Weddings Contribute to 30 per cent of Our Business and We Wish to Keep it Exclusive and Aspirational: Sachin Mylavarapu

Sachin Mylavarapu, General Manager, JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa is a seasoned hotelier. He brings almost two decades of proficiency in the hospitality industry. At Marriott International’s first JW Marriott resort property in India, Sachin spearheads operations at JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa, ensuring its growth and expansion through pioneering strategies. With a comprehensive understanding of managing teams across diverse markets, Sachin’s core expertise lies in performance management and revenue management. He sets SMART objectives to achieve the hotel’s goals and implements innovative methods for its execution. He believes that ‘life is measured in numbers’; hence every result has a number and a reward. Strategically forecasting trends, budgeting and envisioning roll-out of plans are some of the areas where he excels. 

In an exclusive interaction with BW Hotelier, Sachin said, "We respect the nature and blend elements of the nature, greenery and the purity of the locale into our bespoke experiences which create everlasting memories for our guests."

What are the USPs of your property?

The Queen of Hills is a popular holiday destination for families and corporate groups. Mussoorie, over the decades, has established itself as a summer hideout, family getaway and a place of discovery for corporate groups in our country.

The JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove brings out the essence and flavour of the hills by providing the perfect family retreat and by curating bespoke and exclusive experiences for our guests to celebrate and rejuvenate in the lap of pristine landscapes. Over the last five years, the JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove has created everlasting memories for our guests, who travel to the Queen of Hills for wellness, family get-togethers, discovery and celebrations. We respect the nature and blend elements of the nature, greenery and the purity of the locale into our bespoke experiences which create everlasting memories for our guests.

How important is the Wedding Market for you?

Weddings are an important market for all resorts in India. Our location, in the midst of one of the rarest of exotic landscapes, allows us an opportunity to create unique wedding/ celebration experiences where our venues boast of an exotic setting with the background of the Himalayan foothills. We have the luxury of letting the clouds into our venues to make it all the more special. Weddings contribute to 30 per cent of our business and we wish to keep it exclusive and aspirational.

Whatever may be your theme of wedding ranging from adventure wedding or a wedding in the exotic locales of Mussoorie, the resort provides for a picture-perfect wedding venue for those from all walks of life.

Which are the local attractions that your guests can enjoy?

Making your way through the misty clouds of the Himalayas to JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa, it is a scenic two-hour drive from the Jolly Grant airport (near Dehradun town) and conveniently connected by road to Delhi and major cities. Mussoorie is referred to as the ‘Queen of Hills’ and the resort overlooks the stunning valley surrounded by lush natural foliage. Enjoy easy access to shopping and restaurants from our hotel near Mussoorie's iconic Mall Road where located at one end of the Mall Road is the Library Chowk offering a variety of outlets. Our hotel is only minutes away from the stunning, rugged beauty and cascading waterfalls of the Kempty Falls. Feel free to ignite your nature enthusiast with a visit to the nearby Bird Sanctuary as well as indulge in scenic treks & trails to the bounteous Pine Forest or the Santura Devi temple amongst others.

Tell us briefly about your green/sustainability initiatives.

Sustainability ranks the highest on our list of implementation as we move forward towards a more green world. Top our green initiatives have to be the utilization of 100% recycled water for our resort irrigation, 100% guest rooms equipped with hot water system through the Solar Heating system and a 100% hotel lighting of LED for energy savings. The resort has taken a novel initiative to save water and to achieve the same water flow aerators have been installed in the entire property for water outputs as per their water usage resulting in savings of approx. 2504 Kl last year. We have implemented various plastic-free measures ranging from using paper straws in our restaurants, paper packaging for dry room amenities to glass bottle usage in the restaurants contributing towards a sustainable environment.

What are the steps being taken to attract more domestic guests?

We are exploring new segments like wellness travel wherein we have recently curated an exclusive holistic wellness retreat – The Himalayan Poise that has been really well received, curating unique experiences such as bird watching, rafting at the Yamuna river during the apt season, new treks and trails and yoga retreats along with an all-new offering in our award-winning restaurants using local produce and pulses have been some of the steps towards attracting our domestic guests. This will help us sustain and grow in an organic environment. The intent is to provide a 360-degree experience to families visiting us by curating engaging activities for kids and adults alike.

What are your future plans?

We are looking at reinventing ourselves as the most preferred wedding destination in the region by curating exclusive wedding experiences such as Adventure Weddings and Himalayan Weddings. We are working towards our vision of making JW Marriott Mussoorie as the leading and preferred destination for all segments. Achieving this without comprising on the brand values and offerings of a JW property is of utmost importance and the team here shall leave no stone unturned for scaling higher peaks in the coming years.