Tours Pvt. Ltd to launch our Oaks brand in this new market which has huge potential.” Sanjog Modgil, Vice President Hospitality, of GP Group, commented, “The GP Group has long recognised the potential of the Indian Buddhist Circuit and we are delighted to partner with Minor Hotels and Top Travel & Tours Pvt. Ltd to launch Oaks Bodhgaya, which marks the first step in establishing our presence on this world famous circuit in India.” Home to Mahabodhi Temple, where Buddha is said to have …