We Take Pride in Supporting Sustainable Tourism: Suveer Sodhi, GM, Alila Diwa Goa

KNOWN FOR its sustainable design, set apart by an unprecedented level of personalised service, crafted artisanship and bespoke journeys, Alila Diwa Goa has marked 10 years of creating rare and intimate experiences this year. 

In an exclusive interaction with BW Hotelier, Suveer Sodhi, General Manager, Alila Diwa Goa said, “Alila means ‘Surprise’ in Sanskrit, which suitably describes the refreshing character of our hotel and the reaction of our guests when they stay with us.”

On their partnership with Hyatt, Sodhi said, “Alila Diwa Goa is a luxury hotel from the ‘Boundless Portfolio’ of Hyatt Hotels and is also now a part of ‘World of Hyatt’. This marriage allows us to offer enhanced experiences and the ability to earn and redeem points along with many other in-hotel privileges for World of Hyatt members.”

Alila Hotels & Resorts is known for creating experiences that include intimate interactions for guests with the community, culture and the destination. This is evident through the various local destination experiences that the hotel offers which allows guests to enjoy a holistic and immersive holiday. At the same time, they strive to be responsible members of the community and tread carefully on the environment.

“At Alila Diwa Goa, we take pride in supporting sustainable tourism by reducing the carbon footprint by the use of biodegradable material. We also take great care in minimizing environmental impact by using primarily local produce,” said Sodhi.

Sodhi started his journey with hotels 15 years ago. After completion of BA in Hospitality Management from the University of Huddersfield, he was selected as a management trainee with Hyatt Hotels. He spent a few years working across various restaurants/event spaces at Hyatt Regency Delhi. Later, while working with DLF Emporio Restaurants Ltd he successfully opened and managed the award-winning restaurant Set’z. 

In his previous role at Hyatt Regency Pune as Director of Operations, Sodhi launched an events space called ‘EQ:IQ’. 

Speaking about his role as the general manager at the Alila Diwa Goa Sodhi said, “My immediate focus is to get to know my team a lot better and ensure a successful marriage between Alila and Hyatt. We as a hotel have been known for ‘surprisingly different’ holiday experiences and I would work hard to ensure that we only get better at that. I am also very excited about the launch of Udeta, our new event space that will be the largest in South Goa, spread across 18,000 sq.ft.”

Furthermore to ensure sustainability some of the initiatives that the hotel has undertaken is the use of Areca leaf plates and bowls for outdoor catering events in order to help reduce plastic waste. The plates and bowls are made using naturally fallen palm leaves and is an eco-friendly option over any other cutlery. This not only reduces water wastage but is also 100% biodegradable and compostable.

Adding to this Sodhi highlighted, “We have completely stopped giving plastic straws in support of the #NoPlasticStraws campaign. Our straws are made with biodegradable plastic that decompose naturally in a matter of just 18 months compared to 400 years for normal plastics.”

Goa will always be a great destination for weddings and MICE. Goa has an age-old charm that makes for a beautiful setting for a wedding. At the same time, it offers many options for fun & adventurous activities that attract the corporate segment.

The beautiful tropical landscape dotted with water bodies, traditional Goan courtyard, sprawling banquets with lawns and the scenic Infinity Pool, makes Alila Diwa Goa the perfect choice for a destination wedding.

The hotel has recently built a new event space called ‘Udeta’ to cater to the demands of the consumer. ‘Udeta’ is the largest event space in South Goa, spread across 18000 sq ft and accommodating over 1200 guests. It features an indoor space of around 12,000 sq.ft which includes the pre-function area and an 8,350 sq.ft pillar-less banquet hall. Outdoor space features an Udeta Alfresco with live bar and grills and the lawns at Udeta are spread over 4,000 sq.ft.

It’s true that the market has become price-sensitive and is looking for novel experiences instead of the same old cookie-cutter ways of doing events. To cater to this, the hotel introduced Leisure Conferencing that breaks the monotony of the typical boardroom or meeting rooms and presents a different way of conducting off-sites with customized packages and itineraries.

Going ahead this year the hotel will introduce new F&B concepts to offer artisanal dining experiences that Alila is known for.