MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts Plans for Extensive Expansion

By Rashmi Pradhan BHUBANESWAR-BASED MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts is on an aggressive expansion plan in Eastern India. With a room inventory of 435 across nine operational properties in Odisha, West Bengal, Goa and Sikkim, the group aims to bolster footprint in the East. Speaking to BW Hotelier, Souvagya Mohapatra, Executive Director, MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts, (see photo) said, ’With a strong hold in the Eastern part of India, we want to strengthen our presence in this region. We are scouting for land to develop properties in Siliguri (West Bengal), Paradip (Odisha) and Raipur (Chhattisgarh). In addition, we are looking at adding 24 rooms to MAYFAIR Spa Resort & Casino Gangtok, which will be operational by 2017 and 11 additional rooms at MAYFAIR Darjeeling that will be operational by 2016. The investment in these properties will be approximately Rs 50-60 crores.’ The group will continue to own and operate hotels and might look at other modes of operations like management and franchise in near future. However, nothing has been planned or decided on the same, he added. Currently, MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts operates two properties each in Bhubaneswar and Puri and one property each at Gangtok, Darjeeling, Goa, Gopalpur and Rourkela. Presently, MAYFAIR Darjeeling has 44 rooms whereas MAYFAIR Spa Resort & Casino, Gangtok has 68 rooms. Mohapatra informed, ’The increase in demand at these two resorts motivated us to come with additional rooms at these locations.’ As far the new locations are concerned, Paradip will be a business hotel whereas Siliguri and Raipur will be resort properties. Speaking about the hospitality sector, Mohapatra said, ’At present the India hospitality industry is slow but it is not stagnant.’ The author is Assistant Editor at BW Hotelier.