Tag Archives: Accorhotels

Affirming India to be a major focus area in the Asia Pacific region for AccorHotels, Gaurav Bhushan, Global Chief Development Officer, AccorHotels, reveals that the company is bringing its luxury brands into India this year. “We have a very interesting line up in 2018 for our luxury and leisure hotel brands. Raffles, Fairmont and Banyan Tree are the brands that we are bringing into India. We are very excited about the opportunity. While the mid scale segment is increasing steadily and doing well, there is also a very big opportunity in the luxury, the lifestyle and the leisure space. That is the new frontier from our perspective.” He adds that the company expects to add five hotels with an approximate key count of 1,000-plus rooms to its network in 2018. “We already have 45 operating hotels in India and are actively signing up new hotels. So India is a major focus for us in the Asia Pacific region. And we expect our growth to be very strong and very robust in the next few years,” Bhushan says.

InterGlobe Hotels and AccorHotels has announced the opening of ibis Pune Hinjewadi (IPH). The launch of ibis Pune Hinjewadi marks AccorHotels’ third property in the city. Featuring 136 well-appointed rooms, the hotel offers unparalleled comfort and convenience with its range of in-room amenities and signature Sweet Bed bedding concept by ibis. To celebrate its opening, ibis Pune Hinjewadi is offering a special price of Rs. 3,699 per night, with breakfast for two from now until 31 March, 2018. Strategically located within 5 km of the Mumbai-Bangalore highway, the hotel is in close proximity to the International Biotech Park and with various multinational corporations such as Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, Accenture and IBM located nearby. The hotel is situated approximately 20km from Pune Airport and the railway station. The hotel also offers complimentary high speed Wi-Fi access to ensure that guests can enjoy a relaxing stay. For food aficionados, ibis Pune Hinjewadi features the signature ‘Spice It’ restaurant – a culinary concept tailor-made for India serving Indian, Oriental and European cuisine prepared from the freshest locally sourced ingredients. It also offers well-priced, quality home style and healthy food and beverages with both buffet and a-la-carte options – including an eight hour all-day breakfast concept starting from four in the morning until noon. J.B. Singh, President & CEO, InterGlobe Hotels said, “InterGlobe Hotels is committed to continue its rapid expansion over the next few years in key locations across the country. Specific to Maharashtra, Ibis Pune Hinjewadi is our 5th hotel to commence operations in the state. We also have 3 additional properties within Maharashtra in various stages of development which will be operational by 2021. As a destination, Pune sees a …

AccorHotels has announced the opening of the Novotel and Ibis OMR Chennai. Being termed as the first combo property in Chennai, the hotel has the advantage of being strategically located in the centre of the IT Expressway (OMR). The 342 (combined) rooms property is AccorHotels first joint development in the city. Featuring midscale and economy brand under the same complex, the 153- room Novotel and 189-room Ibis Chennai OMR offers travellers a choice of offerings across different price points. The inauguration and the ribbon cutting ceremony on November 9, saw august presence of some illustrious guests such as Catherine Suard, Consul General of the Republic of France for Pondicherry & Chennai, Jean-Michel Casse, Chief Operating Officer, India & South Asia, AccorHotels, Daniel Chao, General Manager Novotel ibis Chennai OMR and General Manager Delegate for AccorHotels Chennai and Kapil Bhatia, Executive Chairman, InterGlobe Enterprises. At the press conference Casse said, “The Novotel and Ibis Chennai OMR joint development is one of our significant openings based on the success of co-locating the most relevant brands for different market needs. AccorHotels has a network of 53 hotels with India and especially Chennai being a key market for us.” Chao expressed, “Chennai is Indias fourth largest city and a leading business and leisure hub in South India. This winning combination of the Novotel and Ibis properties offers guests a unique value proposition and a distinctive choice where they can make themselves comfortable, relax, work and relish a delicious meal under in roof.”

AccorHotels and InterGlobe Hotels announced the opening of ibis Coimbatore City Centre, marking the debut of the smart hotel brand in the second largest city in Tamil Nadu. The business hotel is strategically located in the city’s central business district at Lakshmi Mills Junction, within close proximity to local tourist attractions and shopping hubs. With 129 well-appointed rooms, the hotel boasts of a contemporary design that offers unparalleled comfort and convenience. Speaking at the hotel’s launch, Shwetank Singh, Vice President – Development and Asset Management, InterGlobe Hotels Pvt Ltd, said, “The city is not only a business destination but also a vacation stop for those travelling to other parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. ibis Coimbatore is positioned at offering great value with international standards at a mid-market price-point.” Pierre-Etienne de Montgrand, Director of Operation ibis & ibis Styles India, AccorHotels, said, “The city is fast emerging as a growing business hub for textiles, industries, commerce, education, information technology, healthcare and manufacturing. The opening of this hotel caters to the growing needs of business as well as leisure travellers in the region.”

SNCF Group, owner of the iconic ‘Orient Express’ brand, teams up with AccorHotels to continue the development of Orient Express within the luxury hospitality sector globally. As part of this partnership, AccorHotels will be acquiring a 50 per cent stake in the share capital of Orient Express, until now fully-owned by SNCF. The legendary train, which for almost a century connected Europe’s greatest cities, from Paris to Istanbul, is imprinted in both history and imagination. Since 1977, SNCF Group has been actively involved in developing the brand’s prestigious image, notably through the restoration of vintage carriages dating from the 1920s (known as the Pullman-Orient-Express) and the organisation of events. AccorHotels intends to build on this partnership to strengthen its leadership in the luxury segment, by developing a new collection of prestigious hotels under the Orient Express banner. This collection will offer a unique experience steeped in history that combines the luxury, exoticism and sophistication of East and West in iconic locations. In addition, the seven historic cars, symbols of French Art Deco, will remain the physical property of the state-owned rail group, and will be operated by Orient Express for private journeys and events. They will provide a new and exceptional setting for the organization of events, which may be held in collaboration with AccorHotels’ other businesses such as Potel & Chabot, Noctis and John Paul.

AccorHotels has signed an agreement to acquire Gekko, a major player in the business travel hotel reservation segment. The transaction, which values Gekko at €100 million, will have an accretive effect on AccorHotels’ financial performance from 2018. The transaction is subject to approval of competition authorities and has already been approved by AccorHotels’ employee representative bodies. This transaction is in line with the strategy aimed at strengthening AccorHotels’ leadership across the entire customer experience by enhancing the range of services offered to business travellers, the Group’s key customer segment. Stephane de Laforcade and Olivier Delouis will remain at the head of Gekko and will continue to run the group independently. Gekko offers search and reservation solutions via an interface connected to more than 500,000 hotels worldwide, ranging from budget to luxury. Its turnkey management tools allow business travellers to manage their online payments, offering them the option of tracking and optimizing their costs. Gekko serves more than 300 corporate customers and 14,000 travel agencies through its subsidiaries: HCorpo (key accounts), Teldar Travel (leisure travel agencies), Teldar Travel Biz (SME-focused travel agencies), Miles Attack (loyalty program) and Infinite Hotel (wholesaler serving independent French hotels). Gekko operates in France, Belgium, Spain and Portugal, and has been posting very strong year-on-year growth for many years. Founded in 2010, Gekko is managed by Olivier Delouis and Stéphane de Laforcade. They introduced HLD, a European investment fund, as their reference shareholder in 2015. Thibault Viort, Chief Disruption & Growth Officer, stated, “We are very pleased to have Gekko’s team join our Group. AccorHotels’ extensive global footprint, together with Gekko’s technological leadership, today paves the way for the creation of a global leader in B-to-B hotel …

The second edition of the Travel Wedding Show is all set to open to a full house at Jaipur Marriott Hotel. The show will witness 32 high-profile exhibitors including bigwigs from Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, Taj Hotels & Resorts, The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, AccorHotels, Abu Dhabi Tourism Board, Austria Tourism Board, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism, Destination Canada, among others. The Show will be graced by the Chief Guest, Rajeev Jain, Director, Rashi Entertainment while the Guest of Honour, Hema Hariramani, Director–National Sales India, Marriott International, will also address the gathering. The two-day event, organised by Pacific Leisure Group and DDP Exhibitions, aims to address the need for a consolidated face to-face opportunity between the travel fraternity and the weddings sector. On the first day of show, 32 wedding trade specialists from across the country, will showcase the variety of weddings they specialise in. On the second day of the show, 32 wedding planners and agents from across the country are expected to mark their presence at the event. The main agenda behind the show is to bring new business opportunities to its exhibitors. Sarika Bhambani Rawal, General Manager, Travel Wedding Show, says, “The idea is to amalgamate the two vibrant sectors–weddings and travel–a scenario that is seldom witnessed. The show has brought together a selected group of people to facilitate business for the growth of both these industries. Moreover, the two industries will interact in focused speed meetings which have proven to be more effective for business.” The Indian wedding industry is reportedly flourishing at a growth rate of 25 per cent per annum and is pegged at an estimated Rs. 250,000 crore ($40 billion).

Vadodara’s Surya Palace has been rebranded to Grand Mercure Vadodara Surya Palace. Strategically located in proximity to Vadodara’s business district and corporate hubs, the hotel is the first Grand Mercure to launch in the state of Gujarat. “We are delighted to associate with AccorHotels and rebrand Surya Palace as Grand Mercure Vadodara Surya Palace. The hotel has always resonated with Vadodara, its people, art and culture. An appreciation of craftsmanship and a commitment to elegance are woven throughout the hotel,” said Piyush Shah, Managing Director, Jindal Hotels. Featuring 146 well-appointed guest rooms including five suites, Azure an all-day dining restaurant, Vanilla a delicatessen, an outdoor pool, a fitness and wellness centre, the hotel is a mere 2 minute drive from the railway station and 10 minutes from the airport. “The rebranding of Grand Mercure Vadodara Surya Palace gives us an opportunity to showcase the property as our 48th hotel in the country and highlight AccorHotels’ growing network in the region. It further strengthens our presence in Gujarat as AccorHotels’ first upscale property in the state and West India,” said Jean-Michel Cassé, Chief Operating Officer, India & South Asia, AccorHotels. “Grand Mercure is a cultural touchstone in each destination, capturing guests’ imagination and bringing local stories to life.” The launch of Grand Mercure Vadodara strengthens AccorHotels’ presence in Gujarat. The group will further augment its presence in the state with the opening of a Mercure hotel in the divine city of Dwarka in Gujarat later this year, outlining the importance of West India as a market for AccorHotels. Additionally, through the setup of a new Global Sales Office structure in the country, AccorHotels has consolidated its brand portfolio under a single …

AccorHotels has announced the opening of Uttar Pradesh’s first Novotel in the capital city of Lucknow – Novotel Lucknow Gomti Nagar. The business hotel is located in the heart of the city’s commercial hub – Gomti Nagar, a short drive from Lucknow airport and railway station. The hotel features 106 rooms, including two suites, all equipped with modern in-room amenities, plush interiors and high speed Wi-Fi connectivity. Designed to meet the needs of today’s modern and hyper connected travellers, the business hotel’s lobby features a dedicated web corner equipped with Mac PCs, a multi-touch table interactive platform that allows guests to experience a wide range of entertainment from fun learning games for children to the latest movie blockbusters for guests and a virtual concierge help desk that gives guests access to important information on their fingertips to plan their travel itinerary in the city. Jean-Michel Cassé, Chief Operating Officer, India & South Asia, AccorHotels said, “The cultural capital of North India, Lucknow has traditionally been the epicentre of literature, cuisine, and performing arts. The city’s radial expansion has given way to new growth corridors, attracting plentiful investments. It is this confluence of culture and business that makes Lucknow a compelling destination for travellers and we are delighted to open our very first Novotel property here.”

AccorHotels has announced that it will be opening close to 10 hotels in India this year with most of them being under the ibis and Novotel brands. Jean-Michel Casse, Chief Operating Officer, (India and South Asia), AccorHotels, reveals, “We will be opening a Novotel in Nagpur and Guwahati, and an Ibis in Coimbatore. This is apart from our soon-to-be-opened Mercure in Dwarka in Gujarat which will be a component of leisure and religious travel. This year we plan to open around 10 hotels which will be a key milestone for us. This will take our current inventory of 8,700 rooms to more than 10,000 rooms this year and get to 55 hotels by end of 2017. This year will also be an important year for us as we will be stepping into the Tier markets. We have to be present where are customers are going which is driving the development.” The hotel giant is also slated to open a convention and exhibition centre in Jaipur shortly. The hotel group recently opened an Ibis in Kochi which goes to show its strong focus on tier II cities as well. In terms of development, AccorHotels is looking at densification in the cities it is already present in. It also plans to open a convention and exhibition centre in Jaipur shortly. Casse adds, “A major chunk of our business is the corporate segment followed by MICE which we have been really focussing on with the opening of Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Novotel Vishakhapatnam which is a big MICE hotel. We are also operating the convention centre in Lavasa, Pune.”