‘Demand is expected to go up as people are getting vaccinated’

With a career spanning 17 years where he held various positions in different cities with the Accor Group, Anant Leekha has come a long way by excelling in each of the responsibilities he was assigned. “It has helped me learn and understand the different levels we need to know to successfully run a hotel. It has indeed been a great journey with Accor and I look forward to many more years of association,” says Leekha who recently took charge as the Cluster General Manager of ibis Navi Mumbai and the newly launched ibis Mumbai Vikhroli.

ibis Mumbai Vikhroli

Located in the heart of Navi Mumbai business and shopping districts, ibis Navi Mumbai has the maximum number of rooms in the city whereas ibis Mumbai Vikhroli, located on LBS Road and well-connected with Eastern Express Highway, is a modern and trendsetting property designed for comfort and convenience. The Cluster GM aims to position both these properties as market leaders through the Accor loyalty tools such as Accor’s Lifestyle Loyalty (ALL) membership and Meeting Planner. The ALL programme gives members access to a range of exclusive benefits as they earn Status and Reward points for money spent on eligible stays worldwide. “We recently launched a bonus points’ campaign for the upcoming festive season – 2X Reward Points Dining for restaurants and bars at Accor Hotels across India and Sri Lanka region,” he shares.

ibis Navi Mumbai

UNIQUE OFFERINGS

ibis is uniquely known and loved for its Sweet Bed and the longest-serving breakfast at its flagship restaurant, Spice It, starting from four in the morning till noon. Individually, while ibis Navi Mumbai stands out for its inventory that supports corporate FIT and MICE segments, ibis Mumbai Vikhroli is being launched with unique F&B offering at Spice It and the new generation facilities matching the expectations of today’s travellers, including the availability of OTT platforms on televisions, trendy look in public areas, accessible technology and mobile check-ins. The rooms at ibis Mumbai Vikhroli are designed in six different themes, bringing alive the essence of the city and its culture through artworks like the iconic kaali-peeli taxi and Mumbai’s local flora and fauna. Lobby, ibis Mumbai Vikhroli

Adding on to the ibis Vikhroli’s marketing strategy, Leekha says, “I am confident that the property will be the choice for leisure travellers as it is the perfect location where guests can spend a relaxing evening at our Alfresco, overlooking the city, or indulge in yoga at our deck.”

ibis Mumbai Vikhroli will have various engaging activities for its valued guests like private movie screening at Alfresco area and the library that aims to attract voracious readers. As part of the brand’s global collaboration with Spotify, the music station, features an exclusive #ibisMusic playlist to invite guests to experience during their stay, while at home, or anywhere they travel. “These are key experiences we aim to give our guests with the launch of ibis Mumbai Vikhroli,” Leekha informs. 

Lobby, ibis Navi Mumbai

BIZ AND LEISURE

The ALL membership and meeting planner cards for the MICE segment are ways that help the hotels attract more business travellers. Leekha shares they have a common sales team for both the hotels which will allow them to have a deeper penetration in the market and enable their teams to have an option of selling the 445 rooms to cater to the demand, thus demonstrating the size of the inventory. “Vikhroli is a prominent residential as well as a commercial locality in the suburbs of Mumbai, with a few leading hotel chains present in the area that are known to attract business and leisure travellers. The launch of ibis Mumbai Vikhroli aims to fill that gap by providing a comfortable and modern option for guests travelling for business and leisure,” he informs. 

Room, ibis Mumbai Vikhroli

As one of the industry firsts in the Mumbai market, ibis Vikroli rolled out an introductory offer, Pay What You Want. This 10-day offer, between October 15, 2021 and October 25, 2021 was where guests chose to pay any amount they wanted to at check-out. “While the offer was for a limited period, it was a game-changer in the industry. Opening the hotel with such an offer attracted guests as they experienced the features of this property and paid anything they wished to,” Leekha avers.

NEWER HEIGHTS

Being a Cluster GM is no easy task but for Leekha the key is enabling the team and ensuring they take ownership of their locations and act as the General Managers for that property. Sharing his mantra, he says, “Most of the coordination I do with my team is by meeting them in person rather than waiting for an email to hit my inbox. This is the simplest and most basic way to ensure they stay motivated and take charge. This, in turn, helps me make time for myself. I believe life is less complicated than we think it to be.”

Room, ibis Navi Mumbai

With travel opening up in the country, Leekha believes things are looking better and sees both the properties doing well in a demanding market like Mumbai. “The business from the corporate segment as well as staycations has picked up post the ease of restrictions. The demand is expected to go up as more and more people are getting vaccinated and will need to travel for business opportunities or the completion of pending projects which were put on hold due to the restrictions,” he concludes.