Category Archives: Hotels

Cygnett Hotels & Resorts has recently launched Cygnett Lite Ramachandra at Visakhapatnam, adding 42 keys to its repertoire. The hotel is strategically located at a distance of just 30 minutes’ drive from Visakhapatnam International Airport. The hotel emphasises on approachable design, has spacious and modern rooms and offers an all-day dining service. With its latest addition, the chain will now have a total of 15 operating hotels under its wings. Moreover, nine new properties are scheduled to open by December 2018, including Vishakhapatnam. Another seven to eight hotels will be lined up for opening by this financial year. “Our vision is to reinvent the definition of leisure and business travel, transforming the hotel into a preferred choice for guests. We are committed to creating memorable guest experiences by combining the Cygnetture brand experience and the city’s local attractions. Cygnett hotels are further expanding its brand portfolio, across the growing Tier-I and II cities in India and we foresee a great potential in becoming the favourite hospitality brand for travellers in the city,” said Sarbendra Sarkar, Founder & Managing Director, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts. “Reflecting the brand’s promise to provide what matters most to today’s independent travellers, the hotel offers the brand’s defining touches, including the Cygnett Comfort Bed, complimentary bottled water, free Wi-Fi and Cygnetture breakfast,” said Alok Verma, CEO, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts.

Leisure Hotels has entered Himachal Pradesh with the launch of 7 Pines – “An English Retreat” in Kasauli. With this launch, Leisure Hotels are now available at four sates in India including Uttar Pradesh and Goa. “7 Pines – “An English Retreat”, is located in the quaint hill town of Kasauli, home to one of the largest breweries in the world.  A quintessential English Retreat, The ‘7 Pines’ is built with a British colonial décor and is a perfect weekend getaway. Kasauli has a colonial ambience which is complemented by windy paths, quaint shops, lovely homes with charming exteriors and rows of neat little gardens and orchards. While making the announcement, Vibhas Prasad, Director, Leisure Hotels said, “With travel to Kasauli on the rise and attractive hospitality opportunities in high demand, we are happy to add our luxury retreat in the city. Arguably, this new branded bespoke retreat will be a prestigious address in town, situated right across the hills of Shimla.” The luxury retreat in the Kasauli hills offers a populous range of luxurious rooms with comfortable double beds and verandahs overlooking the Shimla Hills. The Dining at 7 Pines- Kasauli comprise traditional homely meals prepared by in-house chefs.

The newly rebranded Radisson Hotel Group announced its expansion plans at Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA) 2018. The company aims to expand its portfolio to more than 200 hotels in operation and under development by 2022 in South Asia. The group has already signed Radisson Blu Resort Visakhapatnam, Radisson Panipat City Centre and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Agra in the first quarter of 2018. Radisson Gwalior opened last month and the group is on track to open another eight more hotels in India this year. “This is the most exciting period in our company’s long history,” said Katerina Giannouka, President, Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group. “With the rebranding of our company, we are positioning Radisson Hotel Group for a bright future. India has been a key market for us for many years. We look forward to working with hotel investors, owners, developers and other stakeholders across the country as we accelerate the expansion of our portfolio to India,” added Giannouka. “With a robust performance, ahead of industry average and continued investment in technology and revenue driving platforms, we are optimistic of meeting our five-year goals. I am delighted that India is leading the way in Asia Pacific with a total of seven global brand offerings,” said Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group.

Marriott International has marked an important milestone in India with the opening of its 100th hotel in the country – the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center in Bengaluru. Arne Sorenson, President and CEO, Marriott International, who is on a week-long visit to the country, attended the opening ceremony of the hotel. The company is poised to further grow its profile in the country in years to come, with more than 50 signed projects in the pipeline. The Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center has 360 rooms with 39 suites. It also features the Sheraton brand’s signature amenities and facilities like Shine Spa for Sheraton, Sheraton Club Lounge, Sheraton Fitness and Sherato Signature Sleep Experience. “India is one of Marriott International’s most important markets in Asia with the second highest number of hotels and rooms after China. Given India’s robust economy and rising middle class, we see an incredible opportunity to continue working with owners to open hotels from across Marriott’s extensive array of brands, particularly in the upper midscale, upscale and luxury segments,” said Paul Foskey, Chief Development Officer, Marriott International.

Indian Hotels Co Ltd (IHCL) has announced that Rahul Pandit, MD and CEO, Roots Corporation, a subsidiary of IHCL that owns and manages Ginger Hotels, has resigned effective April 2, 2018 due to personal reasons. Pandit has been with the company for around three years. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director, IHCL and CEO, Roots Corporation, said, “The Board respects Pandit’s decision and thanks him for his leadership. During his tenure, Ginger expanded its portfolio  in line with the company’s growth strategy whilst achieving its highest customer satisfaction ratings . We wish him the very best with his endeavors. There is a stable leadership team in place at Roots Corporation and we will continue to pursue our aggressive plans for the company.” Pandit stated, “It has been an honour to lead Roots Corporation over the last few years. It was an exceptional learning experience which added value to my professional journey. I would like to thank my board members and colleagues for their support during my stint.”

Ginger Hotels has opened its second hotel in Goa with the launch of Ginger Goa, Dona Paula. The move is in line with Indian Hotels Company Limited’s (IHCL) focus on increasing its footprint across segments to meet the consumer demand at various price points. The hotel offers 24 rooms with a choice of a private terrace or a balcony. Rahul Pandit, Former MD & CEO, Roots Corporation says, “We are delighted to expand brand Ginger in Goa with the opening of Ginger Goa, Dona Paula – our second hotel in Goa and the 17th in the western region. This move will only add momentum to the city’s thriving tourism and is in line with IHCL’s commitment to Goa.” Ginger Goa, Dona Paula enjoys a prime location and is situated between the Dona Paula beach and Vainguinim beach. The hotel is within a 40-minute drive from the airport and is near Panjim city centre as well as the Karmali railway station (Old Goa). It features a multi-cuisine restaurant, fitness centre, swimming pool, meeting facilities and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Cox & Kings-owned Meininger Hotels and investor LGIM Real Assets have signed an agreement for a hotel in Glasgow, scheduled to open in 2020. It will be located on West George Street opposite Queen Street Train Station and will offer 160 rooms and 590 beds. This will be Meininger Group’s second hotel in the UK. It already operates a hotel in London since 2006. Hannes Spanring, CEO, Meininger Hotels, says, “Great Britain is a very important market for us and Glasgow as Scotland’s largest city is the perfect location for another Meininger hotel in the UK. The Glasgow hotel is an excellent addition to our portfolio, due to its prime location in the heart of the city centre.” The room types will range from classic double rooms through private multi-bed rooms to beds in a dorm room. The public areas include reception, lobby, lounge, breakfast room and bar as well as a guest kitchen and game zone. At basement, ground and mezzanine levels, the scheme will also create around 1400 sqm of new retail space. Due to its proximity to the train station, the hotel is well connected to both local and long-distance destinations, with trains running to the north of Scotland and to Edinburgh, which can easily be reached within 40 minutes. The nearest underground station is also just 160 meters from the hotel.  

Vacations exchange platform and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands, RCI added 11 newly-affiliated resorts to its exchange network in India in 2017. These additions include destinations that have been experiencing heavy tourist inflow in the past few years. They include Ananta Spa (Udaipur), Sterling La Vida (Goa), Palm Greens Club (Ahmedabad), Global family homes (Ladakh), Hawthorn Suites by Pacifica (Dwarka), Neon Lifestyle & Recreation Club (Nadiad), Valencia Group (Mount Abu), Sterling Kanha (Kanha), Sterling Wayanad (Wayanad), Krishna Bhumi Holydays (Vrindavan ) and Shivpuri Resort (Madhya Pradesh). “Vacationers today are looking for quality time with their families. At RCI, we believe in offering a complete experience be it luxury, adventure sports or just an invigorating experience. Through these associations, we are looking forward to reaching out to more travellers and leverage our strong network of affiliated resorts not just in India but internationally as well. Over the past year, we’ve added some exceptional properties to the RCI exchange network,” said Gordon Gurnik, President, RCI. “Through strategic partnerships with both new and existing affiliates, our 3.8 million subscribing members have thousands of options to choose from in sought-after destinations around the world when planning their next vacation,” says Sabina Chopra, Managing Director, RCI India.

Jukaso Journeys has acquired five properties in Udaipur, Corbett, Manali, Bhimtal and Dharamshala over the last three months. These are Jukaso Sai Palace Udaipur, Jukaso Jim Corbett, Jukaso Seven Heaven Bhimtal, Jukaso Mrikula Cottage Manali and Jukaso Palace Dharamshala. Jukaso Journeys is planning to expand and hence aims to open 15 properties by the end of 2018. Yajush Khanna, CEO, Jukaso Journeys, says, “We are excited about expanding our footprint in Tier-II cities in India with these properties. It is a great opportunity to enter the new market as we are trying to mark our presence in major tourist destinations. We intend to strengthen our upscale brand in the country.” The Jukaso group runs hotels in Delhi, Gurgaon, Pune, Vizag, Varanasi, Dharamsala, Corbett, Mahabaleshwar and Switzerland.

Vivek Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has felicitated Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, who has also assumed the additional charge of Minister of Civil Aviation in a special ceremony organised recently at The Leela Palace New Delhi. Nair commented, “Civil aviation and tourism have to go hand in hand and only then can the industry grow. Now we have a new minister, who is known for his dynamism and we invite him to boost the synergies between the two sectors.” The ceremony saw in attendance the who’s who of the hospitality, tourism and services industry. The stakeholders of the industry put forth their views and suggestions to the minister for his consideration. Prabhu commented, “Today it is a trillion dollar economy knocking at our doors. We have to understand that one has to create concrete plans based upon the larger impact it will have on the common people. With one tourist in India, 15 jobs both direct and indirect can be created.”