By Rashmi Pradhan KAMAT HOTELS India Ltd (KHIL) is looking to expand their flagship brand, The Orchid Hotel across the country. Speaking to BW Hotelier, Vishal Kamat, CEO, KHIL, said, ’The Company is aggressively looking to manage hotels in Tier-II and III cities. Currently, The Orchid Hotel is operational in Mumbai (flagship property) and Pune. We are looking for a strategic and controlled growth for our flagship brand, The Orchid. The expansion will be purely through management contracts. With the pool of talented manpower, the Kamat Hotels has an expertise in running hotels. We want to utilize the talent and expand in the market. Therefore, going forward we shall take up the management of greenfield and whitefield projects.’ Rajesh Gupta, Vice President-Operations, The Orchid Hotel Mumbai, added, ’We are in advance stage of talks with developers to enter management contracts, in cities including Igatpuri, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Indore, Lucknow, Lonavla etc. to manage hotels. By the end of this financial year we aim to sign up with 2-3 hotels.’ Elaborating on the expansion plan, Gupta said, ’For the upcoming properties we are looking for an inventory between 150-200 and large conference facility. The customers in Tier-II and III cities are waiting to explore and experience a five-star hotel and are aware of The Orchid brand. There is a huge potential for corporate events, weddings and social functions in these cities.’ He further said, ’We make sure that the agreement make business sense and value proposition for investor, owner, brand and consumers. The Orchid Hotel brand has minimum quality standards, which the owner is required to fulfill. We do a 360 degree assessment before taking up the management of a property. The Group doesn’t compromise on things which are essential and integral part of The Orchid Hotel.’ Talking about on the developments so far, Gupta said that the Company is in advance stages of talks to manage a 90 keys property close to Mumbai. The property is spread across 16 acres and can be converted into a great conference facility. Besides the property also has a great marriage venue. Gupta informed, ’We are also in talks to another hotel owner in the picturesque hill town of Lonavla. This property is also very nice and has a great potential to be developed into a five-star hotel. Besides the talks are on to build a greenfield project in Madhya Pradesh as well.’ Kamat revealed, ’We have been getting quite a few proposals for a long time, now we have decided to pursue the management contract root aggressively to expand the group’s presence in various parts of the country. We have created a separate division for the same and have created a team which would be headed by the Vice President.’ According to Gupta, the company is focusing on two aspects; one is to develop green properties. Since we are Asia’s first Ecotel hotel, we have the expertise to build green properties. We will be providing support and share the technology with these developers to create environment friendly hotels. We will be strengthening our various sales offices country wide to ensure that these properties get proper sales backing. The company operates five-star eco-friendly properties under the brand of The Orchid. The other brands of company are VITS, a four-star business hotels, Lotus Resorts and Gadh Hotels. Photo Top: Vishal Kamat, CEO Kamat Hotels India Ltd Photo Bottom: Rajesh Gupta, Vice President-Operations, The Orchid Hotel Mumbai The author is Assistant Editor at BWHotelier.
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By BW Hotelier OAKWOOD WORLDWIDE has opened Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad in partnership with the Kapil Group. Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad provides 158 residence units. Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad extends the brand presence of Oakwood which has five properties in India in Pune, Bangalore & Mumbai. Speaking at the launch, Hoshang Garivala, General Manager, Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad, said ’When trying to make yourself at home it is the small things that matter. Focusing on little conveniences, large spaces and memorable moments, the residences embody the warmth and comfort of home, a welcome basket fully-stocked with an array of kitchen starters, a 'personal chef' to cook your favourite meal whenever required and friendly arms to take care of your pets ’ all add a personal touch to your itinerary.’ ’Understanding the need and the opportunity in this segment, we identified Hyderabad as the location for our 6th property in India and the 28th in Asia. Present in 8 countries across Asia, Oakwood will now boast of over 3500+ associates and close to 80% of the fortune 500 clients. Our global standards and one-of-its-kind offerings that is synonymous with the Oakwood brand is what will set us apart from the rest in this very promising and competitive market,’ said Michael Price, Director of Operations South & South East Asia, Oakwood Asia Pacific. Centrally situated in Gachibowli, the financial district, the serviced apartment is a 30-minute drive from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Located on the Outer Ring Road, it is well-connected to the city's elite corporate hubs like Hitec City, shopping arcades, heritage sites and commercial destinations, ensuring that all you need is well within reach. Alongside being the first serviced apartments operated by an international brand, Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad is also the only serviced apartments to have fully equipped western style kitchens, the only serviced apartments to offer duplex apartments in the city and the only property in Hyderabad with pet-friendly policies. Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad positions itself as the first-of-its-kind for longer stays in Hyderabad and additionally providing all the amenities necessary for a short stay. Apart from catering to the families and relocation agents looking for an extended stay, Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad is also build to serve majority of short-let clients who come from the corporate world and are looking for short- to medium-term accommodation and also the employees and management attending conferences, exhibitions and trade shows. The units contain facilities and amenities, such as fully equipped kitchens including full size refrigerator, home entertainment system including 48’ LED TV, high speed internet connections, washer and dryer, all supported with 24-hour customer service and security including CCTV surveillance. The units include six duplexes, unique in Hyderabad. Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad is also the only property in Gachibowli and Hitec City to offer pet friendly policies. The dining option at Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad is Oakleaf Restaurant & Bar, a multi-cuisine restaurant with a lounge style seating set up. It offers extensive conference and banquet facilities with a separate floor dedicated for the service. Leisure facilities include the indoor swimming pool, guest activities on regular basis and a fully equipped fitness centre. The indoor swimming pool is a unique feature of the property. Oakwood is the Brand of Oakwood Worldwide, a 55 year old leading provider of corporate housing and serviced apartment solutions company based in Los Angeles, California. Photo caption: (Left to Right) Sunil Kumar, Director, Kapil Group; Michael Price, Director Of Operations, South and South East Asia, Oakwood Asia Pacific; Vaman Rao, Chairman Kapil Group and Hoshang Gariwala, GM, Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad, at the launch of the property.-
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By Bikramjit Ray HOTELIER’S IN the NCR were reticent about reacting to the news that the Urban Development Ministry had okayed a proposal which allowed building of residences in hotels in Delhi as a part of its review of Master Plan of Delhi-2021. The report, which was published in the Economic Times, states that the construction would be allowed after permission outside of Lutyen’s Delhi and in areas that fall under the Delhi Development Authority. A cautious Umesh Saraf, Managing Director- Unison Hotels Pvt. Ltd. (the company which owns the Grand, Vasant Kunj, one of the hotels which fall under the purview of the new proposal told us, ’This proposal is bound to bring in some respite in the industry by bringing down the capital cost and in turn making the investments commercially viable. This long-standing request will prove to be a beneficial move from the entire industry viewpoint. I do hope this model would be encouraged in all states and not stand just limited to the capital.’ The Leela Palace, another hotel which is part of a group in the midst of the disinvestment according to inside sources, did not get back to us, while Hyatt Regency, New Delhi were also non-committal when contacted. It seems everyone is waiting and seeing what the impact is actually going to be and no one wants to rock the boat right now. According to the report, which appeared in the Economic Times, hotel developers of the specified zone in the city will be allowed to use up to 40 per cent of the floor area ratio (FAR) for commercial offices, retail and service shops and residential accommodation, with the last constituting 20 per cent of the FAR or eight per cent of the total. This is a huge change from earlier, when hotels were only allowed to use 20 per cent of FAR for commercial use. Photo: The Leela Palace, New Delhi, one of the hotels which fall under the purview of the new rule did not react to the ruling. The author is Executive Editor, BW Hotelier.
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By BW Hotelier HOSPITALITY CONSULTING giant, has released an article titled ’Investing in Leisure: Exploring the Untapped Potential’ by Achin Khanna, Managing Director, HVS Consulting & Valuation and Rishabh Thapar, Associate, HVS Consulting & Valuation. The article evaluates the past performance and potential that leisure destinations hold for hotel development and why hotel investors must more actively look at investing in leisure destinations across India. Operating hotels in leisure destinations may have been less lucrative for multiple reasons in the past including seasonality, inaccessibility, lack of quality manpower and high fixed/operating costs. Consequently, today, amongst the proposed branded supply of 45,000 rooms in India (under active development being tracked by HVS) only 18 per cent are in leisure destinations. However, in light factors such as the burgeoning middle class, increased leisure spending/travel interest, growing domestic tourism, pro-tourism initiatives by the government and the performance of hotels in leisure destinations, it is both interesting and important to evaluate whether leisure destinations in India are still less lucrative than business destinations from a hotel investment perspective. The article highlights the growth of various markets and the opportunities in leisure destinations while looking closely at some of the trends in leisure tourism. It also reviews performance of hotels in leisure destinations, benchmarked against an All-India average. In conclusion, the higher RevPARs in leisure destinations, combined with incremental leisure spending on food and beverage, spas and travel & tours, merit investments into leisure destinations for hotel investors. Photo is purely representational.- Click to read-HVS Report
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By BW Hotelier NEERAJ TYAGI has been appointed as Executive Chef of Shangri-La’s- Eros Hotel, New Delhi. With more than a decade of rich experience in various kitchens at hotels and restaurants across the globe, Chef Tyagi brings a fresh and innovative culinary flair to his kitchens inspired by his classic training and world travels. Chef Tyagi’s worldwide experience has allowed him to develop an unrivalled passion for gastronomy. Chef Tyagi will be instrumental in planning, implementing and overseeing the diverse and unique food and beverage offerings at the hotel scheduled to open in 2015. With his sound industry knowledge and exceptional managerial skills, he will spearhead a talented team of young and passionate chefs. His vision and unparalleled creativity will bring a new and exciting dining experience at Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi. Prior to taking up the role of Executive Chef at Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel New Delhi as Executive Chef, he worked at Kempinski Hotel Aqaba, Jordan in the same capacity. Before moving to Jordan, he spent more than eight years at The Claridges, New Delhi and launched the city’s most recognised Mediterranean restaurant, Sevilla. His international stints include Garibaldi Italian restaurant & Bar, Singapore; Hulhule Island Hotel, Maldives and The Ritz London, which have elevated his philosophy of serving dishes orchestrated with passion and crafted to evoke full flavours through his creative composition and sound cooking techniques.
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By BW Hotelier THE-MINISTER for Tourism, Government of-Goa, Dilip Parulekar has been awarded the PATWA - Safari India South Asia Travel awards in the category for ’Best Innovated Tourism Minister’ for 2015. This award will be presented to him at a ceremony in New Delhi on August 7, 2015. Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) is an affiliate of United Nations WTO. Parulekar is the first tourism minister of Goa to receive this-prestigious award. Parulekar-said, ’It is a matter of great pride-and honor for me and-the Tourism Ministry, Govt. of Goa.-During the last three-and-a-half years as Minister for-Tourism in the-Govt. of Goa, it has been my endeavor-to take-Goa Tourism to greater-heights. Innovating, re-branding and creativity have been the key mantras that I have been working on tirelessly along with my young and energetic team.’ Parulekar pointed out that Goa Tourism has achieved-a lot during his stint as-tourism minister and attributed-this success-to the co-operation and support-of the- government, all- tourism officials and-the media in promoting Goa Tourism far and wide. He added that during the-last one year new initiatives have been launched-such as the-Hot Air Balloons, Amphibious vessels, Seaplanes,-Women Taxi Service and Comprehensive Beach Cleaning Management- Plan. Safety on the beach belt-has been-augmented-through the-lifeguard services and IRB patrolling, and-other safety measures-strengthened. Tourism infrastructure-has also been augmented and-new facilities such as-parking, changing rooms, toilet and locker facilities-will be-put in place soon.
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By Rashmi Pradhan IN ORDER to get beer lovers across the country to get taste of Goa’s famous King’s Beer, Viiking Ventures has acquired the marketing and distribution rights for the beverage across the country. As of now, the drink is available only in Goa, though the plan is to make is available throughout India in a phased manner. The new brand was unveiled by Sachiin Joshi, Chairman, Viiking Ventures, along with Moksh Sani of Living Liquidz and Vijay Monte Cruz of Impala Distillery and Brewery Ltd at a function in Mumbai. Impala Distillery and Brewery Ltd. and Viiking Ventures will form a partnership, valid for 20 years. Impala Distillery will manufacture and bottle the beverage, while all marketing responsibilities will be handled by Viiking Ventures. Speaking to BW Hotelier, Joshi said, ’We have redesigned the packaging of the product to appeal the masses. We are looking at a good distribution channel. In the first phase, the beer will be launched in four states including Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The King’s Beer will be available in these markets by end of August.’ He projected, ’We will be increasing the production by three fold and will produce 3 lakh cart a month. By April 2016, it will be available across 12 states in India. We are looking at investment to the tune of Rs 500 crore in the next five years.’ Joshi revealed that talks are also underway to acquire scotch and whisky brands. Post this acquisition, the beer has been rechristened ’Goa Kings’. Viiking Ventures Group has interests across sectors such as hospitality, media and entertainment, health and fitness, realty and aviation. Photo: Sachiin Joshi, Chairman of Viiking Ventures during the media event. The Author is Assistant Editor of BW Hotelier.
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