CONTENTS/EDITORIAL Volume 1 Issue 5 JUNE 2012
EDITOR’S NOTE While we talk of splendid design, decor and architecture of a hotel, less is said about the role of lighting. Even as it plays a pivotal role in the creating the right ambience, hotels take keen interest in planning their lighting in order to reduce their carbon footprint as well as substantially reducing their electricity bills. In this issue, we bring you the latest trends in lighting at various hotels. Just as much as reducing carbon footprint is on minds of many hoteliers, so is exercising their social responsibility. The hotel industry, like corporate India, is waking up to the responsibility of taking the initiatives. But is the industry adequately involved in discharging this responsibility? We talk to hoteliers to find out the different routes they are taking to show their responsibility to the society. The newly launched Sofitel Mumbai BKC, the flagship property of the brand in India, stands out with its avant-garde architecture. The hotel blends French design and Indian culture, drawing inspiration from Indian temples, carvings, monuments and art, along with the famed French design and rich history. We bring you an in-depth analysis of the design, interiors and various elements used in the hotel that make the hotel elegant. Brand Park Hyatt has made its presence felt in the country with its resort property in Goa. It opened its first city business hotel in Hyderabad. We introduce you to the brand as it looks to finding its feet in the country. We also analyse Country Inns and Suites By Carlson. The brand has changed since the time it first checked in. Sanjeev Pahwa, vice president, CDMS tells us about the brand’s journey. Read about new launches and new strategies by existing brands in the market. Do write to us with your feedback.
New Developments 2 Radisson Blu Indore aims to tap pilgrim tourists 4 Premier Inn Bengaluru increases focus on MICE 6 Patna gets another branded hotel 8 Roots Corporation opens Ginger hotel in Faridabad 10 Doubletree by Hilton opens second property in Gurgaon
One-on-one 12 Daiwik Hotels on first-of-its kind initiative of tapping pilgrim centres
Brand Analysis 14 Park Hyatt Hyderabad: The brand’s first city hotel in the country 16 Country Inns & Suites continues expansion in India
Forum of the Month 20 Hoteliers talk about various CSR initiatives taken by them
Design 24 Sofitel Mumbai BKC: Where architecture meets luxury
READERS WRITE IN The story on the food safety norms was an eye-opener. As a consumer one does not really know about these issues. The FSSAI’s role in implementing the Food Safety Act 2011 is crucial and so is the strengthening of the act by FHRAI and it is great to know that there are bodies that think about the consumers as well as the businesses. Kanika Gehlot, New Delhi The wedding story was indeed interesting to read, because it talked about the business of weddings. The perspective was different and it was informative to know how the hotels operate. And it gave an over all view about the country and not just one wedding destination like, Rajasthan or Goa. Isha Gupta, Mumbai
Eco Hotels 30 A fine example of an eco-friendly hotel: Meluha The Fern
Trend Story 38 The role of lighting in the hotels
Hospitality Report 42 Luxury segment is seeing a boom: ICRA 44 More supply, less demand in Chennai: HVS
People 50 Appointments and movements across the country
Products 52 New launches this season Editor: Navin S Berry Assistant Editor: Purva Bhatia Business Development: Sudhir Sood Advertising: Saurabh Shukla Design: Ashok Saxena, Neelam Aswani Hotelscapes is published and printed monthly by Navin Berry on behalf of Cross Section Media Pvt. Ltd. and printed at Anupam Art Printers B-52, Naraina, Phase II, New Delhi and published from IIIrd Floor, Rajendra Bhawan, 210, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi - 110002. Tel: 91-11-43784444; Fax: 91-11-41001627, 41001628. E-mail: info@crosssectionmedia.com This issue of Hotelscapes contains 56 pages plus 4 pages cover
Guest Columns 23 A solution to hotel management dilemma faced by the hoteliers 36 Tapping the growing demand for serviced apartments June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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NEW DEVELOPMENTS
EYE ON PILGRIM TOURISTS Radisson Blu Indore Targets the Segment with Special Offers With two IT majors coming in the city soon, hospitality sector is awaiting the long overdue boom. While the business travel is expected to add to the demand, Radisson Blu is working with the MP Tourism to boost pilgrimage as well as leisure tourism in Indore and around.
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ARUN ARORA GENERAL MANAGER, RADISSON BLU INDORE
We want people to see the potential the city and its nearby sites have. Thought the city gets a lot of tourists but the branded hotel segment is yet to tap this influx of tourists. 2
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istorically known for textile pro duction and domestic trade, In dore is slowly emerging as a business hub. It has already become a key manufacturing centre for automobile companies like Eicher Motors, Force and Bajaj Tempo. It is seeing increasing demand from the pharmaceutical sector; and all eyes are now on the upcoming IT and ITeS units. Betting on this growth, Carlson in partnership with real estate developer Bestech Group opened Radisson Blu in this market two years ago. The group is optimistic about its further growth. “With the expansion and development of automobile units and the development of multi-use SEZs, the city is slowly but surely growing” says Arun Arora, general manager, Radisson Blu Indore. Be-
sides the brand, the hotel market in Indore consists of budget and mid-market hotels like Lemon Tree, Carlson’s Country Inn and Suites, Ginger and Sarovar. The city has a total room inventory of about 500 in branded hotels. Arora feels the city definitely needs more rooms. “We need more hotels in the segment for the market to grow. Big conferences don’t consider the destination because of the lack of supply in one category,” he says. Infrastructure wise, development is happening although at a slow pace. IT majors like Infosys and TCS are all set to enter the city. As per the MoU signed between the Shivraj Singh Chouhan Government and Infosys, the IT major is setting up its unit with an investment of Rs 600 crore on 130 acres on the Indore-Ujjain Super Corridor. The
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
project is likely to be completed in five years and will generate 13,000 jobs. The Rs 98-crore Super Corridor connects Indore and Ujjain. All eyes are now on the project. “What Indore needs is a major pull like IT. A change will come with the two IT companies coming in,” says Chandramouli Shukla, CEO, Indore Development Authority. “The city missed the IT bus earlier but we want to get it right this time,” he adds. Indore Development Authority (IDA) has earmarked 1 lakh sq. ft. area for development of hotels.
Radisson Blu Indore While the hotel is optimistic about the growth in MICE segment and increase in corporate travel, it is also aiming to see more leisure and pilgrimage tourists. The property has 201 rooms and suites. Suiting the demand for meetings and in-residence conferences, the hotel features 38,000 square meters of meeting space accommodating up to 1,000 people. The hotel sees a greater demand for convention space. It is for this reason it is adding more banqueting space to the property. For the city that loves its food, the hotel has four dining outlets serving global cuisine. The Creative Kitchen is the all-day dining, The Great Kabab Factory offers delectable kababs and Cakewalk serves pastries. Guests can also enjoy cocktails in the suave Lobby Bar. The hotel is planning to bring in an Indi-
an restaurant instead of the existing The Great Kebab Factory, which it feels will better cater to the demands of the market. The hotel also has a full-service Business Centre and the Business Club Lounge besides facilities like rooftop pool and Sky Lounge, fitness centre, spa and steam room.
Promoting Tourism “Indore has potential for attracting business as well as leisure tourists. It is just a matter of time when its true potential will be realised,” quips Shukla. It has a rich cultural history. Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar, who was a great architectural patron, is credited for stunning architecture and construction of many beautiful temples across the region. The city is known as pilgrimage tourism hub what with the presence of sacred Hindu sites like Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Ujjain around this city. Ujjain, which finds mention in the Mahabharata as the erstwhile capital of the Avanti Kingdom, has a rich history along with a great religious significance. The temple in the city has Mahakal, one of the most important of the 12 jyotirlingas in India. Omkareshwar, on the other hand, has Mandhata temple, dedicated to the lord Shiva, which shelters one more of the twelve ‘jyotirlingas’. Also, there are other temples scattered around the island, like the Siddhanath Temple. Maheshwar gets tourists’ attention for the calm and holy Narmada Riv-
Special Packages by Radisson Blu Indore ☛ The package for two nights stay for a couple includes trip to Ujjain and Omkareshwar in A/C vehicle with VIP Darshan, Abhishek, Pooja, visit to Mamleshwar temple & boat ride at Omkareshwar along with several other facilities. The package valid till September end this year is priced at Rs 19,999 exclusive of taxes. There’s also a leisure package which includes trip to the picturesque Mandu along with other religious sites. The three night package is available for Rs 23,999 exclusive of taxes.
er and the famous Maheshwari sarees. Tapping this tourist segment, Radisson Blu Indore in collaboration with MP tourism, has introduced two special packages. The hotel expects to see a surge in tourists’ inflow with these packages. “We want people to see the potential the city and its nearby sites have. Thought the city gets a lot of tourists but the branded hotel segment is yet to tap this influx of tourists,” says Arora. ■ by PURVA BHATIA
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NEW DEVELOPMENTS
THE GROWTH PLAN FOR INDIA Premier Inn Bangalore Increases Focus on MICE Since its entry in India in 2009, Premier Inn has opened two hotels and three are yet to be launched. It plans to open around 75 hotels in the next eight years and hopes to capitalize on their target group, the growing middle class.
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ndia has over 200,000 hotel rooms spread across the hotel categories and guest-houses and even then it is facing a shortfall of over 100,000 rooms, says a recent report by FHRAI (Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India). The Indian middle class will be the largest segment in the country by 2025. With the burgeoning middle class, the need for hotels is also increasing and more so for the mid-market budget hotels. The middle class is travelling and spending more, and consequently the need for budget hotels is constantly growing. Betting on this opportunity, Premier Inn, one of the foremost hospitality brands of the UK, entered the Indian market in 2009 with its first property in Bengaluru in the Whitefield area. The hotel invited journalists to Bengaluru to see the property and describe in detail their growth plans for the future.
Hospitality market in Bengaluru From a sleepy south Indian town, Bengaluru has transformed into a huge IT hub. With multi-nationals pouring in, the demand for hotels and guests houses also increased. With the demand increasing, mid-market brands like Keys, Ibis, Ginger, Aloft and others have entered the market. The competition is stiff but Bengaluru is not complaining. According to industry experts, Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad are three key markets other than Chennai that are expected to witness a signif-
The middle class is travelling and spending more, and consequently the need for budget hotels is constantly growing. 4
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icant incremental supply in the hospitality sector by 2015. A HVS report stated that Bengaluru is divided into three micro-markets, the Central Business District (CBD), Whitefield area and the Electronic City area. Although the CBD area caters mainly to the first class and luxury segment hotels, the Whitefield and the Electronic city areas are the ones that consist mainly of the mid-market and budget
category hotels. Being an IT hub (with MNCs and many international IT giants) Whitefield is an obvious choice for corporate and business travellers who are Premier Inn’s primary target group. There will always be a consistent demand due to these existing companies and although it is far away from the International airport, it has a consistent stream of guests, the brand says.
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Premier Inn, Bangalore The Bengaluru property has a total inventory of 95 rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, a bar, an equipped gym and banquets and conferencing facilities. To begin with they did not have conference and banqueting facilities but now the hotel provides these facilities for about 200 people. One being asked, whether they have lost out on the MICE segment because they have jumped late into the market, Aly Shariff, managing director Premier Inn South Asia, replied: “Our chain focuses a lot on research and development and we constantly innovate ourselves. In retrospect, I think we came in at the right time into the market because we knew what we wanted to provide, what the city needed and where we would be able to make a mark.” The USP of the brand is the guarantee of a good night’s sleep, the ‘Good Night Guarantee’ or 100% refund of the money. Further, to guarantee a good night sleep all the hotels feature Hypnos beds; Hypnos has a reputation for making the most comfortable beds in the world. To live up to its mid-market reputation, Premier Inn charges on room basis and not on occupancy basis, so there are no extra charges for double occupancy.
Growth of the brand After a successful launch of Bengaluru Premier Inn, the Delhi property was opened in 2011 in
ALY SHARIFF MANAGING DIRECTOR, PREMIER INN SOUTH ASIA
Our chain focuses a lot on research and development and we constantly innovate ourselves. In retrospect, I think we came in at the right time into the market because we knew what we wanted to provide, what the city needed and where we would be able to make a mark.
Shalimar Bagh with an inventory of 143 rooms, multi cuisine restaurant Linx, Costa Coffee counter, bar and well-equipped gymnasium. The MICE facilities at the hotel are not as elaborate as in the Bengaluru one (just about 15 covers for small meetings) but then the target audience at Shalimar Bagh is also different. It targets the business travellers and Shalimar Bagh caters to mostly leisure, wedding travellers. According to Aly Shariff, Shalimar Bagh was strategically chosen because being in the heart of the city, it caters to the strong wedding market and small family gatherings. Although it is a bit away from the local transport hubs, the hotel does not suffer on that account. Also there weren’t many good hotels in the area and so it was thought to be a good move to take the first mover advantage there.
Expansion The chain’s upcoming properties are Goa, Chennai and Pune. Considering that they have had a good run in Bengaluru and Delhi in terms of occupancy, 60% and 40% respectively, Premier Inn decided to expand in other areas in the country respectively. Apart from these properties, there are many management contracts that the company is looking into which are likely to be signed later this year. These properties are most likely to be in Gurgaon, Noida, Mumbai and Calcutta. ■ by APRAJITA SHISHOO
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NEW DEVELOPMENTS
PATNA GETS ANOTHER BRANDED HOTEL
Vijay Tej Clarks Inn Forays in the City The group believes that the state is likely to have huge demand for quality and standardised products in the business market segment.
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aking a foray into the Eastern State of Bihar, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels has opened Vijay Tej Clarks Inn in Patna. Besides this property, the group has already added 5 hotels to its portfolio this year, one each at Delhi-NCR, Pune, Lucknow, and Jim Corbett. “We are extremely delighted to foray in this market. We recognise great potential in Patna, the capital city of Bihar, in both, 6
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business as well as leisure segments. The state boasts of the highest GDP growth rate in the country, and therefore there is bound to be great demand of quality and standardised products like ours in the business market segment. Besides, Bihar is also emerging in rank and profile as a leisure destination in the domestic as well as the international market. According to the latest figures, Bihar received close to a
million foreigners in 2011, similar to that of Goa,” said SN Srivastava, vice president, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels. The property is the first ‘mall-hotel’ in Bihar. Part of mix use development, it is located close to the airport, railway station and the bus terminal. The hotel offers 22 guestrooms equipped with all the modern day facilities. The 24-hours in-room dining, contemporary ambience, in room mini-bar,
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
‘Huge opportunity in Patna’ The group is optimistic about its success in the city, ‘We have done our homework and therefore are quite confident of making this foray another success story for the company,’ says S N Srivastava, vice president, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels. Describe the hospitality scenario in Patna.
S N SRIVASTAVA VICE PRESIDENT, CLARKS INN GROUP OF HOTELS
Bihar is emerging in rank and profile as a leisure destination in the domestic as well as the international market. According to the latest figures, Bihar received close to a million foreigners in 2011, similar to that of Goa banquets for specific requirements, LCD flat screen television, in-room electronic safe, electronic access room lock system, high-tech business centre and seamless WiFi connectivity on the premises, catering to all the needs of modern-day business travellers. Vijay Tej Clarks Inn also has huge banqueting facilities. Its banqueting area can accommodate up to 1000 persons for a variety of functions, conferences and meetings. The property also boasts of a 100 covers multi-cuisine restaurant with live kitchen. Clarks Inn now boasts of a network of 20 operational hotels spread across 11 states in India. The hotel chain is looking at a year of massive growth in 2012 with plans to add 25 hotels to its portfolio this year. The company has a very strong development pipeline with a slew of properties slated to open doors in the remaining part of the year. Clarks Inn is readying to open three more properties, one each at Haldwani, Gadag and Shimla in next few weeks. ■ by PURVA BHATIA
Patna, the capital city of Bihar, is a relatively underdeveloped hospitality market. However, with Bihar recording the highest GDP growth rate in the country, the situation is fast changing. In the last few years, we have witnessed an increase in demand of quality hotel accommodation in the city from the corporate segment. Besides, in the last few years Bihar has also emerged as a sought after destination for the tourists. Of the total 6 million foreign tourists who came to India in 2011, about 1 million also visited Bihar, which is more than the number of foreign tourists who visited popular holiday destination like Goa. Therefore, we see huge opportunity in the city. More so as Patna is strategically located, with all the popular destinations including Gaya, Nalanda, Vaishali etc just two to three hours drive by road.
Which are the sectors from where the demand is coming in the city? What is the demand supply ratio? We especially see demand from the corporate, leisure and banqueting segments. Patna is both, the political as well as the financial capital of Bihar. The city is witnessing increasing business travel and due to the geographical location it also is the ideal gateway to explore Bihar’s various ancient, medieval and religious heritages. We do not have available data on the demand supply ratio, however we see a huge gap in the demand and supply ratio. The state’s economic growth has been the highest in the country in the last two/ three years. Besides, it has witnessed more than 10 fold growth in foreign tourist arrivals in the last 5 years. And there aren’t many quality or branded hotel properties in the city.
What are your expectations from the market? What is the occupancy level you are eyeing? We are very upbeat about our latest foray and are confident of doing good business in this market. In fact we are targeting over 70 per cent occupancy in the first year itself.
Who are your competitors in the market? There is hardly a branded hotel property in the city. So we don’t really see much competition.
How easy or difficult do you see business in the market? What are the key challenges and opportunities? As mentioned above, Patna is a relatively new hotel market and therefore the major challenge is to spread words about our property in the target markets. Infrastructure is other area of challenge. The state today boast of quality roads, however it remains an area of concern in certain parts and the last mile connectivity to certain destination is still an issue. Power supply is a major area of concern. Bihar is an unexplored treasure trove of history and heritage. We see great opportunity of growing leisure business especially from the Buddhist segment. Lord Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. The place is most sacred for Buddhist from all over the world. And, not to forget that we have more than a billion plus Buddhist population within 2 to 6 hours of flight time from Bihar. Also, our banqueting facility that can accommodate upto 1000 pax is another area of potential opportunity. The ease or difficulty of doing business in the market will depend on how we are able to address the challenges and tap the opportunities available. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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NEW DEVELOPMENTS
FARIDABAD ATTRACTS NEW BUDGET HOTEL Ginger Opens in the Industrial Hub Ginger Hotels, the chain of Smart Basics hotels from Roots Corporation, launched their first property in Faridabad this month. The hotel was inaugurated by Rajan Nanda, chairman and managing director, Escorts Limited in the presence of Prabhat Pani, chief executive officer and director, Roots Corporation Limited. Speaking exclusively to Hotelscapes Prabhat Pani spelt out his company’s policies and the steps he plans to take to retain his staff in this competitive global economy. 8
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NEW DEVELOPMENTS
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hat does Ginger as a brand stand for?
Ginger Hotels is a limited services hotel built around the unique concept of Smart Basics that provides intelligent, thought out facilities to meet the key needs of today’s traveller at affordable rates. Smart Basics signifies simplicity, convenience, informality, style, warmth, modernity and affordability.
Can you tell us something about this new hotel? This is our 25th hotel and it’s a special occasion for us. The new hotel is located near the National Highway on G.T. Road at Fun City Mall. It is situated at a distance of about 40 km from the airport and 11/2 km from Faridabad railway station. This hotel has 91-rooms which are designed keeping in mind the needs of each of the guests with stylish décor to match. The rooms offer guests a space they can call their own, with amenities such as mini-fridge, LCD
Rajan Nanda, chairman and managing director, Escorts Limited cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the hotel.
TV, self-controlled air-conditioner, tea and coffee maker and a telephone. There is also a gym, conference room and a meeting room inside the hotel premises. The hotel’s techfriendly conference room can also be made available to guests for presentations, showcases and meetings.
Who is your target customer?
PRABHAT PANI CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND DIRECTOR, ROOTS CORPORATION LIMITED
We are currently focussing on the domestic traveller and our target customer is corporate traveller who is not going to spend too much time within the hotel. As far as the business traveller is concerned we plan to tap corporate’s who work at junior to mid level, traders, suppliers or entrepreneur of small and medium businesses.
We are currently focussing on the domestic traveller and our target customer is corporate traveller who is not going to spend too much time within the hotel. As far as the business traveller is concerned we plan to tap corporate’s who work at junior to mid level, traders, suppliers or entrepreneur of small and medium businesses. Our guest can also be a traveller who travels for leisure but spends most of his time outside the hotel.
to their advice we have a gym in our hotel. We do not have bell boys or valet service in the hotel but dry snacks are available in the room.
When you came to the market your rooms were priced at a much lower rate what has led to the increase in the room rates? How are the rooms priced in this new property? When we came to the market we had a base price of Rs 999 plus taxes which we still have at our properties in Agartala and Mysore but we have to price rooms as per the prevailing market price. Single room in Faridabad is priced at Rs 2,999 plus taxes and while a double room comes for Rs 3,499 plus taxes.
What is a typical Ginger Hotel like?
What is your USP?
Our hotels provide basic amenities. The room size is around 190 sq. ft. which includes a bathroom. All the rooms are air-conditioned and have an LCD TV with digital channels, tea and coffee maker and free wi-fi. Our rooms are aesthetically designed with minimum invision of privacy from our staff.
Our main USP is affordability in pricing, warmth and modernity in our approach to product design.
Since yours is a budget brand, do you offer full or limited service? We have limited service and based upon the customer feedback we provide only those services which our guests consider essential for example, we don’t have a swimming pool but we have a gym. Most of our guests said that they wanted to work out, so paying heed
Staff retention is a major challenge these days how do you retain your staff? Staff retention is a major problem these days. We do two things to retain the staff. First is to find the right type of candidate who is suitable for the job, people with right inclination and those who want to make a career for themselves in hospitality. Secondly, we not only train these candidates but also develop them as responsible persons. ■ by VASUJIT KALIA
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SIXTH HILTON IN NCR REGION Double Tree by Hilton opens in Gurgaon Hotelscapes spoke to Vinay Gupta, general manager at the hotel. He talks about the brand, the vision of the group and the market scenario in Gurgaon.
VINAY GUPTA GENERAL MANAGER, DOUBLE TREE BY HILTON GURGAON
Meetings and events are another big business opportunity for us – we are the only hotel on the Golf Course Road offering 9,500 sq. ft. of meeting and banqueting space. We offer a variety of flexible settings ideal for meetings, trainings, seminars and social events. 10
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urgaon is seeing a tremendous increase in supply of hotels across categories. How does Doubletree by Hilton aim to stand out? DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR offers a sophisticated, modern combination of guest services, amenities and technology in a refreshingly spirited and welcoming ambience. Conveniently located on the Golf Course Road, we are within easy access of commercial establishments in the dynamic business centre of Gurgaon and 18 km from Indira Gandhi International Airport. The hotel is located in close proximity to Fortune 500 companies such as Genpact,
American Express, Ernst & Young, Samsung, Dell and Hewitt. Golf Course Road is also home to high end residential complexes like Aralias, DLF ICON, Palm Springs, which fuel demand for room and F&B options. Guests at DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR can experience the characteristic qualities found at more than 300 DoubleTree by Hilton hotels around the world including an ergonomic Herman Miller chair and the DoubleTree signature Sweet Dreams sleep system in all guest rooms. DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon is thoughtfully designed keeping in mind corporate travellers' needs and offers a plethora of food and beverage options. We have a choice of restaurants and bars serving a wide range of
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
cuisines including Indian, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese Italian and European. We will soon be launching Casablanca, our Moroccan specialty restaurant. The hotel offers Fitness by Precor, boasting state-of-the-art gym equipments, a steam room, a reflexology spa and an outdoor swimming pool to ensure our guest's lifestyle needs are fully met. Honors, one of the best loyalty programs in the business, enables us to become the hotel of choice for HHonors members. It accounts for 40 per cent of the group's business and gives us a global reach. Hilton also enjoys global partnerships with most multinational companies that either have offices in Gurgaon or whose employees travel to the city for business.
Who are your competitors in the market? DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon New Delhi NCR is an upscale hotel and we compete with similarly positioned hotels.
What is the market share you are eyeing? Our main market is that of corporate travellers. As mentioned earlier, DoubleTree by Hilton enjoys a special relationship with Fortune 500 companies owing to its consistently high standard of service and product quality. We will further be enhancing these relation-
ships in the local market. Meetings and events are another big business opportunity for us – we are the only hotel on the Golf Course Road offering 9,500 sq. ft. of meeting and banqueting space.We offer a variety of flexible settings ideal for business meetings, trainings, seminars and social events.
How does the operating cost in Gurgaon compare to rest of the NCR? What are the advantages and disadvantages of operating in Gurgaon in that context? The operating costs in Gurgaon are largely in line with the NCR market, we do not see any major difference between other locations and Gurgaon.
While we understand the key target group for the brand is corporate travellers, are there plans to tap leisure market as well? Yes, we do see potential in the leisure segment as well. In the last few years, Gurgaon has emerged as the preferred transit destination for international and domestic leisure travellers. The introduction of the Kingdom of Dreams has also added to entertainment activities for leisure travellers.
What do you think about the weekend leisure segment? Weekend stays are very important to us espe-
cially due to slow corporate movement during weekends. Gurgaon's accessibility to Jaipur and Agra helps the hotel to attract weekend leisure travellers. The newly developed expressway connectivity to Agra and Jaipur also helps attract this segment of travellers.
How much contribution do you expect F&B to make to the revenues? DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon offers extensive food and beverage options including four restaurants, a bar, and elaborate conference and events spaces and hence we expect 40 to 45 percentof our revenues to come from F&B.
Tell us about the marketing plans for the hotel We endeavour to reach potential customers and tell them about our global lineage and outstanding product offerings. We also invest in our international brand campaigns and HHonours, one of the most recognized loyalty programs.
If you were to describe DoubleTree by Hilton in one word, what would that be? CARE: Creating a Rewarding Experience for all our stakeholders including our guests, team members, owners and community. â– by PURVA BHATIA
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ONE-ON-ONE
A DEDICATED HOTEL CHAIN FOR PILGRIM CENTRES Daiwik Hotels Eyes the Segment, to Open 5 Hotels to Start with Kolkata-based Daiwik Hotels is set to invest Rs 150 crore in opening five properties by 2015. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the chain is targeting pilgrimage travellers. “We chose to enter pilgrimage hospitality because of the huge demand-supply gap in the country for quality branded products,� says Debashis Ghosal, managing director and CEO, Daiwik Hotels. He tells us all about the group, his views on the niche segment and the chain’s plans for the country.
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ell us about Daiwik Hotels. What is the positioning of the brand? Also, tell us about the services and facilities the chain will offer. Daiwik Hotels is a specialty chain of full service four-star pilgrim hotels, catering to the diverse necessities of a discerning pilgrim. It is a secular brand. Apart from providing international quality hotel infrastructure and services, we are providing the pilgrim reliable information with regard to the respective temples, its history, the rituals, ceremonies and their timings, enabling the darshans and Pujas through our dedicated 12
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Pilgrim Assist Desk. A unique activity room has been provided in every hotel wherein basic yoga sessions will be held every morning and satsangs, bhajans, singing of hymns, spiritual discourses with eminent personalities will be held in the evenings. We have a website (http://www.daiwikhotels.com) which has extensive information on pilgrimages in India and we intend making it interactive to learn and share more on pilgrimages amongst various communities and practices. We are also developing exclusive tours in pilgrimage destinations that will help the pilgrim to experience the profundity of the pilgrimage to its fullest sense.
When will the first property open? What are the expansion plans? The first property from the brand is Daiwik Hotels Rameswaram and it is currently undergoing a soft-pilot run. The hotel will be completely operational by June 2012. Marg Hospitality, a leading boutique hotel operator based out of Kerala is managing our Rameswaram property in Tamil Nadu. Having pioneered this concept of pilgrim hotels in India, our aim is to be the leaders in this sector. Our near term target is to set up and start a minimum of 4 owned hotels in 30 months time in Tirupati, Dwarka, Katra and Varanasi. Our further plans include creating
ONE-ON-ONE an additional land bank of a further 15 pilgrim destinations between 24-30 months. We look to have an inventory of at least 2000 rooms in 5 years time in the pilgrim circuit.
What will be the chain’s USP? Who, according to you, are your competitors? The USP of Daiwik Hotels is that it has introduced the concept of pilgrim hotels in Rameswaram and will establish itself as an exclusive pilgrim chain. This is a first-of-itskind initiative in India and a pioneering concept. Though there have been plans by some companies to enter the pilgrim destinations they are yet to be materialised and they may be generic in nature. We have the first mover advantage in the industry as we are ready with the infrastructure and our first property is on course to be fully operational by next month in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu.
Why is the group’s focus just on
over 5 million visitors every year. However, the hospitality industry is not yet prepared for this kind of travel. There aren’t enough standardized quality hotels which are not only clean and hygienic but also reliable and safe. We chose to enter pilgrimage hospitality because of this huge demand and supply gap in the country for quality branded products that are standardized.
What are your views on pilgrimage tourism market segment in the country? It’s touted as one of the biggest markets yet only little has been done to improve infrastructure in most of these destinations. Your comments. In CY2010, out of the 740 estimated million domestic travels 440 million were pilgrimage travellers only. Yes, pilgrimage travel is probably the most neglected sector in the country. The segment has grown due to sheer belief of the pilgrims rather than any facilitation by the governments. Infrastructure like roads, rail-
DEBASHIS GHOSAL MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO, DAIWIK HOTELS
“Pilgrimage travel is probably the most neglected sector in the country. The segment has grown due to sheer belief of the pilgrims rather than any facilitation by the governments. Infrastructure like roads, railways, airports, power, water, sewage facilities are not upto the mark in these destinations.” is enough being done to realize its full potential?
pilgrimage destinations? In India, pilgrimage tourism is the largest travel group after ‘travel for social purpose’ visits. According to a survey conducted by the Indian Tourism Department, in the CY 2010, it was found that 60% of domestic travel was for the purpose of religious reasons for overnight trips. Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu account for 21%, 20% and 15% of domestic visits riding on the back of very strong pilgrimage travel. Tirupati had over 23 million visitors in CY 2010 and Rameswaram had 9.8 million in CY 2011, Vaishno Devi had over 10 million visitors in CY 2011, Dwarka has
ways, airports, power, water, sewage facilities are not upto the mark in these destinations. The state governments haven’t understood the importance of pilgrimage tourism. The potential to provide for direct and indirect employment through hospitality in these tier2 and tier-3 towns is massive. Pilgrimage travel forms the largest base for travel worldwide (WTO) and India is no exception, so the central and the state governments must realise the full potential of this sector sooner than later.
Is enough being done to boost pilgrimage tourism in India? Rather
Some state governments have formed a separate ministry and/or department looking into temples, Devasthanams and Trusts. But we have a long way to go. The hospitality industry needs to be given a boost with incentives like industry status to hotels. Basic infrastructure like water, sewage and electricity needs to be provided by the state and local governments. Taxes like luxury tax, sales tax and service taxes need to be rationalised. The EPCG scheme should be more mid-segment hotel friendly.
What are the key challenges in operating in these markets? Obtaining quality manpower is a key challenge in these markets. Also, there are challenges like water, power and sewage in term of infrastructure. ■ as told to PURVA BHATIA
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BRAND ANALYSIS
Park Hyatt, the top most brands in the Hyatt family is here in India. After a resort hotel in Goa, the brand has opened the first city Park Hyatt hotel in Hyderabad. We take a look at the brand, its positioning, the newly opened property and the brand’s growth plans for the market.
HYATT CONSOLIDATES PRESENCE IN INDIA Open First City Park Hyatt Park Hyatt: The Brand Park Hyatt hotels are premium luxury hotels that are ‘intimate and residential in style’. The hotels, located in many of the world’s premier destinations, are elegant but in a very subtle way. The interiors are sophisticated, the decor intriguing and there are critically acclaimed art programs and signature restaurants featuring award-winning chefs. The brand had earlier opened a resort property in Goa. It has now opened a business hotel in Hyderabad, which exemplifies what a typical Park Hyatt stands for. “Each Park Hyatt hotel combines elegance with distinctive regional character. The brand is standardised in terms of elements like certain kitchen equipments are 14
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inevitably from France. The hotels are truly global in nature like the lamps are from China, the marble is Vietnamese, for instance,” explains Sven Hoffmeyer, general manager, Park Hyatt Hyderabad. The brand targets discerning, affluent individual business and leisure guests. Offering luxurious accommodations, Park Hyatt ensures personalised service to all its guests. So you notice the staff going the extra mile, to ensure you are comfortable at the hotel. Unlike Grand Hyatt, the brand does not lay emphasis on convention business. For instance, the Hyderabad property isn’t eying conventions per se since there are big convention centers in the city, says Hoffmeyer. Explaining the difference between the two
brands, he says: “Park Hyatt is more like a boutique kind of hotel. Room size is typically larger than the Grand Hyatt while there are typically 2-3 signature restaurants.”
USP of the brand “Understated elegance,” says Hoffmeyer, when asked what the USP of the brand is.
Other Hyatt Brands ☛ Park Hyatt ☛ Andaz ☛ Grand Hyatt ☛ Hyatt Hotels Hyatt Regency ☛ Hyatt Place Hyatt House ☛ Hyatt Vacation Club ☛ Hyatt Resorts
BRAND ANALYSIS “Park Hyatt hotels cater to discerning travellers seeking the privacy, personalised service and luxurious elegance of a contemporary hotel. So the brand’s hotels are never overtly opulent yet luxurious in style,” he adds.’ The subtle modishness comes about with its design elements. The brand lays emphasis on art and culinary distinction. Therefore, locally inspired artwork in the public areas and a signature restaurant are always a part of any Park Hyatt property.
Park Hyatt Hyderabad Made of natural Madurai granite, the facade of the hotel is simple with no hint of what lies inside. Step in and you see an impressive porch with a shimmering steel mesh ceiling fixture. Inside, the lobby is designed with sparkling water features and plants surrounding a 35-foor tall white structure, which could be a Ganesh idol or represent a mother holding her child. The abstract sculpture is as intriguing as other design elements in the hotel. So why is the facade so unadorned? “We want a discerning clientele who understands the brand. The idea is not to intimidate the guest but let him appreciate the finer elements of the brand,” says Hoffmeyer. The first city Park Hyatt hotel in India, the
property is the first hotel to offer serviced apartments at the hotel. The Residence offers five-star facilities and amenities at its 42 serviced luxury apartments. The hotel is eyeing business from the technology hub of Hi-Tech City and the business district just fifteen minutes from the hotel. That Hyderabad is one of the richest cities in India and has been named the second best for doing business, according to a World Bank Group report, explains the choice for opening first business hotel by the brand. The hotel has 185 guestrooms and 24 suites spread over six floors, while the apartments are on the two uppermost floors. The guestrooms, claims the hotel, are among the largest in the city. Evidently targeting a corporate traveller, the rooms are equipped with huge work desks, advanced in-room technology and conveniently placed electrical outlets and light fixtures. The impressive design of the property is the result of the creative vision of John Portman & Associates and Hirsch Bedner Associates, who have given several impressive design elements like the exotic chandeliers, Indian motifs, silk and vibrant colours et al. As per the brand’s philosophy of housing signature restaurant, the hotel has Tre-Forni that served delicious Italian cuisine. It has an
SVEN HOFFMEYER GENERAL MANAGER, PARK HYATT HYDERABAD
Park Hyatt hotels cater to discerning travellers seeking the privacy, personalised service and luxurious elegance of a contemporary hotel. So the brand’s hotels are never overtly opulent yet luxurious in style. extensive wine list which includes wines from Central and Northern Italian wine regions. Next, there’s Dining Room that offers traditional Indian menu along with classic Euopean cuisine. The Living Room offers the hotel’s signature selection of macaroons and other French pastries besides Western and Indian-inspired high tea in the afternoon. The Oriental Bar and Kitchen’serves Southeast Asian cuisine to accompany drinks. It has separate libraries each for cognacs, Asian liquor and whiskies. The hotel allows the business traveller to work-out in the well-equipped gym or relax takinge a dip in the infinity pool with private cabanas. Also, there The Spa that offers wellness therapies ‘inspired by those given to the Nizams of Hyderabad’.’
Expansion Plans Currently, there are 29 Park Hyatt hotels in destinations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Beijing, Melbourne, San Diego, Shanghai, and Paris among others.’The group plans to set up 50 Park Hyatt hotels in the country in the coming five years. ■ by PURVA BHATIA
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BRAND ANALYSIS
CARLSON’S HOMEGROWN BRAND CONTINUES EXPANSION IN INDIA Country Inns and Suites entered India in 1999. The brand since then has developed a portfolio of 20 operational with 20 Hotels in project stage. The segment in which the brand operates has changed tremendously since the brand checked in. The market was initially hesitant in accepting this brand. A limited service brand globally, the hotels under the brand in India adapted to the market’s needs and became a full-service brand in the market. We trace the brand’s journey in India; find out it’s positioning in this market and the future development plans.
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BRAND ANALYSIS The Brand Country Inns & Suites By Carlson is a upper mid-scale hotel brand that targets business as well as leisure travellers. The brand, as envisioned by Carlson, was set up to represent the essence of an American home. The brand is known for providing a ‘caring, consistent and comfortable hospitality experience’. Unlike rest of the brands, this one is Carlson’s own brand and not acquired. A quintessential Country Inns & Suites hotel has a residential interior design with traditional architecture. The brand has signature plank lobby flooring and a fireplace, dedicated breakfast area and a stairwell. The interiors along with rich woods and natural earth tones give the hotel a residential feel. Each hotel offers essential facilities like a fitness center, a business center, free high-speed internet access etc.
Brand’s Journey in India The brand entered India in 1998; it
came in as a JV with Chanakya Hotels. Where in Carlson has a 26% stake in the JV Company, Country Development and Management Services Private Limited (CDMS). The venture was formed with an objective to franchise, manage and operate Country Inns & Suites By Carlson properties in India. Currently, CDMS manages & operates 17 Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, 1 Radisson Blu, 1 Radisson Green and 1 Park Plaza hotels in India. However, the brand positioning is different in India. “In America, the brand is a limited service hotel. However, in India the brand is positioned as an upscale brand. It is the best value for money brand in the market,” says Sanjeev Pahwa, vice-president, CDMS. Talking about the time when the brand came in the country. “The market was relatively nascent. We understood that the global formula will not work here. There were apprehensions about incorporating
SANJEEV PAHWA VICE-PRESIDENT, CDMS
“We have the advantage of the locations in which we operate. We started with Tier III cities pilgrim destinations and then moved to Tier II cities and major metro cities. Today, we are present in almost all locations and are performing very well financially.” the signature elements of the brand. Like, the idea of necessarily including a fireplace did not make sense in a hot country like ours,” he evokes. “So the brand was tweaked to Indian market conditions. And that is what sets it apart from other brands – that it is flexible. We were the first to adopt and enforce the brand to Indian market conditions. Sanjeev also recalls the uneasiness concerning the brand’s name. “The word ‘Inns’ created a certain perception in the market which went against the brand and most developers wanted to do away with the word,” chuckles Pahwa. As of today, he feels, the brand is better off than other brands in the segment and is preferred. “We have the advantage of the locations in which we operate. We started with Tier III cities pilgrim destinations and then moved to Tier II cities and major metro cities. Today, we are present in almost all locations and are performing very well financially. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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BRAND ANALYSIS
Country Inns & Suites Sahibabad
Budget & Mid-Market segment The segment in which the brand operates is seeing a tremendous boom. The market has undergone a sea change since the time the brand entered the market. What is the brand’s take on the growing competition? “Almost all international hospitality brands have their presence in India today. As the competition is growing, brand segmentation which was vague till now is more structured though it will another 2-3 years when the actual segmentation happens. Country Inns and Suites has the first mover’s advantage. The brand has been successful in creating its perception as a full-serviced upscale brand. We as a company are very flexible. So, there is a 50-room Country Inns & Suites in Jalandhar and there is also a 216-room hotel in Sahibabad,” says Pahwa. When asked about typical investment required to set up a hotel under the brand, he informs it takes approximately Rs 40-50 lakh a room as of today and a hotel’s typical payback period is 6-7 years on an average.
Competitors in the market “Competition for us depends on the market 18
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About the Group Country Inns & Suites is part of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, a global hotel company with more than 1,300 locations in 80 countries under the brands of Radisson, Country Innss & Suites By Carlson, Park Inns by Radisson, and Park Plaza. Carlson is the parent company of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and operates hospitality and travel brands and services in more than 150 countries.
☛Operational Hotels Ahmedabad ● Ajmer ● Amritsar Delhi Saket ● Delhi Satbari Goa Candolim ● Gurgaon Sector 12 Gurgaon Sector 29 ● Gurgaon Udyog Vihar ● Haridwar ● Indore ● Jaipur ● Jalandhar ● Katra ● Mussoorie ● Sahibabad ● ● ● ●
☛Upcoming Hotels ● Aurangabad ● Bathinda ● Bengaluru Hebbal ● Delhi Laxmi Nagar ● Dharuhera ● Gandhidham ● Gurgaon Sohna Road ● Jim Corbett ● Kolkatta ● Kota & Bhiwadi ● Ludhiana ● Meerut ● Mumbai Bhandup ● Mysore ● Noida Sector 1 ● Pune Hinjewadi ● Shimoga
in which the brand is operating. There are certain markets where we compete with first class hotels. While in smaller markets like Jalandhar we even compete with lesser known brands. So it’s a market led situation,” he adds. ’
Development and Expansion The group plans to grow the number of Country Inns & Suites By Carlson in operation in India to 50 hotels over the next 10 years. The brand currently has 20 hotels operational in cities including Ahmedabad, Agra, Ajmer, Amritsar, Goa, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Haridwar, Indore, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Katra, Mussorie, Mysore, Sahibabad, New Delhi among others. “India is a very important market for the group globally. The market is aggressively contributing to the brand’s global revenue,” says Pahwa. It is credited to have opened the first vegetarian five-star hotel in Sahibabad with 216 rooms and nine banquet halls, the largest in NCR-Delhi. The group plans to add hotels in destinations like Aurangabad, Bhatinda, Ludhiana, Mysore and Meerut among others. ■ by PURVA BHATIA
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FORUM OF THE MONTH
THE CSR IMPERATIVE
Is the hotel industry adequately involved in discharging its corporate social responsibility? India is waking up to the CSR challenge. The hotel industry is no different as increasingly being responsible to society is getting aknowledged increasingly in corporate circles. Understandably, to each his own and therefore, different companies have been adopting different routes to become responsible citizens. We bring you a brief outlook on the picture today.
Radisson Blu Suites Gurgaon Anirban Sarkar, executive assistant manager CSR is something which is an integral part of our being and our existence. As an organization we are committed to being a socially responsible and as employees it is our responsibility to be sensitive and forthcoming about many social causes which we feel are important and shouldn’t remain unaddressed by us. Nothing can be enough as long as there are issues in our immediate society which remains unaddressed. It’s about a mindset. It’s about asking whether we are aware and sensitive towards these issues. With awareness and sensitivity will the second step come’– the action. To address this, I would like to state that we are aware and we are sensitive towards these causes. Hence, we as an organization, have a level of commitment towards our society to take part in those causes in whatever way we can. As far as the performance goes, I would like the beneficiaries to judge. A voluntary initiative is not about bragging. We do it with our heart and we would like to do more. There is lot to be done and we would definitely like to do more. I thought it’s relevant here to
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ANIRBAN SARKAR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT MANAGER, RADISSON BLU SUITES GURGAON
As much as we are involved with our immediate society where we operate out of, we also address issues of global importance like global warming, ozone imbalance and our environment getting polluted with unwanted and illegal materials.
mention that our hotel (Radisson Blu Suites Gurgaon) won the ‘Responsible Business’ award in 2011. It’s an award given by the ‘Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’ and we won the award competing with more than 50 operational hotels in this region. Certainly our industry is doing its bit and that by any standard is not really very small. At the same time I agree that a lot more can be done and I am happy to see more and more organizations are getting conscious and involved about this. As much as we are involved with our immediate society where we operate out of, we also address issues of global importance like global warming, ozone imbalance and our environment getting polluted with unwanted and illegal materials. As much as we are trying to build awareness about organ donation, we are also working on energy and resources conservation and utilization of greener and alternative energy resources. From offering employment to ‘Differently abled’ person to cleaning up our neighbourhood and planting trees, we are doing many things. Our policy is very simple. “We will HAVE to participate”. As much as it is made to look like a voluntary initiative, we convince our team members to actively participate in all initiatives taken by the hotel. It is a very important component of our performance parameter. It is not something, which is not as important as anything else, when it comes to organization’s expectation from any of our team members. We would love to become even more active in this area. As I mentioned that, we feel that we are not doing enough. We believe that we can do more and we are committed that, we will. We have an active ‘Annual Responsible Business Calendar’ which has already been chalked out. Every month, we have something or the other which we take up and do. In June, we are participating in a big way in the ‘World Clean Up’ movement. September happens to be our ‘Responsible Business Month’ which will be loaded with activities.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Sarah Dayboll, director of environmental affairs It was through a colleague survey more than 20 years ago that our colleagues told us it was important for them to work for a company with a strong commitment to protecting the environment and its local communities. We knew we had to take to heart their feedback and focus on making the protection of the environment part of our DNA, and thus developed the Fairmont Green Partnership Programme, an sustainable platform for enviSustainability encompasses all of those ronmental operations. areas. In order to guide our efforts, we are in the Initiatives: Fairmont’s ‘Meetings that midst of restructuring our approach to Matter’ allows our meetings and conference sustainability. In the past through our Green clientele to have a positive impact beyond Partnership Programme we have focused on the meeting room with volunteer activities the environmental aspects and are keen now within the communities where they are to broaden our approach to include other gathering. Another programme, Eco-Meet, elements of CSR. helps meeting planners organise reduced In 2005, Fairmont took this commitment resource consumption events while one step further by introducing Ecoshowcasing the venue’s environmental Innovations, a programme within our efficiencies, and our annual Travel Green charitable arm which made funds campaign draws attention to a specific available to hotels seeking support for environmental theme with creative environmentally focused initiatives. packaging designed to drive awareness and As a result, the Eco-Innovations progenerate support. We also work closely with gramme evolved into what is now known as SARAH DAYBOLL our partners like the World Wildlife Fund Fairmont CAREs – a more robust source of DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, FAIRMONT HOTELS AND RESORTS and National Geographic Society to develop giving that–reflects the broader range of engaging programmes for our guests. New projects our hotels undertake to ensure their The long-term success of for Fairmont CAREs in 2012, is an awarenesspresence is felt within their communities. our company absolutely building initiative that requires hotels to Projects identified by our hotel teams and incorporate opportunities for colleagues, requires a balance of the funded through this programme include the guests and groups to become involved with Kanyoni women dancers in Kenya who now environmental, economic a funded organization through volunteerism, run a highly successful micro-farming and social aspects of the mentorships, packaging and sponsorship. project that helps ensure their self-sufficienbusiness. Sustainability On the operational side, our cy, the Grow Pittsburgh initiative that has encompasses all of commitment to local, organic, sustainable helped turn an inner-city schoolyard into an those areas. food is not only guest directed but affects edible garden with hotel chefs coaching our suppliers many of whom seek out new high school kids on healthy eating habits, the Ak Kuxtal craftspeople on the Mayan Riviera who are now able sources and packaging. This applies to our cleaning products as to purchase supplies and equipment to grow their community- well, sourced through Eco-Lab and even our design and based business as well a Fairmont Peace Hotel tree planting construction standards which were recently revised to reflect project, which involves 2,000 saplings in the arid regions of Inner environmental guidelines. Our key goal will be to produce a CSR report within the next two Mongolia – now named the Fairmont Forest. The worldwide movement toward sustainability has made signif- years that can be shared with our stakeholders and include icant progress over the past 10 years. Perhaps, the greatest obstacle accurate, transparent information on our CSR efforts. Fairmont is in has been the lack of consistent and comparable standards for defin- the process of implementing a data management system, that will ing and measuring sustainability. Although these issues have yet to allow us to set targets in a number of strategic areas, given Energy be fully resolved, many well-coordinated initiatives in recent years and C02 have been our focus for the past few years. Looking ahead, we will be focused on some of the more pertinent issues relating to have pointed the way forward for companies. It is clear that sustainability is no longer seen as a marketing fad sustainability including: water, procurement (sourcing of local and is now embraced at board level within leading companies. The supplies). From a community well-being standpoint, we will long-term success of our company absolutely requires a balance of continue to work with our hotels in identifying opportunities to the environmental, economic and social aspects of the business. make a difference. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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FORUM OF THE MONTH
Accor India Ashwin Shirali, regional director HR, Accor India
Accor has a very holistic and broad approach to CSR encompassed in the broader terms of Sustainable Development. Accor's new program, PLANET 21, represents an important phase in the group’s commitment to sustainable development. More than ever before, Accor is placing sustainable hospitality at the heart of its strategy, intensifying its mobilization and involving all its hotels, employees and customers to fulfill a major objective: reinventing the hotel industry sustainably. PLANET 21 consists of 21 commitments and the same number of quantified targets set by Accor for 2015, including: disease prevention training in 95 percent of its hotels, well-balanced meals in 80 percent of its hotels, fair-trade products in 85 percent of its hotels and water and energy consumption cuts of 15 percent and 10 percent respectively in its owned hotels. The 21 objectives in Accor’s programme include taking action to preserve ated in association with ‘Nireekshana’, an the ecosystems around the hotels. Accor is a Indian NGO based in Hyderabad, focuses reforestation pioneer and has financed the on empowering HIV positive widows planting of over two million trees using launachieve social and financial self reliance dry savings generated thanks to the through providing skills-training in traditionresponsible behavior of its hoteliers and cusal crafts of silk weaving, henna painting and tomers. Since 2002, Accor has been engaged jewellery design. in combating HIV/AIDS through programs to Future Plans: The group plans to have train employees, raise awareness among a continued focus on expanding the aveguests and actively involve the tourist indusnues of partnership with the existing try. With PLANET 21, the Group has Dastkar project and Mallika Sewing Proexpanded its approach for combating gramme to ensure a greater and more far chronic diseases and epidemics by adjusting reaching impact on target beneficiaries to local health care needs. Secondly, the growth story of India is Accor Hotels in India have hitherto folegendary but at the same time a large numcused on two broad area to focus all CSR ber of young Indians still remain ASHWIN SHIRALI initiatives: unemployed. There are two reasons for this REGIONAL DIRECTOR, HR, ACCOR INDIA ● Counseling, medicating and rehabilitat- firstly, India's labour force is growing at a Accor’s new program, ing HIV positive individuals belonging to the far quicker pace than employment and secPLANET 21, represents an underprivileged sections of society ondly, India is not producing a workforce ● Supporting and propagating the cause of that is proficient in specific skills.We at Acimportant phase in the artisans in the Indian villages to earn a livelicor in India are firmly convinced that the group’s commitment to hood from traditional arts and crafts crying need of the hour is to establish a sustainable development. It In furtherance of this focus, Accor Hotels in vocational training program that will open is placing sustainable India, in tandem with the Accor Foundation, new doors of opportunities for the unemhospitality at the heart of its supports ‘Dastkar’ and the ‘Mallika Sewing ployed underprivileged sections in India strategy, intensifying its Programme’ projects in India. society by empowering young men and mobilization and involving Dastkar is an Indian NGO that aims to prowomen through short-term courses and all its hotels and employees. mote and restore traditional Indian training in our hotels that will lead to their craftsmanship. The project’s objective is to getting sustainable jobs as well as boost enable 14 communities of traditional underprivileged artisans, living their earnings. The focus will be on female beneficiaries on the well in 14 different provinces of India, to be able to “live” from their tra- accepted premise that supporting a woman is equivalent to supportditional expertise: leather work in Rajasthan, hand painting in Bihar, ing an entire family. Plans are in progress to partner credible and hand weaving in Chhattisgarh… The Mallika Sewing Programme, cre- efficient NGO’s to this end. ■ 22
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GUEST COLUMN
HOTEL OWNERS TRAVAILS HOTEL MANAGEMENT DILEMMA As the hotel scenario gets more competitive the traditional hoteliers are confused and thinking should the owners manage their own hotels, give it to a brand for management or are there any other solutions? Abhijeet Umathe tries to answer these questions here.
A
fter being stable for the longest pe riod of time; the Hotelscape in India in currently is very dynamic and maybe even volatile. With several changes happening in the way the hospitality market is structured, the India story from India shining to now India waning, change in the operating models, new investors on the scene. The traditional hotelier is stuck in a vortex. The past few years has seen the emergence of a very different competitive horizon with the arrival and rapid growth of brands. This has impacted the traditional owners - quite often adversely. In the scenario today the main concerns of the independent hotel owners are expensive financing costs, lack of risk sharing by operator, lack of good sales and distribution network affecting occupancies and performance, challenge to attract good manpower due to lack of brand pull and brand short on delivery of promises. On the immediate horizon there is some good news for existing hoteliers the development pipelines are drying out and many announced projects will not see the light of the day. However it will not solve the problems of the existing hotel owners. The hoteliers need to look at their strategies afresh. A large number of hotels are owner or family operated there is a lot of pride and emotion attached to ownership and management of the hotel. While there will always continue to exist standalone hotliers who make a name for themselves for a larger part the operations will continue to decline.
The way out Franchising arrangement can be a good solution. The franchising agreement flags the hotel with a recognised brand and access to a huge distribution network. Franchising also gives complete operational control in the hands of the owner. The owners feel this is a win-win as they complete control and access to a distribution.
“
In the scenario today the main concerns of the independent hotel owners are expensive financing costs, lack of risk sharing by operator, lack of good sales and distribution network affecting occupancies and performance, challenge to attract good manpower.
”
This solution might work for some in certain key cities but largely the owners who have gone in for this are not satisfied with the results. The other arrangement is to bring in a brand with a management contract in place. The expectation being that the company is professional and knows their business and will deliver value. But does this work satisfactorily for all owners? A lot many owners feel unhappy especially when markets are not supportive. The main gripe being they have very little say in operations, have lost control over the asset and the asset is not performing and the debt burden is mounting. Oftentimes the owner feels that he was made to invest more than what was required to adhere to brand standards. The above is not to say that brands do not deliver value they often do and do so very well. It is the perception of delivery that each side sees differently.
Is there another way? The early stages of the development cycle witnessed the arrival of the top global brands to India with set pattern of working. The space is very large and there is need and scope for more brands in the marketplace. There is also a potential market for operator address the owners current needs. This presents itself as a blue ocean of opportunity. If asked owners around how would they like to have an operator who has skin in the game and is real partner in their growth? Most would reply very much. There are alternative modes of hotel management appearing on the horizon and we are advising both domestic and international brands on the need of the hour. There are operators who will put their money by providing soft loans, security deposits, minimum guarantees and share the operating risk etc. There are several ways wherein creative deal structuring techniques can not only protect an owners aspirations but also enhance them. But is the market ready to listen? ■ The author is senior manager (Hospitality & Leisure), Knight Frank (India) Views expressed are author’s own and do not reflect the views of Knight Frank June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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DESIGN
A DESIGN MARVEL The Newly Launched Sofitel Stands Out with its Design Features
Lobby Mesh
Diverse Distinction
I
t’s distinctly different in every way. The moment we stepped into the plush portals of this newest Mumbai five star luxury icon, the concept of ‘East meets West’ pronounces its synergetic harmony with oomph. Modern contemporary French design flair meets endearing Indian artistic nostalgia in manifold shapes and forms at this luxury hotel in the heart of the bustling commercial Bandra Kurla Complex. The result is a fascinating showcase of avant garde visual and functional hospitality spaces that sets it apart from the herd.
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Club Millesime Reception
Design Dynamism
T
he hotel’s external linear architecture in steel and mirrored façades stands out strikingly among the new icons of this commercial hub. The hotel was jointly planned by internationally renowned master architects at BBG-BBGM (USA) and encompasses bold structural forms that lend spatial frames of expansive space. The interiors and aesthetics of Sofitel Mumbai BKC are conceived and created by eminent French designer, Isabelle Miaja. She avers, “I would like to encourage everyone to come and experience the hotel as a home away from home, where luxury is the key essence. All the spaces are designed to provide a unique experience. The careful balance between French & Indian cultures is achieved with elegance and mischievousness. French impertinence with Indian reverence.” She drew inspiration from Indian art, including temples, sculptures, and monuments, executing an attractive contemporary touch. All fourteen levels of this luxury hotel spell distinguished class and sophistication with flashes of edgy, sharp boldness and permeating confidence. The dexterous use of angular glass, natural marble, intricately crafted chandeliers, gold, diamonds, regal, custom-made furnishings, and several bespoke interior elements uplift into a signature design style. The waiting lounge is embellished with delicate Indian columns, vibrantly woven carpets, and classic French furniture as leit motif appeal. The canted glass façade celebrates the glory of diamonds, one of India’s most renowned exports. In the high atrium-graced lobby, custom-made crystal and glorious glass chandeliers light up the grand spaces while stone artworks inspired by ancient Indian temples grace the reception area. With the same verve bordering brick-shaped mirrors add a distinctly contemporary appeal. A large metal fretwork wall-feature fabricated in three types of stainless steel with backlighting creates grandeur in the stylish lobby. Bernd Schneider, general manager Sofitel Mumbai BKC and area general manager Sofitel India is upbeat, “Sofitel Mumbai BKC introduces Mumbai to a luxurious blend of French elegance and Indian culture. The hotel is a key address combining the best of each country’s culture. French elegance, savoir-faire and art de recevoir coupled with India’s rich heritage of personalized service, tradition of luxury and depth of culture will provide a backdrop for memorable stays.” June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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Club Millesime
Crafted Class
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ontemporary elegance carry through into the 302 guestrooms and suites at Sofitel Mumbai BKC. With 28 Superior Rooms, 203 Luxury Rooms, 40 Club Millésime Rooms, 8 Junior Suites, 22 Prestige Suites, and one lavish Imperial Suite, the hotel accommodation spaces are thoughtfully planned and well-appointed. The bedrooms a fine balance of French elegance and Indian culture. Varying textures, patterns and colours are influenced by Paisley motifs mingling into French Baroque to recreate a whole new classic look. The colour purple gives a contemporary feel with a hint of royalty. All rooms have luxurious hardwood timber flooring, large bathrooms with oversized tubs and separate showers. Junior Suites offer spacious surroundings with combined living and sleeping areas. Prestige Suites redeem luxury and panache with their distinctly separate living and sleeping areas. The magnificent Imperial Suite urges guests to indulge spacious and luxurious interior creations. Two bedrooms, an in-suite office and impeccably appointed living recreate absolute luxury. The theme of two cultures translate into Indian motifs outlining curtains, windows and lining the 26
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Prestige Suite detail
ceiling, while the artworks in the rooms are a unique collection of prints reflecting “a Tale of Two Cities” custom created by the designer show historical monuments from India merging with landmarks from France. Sofitel’s trademark MYBED, an all feather bed combined with an extra light down duvet. A choice of King-size beds or large Twin beds is available in the Superior, Luxury and Club Millésime rooms.
Jyran-Signature Dining
Creative Liberalism
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he hotel’s architecture, jointly-planned by mas ter architects at BBG-BBGM (USA), is a power ing example of modern and elegant interiors creating a French contemporary feel with a blend of traditional Indian shades, shapes and patterns. Interior Designer Isabelle Miaja’s renditions accelerate a blend between Indian and French cultures, intricately weaving both influences in diverse design elements in the hotel. There is a strong association with jewellery in both the exterior portion and interiors of the hotel. Isabelle’s instinctive inspiration from her own background as daughter of a jewellery designer in Paris lent expression in stones, shapes and geometry. With the biggest diamond and stone centre in the world as it’s neighbor the hotel’s striking features like the tilted glass work in the lobby and rooms provoke curiosity in the facets of diamonds, reflecting the façade. Asymmetrical pillars offer a deviation in design, the structural columns exist as an art form, elevated into pure pieces of art, monolithic in appearance. Isabelle Miaja’s inspiration from India’s rich heritage is evident throughout the hotel. Classic paisley engravings, wall covers and prints that highlight private and public spaces, lobbies and corridors reminiscent of
Inspired Meeting Floor
Indian temples, art and monuments, – the extensive use of gold and diamonds, and elephant-inspired lightings and structures at various locations. Unique Indian flavours have been glamorized in warm colours, native designs, diamonds, gold and ornate lighting that transform the hotel interiors into a fantastic repository of art and sophistication. We were reminded of the unmistakable Parisian touch at all times. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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DESIGN Le Bar Dimantaire
Spectrum of Styles
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he svelte ‘Le Bar Diamantaire’’ – the Lobby Lounge sports an impressive floor-to-ceiling mood-lit Wine Tower that stocks a collection of select international wines. The intimate space is enlivened by two unique elevated pods that have a special seating for a private rendezvous, while taking in an incredible view of the restaurant. The bar complements the all-day dining ‘Pondichéry Café’. The restaurant offers guests a relaxed, luxury-market atmosphere with well-lit open spaces to stroll around. A double-floor ceiling height accented with large decorative light hoods printed with Indian artworks inspired by silk scarves, hang over the live kitchen and black granite at different angles to dramatize Indo-European effect. An exclusive central area for private dining of 10 guests encapsuled in a glass structure inspired by the raw mysterious form of uncut diamonds is the crowning glory here with a mere sheet of glass that offers pleasing restaurant views. Another feature is ‘Artisan’ – the patisserie and Chocolaterie; for informal French dining with charming recreated French interiors. The restaurant is designed to remind the guest of the quintessential French Delicatessen cafés. A ‘Community Table’ in the centre of the Café evokes interest as daylight streams in from the floor-toceiling windows and enhances the delicate grill artistry around the restaurant. ‘Tuskers’ is their vegetarian dining bar, a specialty restaurant inspired by regal creatures, the herbivorous elephants. The dining bar interiors are bold, using rich warm leathers, walnut chesterfields, carpets, grill works, elephant motifs and plush teak wood. ‘Tuskers’ 28
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Pondichéry Café
dining bar offers a private dining area situated in the far side of the restaurant, while the impressive wine cellar houses a fine repertoire of wines. The bar boasts exclusive and rare single malts. Signature dining at ‘Jyran’ the Tandoor Dining & Lounge is eclectic. Meaning ‘lost love’ in Persian it celebrates Northwest Indian Frontier cuisine and is designed with celebration and drama in mind, where many of the elements are inspired from Bollywood. We were greeted with fireworks as we walked over the little bridge leading to the restaurant, living up theatrics in grandeur. The restaurant’s entrance bar gives a sense of warmth and welcome. An outdoor pool lounge area highlights three bowls of fire. The terrace area offers al fresco covers as an impressive recycled, heavy metal elephant sculpture dominates the outdoor area over the water-feature. For open air and pool-side deck enthusiasts, there’s ‘L’OH’ the Pool & Bar overlooking the calm swimming pool with comfortable tables and seating arrangements.
Artisan Lounge Seating
Space Grace nspiredMeetings™’, Sofitel’s meetings concept is designed on a simple but effective philosophy – “Inspired by you. Staged by us.” A fully equipped Business Centre and Loft Kitchen offer Innovative cocktails and coffee break around an interactive kitchen, encompass the offerings on this floor. All meeting rooms are equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment and wireless Internet access and are inspired by French heritage and famous French historical personalities like ‘Petit Salon Monet’, ‘Salon Louvre’ inspired by the Musée du Louvre and ‘Salon Opéra’ that combine to enlarge as the ‘Magnifique Grand Salon Ballroom’. The Grand Salon Ballroom can accommodate up to 250 guests offering flexible layouts and full-wall soundproof dividers. Mirrored panels on the wall add volume to this space while French windows that allow natural light are equipped with black out drapes and custom-made chandeliers from an almost 5-meter high ceiling. The ballroom regales in an ambience of glamour and gold. The uber chic ‘Club Millésime’’– Business Lounge located on the highest floor provides a sophisticated atmosphere with provisions for dining, lounging and meeting and a wine tasting area. Exquisite furniture between acrylic columns and light features accentuate a modern feel, touches of royal purple, an open air terrace and stunning glass columns with fibre-optic lighting create appreciative exclusivity in this distinguished space. At ‘So SPA’, on a dedicated floor sprawling over 6,000 square feet are 6 treatment rooms. Of these, one is the exclusive couple’s spa area with a private Jacuzzi
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So FIT Fitness Centre
and more. It revels in original music and exclusive signature treatments, with products from Gemology and Cinq Mondes, two famous French brands that are exclusive, first-timers to India. The entrance with soft sheer drapery dotted with decorative Indian posts welcomed us. Bright and pleasing interiors with controlled ‘gold’ lighting allures instantly with angular placements, tilt-glass style and use of gleaming gold. A ‘Tree of Life’ in the spa area symbolizes the body’s renewing abilities with rejuvenating spa treatments. The concept –“Golden drops of luxury” that float above the water fountain and along the far wall was created with the depiction of an exotic golden rainfall. Sofitel’s ‘So FIT’ trademark fitness centre offers a blend of performance and freedom of use, bringing the latest exercise technology in full glass ensconced spaces with natural lighting. ■ by KISHORE AND SMITA IYENGAR
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ECO HOTELS
MELUHA THE FERN An Eco-style Hotel The swank and beaming Meluha The Fern –An Ecotel Hotel in Mumbai sizes up the environmentsensitive credo. What’s more it extends into expressive five-star luxury and comfort with panache.
Location Lure
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n the high-end Hiranandani Gar-dens and complex fringing the picturesque Powai Lake, several landmarks make a mark in architectural curiosity. This new five star luxury ‘Eco tel’ icon stands apart distinctly in its compactness and vivid facades.’Meluha The Fern – An Ecotel is as evocatively an architectural inspiration as it is a trailblazer in its breed of premium hospitality with an eco-friendly edge. Occupying strategic position among nouveau-deco styles and contemporary gothic expressions of edifices in its surrounds, this haven of swish style and substance radiates neo-classical grandeur reflecting the uncompromising excellence in planning and architecture of ‘Meluha’, or the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, the world’s first, most advanced, most scientifically and most environment-sensitively planned.
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ECO HOTELS
Sustainable and Responsible Hospitality
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s is evident in the strong eco-sensitive accents seen throughout this property, Meluha The Fern – An Ecotel is seriously committed to its environmentally sensitive, sustainable and responsible hospitality practices. Eco-lessons here to be imbibed also include a whole gamut of energy-saving and eco-friendly methods to live up to the ‘Ecotel’ credo like preventing Greenhouse emissions, reducing waste and cutting pollution. The hotel rooftop has 3 layers of Coba-clay brick, a natural resource that insulates against heat, noise, pollution cutting air conditioning load. The plumbing and sanitary planning and hardware takes care of calibrated water usage, waster water and sewage is recycled and reused in air-conditioning, gardening and other construction work. Double-glazed windows cut infra red rays from ruining upholstery, furnishings, wall textures, woodwork and furniture employ rubber wood and MDF particle wood and boards, environment-friendly cost-saving lighting fixtures and ‘fuzzy logic’ energy-saving devices are used in the CFC-free minibars. Materials and functional objects made from natural and recycled substances make way for healthier, eco-sensitive living with Arated luxury and a lingering, genteel motivation to patrons to practice and sensitize attitudes to the critically needed support of the green cause worldwide is a welcome, endearing legacy of this luxury ‘Ecotel’.
Personality Pelf
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s you step inside the hotel the immediate space utilization appeal comes across with dynamism. The lobby and reception in minimalistic, cheerful accents in Onyx and soft-toned granite allow the play of natural light and design comfort, the ceiling-to-wall glass facades open out to the outside with wide angle largesse. The natural, soft shades in stone, granite, onyx, furnishings, finishes and furniture create a synergy of eye-soothing grace visible throughout the property. The hotel, executed and designed by Architect Hafeez Contractor along with interior designer Sunil Gambani combines all eclectic features as a five star luxury hotel in liberal measure. Practical enviro-centric lessons emerge as we examine various facets of this unique property. Depressions and protrusions in the hotel building façade play an important role since majority of the dead walls remain under shadow thereby reducing the surface radiation. Developed right at the onset, the architectural preset lighting systems save energy considerably in hotel lobbies and restaurants, becoming one of the first hotels to stress on light harvesting.
The cement that has gone into making the hotel is absolutely environment friendly. The cement, PPC (Portland Pozzalana Cement) contains 15-20% fly ash, as compared to OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) and is used for finishing of the exterior plaster, block masonry, tiling and flooring. Accommodation of a total of 141 rooms spreads out over 84 Wintergreen rooms, 8 Fern Club Rooms, 15 Hazel Suites, 33 Fern Club Suites and 1 Presidential Suite. Spacious, straight line interiors without the clutter display contemporary flair dexterously executed in the contrasts of tones in furnishings, drapes, upholstery, wall paneling and cladding. Matt, buff fawns and deep beiges blend seamlessly with natural veneer panels, light pearl-toned floral sheers, flushed wall recesses and chic work stations. These are nature’s soothing, assuring colors of all seasons brought alive into interiors. Bedrooms are graced with character reflecting in sumptuous king beds with feather soft luxury linen, custom duvets and silk-feel mattresses. Over opulence is carefully avoided in any form, subtlety and harmony commanding visual assurance. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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ECO HOTELS
The Modern and the Functional
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hat is most evident in the free flow of spaces is that you glide easily from one level to the next, one living enclave to the other without the rigid and stiff barricading that’s typical to five star structural planning. Another lesson to be learnt is the judicious installation of environment-sensitive double glazed windows that block harsh sunlight carefully at bay, conserving air-conditioning energy and costs. Warmth is the leit-motif and a positive, seamless combo of natural textures, shapes and forms even in the corridors, passageways and elevator areas lighten and enhance ambience sensitivity. Focus on minimizing impact on the environment energy efficient LED lamps, PL lamps and T5 fluorescent tubes ensure that lighting is soft, gentle and cost-saving. Param Kannampilly, chairman and managing director of Concept Hospitality whose hallmark brand is The Fern (trademark for environmentally sensitive hotels across India) avers, “The Fern is an endearing symbol of our environment’s resilience and strength. Evolving over 400 million years from sea to land, it is the very epitome of pedigree among flora and stands for fascination. The Fern Hotels strive to provide “Hospitality with Responsibility” offering opportunity to guests to unwind in the Fern ambience never losing sight of the goal to be environmentally sensitive”. Colour is used strongly as a functional implement
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in design, nature’s originals expressions find place of pride and endorsement in etched glass floral motifs and abstract patterns, wall drapes, flooring , furniture, bedspreads, real living plants and flowering shrubs at vantage corners rather than the typical cut and trimmed floral stalks found in all luxury hotels worldwide. Invoking filigreed rubber wood and MDF particle board partitions and separators, installation elements, ceiling details, cushions, bolsters and seating comforts add to the eco-friendly motto . Everywhere spaces have been utilised for their dimensional uniqueness, especially evident in the rotunda-shaped design, rooms and public areas. High ceilings in corridors, atrium and restaurants add to the spatial grandeur mutedly soothing with soft mood lighting and light spots.
ECO HOTELS
Sense-piring Design
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he svelte Wintergreen deluxe rooms are a repository of pleasing cornices, elegant living and relaxing glows. With King and twin bed options they are loaded with smart clear glass writing desks with broadband internet, laptop-friendly safes, the most modern attributes in pillow menus, bathroom light makeup and shaving mirrors, sleek wardrobe, sofa chaise with settee, tea and coffee maker and eco-friendly, custom designed flooring for ease in movement. Their Hazel Suites are complemented with interesting design elements like onyx top space dividers in the living area serving as functional space for plants and collectibles, floral geometry accented lamp shades and floor lighting that lends a sensuous feel and lighttoned open walls in pleasant beiges, cream and wood tones that soothe and relax the senses. The Fern Club Rooms on the Fern Club Lounge floor pack in superlative facilities without the garishness and over indulgence. The ambience is regal, luxurious and elegant to say the least, the open-plan flow of interior design aides personally satisfying indulgence of these expansive living enscons. The truly impressive Fern Club Suites regale guests with their grandeur in linear class, which comes out as a welcome feature. Separate living hall, bedrooms and dining alcove add to the exclusivity of living in discreetly inspiring environs. The writing desk with internet access and lounging sofa ensemble remain
sensibly discreet to the large bedroom and walk-in wardrobe segment. Luxe facilities cover a range of courtesies including Fern Club Lounge access, cocktails, 2-hour boardroom usage and complimentary chauffeur-driven transfers, in addition to an enticing ambience that creates space for privacy, relaxation, concentration, introspection and networking in equal measure. More eco-friendly practices catch your attention in the rooms and suites as you check out rubber wood cloth hangers, licensed Ayurvedic products, fruits on request to avoid waste, pens made of recycled paper, wood, waste plastic and scrap wood. Pencils made of non-toxic polymer with fillers replace conventional wooden ones. Mineral water of the purest grade is stored in recyclable glass bottles, not plastic ones. Hot water here is a by-product of the airconditioning plant, CNG gas is used instead of LPG for hot water generators, saving on energy costs. The main control panel in the guest rooms incorporates a unique feature known as the green button. This controls the thermostat of the air-conditioning unit stepping it up by two degrees, saving electricity resulting from that increase in temperature that is translated into rupee terms and the same is displayed on the guest folio and profile. A certificate is then issued to the guest who has voluntarily participated in conserving energy. A guest database is maintained with a direct mail link with them, telling them about the Ecotel’s ongoing environmental activities. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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ECO HOTELS
Striking Superlatives
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he hotel boasts three food and beverage icons all of which distinctly cater to guests and diners with strong culinary agendas in mind. ‘Tiara’ is their all-day dining outlet, designed in free flowing, brightly lit open-plan character, modern lines with state-of-the-art fixtures, variegated designer seating covers, sleek granite-clasped buffet stations, open kitchen and a lively frosted glass display bar topped with changing fluorescent mood lighting and serving the finest of spirits, cocktails and wines. The ‘Bar Tiara’’ counter with it’s backlit, aquatic-themed glass frontage and avant garde bar stools’is enhanced by the superbly engraved free floral motif-layered granite floor which adds to the celebrative thrill. The privileged icing on the gastronomic cake is ‘Cesky By Christian Cilia’, their blue- blood, pedigree fine wining and dining restaurant, Mumbai’s first with a Michelin-Star rated, truly innovative dedicated 7course’ ‘Degustation’ (tasting) set menu for cuisine connoisseurs, paired with the finest world vintage wines. Globally celebrated ace Chef Christian Cilia custom-crafts the evocative weekly tasting menu that 34
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brings in the crËme-de-la-crËme of the city’s gourmet enthusiasts. The hand-cut glass-ring visual partition, the large, multi-bladed ceiling fans overhead, the’svelte display kitchen and the soft-lit environs of ‘Cesky’ heighten fine wining and dining pleasures to a culinary high. Controlled mood lighting aspects are aimed at reducing electricity costs at all outlets. The Fern Club Lounge on the 7th floor is a calming, relaxing and indulging haven of executive expression, designed with minimalistic verve, endowed amply with a myriad of amenities ranging from fine wines and cocktails by the 6pm-8pm happy hour, scores of reading material, newspapers and magazines, complimentary internet , comfortable lounging corniches, meeting rooms, 24-hour tea and coffee availability and gorgeous views of the green neighborhood and the scenic Powai Lake across. A rooftop swimming pool using recycled and 100% sanitized water and banqueting space adds to the exclusivity of features. The sprawling banquet halls ‘Paragon’ I, II and III combine to open out almost 3700 sq.ft. of space for events, functions and celebrations in a variety of seating combos. Meeting rooms ‘Onyx’ and’ ‘Ivory’ facilitate meeting and close conferencing for 8-10 people with all presentation and media facilities. ■ by KISHORE AND SMITA IYENGAR
June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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GUEST COLUMN
TAPPING THE BURGEONING MARKET FOR SERVICED APARTMENTS IN INDIA India has good and untapped demand for extended stay apartments. The next wave of development within the hospitality sector would be in terms of an increased supply of such apartments, says Aman Kumar Syal.
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he concept of luxurious and sophisticated serviced apartments in the heart of the central business district, with access to high-class facilities, superior features and lower costs is increasingly gaining popularity in India. With increasing globalisation, the number of corporate executives travelling on assignments is increasing. These business travellers prefer bigger space, tighter security and exclusiveness, as well as greater value for money, all of which serviced apartments endeavour to offer, which is becoming the driving factor for growth in this segment. The occupancy rate for serviced apartments in India is: ● Mumbai – 96% ● Gurgaon – 75% ● Chennai – 99% ● National – 88% Huge opportunities for the serviced apartment segment exist in the major cities of India, that are waiting to be explored. The major demand comes from industries like IT, automobile, financial services and the banking sector which prefer serviced apartments as add-on costs of staying in a hotel are immense. All states where growth-related activities and commercial development is taking place have much scope for such apartments. Cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi/NCR amongst others are witnessing a growing demand as they consistently have both Indian and international travellers coming in. With the view of providing quality and cost effective accommodation for corporate travel, Laurent and Benon Group made a foray into serviced apartments in July 2009 by launching corporate guest houses in Mumbai and Gurgaon. 36
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“
Huge opportunities for the serviced apartment segment exist in the major cities of India, waiting to be explored. The major demand comes from industries like IT, automobile, financial services and the banking sector
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Starting from nine rooms, today the group has more than 1,500 rooms across the country and aims to have approximately 3000 rooms by April 2013. Laurent & Benon Serviced Apartments branded under “Corporate Stay Solutions” is a unique concept where personalized attention is given to the guest’s needs so that they feel at home during their stay. Having serviced apartments in major cities across India namely Mumbai, Gurgaon, Noida, Daman, Pune, Bengaluru, Goa, Hyderabad, and Chennai gives guests an option to book a stay at the location of their choice and enjoy luxury accommodation and space. And the accommodation cost comes out to be considerably economical than staying in a hotel of a similar standard with all modern facilities. The group offers an innovative mix of service packages spanning various categories with diversified hospitality brands including serviced apartments (Corporate Stay Solutions and Expat Residence Solutions), business hotels (Corporate Inn and The Corporate Residence) and Heritage hotels (Indra Vilas & Thar Vilas). Despite ample opportunities, there are several challenges too that inhibit its growth in the country. The most important challenge is the lack of understanding, education and awareness of the concept itself. There is no comprehensive research on the segment leading to lack of data on available inventory. However, there is no denying the fact that India has good and untapped demand for extended stay apartments and Indian and international industry players are ready with expansion plans to explore its potential and opportunities. ■ The author is CEO, Laurent & Benon
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TRENDS
LIGHTING UP YOUR HOTEL AMBIENCE Lighting plays an important role in building a particular image of the hotel. It not only illuminates a hotel but also pulls the guests. Lighting when used properly can do wonders for the hotel business.
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he importance of lighting can be adjudged from the fact that each hotel is lit keeping in mind the clientele it caters to. Lighting allows each hotel to define itself. In the global economy, each hotelier has plethora of lighting options to choose from, and it is up to him to decide which option he wants to stick with, or what is the next look he plans to have. The underlying principle, as many architects say, is that lighting should be done in such a way that it constantly underlines and reinforces the character of the structure. Hotelscapes takes views from the industry to explore the
world of lighting in the hotels, the technological advancement and impact of lighting on the hotels in the long run.
The Imperial, New Delhi Arun Khanna, director-engineering
We are currently using CFL’s and halogen lights in our hotel. But our ultimate aim is to go in for LED lighting. Slowly, we will be replacing 50 watt halogen lights with around 7 watt LED lights and straightway saving 43 watt. However, existing LED systems are more into ambience building and not into regular lighting because there are some short comings. LED lighting is a better subsitute for CFL and halogen lamps as it produces less heat and saves on airconditioning as well. We are replacing CFL’s as we have a good substitute The Imperial, New delhi
ARUN KHANNA DIRECTOR-ENGINEERING, THE IMPERIAL, NEW DELHI
We are currently using CFL’s and halogen lights in our hotel. But our ultimate aim is to go in for LED lighting. Slowly, we will be replacing 50 watt halogen lights with around 7 watt LED lights and straightway saving 43 watt. 38
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for them. For example 36 watt CFL can be replaced by an 18 watt LED light with longer burning life of 40,000 burning hours. Hotels generally go in for a total replacement of lighting after every 5-6 years.
Concept Hospitality Param Kannampilly, chairman and managing director
Hotel does not get 100 percent natural light during day time and this makes artificial lighting very important in a hotel. Without proper lighting the interiors will not look nice. Today in any Hotel or a Mall – Interior architects consider advance lighting such as LED and digital lighting, which creates an elegant outline of the building. With advanced LED and digital lighting it
TRENDS
PARAM KANNAMPILLY CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, CONCEPT HOSPITALITY
The Fern Mumbai
possible to create a wow feeling in the guests and this attracts them to a hotel. There should be different lighting for lobby, atrium, banquet hall, conference hall, bar restaurant and the guest rooms. Lighting is always considered depending upon the interior design and it changes as per location. In some areas there is colour rendering such as LED and digital, where as in some areas we use halogen light for spot lighting purposes. More and more hotels are changing to LED to illuminate instead of halogen light fittings. As they look visually appealing and have a longer lifespan.
The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi Kanwaljit Walia, director-engineering
All hoteliers look to have most cost effective and energy efficient lighting solution which helps in reducing the carbon footprint while maintaining the operational feasibility. Intelligent lighting control systems are becoming standard in the hotel industry where guest comforts and services are essential. An intelligent lighting control system, fittingly specified, installed and maintained, provides programmable control of all exterior and interior lighting. Lighting definitely imparts character and
contributes to creating an ambience of the hotel. Along with the space, interiors, colours and textures, lighting plays a pivotal role in the hotel. Whether a hotel has a grand lobby or a minimalist and intimate one, it is the lighting that can make all the difference. Lighting of a hotel can help accentuate the furnishings and artworks to a great extent. Lighting is not just ascent but also defines everyday of ours; from thousand-room hotel to a small hotel lighting can entirely transform the ambience and make guests have unique experience. Since lighting is something that can be adapted to suit different occasions and alter intensities, it is of utmost importance to a guest’s experience. Presently we are using metal halides in our hotel and we are extremely happy with the results because they help derive high efficiency and maximize operational competence. Changing entire lighting of the hotel is an expensive proposition. Maintenance plays an integral part in this; the hotel should ideally invest in the right control systems and trained manpower. I would like to differ here changing the entire lighting of a hotel would be an operational call and if the hotel feels implementing the change would bring about efficiency and effectiveness, they would def-
There should be different lighting for lobby, atrium, banquet hall, conference hall and the guest rooms. Lighting is always considered depending upon the interior design and it changes as per location.
KANWALJIT WALIA DIRECTOR-ENGINEERING, THE WESTIN GURGAON, NEW DELHI
Intelligent lighting control systems are becoming standard in the hotel industry where guest comforts and services are essential. It provides programmable control of all exterior and interior lighting. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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TRENDS
ANIL KUMAR DIRECTOR ENGINEERING, LEELA KEMPINSKI GURGAON
At Leela Kempinski Gurgaon Hotel we agree that lighting gives unique recognisable character to the hotel and contributes to the creation of the mood. We are currently using energy efficient lighting like CFL and LED.
initely go ahead with the change. We do regular lighting audits in our hotels and prepare maintenance charts. This helps in studying the usage and help optimize solutions, we change the lighting as and when required it is not restricted to specified interval. The average cost per sq. ft for revamping the lighting would completely depend upon the quality of lights used in the hotel and it would vary from a property to property. For example if I have a high end F&B venue where I have used expensive lights the cost of revamping would be more.
Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon Anil Kumar, director-engineering
CHRISTIAN BOLLRATH PRESIDENT, HERA LIGHTING
Our expertise is more in LED light fixtures. The lifetime of LEDs is at least 50 times higher than traditional incandescent lamps. For the property owner it means significant maintenance savings. 40
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Lighting gives unique look and is a main attraction for the hotel guests. At Leela Kempinski Gurgaon Hotel we agree that lighting gives unique recognisable character to the hotel and contributes to the creation of the mood. We are currently using energy efficient lighting like CFL and LED. Changing entire lighting set up in the hotels is an expensive proposition and that is why the hotels play around with same set of lighting but since our units hardly opened three years back so partially we are upgrading the technology and hence we are not going in for a complete overhaul.
Hera Lighting Christian Bollrath, president
Lighting is a very important if not the most important design element in a hotel. Many designers believe that 50 percent of the hotel ambience is created by lighting at about 10 percent of the entire interior budget. Inde-
pendent studies support classical marketing argument that ‘light pulls people’ and this is more important in the case of hotels. Task lighting becomes more and more important in the hotels. It is used to create atmosphere and ambience. In addition to that there are also specific applications which require special lighting. For example, reading lights in beds or good lighting in the bathroom. One of the most common complaints in hotels these days (especially from women) is that the bathroom lighting is horrible and that they can’t apply their make-up properly. Diffused lighting is also very important; the key here is to create contrast with lighting. The trend to “wash” entire environments with light is dead. New technologies have come a long way. Especially LEDs are suitable for use in hotels these days. The light output has increased significantly. There are also warmer light colours available these days and the colour rendition is better than of most other artificial light sources. Our expertise is more in LED light fixtures. The lifetime of LEDs is at least 50 times higher than traditional incandescent lamps. For the property owner it means significant maintenance savings. In addition, these new light fixtures only use a fraction of the energy while providing the same or higher light output. Another advantage is that they don’t generate heat which means that there is savings on air-conditioning. The upfront costs are definitely higher; however, the return of investment can be less than one year. After looking at the scope of this market we have an entire national accounts team which works on hospitality projects on a daily basis.
TRENDS
LED strip light from Wipro
Wipro Lighting Shailesh Tokekar, group manager-marketing
We respond emotionally to presence of the light and enjoy intuitively different kinds of atmosphere that artificial lighting creates. In hotels, visual ambience created by lighting plays a very vital role. Good lighting planning whether it is designed to aid orientation, facilitate communication or promote a sense of well being plays a key role in shaping the way we assess any experience. In the hospitality sector visual impact is very important. For work or recreation, business or pleasure, people spend great deal of time in hotels. Whether the experience is positive one depends on lot of factors. Light makes quality of our environment visible and impacts our emotional response. The hotels should plan lighting as per application and hence different types of lighting are suggested in lobby, food court and guest rooms. In lobby lighting helps in orientation of people, while at food court it sets mood for relaxation while enjoying food or drinks. In guest rooms lighting should accentuate ambience and should provide comfort to inmates through control of lighting scenes. Diffused lighting in lobby or atrium is used to create soothing appearance of space. This also helps in visual orientation as lobby or atrium is area where people converge. Evolution in technology has helped in moving toward more energy efficient sources like compact fluorescent lamps from conventional 4 ft. fluorescent lamps. Ceramic discharge metal halide (CDMT) lamps are popular light source in
hospitality industry as it provides good quality lighting, has good colour rendering index, longer life, generate less heat and overall good performance than the old generation halogen lamps. Now Light Emitting Diode’s (LED) are preferred light source as it is compact, energy efficient, very high service life, virtually maintenance free and possibility of creating various colours as per architectural lighting requirement of indoor and outdoor space. Good quality lighting system cab designed if light planning is done right from project inception stage. Hotel ambience need to be warm, inviting, cozy and comfortable. Lighting plays important role in rendering right ambience in every part of hotel. In Indian hotels today lighting should be architecturally oriented, aesthetic, energy efficient and intelligent. Architects definitely look at lighting as the fourth dimension in architecture. They prefer innovative concepts for lighting up hotel interiors as well as exteriors. This can be managed within the budget planned for creating impact in customer’s mind and will result in long term benefit to the owner. Wipro has dedicated team of lighting designers who understand latest trends, technology and suggest energy efficient lighting solutions for hospitality industry. We also have technically qualified sales team to educate client on right lighting solution for their project.
SHAILESH TOKEKAR GROUP MANAGER-MARKETING, WIPRO LIGHTING
Evolution in technology has helped in moving toward more energy efficient sources like compact fluorescent lamps from conventional 4 ft. fluorescent lamps.CDMT lamps are popular light source in hospitality industry.
Knight Frank (India), Mumbai Abhijeet Umathe, senior manager (Hospitality & Leisure)
Aesthetically lighting is a very important aspect of hotels as it creates the experience or rather the mood. If lit properly, guests might not notice it, as they come to expect hotels to get this perfectly right, however bad lighting is obviously conspicuous. Electricity costs are a large part of hotels recurring costs so from the ownership point of view it is a very important function of design for future profitability. Agreeing with the classical marketing argument that lighting pulls, I would like to give an example of a stretch in Las Vegas where each hotel tries to attract more and more people by using innovative lighting. ■ compiled by VASUJIT KALIA
ABHIJEET UMATHE SENIOR MANAGER (HOSPITALITY & LEISURE) KNIGHT FRANK (INDIA), MUMBAI
Aesthetically lighting is a very important aspect of hotels as it creates the experience or rather the mood. If lit properly guests might not notice it however bad lighting is obviously conspicuous. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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HOSPITALITY REPORT
SUPER LUXURY SEGMENT IS SEEING A BOOM: ICRA Hospitality companies are now focusing on India’s high networth individuals (HNIs). Apart from the rise in supply of mid-market hotels, there is a tremendous boom in the super luxury segment.
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ospitality companies are target ing the super luxury segment in India to tap the country’s grow ing number of high net worth individuals and companies that are willing to pay for premium rooms after the mid-market expansion drive of the last two-three years. A recent report on the hospitality sector by credit rating company ICRA Limited said there has been a spurt of activity in the super luxury segment, apart from the rise in supply of mid-market hotels. “While over 50 per cent of the incremental supply (of about 60,000 rooms) is coming under mid-market brands such as Aloft, Holiday Inn, Quality Inn, Ramada, among others, another niche segment which is emerging is the super luxury property,” said the report. “St. Regis from Starwood, an uber-luxury product, is set to be launched in Noida (in the National Capital Region) by 2015. Other hotels in the pipeline include Mandarin Oriental, Lebua, MGM and Jumeirah,” stated the report. Analysts say the hospitality companies are now focusing on India’s high net-worth individuals (HNIs), and HNIs on their way to overseas destinations, besides inbound travellers. “Over the last three to four years, we have seen movement in the luxury space from several global companies,” said Pavethra Ponniah, a hospitality analyst at ICRA. “There is a target market in India for luxury properties both for local HNIs as well as higher-end tourists and business travellers to India. Also, the relatively high land cost tends to make luxury properties more viable,” added Ponniah. Super luxury properties which will come up this financial year include the Fairmont in Jaipur, the Kempinski in Delhi and the Leela Chennai. Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has plans to set up seven properties in India by 2015. A luxury room at the Fairmont would start at about Rs 28,000 while villas can go up to Rs 3.5 lakh a night. According to the report, the super luxury 42
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The Lobby, The Leela Palace, New Delhi.
properties that will come up in the next few years will have tariffs well in excess of USD 1,000 (around Rs 55,000 today) a night and provide highly customised services, with personalised butlers, chefs, luxury transportation and individual food and consumable (bed linen/toiletries) preferences. Kempinski Hotels S.A., a European luxury hospitality brand that has a property in Gurgaon in partnership with Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, is looking at five properties in India. Hoteliers say luxury brands are exploring more opportunities in India than ever before. Even though the outlook for the Indian hospitality industry doesn’t look good with increasing pricing pressure on margins for the next two quarters, according to the report, industry analysts said the companies are still positive about the long-term outlook and are thus betting on luxury properties, which have a long gestation period and carry more weight than four-five mid-market
segment properties in terms of mileage and marketing. “Over a longer time frame, the Indian market, being relatively under-penetrated, remains attractive. The slowdown in investments in China has also contributed to this trend,” said Ponniah. India’s luxury hospitality segment is still evolving, said James A Kaplan, Senior VicePresident for Development, Asia-Pacific and India, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International. “As the economy grows, and tourism infrastructure improves, an increasing number of domestic travellers will move to upper, upscale and luxury, which will augment the projected new international leisure and business travellers,” said Kaplan. He added that relaxation of visa rules and process will further stimulate international arrivals, to a great extent, compared with other countries, this market (luxury hospitality) remains largely untapped. ■
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HOSPITALITY REPORT
MORE SUPPLY, LESS DEMAND IN CHENNAI: HVS Chennai is seeing a surging demand for branded hotel rooms. While the demand is likely to experience growth it will be at a lower pace, however, supply growth is likely to outpace demand in the short term, says a report by HVS.
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he Chennai city hotel market consists of approximately 4,800 branded hotel rooms across luxury, upscale, mid market, and budget segments. The pie chart illus trates the break-up of the existing rooms inventory in the city and airport area by positioning. If we look at the other micro markets, the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) has a branded hotel room supply of approximately 500 rooms, and the East Coast Road (ECR) has another 500 branded hotel rooms, comprising of the two resorts: Taj Fisherman’s cove and the Radisson Temple Bay. Chennai has historically been a stable market in terms of occupancies and average rates. The city has witnessed very limited supply of hotel rooms in the past 3-4 years, as compared to other major metros such as Bengaluru. However, in the year 2011-12, the city saw the addition of 718 rooms, with the opening of the Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Somerset Greenways Serviced Apartments. If we consider all the announced projects in the various micro-markets including the periphery of Chennai, a supply of approximately 6,000 rooms is expected in the next 5 years. Of this, we expect approximately 2,500 rooms to open in the Chennai city and airport micro-markets. Although historically Chennai has had a very strong base of mid market and budget hotels, a majority of the supply entering the city will be in the luxury and upscale segments, with the entrance of the following properties: ● ITC Grand Chola: May/June 2012 (600 rooms) ● The Leela Palace, Chennai: Late 2012 (326 rooms) ● Park Hyatt, Chennai: Late 2012 (202 rooms) ● JW Marriott, Chennai: Late 2013 (387 rooms) ● Westin: 2014 (200 rooms)
With the opening of about 1,500 rooms in the luxury and upscale segment, we expect the market-wide occupancies to drop in the short to medium term. The performance is expected to stabilize in 4-5 years as the supply growth decreases. In 2011-12, this segment is estimated to achieve occupancy of 64% at an average rate of approximately 6,800. In 2011-12, the occupancies witnessed a decline of about 5%, with a marginal decrease of 1-2% in average rates in comparison to 2010-11, purely a result of hotel room supply increasing faster than hotel demand in this year. We expect the average rates to witness a slight increase in the next two years, as a majority of supply entering 44
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the market is of luxury orientation. Chennai remains an attractive investment destination and the demand for hotel accommodation has seen strong growth. The demand for hotel accommodation is expected to rise in the future, especially from the Commercial segment, with the city having witnessed the development of approximately 35 million sq ft of new commercial supply in the past 5 years. Also, the Extended Stay segment is expected generate heavy rooms demand due to the development of new businesses in and around Chennai. The main sectors supporting growth in demand are IT/ITeS, auto-ancillary, manufacturing, and services (financial institutions, consulting, etc.). Commercial development is steadily rising in the peripheral locations such as Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), Sriperumbudur and Oragadam, and Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road. The IT sector is concentrated along the OMR and several IT SEZs are being developed along this road. The Mahindra World City which houses several companies and the Ford factory located on the GST road also generate significant demand. Major industrial areas supporting manufacturing industries have been set up in Sriperumbudur, with companies such as Nokia, Saint Gobain, Motorola having extensive operations in the region, and Oragadam has emerged as “the Detroit of India” with companies such as Renault Nissan, Daimler Chrysler, Apollo Tyres etc. choosing this location for their operations. The Meeting & Conference segment is also expected to see significant growth. As new hotels with sizeable meeting spaces open, we expect them to be able to attract large-scale conferences and events to Chennai, therefore bringing in demand for hotels across all categories. Additionally, the modernisation and expansion of the airport in Chennai will help in the growth of airline and commercial segments. Going forward, as new hotels develop in the peripheral industrial and commercial locations, we expect them to become self-sustaining micro-markets. However, the city hotels will continue to get demand from all these areas. ■
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EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
p on the roofto Solar Panels
Water being heat connected wi ed in the tank th solar pane ls.
The Imperial, New Delhi celebrates World Environment Day
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he Imperial, New Delhi recently organised a ‘Green Luncheon’ to commemorate World Environment Day which was ob served across the world. The main purpose of ‘Green Luncheon’ was to commemorate the occasion and to enable people to realise their power, to initiate positive action and to advocate partnerships among all human beings living on this one planet and sharing a common future. Vijay Wanchoo, senior executive vice president and general manager, The Imperial, New Delhi spoke about the solar panel which was inaugurated on the World Environment Day, “We have inaugurated the Solar Panel it heats up 10,000 litres of water in the tank and this water is then used in the hotel. This way we are saving approximately Rs. 50,000 per month on water heating and reducing the carbon foot print. Besides this we are actively into rain water harvesting as well.” The hotel follows number of green practices and puts significant efforts in encouraging healthy tourism and eco balance. Some of the green initiatives at The Imperial Hotel are recycling initiatives where the hotel ensures conservation of water, fuel and energy and has systems in place to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. The suppliers are encouraged to reduce packaging material. Paper is recycled and waste is sent to recyclers. The recycling initiatives also include processing of all printed stationary for notes and internal posters. Deforestation is discouraged and there are steps to take up tree plantation. Steps are also taken towards effective waste management and include recycled waste water for gardening and sending waste food to piggery farms. There are plans for installation of a biogas plant for effective waste management to generate eco-friendly gas for cooking. This will in turn also reduce carbon emission in the environment. 46
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L-R: M S Sabhapathi, director finance, The Imperial and Vijay Wanchoo, senior executive vice president and general manager, The Imperial cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the Solar Panels on the occasion of The World Environment Day.
There is a provision for alternative energy sources like using CFL lamps, occupancy sensor light controls (in locker rooms) and energy saver cards for guest rooms. Measures taken towards electricity conservation by the hotel include switching off lights in common areas when not in use, reducing the numbers of lights during night hours in the corridors to save electricity and last but not the least the hotel follows Earth Hour every week wherein lights are switched off in many areas for one hour. ■ by VASUJIT KALIA
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
Zuri Hospitality shows commitment for the cause of environment
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ncreasingly, hotels and resorts around the world and in the country have been turning environmentally conscious and going green is the new mantra for them. Environment is an important issue these days and hotels have been trying to do their bit for it. Considering this, the World Environment day on 5th June was celebrated with much fanfare at The Zuri Whitefield, Bangalore. Being strongly committed to social responsibilities, the true spirit of the environment day was visible during the celebrations. There were series of programs that were initiated by the luxury hotel, keeping up with their commitment to the environment. These events were held as a part of the hotel's contribution to the global eco-movement. As part of the activities, the hotel staff decided to plant 80 saplings. Guests at the hotel also distributed more than 140 saplings. Zuri is committed to the upkeep and maintenance of these saplings. These saplings were planted on the road across the hotel premises and Zuri is committed to the upkeep and beautification of the road as well as to the maintenance of the saplings. Among other activities and celebrations, children from Hoody Corporation School were also actively involved in the environment awareness drive. More than 15 trees were planted around the campus with each HOD (head of the department) willingly adopting one tree each. The Zuri hospitality team also took a thirty minute Kannada language session with the school children on environmental issues and challenges that we face today. A drawing competition was also held for 2nd and 3rd standard children which had ‘Our Planet and our Future’ as the theme. The children also took home several gifts and invaluable nuggets of information to enhance their knowledge about and commitment to the environment. Apart from these activities, the premises of the hotel was furbished with an eco-theme to drive home the point that it is the collective responsibility of the staff to remain environmentally conscious and dedicated to the cause of going green. The event was a success and turned into a memorable event because of the participation of the children and hotel staff. â–
ember Zuri team m e giving kids th ld or symbol of W y. da Environment
n being School childre r the fo given sheets tition. pe drawing com
Guido Farina, GM, The Zuri Whitefield Bengaluru awarding the child for best painting.
ation Hoody Corpor n. School childre June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Leela Palace New Delhi awarded the highest international honour for green building initiative
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eela Palace New Delhi has been awarded the highest level recognition for green building leadership, the hotel has been honoured with the LEED Platinum for world-class sustainable design and best green practices. It has been steadfast in its commitment to environmental protection and the award was given to them in recognition of their efforts. The prestigious certification was awarded for excellence in sustainable design and integrating world class green best practices by The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), licensed by the internationally renowned U.S. Green Building Council. Commenting on the recognition, Capt. C.P. Krishnan Nair, chairman and founder of The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said “We are extremely proud that our enduring commitment to protecting our environment has
resulted in stringent LEED certification at the platinum level.” The hotel earned this mark of excellence for being a stellar carbon-reducing facility with rigorous green standards in all key areas, including: ● Ensuring optimum indoor air quality while reducing greenhouse emissions ● Furnishing each room with ozone-friendly, CFC-free refrigerators and air conditioners for reduction of greenhouse effects ● Planning a Building Management System to significantly reduce energy wastage ● Placing energy-efficient insulation on the roof and walls to reduce transmission energy needed to cool the building
● Reducing water consumption by more than 40 percent by selecting ‘green’ plumbing, mechanical and lighting systems designed to conserve water and energy ● Installing a state-of-the-art rain water harvesting plant and using treated waste water for irrigating gardens and lawns ● Ensuring easy access to public transportation and providing preferred parking for low-emissions and fuel-efficient vehicles. ■
Vivanta by Taj-President, Mumbai awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award 2012
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ivanta by Taj- President, Mumbai an nounced that it was honoured with TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to the establishments that consistently achieve out-
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standing traveller reviews on TripAdvisor and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Approximately 10 percent of accommodations listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award. To qualify for the award, Certificate of Ex-
cellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five as reviewed by travellers on the website. The other criterions for the selection include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months. “Vivanta by Taj - President is pleased to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence,” said Pankaj Sampat, general manager at Vivanta by Taj - President. "We strive to offer our customers a memorable experience, and this accolade is evidence that our hard work is translating into positive traveller reviews on TripAdvisor. “TripAdvisor is pleased to honour exceptional businesses for consistent excellence, as reviewed by travellers on the site,” said Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor for Business. The Certificate of Excellence award gives highly rated establishments around the world the recognition they deserve. ■
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People… The Imperial, New Delhi Vijay Wanchoo has been promoted as the senior executive vice president and general manager at The Imperial, New Delhi. Earlier, Vijay Wanchoo was the general manager at The Imperial. In his new position, Wanchoo will be responsible for bringing innovations and setting benchmarks of The Imperial’s hospitality. Wanchoo brings extensive hotel experience to The Imperial. He has been handling operations and management since June 2009 and he has been crucially involved in the refurbishment of the hotel. He served three years at the hotel in 1996 as the executive assistant manager and launched The Spice Route and Patiala Peg.
Banyan Tree Abid Butt has been appointed the chief executive officer (CEO) of Banyan tree Hotels and Resorts. Butt has earlier served as the area general manager of the Banyan Tree, Phuket and then later served as the first vice president of operations from 2000 to 2002. Earlier he has also served as the vice president for Asset Management of Host Hotels & Resorts in the United States, responsible for preserving and enhancing the value of a collection of 15 luxury hotels.
The Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon Gaurav Aggarwal, has been promoted as the new associate director of sales at The Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon. In his new role, Gaurav will be responsible for generating avenues for further business, owning and facilitating team meetings, strategic efforts and leveragiing the presence of global sales offices to drive more business. Prior to this Gaurav was the Sales Centre Manager, steering the management of sales, at the Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon. Aggarwal’s corporate experience spans for about 6 years in the hospitality industry and his key expertise lies in developing and implementing sales strategies, driving revenues and mentoring sales teams. 50
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Best Western Yuvneet Suri has been appointed associate vice president – operations at Best Western. He has two decades of experience with some of the best names in the industry, like Ruby Tuesday, Carlson Hotels and Sarovar Hotels. Yuvneet started his career with The Ashok, New Delhi as a management trainee. He will be based out of the Corporate Office of Best Western India at Bangalore.
Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Pavan Kakar has been appointed director of sales and marketing of the soon to be opened Radisson Blu Plaza at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. In his new role, he will be responsible for directing all sales and marketing efforts towards achieving the operational goals of the hotel. Prior to Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills, he has worked with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Nikko and Golden Tulip Hotels & Resorts, South Asia as corporate director, sales & marketing. Pavan has rich experience in opening new hotels in India.
Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre, Pune Jatin Khanna has been appointed the general manager of Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre. Jatin will be responsible for spearheading various specialized functions along with steering the management team of the hotel. Jatin has an experience of more than 16 years with the last six years with the Marriott. Prior to this he was the resident manager of Marriott Beijing Hotel City Wall, Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Convention Centre, Marriott Executive Apartments as Front Office Manager and Hong Kong Sky City Marriott Hotel. Jatin has play diverse roles in the past and started his hospitality career in Front Office at The Imperial Hotel, New Delhi. He has completed his Honours in Hospitality Management from Thames Valley University, London.
People… Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Nishan Silva has been appointed the general manager of the soon to be opened Radisson Blu Plaza at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. His key responsibilities at the hotel will include overseeing the hotel operations, expansion and growth in the city. Silva has over 18 years of experience in the hospitality sector and brings with him a range of other hospitality related skills. Prior to joining Radisson, he has held several management positions with Hilton in India, Sri Lanka, China, Philippines, Malaysia, Maldives and Switzerland.
JP Palace Mysore Saravanan Dhanabalu has been appointed the general manager at JP Palace Mysore. He has an experience of 18 years in the hospitality industry and prior to this was with ITC’s Fortune Hotels at Bangalore, Madurai and Jaipur. Earlier he has also worked with brands like Days Inn, Choice Hotels and Mercure Hotels. His responsibilities other than the overall managing of the hotel will include accommodation management, sales and marketing and revenue management. Saravanan was adjudged the Best General Manager of the year 2005 for Economy Hotel Division in India.
Fortune Park Vallabha Hyderabad Rahul Nama has been appointed as the general manager of ITC’s Fortune Park Vallabha, in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. Rahul has a rich experience of over 15 years in the hospitality industry including the stints in Indonesia, Israel and Philippines with chains like Sarovar, Intercontinental Hotels and Thunderbird Resorts. Rahul’s major work areas are pre-opening, expansion and managing multiracial and multilingual teams in diverse locations of South East Asia, India both in leisure and business locations. Rahul is an alumni of IHM Lucknow.
Pullman Gurgaon Rudrojit Deb has been appointed as the director of food and beverage at the Pullman Gurgaon Central Park. Earlier Rudrojit has served at Hyatt Hotels and Resorts in Mumbai and Kolkata, the Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre and Leela Hotels in Goa and Mumbai. Rudrojit has over 16 years of experience and he began his career at Choice Hotels in Chennai and he believes in delivering an unique dining experience for his customers. Rudrojit graduated from the Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata
The Oberoi, Mumbai Cedric Klein-Jochem has been appointed executive assistant manager, Food & Beverage, at The Oberoi, Mumbai. Prior to this appointment, he was executive assistant Manager, Food & Beverage at Ritz Carlton Beijing Financial Street, China, for two years. Before that, he spent two years at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, Korea, where he was assistant Food and Beverage Director in charge of Banqueting. Klein-Jochem oversaw a Convention Centre with 10 meeting rooms, and a ballroom with a total capacity of 1400 guests, among other conference and banqueting venues. Other postings included stints at the Hyatt Regency Paris Charles de Gaulle, France and The Grand Hyatt Dubai U.A.E.
Martin Brown’s Corporate Inn, Gurgaon Rabindra Kumar Pallai has been appointed as the executive chef at Martin Brown’s, the multi-cuisine restaurant at Corporate Inn, Gurgaon. Rabindra’s career spans 31 years and he has earlier worked with The Oberoi Hotel, QBA restaurant and Parkland Hotel to name a few. In his current role, Rabindra will be responsible for managing the overall kitchen operations at the restaurant including conceptualizing about food, preparation, presentation and promotions. He is also well versed with the knowledge of operations, customer relationship management and team management. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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Products… FCML introduces iSPa, a new design by Gessi FCML has introduced the iSpa, biodesign a new design by Gessi. The project is based on the concept of BioDesign, which is morphologically simple and organic, as inspired by biological forms. The stylistic feature of the collection is a rectangular shape with smooth corners, rounded as if by water itself. The form is friendly and reassuring as well as pleasing to the eye and to the touch. With iSpa Gessi brings together, for the first time, a Collection designed for complete furnishing of a bathroom; spanning from the faucets proposed in numerous high-tech models, to accessories, wellness systems, ceramicware, mirrors, up to the first bath tub designed and manufactured by Gessi. For more information please contact upasna@fcmlindia.com/ +91 9810374919
IDUS launches luxurious range of furniture “Kenneth Cobonpue” IDUS recently launched a superior collection of furniture titled ‘Kenneth Cobonpue’. Very elegant, chic and contemporary in design, the Kenneth range is the perfect solution for your home, budget and lifestyle. It works well with your existing décor and blends well with your current furniture as well. It provides versatility, diversity and the range of products is incredible. The range of “Kenneth Cobonpue” furniture at IDUS has been designed for pure indulgence and is targeted at the connoisseurs, who appreciate the finer things in life and enjoy them unabashedly. The Kenneth Cobonpue’s range includes rattan armchairs; hand carved wooden coffee tables, and unusual designs of furniture. The products start from Rs 25,000 onwards. For more information call 011-45888000
Intel launches new Ultrabook with third generation core processors Ultrabook a sleek new laptop has been launched by Intel that are powered with third generation Intel core processors. These ultrabooks are specially designed to be more responsive, more secure and are better equipped to protect personal information. The new chips used also offer increased media and graphics performance, long battery life and more choice in stylish designs. These ultrabooks also have up to twice the video processing and 3-D graphics performance of the earlier ones, cutting a user’s video processing time in half and making for a smoother, richer visual experience. All Ultrabooks will have built-in visuals with features like Intel® Quick Sync Video, Intel® Clear Video HD, Intel® HD Graphics, Intel®. The range starts from Rs 50,000. For more information log on to supportmail.intel.com 52
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Products… Embossed Mirror range by Blackberry overseas Blackberry Overseas has launched a new range of elegant mirrors that will make your homes look more glamorous. They will add that extra bit of aesthetics and designer elements to a room. These stunning pieces of mirrors are extremely modish and it will be an elegant addition to home space. The linear symmetry of the artistic and design style on these embossed mirrors range gives ornamental style. These wall mirrors come in various designs, shapes and colours (black, white, beige) to suit varying tastes. Blackberry Overseas had earlier also launched the wooden framed mirrors. The range is available at Pitampura store of Blackberry Overseas and starts at Rs 40,000. For more information call 011- 47050973
Tupperware comes up with new kitchen Ultimo series Tupperware has come out with the Ultimo series which compliments the lifestyle of today’s consumers. The series includes ‘chef series’ comprising of a casserole, wok and fry pans, eco friendly products like ‘quick chef’ an energy saving food processor, ‘smart chopper’ that helps in chopping vegetables, fruits, nuts and small chunks of meat, saving energy and time. A ‘utility knife’ with a comfortable handle grip for easy and quick dicing. A 'knife sharpener' with two ceramic stones for different sort of edges. The ‘Silicon Flower Mould’ another very convenient product is made of high grade materials which makes cooking an easy process and lessens the time spent as well. The prices for products ranges between Rs 1,150 to Rs 8,550.
World Bazaar presents Indonesian rail wood furniture World Bazaar has introduced the Indonesian Rail wood furniture that is made up of railway track wood and the elected pieces of the furniture are crafted from aged, weathered and termite proof wood. In Indonesia these railway tracks were uprooted to make way for the new broad guage lines and the same timber that had been weathered was used to make this unique collection. The rail wood timber possesses a unique quality where the timber will change from pale amber to deep reddish brown that enhances the look of the product. The collection consists of solid centre tables, chairs, day beds, sofas, end tables etc. This furniture will be introduced at MG Road showroom. The price range is Rs 69,000 to Rs 1, 95,000. For more information call 011-26502902 June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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NEWS SNIPPETS
RADISSON BLU HOTEL DELHI IS NOW RADISSON BLU PLAZA DELHI Radisson Blu Hotel Delhi, Carlson’s flagship hotel in India, has become India’s first Blu Plaza business hotel. A premium brand, the hotel has a new personality with newly renovated and designed rooms, new banquets, a new upcoming Thai restaurant Neung Roi and The Orb, the new bar. “The transition to Radisson Blu Plaza marks the culmination of our renovations exercise, the last phase of which is currently underway and should be completed by next month. The new brand also reflects new service initiatives such as Complimentary Breakfast, Airport transfers as well as Complimentary wifi access for all rooms in the hotel, Early Check-In, Late Check Out, Super Breakfast, Grab n Run, Express Laundry et al,” said Javed Ali, vice-president and general manager, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi.
BHARAT HOTELS TO INVEST Rs 1,200 CRORE IN THREE YEARS, ADD 8 NEW HOTELS Bharat Hotels which owns The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, has decided to invest Rs 1,200 crore in the next three years and launch 8 new properties. “We have earmarked around Rs 1,200 crore for the next three years and plan to add eight new hotels to our kitty which would include both luxury and mid-segment hotels in the domestic market as well as overseas,” Jyotsna Suri, Chairman and MD of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group said. Suri said the company has already purchased land for the eight locations and the investment will be mainly for developing the properties. “We plan to fund the investment through internal accruals and debt,” she added. The company plans to develop hotels in Kolkata, Amritsar, Pune, Dehradoon, Faridabad, Dubai, Thailand and London. In the next four to six months the company will open two hotels – one in Jaipur and anoth-
er in Chandigarh. Suri added the company plans to float an initial public offering in the future but is waiting for the market to revive. Earlier this year, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group ended the franchise agreement with the InterContinental Hotel Group. “Last year, we re-branded our Goa property as The Lalit
Golf and Spa Resort and now we have rebranded our Mumbai property as The Lalit Mumbai after the franchisee broke-off,” said Suri. However, Suri cautioned that given the volatility in the market hotel business at the moment is going through a lull as a result room tariffs have remained flat.
GOVT BANS 5-STAR HOTEL MEETINGS In order to contain the worst ever performance in 9 years, the government has launched an austerity drive to contain expenditure. It has banned creation of new posts in its departments, and holding their meetings in five-star hotels, besides imposing 54
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curbs on foreign travel and purchase of new vehicles as well. The Finance Ministry has also asked all ministries and departments to reduce non-plan expenditure by 10 per cent in the current financial year. “There will be a total ban on holding of meetings and confer-
ences in five-star hotels... purchase of vehicles is banned until further orders,” said an office memorandum issued by the Ministry. The government’s austerity drive comes at a time, when corporates are also trimming expenditure on travel and hotels.
NEWS SNIPPETS DOMESTIC/INTERNATIONAL
BUKHARA ‘POPS UP’ IN LONDON
ROYAL ORCHID HOTELS’ Q4 NET DOUBLES TO Rs 11 Cr Royal Orchid Hotels which is looking at having 4000 keys by 2015, has reported over two-fold increase in consolidated net profit for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2012, at Rs 10.65 crore, compared to the same quarter last fiscal. The company’s net profit for three months ended March 31, 2011, was Rs 4.80 crore, it said in a filing to the BSE. Its net sales for the quarter under review increased marginally to Rs 45.67 crore against Rs 45.43 crore in the same quarter last year. For 2011-12, Royal Orchid Hotels posted consolidated net loss of Rs 2.62 crore. It had reported a net profit of Rs 12.22 in 2010-11. Its net sales for the last fiscal increased by 18.72% to Rs 180.55 crore from Rs 152.08 crore in 2010-11. The firm’s scrip was trading at Rs 42.45 per share, down 1.05% from the previous close on the BSE.
ITC Hotels has collaborated with Starwood’s Luxury Collection to showcase the celebrated cuisine of ‘Bukhara’, in a two-week pop-up at the Sheraton Park Tower, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Knights bridge, London. The pop up which was inaugurated on May 17th will continue up to June 1st 2012. Voted among the Top 10 hotel restaurants in the world by Hotels magazine U.S, among the S. Pelligrino TOP Restaurants of the World and Miele Guide’s Top 20 restaurants in Asia, Bukhara is a ‘must visit’ on the itinerary of every visitor to India. During the inaugural dinner, ITC Hotels’ Corporate Chef, Manjit Gill introduced guests, residents and the local community in London to signature dishes such as Sikandari Raan (Marinated Whole Leg of Spring Lamb), Murgh Malai Kebab (Creamy Chicken Ke-
bab) and the not-to-be-missed Dal Bukhara (a combination of whole black lentils, tomatoes, ginger and garlic slow-cooked over coals for 18 hours). “The Luxury Collection has always celebrated exceptional culinary experiences as a way to transport travellers and bring a location to life,” says Paul James, global brand leader, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts. “Given Londoners’ proclivity for Indian cuisine, we are excited to introduce this legendary culinary institution to Britain’s gastronomic scene.” The Bukhara showcase at Sheraton Park Tower will be an indoor and outdoor epicurean experience styled by Waris Ahluwalia: an impassioned traveller, designer, actor and The Luxury Collection’s newest Global Explorer.
SAHARA SET TO BUY NEW YORK’S PLAZA HOTEL FOR $570 MILLION Sahara India Group promoted by Subrata Roy is all set to acquire New York's Plaza Hotel for $570 million (Rs 3,100 crore). The move will give it access to the 130-room luxury hotel located near Manhattan’s Central Park – a century-old destination for socialites and celebrities. The deal is reportedly expected to be announced by the end of this month and will be the second major hotel acquisition by the Sahara Group after it recently snapped up the iconic Grosvenor House Hotel in London for 470 million pounds. The 20-floor Plaza Hotel, opened in 1907, was non-operational between 2005 and 2008 for extensive renovations at a cost of $400 million. Simultaneously, the group is also negotiating to buy out a bunch of Marriott Hotels in London valued at 750 million pounds. These properties will be majority-owned and operated by the Sahara Group and will have Gulf investors as minority partners. June 2012 HOTELSCAPES
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LAST PAGE COURTESY: ITC GRAND CENTRAL MUMBAI
Women Enjoy Business Travel More Than Men: Tripadvisor Survey
D
efying the common perception that men enjoy more in business trips, a study has found that 94% female employees in India prefer work-re lated travel. Most of them, says the survey, make the best use of it to wrap up personal works as well. The online survey, administered across a cross section of above 2500 travellers working in government, public sector, private companies, multinationals as well as self employed by TripAdvisor, disclosed that an astounding 90% of respondents enjoy travelling for work. About 94% of the women prefer work-related travel as compared to 87% men. Also, young India (22-25 years) shows a 100% positive response on travelling for work. An interesting emerging trend is that increasingly employees across organisations seem to be looking at technology as a viable alternative to reduce business travel with over 50% government officials inclined towards this trend. A surprising addition to this trend is that 84% women believe technology has reduced their work travel needs compared to only 63% men (traditionally considered to be more tech savvy than women). Companies seem to be conservative on travel assignments this year with over 65% respondents say that their business travel has not increased or increased only marginally from 2010. ‘Break from routine office day’ and ‘seeing new places on company money’ seemed to be the most exciting perks of business travel with over 55% respondents citing both or one as their no. 1 perk. For over 20% respondents collecting hotel award points and frequent flyer miles were a great travel perk. “This is our first travel survey conducted to understand the Indian business traveller better and the results have been extremely insightful. Most interestingly the survey has brought to light some striking facts about the Indian working woman’s behaviour & preferences in contrary to our traditional perception.” said Nikhil Ganju, country manager, TripAdvisor (India). Here are the key findings of the Business Travel Survey in India: ● Travel to international destinations for business purpose has increased this year with over 73% respondents having 56
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For over 20% respondents collecting hotel award points and frequent flyer miles were a great travel perk.
travelled multiple times to overseas locations. ● Over 35% respondents preferred to pay more for a flight with laptop charge points and wifi facilities, while on business trips. ● 30% respondents acknowledged creating a business trip when not really required, to do personal work in another city of which 43% are in the age group of 30-40 years. ● Women are more likely to ‘often’ extend their business trips to make time for personal holiday (54%) compared to a dramatically low 9% men. ● Women are also more likely to create a business trip that was not really required to wrap up personal work in another city (50%) compared to only 20% men who would do the same. ● Surprisingly, 23% women would take longer routes to build their airline miles compared to only 8% men. ● For youngsters in the age group 22-25, time away from family is the least important factor whereas it becomes the most important factor for people in the 30-60 age group. ■
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