Hyatt Centric is Open to All Who Want to Explore Goa Like a Local: Rajesh Malliya, GM, Hyatt Centric Candolim Goa

UNDERGOING RECENT rebranding Hyatt Place Goa/Candolim is now known as the Hyatt Centric Candolim Goa. Being recognised in the world over as the millennial-minded traveller product under the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Rajesh Malliya, General Manager of the hotel conversed with BW Hotelier to shed light on the brand and it’s positioning in the Goa market.

Being associated with many brands across the country and having spent over 24 years in the industry, according to you, what is the change in terms of traveller sentiment and hospitality provided to the guests in the country over the past years?

Rajesh Malliya: The industry has changed drastically in the last few years, not just the number of both international and domestic brands but also the variety of profiles and sectors that the industry now caters to. People travel a lot more, and while they are keen on trying different brands and exploring newer destinations, there are a few preferred destinations like Goa that guests always like to come back to. This sentiment gives brands an opportunity to make an impact and create loyalty in the minds of guests.

Guests today are always in the know and invest a lot of time planning their holidays and travels, but are always up for inside recommendations and appreciate friendly services. It is important to pay attention to the little details and surprises; they make all the difference. The persona of a guest is different on every trip and the key to success is to identify and understand these personas and execute them to their expectations.

Being associated with Starwood Hotels over a long time, what challenges and opportunities did you witness while being assigned to the various brands and locations?

RM: The good part of working with any international brand is that every portfolio in their brand have a unique differentiation amongst them making it easy for guests to identify them. On a personal front, I have never felt any challenges when assigned to different brands at different locations because this gave me an opportunity to work for the different portfolio’s in the brand, and enhance my skill sets and knowledge and the locations helped me understand its culture.

Known for your skills of Pre-opening and conversions, how will you mark high ROI considering the recent rebranding of Hyatt Place Goa/Candolim to Hyatt Centric Candolim Goa?

RM: Positioning of the hotel, delivering the brand promise & customer loyalty will make us the most preferred brand ensuring ROI.

How is the Hyatt Centric Candolim Goa positioned for easy accessibility to guests travelling to the location for varied purposes?

RM: Hyatt Centric Candolim Goa is a centrally located hotel that works best for guests visiting for leisure or adventure and exploration; corporates for meetings or off-site, or long stays to completely experience the state. Being in the middle of the action and always on-hand to serve up insider knowledge, intriguing titbits and providing comfortable stays make us a unique home base.

Hyatt Centric being a millennial-minded traveller-friendly brand, what are the key amenities and services provided by the property to make the patrons’ stay more experiential?

RM: We offer unique in-house experiences and amenities, and guided off-site excursions that allow guests to truly immerse in the locale, such as scuba diving, heritage walks, and food tours. It all started with a passion for sharing our favourite local spots and stories with our guests that inspires us to create the perfect launch pad for savvy travellers.

Being a 167 keys property, which guest profile is the hotel targeting? What facility does the property boast of for MICE & Social gatherings?

RM: Hyatt centric is open to all who want to explore and enjoy Goa like a local, including the millennials, young professionals & couples, friend circles, and families. We have new banquet facilities – Jade Wine a 2991 sq ft modern ballroom with state-of-the-art facilities, Isle de Sol - a 663 sq ft contemporary flexible space and Jardim - a 2411 square feet outdoor banquet space that can be used during the non-monsoon months of the year.

What are your expectations in terms of Occ and stability in ADR in the first year of operation of the hotel? What value additions are you eyeing to be further retrofitted at the hotel like new restaurants, experiential elements, etc.?

RM: In the first year of operations our main focus is in the positioning of the brand in the North Goa market. ADR and Occupancy is just a number and the key focus will be mainly to deliver the Hyatt Centric experience to all our guests making us the most preferred hotel. We will be all eyes and ears to our guests and take their feedback as a gift and work on enhancing the existing experiential elements. One never knows when a wonderful idea or experiential element may be put forward by

one of our guests which may look simple but be very impactful, which we are very open too as at the end of the day it’s the guests that matter the most.