a cross section publication
Volume 2. Issue 12. January 2014. Rs 50
Hospitality industry veterans at GHC 2013
ALL ABOUT HOTELS & HOSPITALITY
AOberoi RARE INDUSTRY BONDING Alumni puts contemporary perspectives together at an unusual conference in the capital Plain speaking with
SAEED SHERVANI ‘Right Sizing – essential for the spa profitability’
Destination Report Bengaluru Looking distinct in effective yet functional uniforms Nutritional edge – Organic food Eco Hotels – The new-age responsible lodgings
EDITORIAL
Volume 2 Issue 12 JANUARY 2014
EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Reader,
Volume 2. Issue 12. January 2014. Rs 50
a cross section publication
Hospitality industry veterans at GHC 2013
ALL ABOUT HOTELS & HOSPITALITY
AOberoi RARE INDUSTRY BONDING Alumni puts contemporary perspectives together at an unusual conference in the capital Plain speaking with
SAEED SHERVANI ‘Right Sizing – essential for the spa profitability’
Destination Report Bengaluru Looking distinct in effective yet functional uniforms Nutritional edge – Organic food Eco Hotels – The new-age responsible lodgings
Editor: Navin S Berry
Managing Editor: Priyaanka Berry priyaanka@crosssectionmedia.com
Features Desk: Anupriya Bishnoi, Nikita Chopra Advertising: Saurabh Shukla saurabh@crosssectionmedia.com
Design: Ashok Saxena, Neelam Aswani HotelScapes is published and printed by Navin Berry, printed at Tara Art Printers Pvt. Ltd. A-46-47, Sector - V, Noida - 201301 (U.P.) and published from IIIrd Floor, Rajendra Bhawan, 210, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi - 110002. Editor: Navin S Berry, Tel: 91-11-43784444; Fax: 91-11-41001627. E-mail: info@crosssectionmedia.com This issue of HotelScapes contains 68 pages
Here is a New Year, with elections round the corner, an impending new government. And hospitality growing amidst a social churning. With so many burning issues on everybody's mind, where do we rank travel and tourism in the ladder of importance and relevance? We will have to find our own levels, and the more effort we make, the more likely we will get. Not a time to sit back and watch! This issue, we bring you a glimpse of the recently held Global Hospitality Conclave. The Oberoi Hotels Alumni put contemporary perspectives together at this rare conference in the capital with several hoteliers coming together to discuss trends and to share knowledge. In our Destination Report pages, we look south at Bengaluru and bring you inputs from seven leading hotels on the dynamic and booming hotel industry in the city. Not surprisingly, this popular business destination is focussing strongly on staying on top with technology innovations and competitive dining options. We move on to give you an insightful and straightforward interview with President FHRAI, Saeed Shervani, where he questions several concerns including the much talked about infrastructure status. Not often do we hear such plain talk, with a straight bat, and with such candid reflections. We also interview, Sudhir Sinha, President and Chief Operating Officer, Best Western India who says that while working on building brand awareness. In GM Speak, we talk with Kunal Chauhan who is certainly one of the younger GM’s in the country today. This month he is taking over as GM at The Leela Bangalore and we wish him all the luck. In our monthly section on Spa Speak, this time we talk with Dr. Manish Patwardhan, President of Indian Spa and Wellness Association and question the topic of spa profitably and get expert inputs on how to make your spa venture a lucrative one. In trends we see how leading hotels are aware of the importance of impactful and practical uniforms and how the presentation of staff and smart dressing is relevant to their brand positioning and guest experience. We move on to analyse the popularity and sustainability of serving organic meals at hotels in India. While guests are becoming more health conscious, chefs are gearing up to offer cost effective solutions by incorporating organic ingredients and preparations in their menus. In our eco-friendly section we discover how it is not only the big players who are undertaking green initiatives but also the small single properties operating in some remote areas. These establishments are functioning in the manner that is considerate of the environment around and the natural eco-system.
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 3
January 2014
CONTENTS
New Developments 8 Taj Group rebrands its two iconic properties in London
10 ITC consolidates its WelcomHotel brand
Events 12 Oberoi Hotels Alumni put
contemporary perspectives together
Destination Report 14 Destination Report Bengaluru
32
10
34
Interview 18 Plain speaking with Saeed
Shervani: The Smallies are left to fend for themselves
22 Sudhir Sinha: We see growth in cities other than the metropolitans
24 Gopal Rao – on guests and their
12
evolving needs
26 Mark Callaghan- A rise of trained skills in hospitality
Trends 28 Looking distinct in effective yet functional uniforms
GM Speak 32 Kunal Chauhan: Change of guard at Leela Bengaluru comes with zest to learn and experiment
Spa Speak 34 Dr. Manish Patwardhan- Right Sizing – essential for the spa profitability
Technology 36 Do It Yourself – Automated Technology
6 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
F&B 38 Nutritional Edge – Organic food Chef’s Page 42 The Silver Hat Chef – Sabyasachi Gorai
Green 44 Eco Hotels – The New-age Responsible Lodgings
Design 50 Indian Design savvy restaurants in the city’s five star fare
Photo Feature 54 Innovative Christmas celebrations
56 Products 58 Awards 64 Movements in the Industry Last Page 66 Challenging times for hotels: find your specific solution, to each his own
Guest column 48
Prashant Khullar: Employee Engagement – At the core of the business
36
52
42
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Taj Group rebrands its two iconic properties in London
Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residencies
Taj Group adds two new properties to its luxury portfolio in London. With London being a strategic location for the group, this marks as a significant addition. With the rebranding, the group now enhances the experience of luxury at the hotels by addition and alteration of various facilities.
8 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
A
St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel, London
dding elegance to its portfolio of luxury hotels, Taj Group now invites its guests to the two newly rebranded hotels in London, St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel and Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences. Taj Group now enjoys sole ownership and management, as well as operational and marketing control of both properties. Both the hotels perfectly associate themselves to royalty. St. James Court has been regularly hosting royalty and Heads of State since its inception in the year 1902. It is centrally located in London and bordered by the royal Buckingham Palace and the Green Park in the heart of Westminster. With coming under the Taj umbrella, the hotel augmented its standards with new offerings, amenities and service enhancements. Some of the improved experiences include in-room check-in, signature welcome and signature fragrances. Also, the hotel presents an extensive fleet of exclusive vintage and classic vehicles for its guests to enjoy. It also offers unique dining experiences to its guests along with a special Kids @ Taj programme for the younger ones. Commenting on the launch, Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO of the Taj Group, said, “This important re-branding comes at an exciting time for the increasing strategic links between India and the UK. We are delighted to have the opportunity to restore these iconic hotels that have more than a
century of heritage.” Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences also has its own proportions to offer its guests with an enhanced experience. These include, the Taj Royal Attache butler service, optional Jaguar airport transfers and exclusive horse and carriage rides. The hotel is remodeling all the suites of the hotel including the uniquely designed luxurious signature suites, Jaguar Suite and Cinema Suite. It will also be introducing a new lobby and reception lounge, a new restaurant, tea and library lounges and an exclusive private dining area at the hotel. Guests at both of the hotels can also avail complimentary Wi-Fi, superlative Clefs d’Or (Golden Keys) concierge service, tailored treatments at the wellness centre and a host of on-site dining options, including Michelin-star Quilon. Deepa Harris, Senior VP Global Sales & Marketing of the Taj Group added, “The success of our London hotels provided the impetus to consolidate our brand presence in the UK, being an important source market for Taj. St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel is positioned as an English classic, while Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences will offer authentic luxury experiences, reflecting the universally acclaimed warmth and personalized service that the Taj is celebrated for.” UK being The Tata Group’s leading international market, the developments at the Taj Group in London is highly significant for the group. ■
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NEW DEVELOPMENTS
ITC recently took over the management of the erstwhile Dwarka project that was being promoted by Lebua. Giving it the WelcomHotel brand, we understand stability and growth have come to the property. Banquet business has registered a significant growth. We bring you an interview with Dipak Haksar, COO, ITC Hotels.
ITC consolidates its WelcomHotel brand
An interview with Dipak Haksar, COO, ITC Hotels This is one hotel company that has emphasized first on branding, and building the brand. Each of its four brands are now established hotel concepts in themselves.
W
hat is the concept of WelcomHotel? Where does this spring from? In your portfolio of brands, where does this fit in?
Dipak Haksar COO, ITC Hotels
WelcomHotel is the refined upper upscale five star brand of ITC Hotels Group that reverberates with the same ‘Namaste’ philosophy that denotes a Welcome full of warmth and care.
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10 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
With over 90 properties spread over 70 destinations across its four Brands, ITC Hotels is one of the largest hotel chains in the country. The four brands include ITC Hotel-Luxury Collection that symbolize the ethos of Responsible Luxury. An ethos that integrates the highest level of international green best practices with contemporary design to deliver unmatched guest experiences ; an endeavour that manifested in the coveted LEED platinum rating for each hotel establishing ITC Hotels as the world’s first and largest green luxury chain in the world. Committed to creating new benchmarks in responsible
hoteliering, these hotels offer the best in luxury with the lowest environmental footprint. A fine balance between the man-made and natural environment called ‘Responsible Luxury’. WelcomHotel is the refined upper upscale five star brand of ITC Hotels Group that reverberates with the same ‘Namaste’ philosophy that denotes a welcome full of warmth and care. The WelcomHotel brand is truly an expression of efficiency. They integrate India’s fine tradition of hospitality with its globally renowned service. These hotels are extremely accessible being located in business hubs and significant metros whose local accents lend home comfort to their guests. WelcomHotels are the gateway to these destinations offering personalized service that ensures delightful stays. A big
NEW DEVELOPMENTS reason for their popularity among guests. Fortune Hotels is a key player in the branded up scale market segment. Spread across India’s major and mini metros Fortune provides first-class, full service modern accommodation. Seen as the smartest value proposition in this segment, these hotels offer convenient business and enjoyable leisure stays. ‘WelcomHeritage is the focus on Palaces, Havelis, Forts and Resorts, and represents some of the best traditions of heritage hospitality and tourism in India. Steeped in history, each WelcomHeritage property is exclusive, while being affordable and unusual, without being ostentatious. Guests relive a slice of the gracious life through desert camps, timeless bazaars, safaris and royal courts. Sited conveniently in stunningly scenic locations they provide unique heritage, cultural or romantic experiences to their guests; each hotel has a secret to share, a story to tell.
H
ow many of these do you now have?
We have about ten WelcomHotels as of now spread across Kerala, Delhi, Chandigarh, Aurangabad, Vadodara, Visakhapatnam and Chennai.
W
hich are the next in the pipeline? How is the projected growth in this brand?
The endeavour is to look at all key locations including significant metros and leisure destinations across India. The projected growth in this brand is exponential.
H this?
ow is the performance of Dwarka? Can you elaborate on
WelcomHotel Dwarka is located in Asia’s largest sub-city Dwarka. The hotel showcases ITC Hotel’s signature F&B brands, K&K, Shanghai Club and Pavilion. Given the very discerning and sizable local population in Dwarka itself, the hotel F&B Brands have won
great appreciation. In addition, proximity to the airport gives WelcomHotel Dwarka an edge over other hotels. The hotel has seen a steady increase in its room occupancy. It is also emerging as South West Delhi’s favourite banqueting destinations given the brand promise of ITC Hotels; superior cuisine quality and impeccable service. State-of-theart conference facilities of close to 1600 meter square including two spacious banquet venues and two meeting rooms, provide ample room to deliberate or celebrate any occasion.
H
ow are you marketing the brand?
ITC Hotels biggest strength is its vast pool of a rich and experienced Human Resource. This coupled with our strong sales and distribution network and innovative loyalty and partnership programmes, lend abundant support to the WelcomHotels brand. Besides the traditional media, we have increased our engagement with the social and new media to communicate with our patrons. ■ by NAVIN BERRY
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 11
EVENTS
Oberoi Hotels Alumni
put contemporary perspectives together at a rare conference in the capital
Hospitality industry veterans at GHC 2013
Panel discussion moderated by Rajiv Kaul
Panel discussion moderated by Rattan Keswani
12 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
EVENTS
A Deep Kalra
lumni a lways ca n be a great bonding experience. In this case, a private company has its alumni across o t he r b ra nd s a nd l i ke t he father figure that he remains, the presence of PRS loomed large at the event. The first time event brought together over 100 hospitality stalwarts and professionals from across the world to reminisce, share knowledge and discuss trends. It was brought together as a unique initiative by the alumni of the erstwhile Oberoi School of Hotel Management (OSHM), now The Oberoi Centre for Learning & Development (OCLD). The first batch graduated in 1968. The alumni include industry veterans like Rajiv Kaul, President Leela Hotels, Anil Madhok, Ma naging Direc tor Sa rova r Hotels, Ajay Bakaya, Executive Director Sarovar Hotels, Rattan Keswani, Deputy Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels. T he newe r ge ne ra t ion wa s represented by Ravish Swarup, Chief Executive, Praxis Services Pv t. Ltd., Nirbhik Goel, HR Director-India, Barclays, Yateendra Sinh, CEO Lausanne Hospitality Consulting and Ajit Pavithran, General Manager Taj Vivanta, Gurgaon to name just a few. A major highlight of the interaction was a personal oneon-one between Ragini Chopra, the first woman to graduate
Rahul Akerkar
Amitabh Kant
Female hospitality veterans with PRS Oberoi
from the school and PRS Oberoi. In a walk down memory lane, Oberoi shared his memories of his interaction with his father, the legendary MS, who was the first professional hotelier-entrepreneur in India, and who singularly ushered luxury hospitality in the country. He said meeting old colleagues and the younger generation of managers who had all passed through the corridors of Oberoi Hotels was an emotional moment for him. When asked what made Oberoi the best brand, he said all the credit for it went to the people in the company. He said that building a hotel is not enough, you have to have bright people, training, good food, ambience, and quality, but people above all and the Oberoi School had and does play an important part. What was the big learning from his father? That the most important to have was passion,
setting a target and going for it and taking calculated risks. Asked to comment on future trends in the industry, he said that technology and environment could be game changers while restaurants would move from formal fine dining to more casual environments. The conclave had two panel discussions between the alumni and lectures by guest speakers such as Online Sales Guru, Deep Kalra, Chairman & Group CEO, Make My Trip Pvt. Ltd.; Restaurateur Rahul Akerkar, Managing Director & Director Cuisine deGustibus Hospitality Private Limited; and Tourism Expert Amitabh Kant, CEO & MD, The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation. Akerkar, the founder of stand alone Indigo restaurants, lobbied for restaurants with a culture that was live and not stuffy, and
easy on the pocket. He was open to opening outlets in hotels, but insisted that the restaurant part must remain exclusive to create its own ambience. He disclosed his company was experimenting w it h new for mat s a nd wa s opening soon in Delhi. A m i t abh K a nt m a de a n impressive presentation on the fast progressing corridor that would present new opportunities for the hospitality sector. Among the various new products coming along, including the five cities, there was also the forthcoming convention centre at Dwarka, with its proposed 5,000 keys. In a separate presentation on tourism in the country, he lobbied for the need to bring a fresh perspective in the industry. There was an urgent need for change and tourism needed to be looked upon more holistically and less as an isolated activity. â– by NAVIN BERRY
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 13
DESTINATION F&B REPORT
Destination Report Bengaluru
Supply grows, outstrips demand, yet business is encouraging Bengaluru is one of the fastest growing cities in terms of infrastructure and business opportunities. Being an IT and BPO hub, the city receives year round influx of business travellers looking for mid-market to luxury accommodation.
O
ver the recent years, the dynamics of t he B e nga lu r u hotel industry have changed dramatically. It has risen to be the preferred city for establishing both business and leisure focussed hotels. The brands entering are not restricted t o I nd i a n c h a i n s b u t a l s o include some of the best luxury international brands such as the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott. Seen as a profitable and promising market in the future, the city is gearing up to cater to an increased projected demand. However for the time being, hoteliers are facing pressure on the ARR due to the rapid multiplication of room inventory. We speak with leading hotels to understand better this rapidly growing market on the supply side and how the demand and prices are holding up. While the bulk of the visitors are corporate, the city is also well placed as a stop-over destination to popular holiday spots in the South, such as Mysore and Ooty. Rahul Kanwar, EAM, The Zuri Whitefield, Bengaluru explains that in the past few years, against the backdrop of the new Internationa l Airport in Devanahalli, new infrastructure, tech-parks and changing cityscape, Bengaluru has been showing steady growth 14 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
as a major metropolitan city. Real estate and office spaces have been increasing and almost all hotels are dependent on business travel. Sub s e que nt ly t he ho t e l industry is also growing. Kanwar adds that as compared to 2008, when the supply was limited, the situation has changed in 2013. The supply growth has outstripped the demand growth. With more than 1,500 rooms under construction including opening of properties like JW Marriott, and Ritz Carlton, Bengaluru has become a highly competitive market. Pa r u l T h a k u r, G e n e r a l Manager, JW Marriott Bengaluru adds that the city has seen a
MĂśvenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore
JW Marriott Bengaluru deluxe room with balcony
DESTINATION REPORT 10.7% increase in supply of rooms in 2012-13 with 8,536 rooms as compared to 7,713 rooms in the previous year. Andrew Hendrian, General Ma na ge r, T he L e e la Pa lace Bangalore shares more recent figures of the last two months where the supply has increased by 600 rooms, which is adding pressure on room rates. Being a city with a huge IT sector, the primary nature of guests are corporate with about 80% demand coming in from this sector. Vijay Krishnan V Menon, Executive Manager, The Park Ba nga lore adds t hat “apa r t from being the IT capital of the country, Bengaluru is a very cosmopolitan city. As a city, we love exploring new restaurants and bars and different cuisines and this makes it an attractive destination. The city has a large capacity and requirement for accommodation. All of the above is more than enough for a hotel entrepreneur to get attracted to the city for possible investment”. Sa nde ep Singh, Revenue Manager, Mövenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore explains, “The city is now get ting divided into sectors based on location and is experiencing increase in
The Leela Palace Bangalore porch
Rahul Kanwar
Parul Thakur
Andrew Hendrian
In the past few years, against the backdrop of the new International Airport in Devanahalli, new infrastructure, tech-parks and changing cityscape, Bangalore has been showing steady growth.
The city has seen a 10.7% increase in supply of rooms in 2012-13 and with the mushrooming of a large number of hotels in Bengaluru, there is a problem of high attrition rates.
Being a city with a huge IT sector, the primary nature of guests are corporates with about 80% demand coming in from this sector. There is a steady growth of 10% in demand.
both supply and demand from corporate companies. The major chunk of business is from IT industry which is the backbone of the city along with Pharmacy and
Defence companies. There has also been an increase in demand due to big ticket events happening at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre and KTPO leading to
increased demand in the city”. While business is assured from the corporate sector, hoteliers are conscious to target newer market segments such as leisure in order to enjoy good occupancy over the weekends as well. Kanwar is somewhat sceptical if the dema nd grow th w ill match up to the supply. With Bengaluru already the 3rd largest market compared to Delhi and Mumbai, due to the overcapacity of inventory a large number of projects were on hold which have currently been reinstated. In the current economic scenario we have seen an increase in mid-market and budget hotels considering the strain on the IT sector which is linked to the hospitality sector. Perk in Rocha , G enera l Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid Bangalore while positioning his
EAM, The Zuri Whitefield Bengaluru
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General Manager, JW Marriott Bengaluru
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General Manager, The Leela Palace Bangalore
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January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 15
DESTINATION REPORT property as a top-business class hotel with great emphasis on service, predicts tremendous growth in the future says, “city has witnessed 9% growth in rev par in Q2 which is quite encouraging”. Talking the same tune, Thakur sees a huge potential for growth in the hospitality industry in this city. “Bengaluru has taken over key markets like Mumbai (including Navi Mumbai) with the highest future supply in the country in 2012-13. Over the next five years, Bengaluru is slated to have the highest number of new hotel rooms in the country, including properties under development. With such phenomenal growth, a large number of brands entering the market and a sharp rise in the number of business travellers, I see a strong upward trend in terms of growth of the hospitality industry”.
Challenges and solutions
As a business city, generating good occupancy throughout the week is a challenge. Weekend business is a task as the city is dead on weekends. “So we are working with our MICE team to generate groups on weekends” says Hendrian. Thakur explains that, “Bengaluru is predominantly a business hub more than a leisure destination. This places before us a challenge since there is a high level of dependence on business travellers and therefore an element of vulnerability towards economic changes. With travel and tourism playing a significant role in the hospitality industry, Bengaluru does face challenges in this area. Having said that, I do believe there are several ways one can counter these challenges. For example, with excellent location, 5 different F&B options as well as our excellent MICE offerings and a unique health and wellness offering, we are confident to attract additional walk-ins for our hotel”. 16 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
Vijay Krishnan V Menon
Sandeep Singh
The city has a large capacity and requirement for accommodation. All of the above is more than enough for a hotel entrepreneur to get attracted to the city for possible investment”.
The city is now getting divided into sectors based on location and is experiencing increase in both supply and demand from corporate companies.
Executive Manager, The Park Bangalore
,,
Another challenge that hotels in the city are addressing is skilled manpower. Thakur feels that skill sets are extremely vital here and with the mushrooming of a large number of hotels in Bengaluru, there is a problem of high attrition rates and a visible manpower crunch. At The Leela too, they find that hiring the right skilled talent is a problem, “The biggest hurdle is talent to find recruit and then retain them to deliver an experience. We have several measures to remedy this such as training and succession plans for the team so we can retain them” says Hendrian. K a nwa r e x pla i n s t hat “As we all know the volatile fluctuations of the exchange rate to the dollar has resulted in a slowdown in foreign institutional investment inflows. The overall economic slowdown continues
Revenue Manager, Mövenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore
,,
to i mpac t t he hote l se c tor thereby impacting occupancy percentages/ARR and domestic market travel saw an increase and local tourism sector also showed a steady growth. An accelerated development of many mid-market and/or luxury brands led to a review in pricing dynamics for several chains and standalone independent properties”. Huvida Marshall. Vice President and General Manager, The Oberoi Bangalore adds another critical perspective of infrastructure. “The city itself needs better infrastructure to support greater business inflow and the same has a direct lifeline to the hotel industry. Alongside the same is the continuous focus on quality institutions to source trained team members and a very rigorous in house training module as well”. Rocha sums up the current
challenge as “availability of right land price; however the city has witnessed unprecedented growth and could not balance this with the infrastructure”. Hotels are also adopting niche strategies. Movenpick is focusing on the brand, providing good service with the right attitude and an increased impetus on sales and marketing and e-distribution. Another common emerging factor was the desire for a more cohesive and allied industry. Sandeep Singh feels that while most are members of industry associations such as HAI and FHRAI, the industry remains fragmented. However there seems to be no love lost amongst competitors. The only platform where hoteliers come together is the Concierge Association. Hendrian concurs that there is room for improvement in this field. While they are members of the hotel associations, however there is no push to generate business as a destination. The Government could do more work on infrastructure and take part in road shows to create awareness of what we have to offer. “The good news is business is growing and Bengaluru is growing as micro markets so there is potential for growing business in parts of the city. However the real estate cost is so high that ROI becomes a challenge. There is a steady growth of 10% in demand however the Supply is growing faster than the demand due to which there is a drop in ARR. Have the right product for the right customer at the right price and at the right time is the perfect mantra for an entrepreneur in Bengaluru”, says Hendrian.
Emerging tech trend
In ter ms of genera l t rends witnessed in the city, Kanwar believes that for 2014, emphasis will be on Mobile Technology for the social/mobile traveller
DESTINATION REPORT as this would be the core of the consumer brand experience considering the surge in the number of smartphones which are being sold every day. The hotel already has in place several technological facilities such as mobile friendly websites and apps, cloud computing – saving data on a virtual platform which is accessible anytime anywhere, energy saving technology and more. Systems currently in process include providing iPad in rooms/e-butlers, e-checkouts or digital signage and Wi-Fi in hotel cars. The Leela Palace Bangalore too has installed some state of the art equipment in their engineering department which has resulted in property winning the first award from the President for conservation of energy in a hotel. They also have enhanced the systems in guest rooms with 50MB of Wi-Fi bandwidth, installed new interactive and smart TVs which can be plugged to the PC. Singh adds that the past de c a de h a s a l r e a dy s e e n a dramatic boom in hospitality technology, “Customers have now started booking through online channels and traditional way of doing business has changed. Also hospitality chains have now started investing in technology for increasing revenue and point of sale information to both clients and are trying to reach to maximum number of point of sales”. Menon explains that “Mostly guests prefer to make their own bookings online. Even travel managers of SMEs prefer to use OTA’s and other internet looks to make their bookings”. At The Oberoi, Marshall feels that technology has become an integral part of the hospitality industry and especially so for a technologically driven city like Bengaluru. Keeping this trend in mind, The Oberoi, Bangalore under took a two phased renovation program and has
Perkin Rocha
Huvida Marshall
City has witnessed 9% growth in rev par in Q2 which is quite encouraging. However the city has witnessed unprecedented growth and could not balance with the infrastructure.
The city itself needs better infrastructure to support greater business inflow and the same has a direct lifeline to the hotel industry. Alongside the focus remains on house training.
General Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid Bangalore
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now come back with 160 brand new rooms and suites catering to this discerning traveller group. All our rooms and suites reflect a number of technologically impactful features”. They use a c u s tom i z e d s of t wa re for inventor y management and reservations and have introduced hand held mini scanners which make the check in process faster and hassle free for guests. Other introduction was an iPad based inroom technology is called Oberoi E’nhance which helps guest navigate lighting and temperature control, door camera with facility to open the door remotely, Food and Beverage promotions/spa facilities, real time viewing of one’s bill and more. Thakur adds that “guests of Marriott hotels across India can use a mobile app in their smartphone to check into the
Vice President and General Manager, The Oberoi Bangalore
,,
hotel before arriving or use it for room service too. Technology has become an integral part of room designs too. Our rooms come equipped with interactive gadgets that allow guests to communicate with the hotel staff. A guest can control light and temperature settings according to his preference by the touch of a button today. Technology has seen its way into almost every function of the hospitality industry – from the way we order and monitor ingredients to tracking the performance and training of the staff”.
The year ahead
For 2014, Kanwar says “ The main focus for 2014 would be on the consumer. The world is changing and emphasis is being laid on the consumer led brand focus programs which revolve
around several interactions of the consumer and the brand. T he cha llenge would be to bu i ld on t he e x p er imenta l dimension of the consumer which in turn would define a successful brand. The domestic market has also seen an increase in travel – emphasis would also be laid on understanding the Indian traveller. Developments which we are looking at would revolve around how the brand can differentiate its offerings from the competition hotels and ensuring that there is consistency in delivering a brand experience at a transparent price point. Our goal is to build on our loyalty program as this seems to be the key differentiator for today’s informative consumer ”. Our prime focus is on the existing property as we would like to maximize on every opportunity. He nd r ia n says t hat T he Leela has been “an iconic hotel in India and Bengaluru, we are positioned as luxury at its best. We have managed to maintain the leadership in the hotel business in Bengaluru and will continue to work hard to sustain and grow it further. We are adding 90 Branded residences called the Leela Residences adjoining the Hotel. Additionally we have signed a management agreement with Bhartiya City where we are opening a 300 bedroom hotel close to the Airport with branded residences as well. This will be functional in 2015.” Thakur, ends on a positive note, saying that Bengaluru is an extremely friendly market for setting up a hotel business. Apart from factors such as consumer mix and a multi-cultured audience, Bengaluru presents to the industry a consistent business rate which is very strong. As a result of this, the gross operating profit of a hotel here is high, thereby making it a successful business. ■ by PRIYAANKA BERRY
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 17
INTERVIEW F&B
Plain speaking with Saeed Shervani:
The Smallies are left to fend for themselves In a candid interview Saeed Shervani, President FHRAI talks of the apathetic conditions of India’s tourism and hospitality sector and voices concerns to encourage growth and support the mid segment hotels and the need to recognize the importance of domestic travellers so as to reach India’s true potential as a tourism leader.
I
n changing industry dynamics where profitability and business sentiment is down and supply is booming, what role is FHRAI playing within the industry?
FHRAI from time to time, over the past 60 years, has been saying that this is one industry which has the potential to be the highest earner for India in all respects. For instance, when it comes to generating employment, for every 10 lakh rupees spent we generate 73 jobs in contrast to only 43 jobs generated in the manufacturing industry. Additionally, majority of the staff employed, such as cafeteria supervisors, waiters at banquets or people behind the counter are all skilled staff and they do not need to be highly educated. Cooking is an art, you need not be an MBA to be a good chef, however you have to be skilled and trained. There is immense potential for employment in tourism. And yet even in 2013 we are only doing 6 million foreign tourists, when countries around us have touched 25-28 million tourist arrivals.
Saeed Shervani President FHRAI
I feel as a country we did not give this sector enough importance. We have oceans, mountain, desserts, beaches, history, culture, spirituality; we have so many products yet we did not capitalise on this. Unless India starts thinking on tourism, developing skill and facilities for all travellers, we will not reach our potential.
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18 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
[
T
hen what went wrong?
I feel as a country we did not give this sector enough importance. We have oceans, mountain, desserts, beaches, history, culture, spirituality; we have so many products yet we did not capitalise on this. The reason being that tourism cannot be the business of only one individual or ministry; it has to become the business of India. Unless India starts thinking on tourism, developing skill and facilities for all travellers, we will not reach our potential. If you are welcoming people from other countries or even from other states into your state then you need to be welcoming and friendly.
S
o in which way are we not welcoming enough?
The public facilities, local transport; stand in line to get a train ticket, guidance and help and safety. Where are we welcoming? Just inside a 5-Star hotel where you get a tilak where only a few high-end travellers visit. If you walk around the city do you get the same kind of welcome or hygiene? Inside hotels are the saviours of the tourism industry in India.
ONLY FIVE STAR DELUXE PROPERTIES WILL QUALIFY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE LIST WITH PROJECT COST OF OVER 200 CRORE, WHEN 80% OF INDIA REQUIRES BUDGET AND MID-SEGMENT HOTELS. SO WHY ARE LARGER AND LARGER CONCESSIONS BEING MADE AVAILABLE ONLY TO BIGGER PROJECTS AND NOT TO SMALLER PROJECTS? THE LEADERS OF INDUSTRY, WHO TOOK THE LEADERSHIP OF FHRAI SHOULD HAVE SAT AND TALKED ABOUT NOT THE LARGE GUYS BUT THE SMALL GUYS ALSO.
INTERVIEW Was it not for the hotels, be it the 2, 3 or 5-Stars, it would be a completely different scenario. They have helped tourism to continue to the extent that it has due to their professionalism and the standards that they have set. The other trend one has to look at is the excessive focus on getting foreign tourists. In the 60’s we talked about foreign tourists and foreign exchange earnings. Today in 2013, we have ignored totally the 1,400 million domestic tourists that we want in 2017. We have already touched 600 million domestic tourists and yet no one talks of domestic tourism. I firmly believe that for tourism to become what it can become in India and for it to take its true place as a tourism hospitality leader in the world, India needs to get its act right. It has to become everyone’s business and there have to cheaper loans available for mid-segment and budget hotels, tourism friendly policies, cheaper taxation and overall improvement in infrastructure and travel within India.
W
hat is FHRAI doing about all of this?
[
FHRAI has an annual convention where it calls not only hoteliers from all over but also policy makers and talks to them. There are discussions and seminars and we then present resolutions to them to take into action. During the course of the year, FHRAI also meets various ministries and tries to become part of policy making by involving ourselves. We are four regions – north, south, east and west and each region has its own association and at the regional level they take up matters where the region is concerned with respective Chief Ministers. The problem arises in our federal structure. The centre has a few things in its hand but majority of everything that needs to be done falls within the State. And here, each state has its own political party, different taxes and different laws. And we now need to move at a state level. What FHRAI did was very instrumental in making and joining FAITH (Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism and Hospitality). We are founder members of FAITH which is 11 travel and trade and hospitality associations that have gotten together and I think it was much needed. FAITH talks about tourism in India on one collective platform and addresses common concerns.
A
re you moving state-wise with your agenda?
On FAITH, yes. It is arranging meetings
EVEN IN 2013 WE ARE ONLY DOING 6 MILLION FOREIGN TOURISTS, WHEN COUNTRIES AROUND US HAVE TOUCHED 25-28 MILLION TOURIST ARRIVALS. THEN WHAT WENT WRONG? I FEEL AS A COUNTRY WE DID NOT GIVE THIS SECTOR ENOUGH IMPORTANCE. TOURISM CANNOT BE THE BUSINESS OF ONLY ONE INDIVIDUAL OR MINISTRY; IT HAS TO BECOME THE BUSINESS OF INDIA.
between local tour operators and stakeholders with the local government to address issues on ground. I feel it takes time, but we are on the right track.
I
s there certain amount of dilution due to multiplicity of organizations such as HAI within the industry?
Absolutely, I have been a member of FHRAI for 30 years and to me it was a mistake that FHRAI and HAI got divided. I feel that FHRAI is the Aam Admi Party of the hotel industry and HAI is the rich people’s gang. FHRAI consists of the masses and HAI consists of the classes. They are a very important part. All HAI members are FHRAI members because the numbers lie with FHRAI and of the 4,000 members of FHRAI, 75-80% are single hoteliers below 100 rooms. So you want to use the numbers but
get things done only for the upmarket. As president of FHRAI, I owe it to the mid market and budget segment to highlight their concerns. For the first time there is a voice of smaller hoteliers in FHRAI. While we respect what the Tajs and the ITCs have done and we look up to them for their standards and operations and we have a lot to learn from them, on the other hand, they when excepting the leadership of the industry, one must speak for everyone and not only a certain segment.
W
hat do you see, as you talked to the bigger chains, has been their contribution to the industry at large?
There was a question asked at an FHRAI convention on who is the greatest hotelier in India and people spoke, MS Oberoi and Ajit Kerkar, and no doubt they have been great hoteliers because they achieved wonders January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 19
INTERVIEW for the growth of their companies but my question is what did they do for the hotel industry? They did for their company and their chain. The only person who worked for the industry was Ram Pershad. Somewhere we fail to represent the 1, 2, 3 Star hotels properly and the stand alone restaurants but the irony is that instead of them breaking up and forming an association, the rich guys formed another association. So now the rich guys head both FHRAI and HAI. Secondly, we talk about 600 million domestic tourism and only 6 million foreign tourists, and the total number of rooms that are members of FHRAI are 1,80,000. When Dubai which talks of 12 million foreign tourists has 2,00,000 hotel rooms and China with 60 million tourism has 12 lakh rooms, so where do these 600 million domestic tourists stay with only approximately 1.8 lakh rooms. On looking deeper, we found that India has 25 lakh hotel rooms which are not branded, or classified and some not even licensed. It is important to get them accounted for. But they don’t want to get into the tedious work of getting licences and taxations. In Delhi, why is it that hotels in Aerocity are struggling to get licences while just across the street 50-60 guest houses are operating with probably no licences and therefore no regulations?
W
hat about classification?
When it comes to classification, the norms are so stringent today. The fact of the matter is maybe the 1, 2 or 3 star hotels need classification. But if you are staying at Ginger, Taj or Vivanta then you know what to expect. For example, if you looking for a cheaper accommodation you can head to an ibis. But ibis does not need to say that it is 3-Star. Sheraton doesn’t have to say it is a 5-Star. But let’s say there
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I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF FHRAI FOR 30 YEARS AND TO ME IT WAS A MISTAKE THAT FHRAI AND HAI GOT DIVIDED. TODAY, FHRAI IS THE AAM ADMI PARTY OF THE HOTEL INDUSTRY AND HAI IS THE RICH PEOPLE’S GANG.
20 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
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needs to be some classification. What we need to analyse is if it has been achieved and has it been positive? Some states are saying that if you are a 5-Star, you pay a high minimum wage than a 3-Star property. Isn’t that a deterrent? Why will I get myself a 5-Star classification? License fees in Rajasthan have been linked similarly, a 5-Star property expects to pay more. If I apply for 3-Star classification, I will get it even if I have additional facilities that also qualify me as a 5-Star.
W
hat are you views with regard to infrastructure status for the industry? Your comments on the infrastructure list, where only ` 200 crore or more projects qualify?
Today I get a loan at 14% average interest for a 3-Star hotel which will cost about 25-30 lakh rupees per room. For a 50 room mid segment property, it costs about 50 crore (without taking into account the land cost). When I borrow money at 14%, I get 8 years to repay. It takes 2-3 years to build and so within 5 years of operation I have to repay the money. While on the other hand, developments with a project cost of more than 200 crore, get infrastructure status. These are mainly luxury 200 plus room properties. These projects are entitled to get foreign loans at 6% and the payback time is 20 years. But why is the restriction set at 200 crore? Here only five star deluxe properties will qualify when 80% of India requires budget and mid-segment hotels when it comes to both domestic and foreign tourists. So why are larger and larger concessions being made available only to bigger projects and not to smaller projects? The leaders of industry, who took the leadership of FHRAI should have sat and talked about not the large guys but the small guys also. They got things for the large guys and when the small guys started making noises, then they said make a separate organization, we don’t need them.
H
ow are you addressing this?
I have already met the Secretary Revenue and explained the situation. But I find that some times senior officials only think big, they only stay in luxury hotels and so they talk only about 2,000 crore projects. They are disinterested in discussing smaller projects. Also I am championing the importance of boosting domestic tourism. When we travel to another state, we are also a tourist. Majority of these
INSIDE HOTELS ARE THE SAVIOURS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN INDIA. WHERE ELSE IN THE CITY DO YOU FIND THE SAME KIND OF WELCOME AND HYGIENE.
domestic travellers are looking for economical accommodation with clean bedding. But we as a country also have to motivate people to travel within the country by providing good stay options, go easy on taxation and reduce cost of domestic travel. If you know 1,400 million people will travel domestically in 2017, so we must encourage these numbers. For instance if 100 people are travelling and you are taking `5 from them as taxation, you will make `500; if 1,400 people are travelling and you take 1rupee from them, you will still make `1,400, which is almost three times more. Go for the volume and less taxation. Companies can also make a provision for leave travel and the leave travel money can be exempt from taxation. I am sure this will motivate the young to travel and explore their own country. We are a country where business cannot be done in isolation. Business has to attract social, corporate responsibility. We are two India’s. We need to give jobs so we need to create them.
L
astly, how would you sum up your immediate concerns?
We need to focus on the smaller and budget hotels; we need to have policies that will help their growth. Once we do that we will get volumes both in foreign and domestic tourists because the volumes do not come in 300 dollar and above hotels. To improve the standards of these places we need training programmes. Small hoteliers need to know that a simple thing the guest is looking for is clean rooms, functional bathrooms and security. Other than that, the rest is frills and you can offer that based on your budget. As a country, India has to be more tourism friendly. We have to be taught better civic sense and there should be efforts to promote on a regional level, such as with short advertising on regional channels. ■ by PRIYAANKA BERRY
INTERVIEW
‘We see growth in cities other than the metropolitans’ Started with only half a dozen properties in India in 2007, Best Western India has come a long way. It is today one of the largest international hotel chains in India in the mid-market segment with 52 hotels in operation and under development. Sudhir Sinha, President and Chief Operating Officer, Best Western India talks to HotelScapes on the journey and how the year 2013 was for them.
W
hat challenges did Best Western face during the journey till now and how did you overcome the same?
Best Western India is the only chain in the country that targeted the mid market segment. We are essentially a Franchising Hotel Chain. It was difficult initially to explain new hoteliers about the brand. With more than 50 hotels today the growth has been great. We look forward to reaching our target of 100 hotels within the targeted timeframe.
A
ccording to you, what is the current scenario of the midmarket hotel segment in India?
Sudhir Sinha
President and Chief Operating Officer Best Western India
Destinations like Gurgaon, Bengaluru have not done relatively as good due to enhanced supply in these cities. Even as the hospitality industry waits for Government initiatives, the industry has taken its own initiatives.
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22 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
As mentioned earlier we were one of the first international chains to target the mid market segment in India, especially in tier 2 and tier 3 towns. Most of our hotels in tier 2 and 3 have done well like Amritsar, Zeerakpur, Lucknow, Vishakhapatnam, Surat etc. Destinations like Gurgaon, Bengaluru have not done relatively as good due to enhanced supply in these cities. Even as the hospitality industry waits for Government initiatives, the industry has taken its own initiatives adding to the growth of hospitality sector in India to meet the demand for rooms in the country, especially in the tier 2 and 3 cities. As a result several new mid market hotels have opened across the country. Since Best Western is primarily a mid market hotel chain it has benefitted hugely and as a result it has grown exponentially over the last 7 years.
W
hat are the marketing and distribution strategies of Best
Western Hotels in India?
Brand awareness and individual hotel requirements for the discerning Indian traveller.
H
ow has 2013 been for Best Western Hotels? And what are you planning for the coming year?
As Best Western in India we have been able to achieve many milestones. In fact November-December 2013 has been the most significant since we have managed to cross the milestone of 50 hotels. The economy due to various factors has been sluggish and that has not done well for the hospitality sector. The discerning Indian corporate and leisure traveller is looking for more and more budget cuts. We expect the business environment to become robust again in 2014. Post elections we see this pace increasing.
W
hat is the niche that you are trying to capture? Where is the competition coming from and how is business looking up in this segment?
We cater to not just the mid market hotels but our Brand descriptors like Best Western Plus (for 4 star Hotels) and Best Western Premier (for 5 star Hotels) give us a larger footprint in the market.
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n your perspective, how is the market performing across the country?
We see the growth in cities other than metropolitan cities. ■ by NIKITA CHOPRA
INTERVIEW F&B
Gopal Rao – on guests and their evolving needs Business travel is a critical and lucrative avenue for business for city hotels. With business travel growing with no off season, it is interesting to note how hotels are investing time and effort into understanding their business travellers better. Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, recently undertook a global research on Business Meetings in a Modern World. The report gauged more than 2,000 business men and women across five major markets – the UK, US, United Arab Emirates (UAE), China and India. The objective was to better understand how business professionals are using both virtual and face-to-face meetings and the possible economic impact. We speak with Gopal Rao, Regional Vice President, Sales & Marketing, South West Asia to learn more on this initiative and the results generated.
W
hat motivated you initiate such a research?
At Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, we aim to provide the tools and facilities to empower our guests to reach their business goals. We know that in an increasingly digital world, it is often considered more convenient to communicate with business associates via virtual means such as email, telephone and Skype. Although these types of meetings are certainly useful and can save time, there are occasions when there is no replacement for looking into the ‘whites of the eyes’ of a business associate. Our aim was to better understand how face-to-face meetings are important for establishing and maintaining business relationships and how the rise of new technologies can complement this. As experts in meetings, we want to help our corporate and business clients identify the best meeting format to help them be most effective and give them guidance on maximising the potential of meetings, whether virtual or face-to-face.
H
ow will the results help you better serve your guests?
Gopal Rao
Regional Vice President, Sales & Marketing, South West Asia
Our aim was to better understand how face-to-face meetings are important for establishing and maintaining business relationships.
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24 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
At I HG we have sp e nt a lot of t i me listening to our guests and understanding their evolving needs. this global research contributes to IHG’s focus on innovating and building its preferred brands, its talented people and its best in class delivery systems, all underpinned by its responsible business practices, to deliver great hotels guests love.
A
part from this research, please share other ways in which you try and understand your guests better.
We offer premium accommodation designed for the ‘new school business traveller’. They are high achieving and self-sufficient professionals and are well on their way in climbing the ladder of success. Gaining from the 30 years’ experience and hotels in more than 65 countries, we understand the needs of today’s new school business traveller and how vital it is to make every meeting as productive and effective as it can be. We provide services and features that enable guests to enhance their productivity giving them a performance edge to drive their business goals. We put guests back in the driver’s seat with greater control over their hotel experience. Whether it is an organized conference with hundreds of attendees, or a casual face-to-face meeting of business colleagues or a virtual conference call, we offer facilities and services that maximize meeting potential for us.
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nyway post this research will you change or alter the work style at Crowne Plaza Hotels, such as encourage more face to face meetings?
It is true that nowadays companies prefer communicating virtually because most of the time there is no choice due to the distance and time constraints. However, the impact of face-to-face communication is undoubtedly much stronger. Here we empower our guests to do both. Our highly trained Crowne Plaza Meetings Directors tailor meetings to
INTERVIEW
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
Pm
Ensure your meeting venue has the following: Comfortable chairs
Comfortable temperature
53%
59%
12%
48%
Use small talk to build trust. Popular topics are:
News and current affairs
for Meet in a professional environment maximum efficiency and productivity 1 no. the – hotel conference rooms are choice if meeting outside the office
Natural daylight
39% Pyjamas are a top clothing choice for conference calls outside of the office... and some people even take conference calls on the beach!
Meetings facilitator
6%
39%
a SECRETS ofSUCCESSFUL
Hotel conference rooms
Office board room
Meeting rooms in the office
54%
Eye contact is the top non-verbal indicator of a positive meeting
sunday
Meet in the morning at the start of the week for a successful meeting
68%
74%
am
MEETING
Leave the smartphone behind – fiddling with smartphones voted one of the top meeting nuisances
Use social media platforms to research a business associate before a meeting
Weather
53%
69%
43%
Facebook 48%
Social media
Industry news
24%
LinkedIn 42%
WeChat 40%
45%
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WE BELIEVE IN ALWAYS LEARNING GIVEN THE CHANGING AND EVOLVING NATURE OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT WE OPERATE UNDER. AS IT HELPS US TO SERVE OUR GUESTS BETTER AND HELPS US UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW THEY MAKE CHOICES WHILE SELECTING A HOTEL.
SOME OF THE INTERESTING FINDINGS FROM THE GLOBAL SURVEY REVEAL: Business men and women worldwide attend more face-to-face and virtual meetings than they did 10 years ago – the biggest increase seen for virtual meetings l
Starting a new business relationship (57%), finalising a deal (54%) and contract negotiation (53%) are the top subjects respondents prefer to discuss face-to-face l
53% of respondents believe that connecting with a business associate on social media can help them develop a stronger and more trusted relationship. Facebook came out more popular than the business networking website LinkedIn, with 48% saying they had used Facebook and 42% had looked at an associate’s LinkedIn page l
Small talk is recognised as a good business meeting tool, with the average meeting starting with about 7.5 minutes of light-hearted conversation l
The UK & the US spend the first few minutes of a meeting discussing the weather, as opposed to news and current affairs, which is the main topic of conversation in China (64%), India (59%) and the UAE (49%) l
individual needs, whether physical or virtual, to ensure they are set up for success.
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re you going to do more such research? Was it worth the investment?
We believe in always learning and r e s ea rc h i ng , g ive n t he c ha ng i ng and evolving nature of the business environment we operate under. As it helps us to serve our guests better and helps us understand better how they make choices while selecting a hotel. We believe that meetings are the currency of today’s business world. Whether an organized conference with hundreds of attendees, a casual face-to-face meeting of business colleagues or a virtual conference call, we offer facilities and services for all these instances that maximize meeting potential and help guests achieve career success. ■ January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 25
INTERVIEW
A rise of trained skills in hospitality – Mark Callaghan WorldSkills International provides a unique means of exchange and comparison of world-class competency standards in the industrial trades and service sectors. HotelScapes meets the CEO of WorldSkills Competition in New Delhi and asks him about the importance of having trained skills in a sector like Restaurant Service and its scope in India.
W
ith a skill like Restaurant Service, hospitality sector has become niche with the segregation of specializations. To what extend do you think it helps in carving the best out of people?
Mark Callaghan
CEO, WorldSkills Competition
Restaurant service is very important for the future of Indian tourism and its hospitality industry. It will help develop a service ethos and is essential to ensure excellent and consistent service. This will develop a good reputation for India’s service industry.
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26 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
In the hospitality industry it is good to have skills in many areas – to only concentrate on one specialisation will limit your future capability and opportunity as employers have high expectations looking for staff with a broad base knowledge and skills. In Australia most students/workers in industry diversify their training in hospitality and specialise in many areas over the course of their career. This is what we see in Restaurant Service. Students/workers may begin in an a la carte restaurant or café with basic skills, they may work to a supervisory position, then move to a restaurant that is renowned for more up market food or fine dining and get more experience, from there they may then move to specialising in wine as a sommelier or improve their skills as a barista. This experience is beneficial as it provides progression in the industry to managerial positions due to their experience; it is also beneficial for the industry as it provides employers with multi skilled professionals.
V
ocational studies are still an alien concept in India. People here go for degrees. What according to you is important if one is doing a specialization in Restaurant services?
The most important aspect of specialising in Restaurant Service or Hospitality in general is that Vocational Education and Training (VET) offers you the practical and theoretical experience to be able to work in
the Hospitality Industry immediately. To study a degree does not give you the hands on experience required in the industry. In fact, most managers and general managers will have started out as a waiter, chef or front office manager, and these make the best managers as they have experienced first-hand what the life is in Hospitality – weekends, nights and long hours is all about. This is something you cannot train for. Most managers once they have the experience in Industry from their vocational studies will then return to education at University to enable them to move to higher positions like General Manger or CEO. Interestingly, in Australia we are finding that increasingly, those who have completed a degree in any discipline are returning to VET to gain practical experience in order to make them more employable.
T
he evolution of hospitality sector can be seen with the number of competitions organised world over like that of World Skills Competition. How is it helping the hospitality industry?
The competitions set a standard around the world. Whether it is WorldSkills or Michelin Star ratings in different countries, we are benchmarking standards across the world to ensure the best standard is similar across all countries regardless of culture or traditions. The competitions also ensure more communication, sharing of ideas and working together with different cultures in food and service. The competitions allow those competing to take their experiences back to their country to implement changes, become more competitive and improve standards. So no matter where people travel they should be able to experience consistent and excellent service.
INTERVIEW
W
hat scope does Restaurant Services hold in a country like India?
As with all countries, it is very important for the future of Indian tourism and its hospitality industry. It will help develop a service ethos and is essential to ensure excellent and consistent service. This will develop a good reputation for India’s service industry which, in turn, ensures return/repeat business.
P
lease suggest some tips and tricks for someone who is going for Restaurant Service?
You must love what you do. You should have passion for the Industry as there are long hours, weekends and nights but it is a rewarding and a very passionate industry that can take you around the world for work. Also you must be a ‘people person’. The best tips are to love what you do, be proud of what you do, always aim to learn more and share your knowledge with the rest of your team to ensure at the end of the day that the customer has the best dining and service experience. ■ by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 27
TRENDS
Looking distinct in effective yet functional uniforms
Taj Mahal Hotel uniform
28 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
The Imperial Spa uniform
TRENDS
In the hospitality business, more than anything, it is the first impression that counts. Pleasing and presentable staff will catch the eyeballs of the guests instantly. In a sense, what you wear is who you are in this business. In the last issue, we brought you an inside story of the importance of front-desk. In this issue, again, understanding the sensitive issues of hospitality, we talked to few hotels on the importance of uniforms and its pivotal role in creating an everlasting impression.
I
mportant of ensuring right uniform
Assigning the right uniform not only keeps up the professional image, but it also benefits the staff by uniting them as a team and thus improving their performance. The design of uniforms is crucial since it is the first impression and interface for a guest as he walks into the lobby of a hotel, Bhavna Mehta, Director of Public Relations, The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi says “the uniform is as much a part of our brand identity as our logo and our promise of timeless hospitality. It is a reflection of our ethos and value system. The rich detailing in the uniform reflects traditionalism yet blend with the brand spirit, work culture, weather, our unmatched and distinguished location, luxury and warmth, and our promise of offering only the best to our patrons.’’ Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is committed to give back to the community in which they operate as also to preserving and reviving forgotten traditions. “To spearhead the revival of the art of master weaving and thus become custodians of this dying art and as a part of its initiatives of providing sustainable livelihoods, it has extended support to the master weavers of Benares. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces coined the idea of using handloom saris as uniforms across all their Taj luxury properties’’, she adds. At Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre the hotel’s ambassador uniform is an important component that drives their personal experience. According to Rakesh Barot, Assistant Executive Housekeeper, Renaissance, “in addition to living and breathing our brand, each ambassador is also a direct representation of our brand. Once we’ve hired the best talent, it’s important to make sure they receive a uniform that will help them look good. The uniforms have been designed to make our ambassadors not only look good, but also feel confident as they deliver a lifestyle experience to each of our guests. Renaissance aspires to deliver lifestyle experiences, and our ambassadors are the face of this experience. Representing the R Image style is a critical component to success for all of us,
and that starts with the right wardrobe, perfectly fitted and tailored.’’ “Imagine being greeted by a wide welcoming smile and letting your eyes glance down to a crisp white collar and an attractive tie’’, comments Garima Nagpal, Executive Housekeeper, The Imperial New Delhi. “It makes one feel that if the staff is so happy with their own person/outlook, they will ensure they create an environment full of elegance and grace. The walk of the GRE down the corridor lined with art and pictures of bygone days is hi-lighted by the pure beauty of her saree. There is no need for a ramp. The shining floor reflects the vibrant colours of the saree and casts a spell on the beholder”, she continues. The effervescent, ebullient very personable, one of her kind housekeepers, revels in creating a presence in all staff which draws appreciative glances from all the guests visiting The Imperial. At Sun-n-Sand, the right combination is a must in order to enhance the décor of the environment and build an image identity. “A good uniform always makes the staff feel positive which reflects on their work. The fabric is decided based upon the décor and environment of the area in which the team members work. The designs are created with a view to be user-friendly so that utmost mobility and comfort is experienced by the Team member”, explains Madhavi Dalvie Executive Housekeeper (Corporate), Sun n Sand.
Bhavna Mehta
Director of Public Relations The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi
To spearhead the revival of art we coined the idea of using handloom saris as uniforms across all their Taj luxury properties.
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Uniforms connecting with brand identity
Mehta says “all our employees are the ambassadors of our hotel. The uniforms at Taj Mahal, New Delhi reflect luxury and elegance that form our brand ethos. Uniforms reveal a tremendous amount about the brand essence and communicate an image of professionalism and reliability.” She adds “going by our beliefs that luxury, much like tradition, needs to be preserved and nurtured, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces use handloom sarees as uniforms across all their properties. We have consistently worked towards the cause of promoting rural arts and artisans. In continuation of this endeavour and as a part of the
Rakesh Barot
Assistant Executive Housekeeper Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre
The uniforms make our ambassadors not only look good, but also feel confident as they deliver a lifestyle experience to each of our guests.
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January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 29
TRENDS
Garima Nagpal
Executive Housekeeper The Imperial New Delhi
The walk of the GRE down the corridor lined with art and pictures of bygone days is hi lighted by the pure beauty of her saree.
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Madhavi Dalvie
Executive Housekeeper (Corporate), Sun n Sand
The fabric is decided based upon the décor and environment of the area in which the team members work.
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30 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
initiative for providing sustainable livelihoods, Taj extends its support to the master weavers of Benaras.” At Renaissance, they take pride in their appearance. For them it’s not just a uniform; it also communicates a look and style that is Renaissance. “Uniform options are plentiful within a specific category, allowing ambassadors to customize their look a bit more, mixing and matching the various elements of the position-specific selection. The garments in these collections feature richly layered details and embellishment that bring our brand core values to life”, explains Barot. Elaborating on creating a brand identity through uniform Dalvie says “the team members are the face of the hotel and come in contact with the guest face to face. It enhances their personality and portrays the brand standards, giving it a very ornate feel.”
Variations in the uniform
It is also very important to make sure that the uniforms allow guests to identify staff members according to their responsibilities. Allotting right uniform for various designations is crucial. Mehta says “ The uniforms differ with the area of operation, that is, housekeeping associates servicing the rooms have shift across many hours, it is highly labour intensive and hence they want comfort, odour free, vents for perspiration and breathable fabric. We have one design for gentleman staff and two designs for lady staff which is traditional yet smart and luxurious. Also in addition to this, there are enhanced elements like the matching jewellery, silk pouches for them to carry their mobiles etc. For the staff at spa, we look at uniforms which are comfortable and soothing. Also, we believe in high grooming with enhanced elements like flower, make-up and neat hair. It just adds to the overall appeal.” Briefly explaining about the different variations of uniforms at Renaissance, Barot says “as a lifestyle brand we want to continuously evolve and stay relevant, our vision for the design is to bring individuality to life. There are many variation in the uniform designs across the carious operational departments but what remains constant is that the designs are crisp and chic.” Explaining Imperial’s initiative to ensure right uniform for various positions Nagpal explains “the spa uniforms with its subtle design twining down the back of the masseurs are designed to almost replicate the seve. Chakras gives an embodiment of spirituality to the aroma scented, environs of the elegant spa. Our property has been doing
various innovations in uniforms time and again keeping up with the standards and likelihood of the guests for specific attire, be it public areas in the hotel, security or front office. The Executive Housekeeper has been deeply involved in understanding and researching the textures, patterns, styling and colours while implementing a look for a specific area or bringing a change in the existing uniforms. All these factors are put to action in sync with our standards and at last it does leave an impact.” At Sun n Sand the variations in uniforms depend upon fabric textures, designs, colours, keeping in mind the theme of the area, the different departments of the hotel and their utility value.
The Designers
It seems like hotels are taking pains in designing their uniforms as they now hire top class designers to ensure the spiffiness. With plethora of hotels launching everywhere, brand image has become ever more important and are looking for differentiation. Krishnan says “our uniforms have been designed under the able guidance and judicious aegis, complimented with fresh and innovative ideas, techniques, styling and designing of Hemant Kaushik, Ritu Beri, Ritu Kumar and Jay Ramrakhiani. Based on the theme of love and taking inspiration from the staff’s admiration for the iconic hotel, Mumbai-based leading designer Jay Ramrakhiani has infused life into the uniforms by adapting three unique designs with three distinct borders. Reusing the vibrant colours that embody the spirit of love, Taj uniforms have been painstakingly created in burnt sienna (warp) and fresh sienna (weft) complimented by a navy woven border. These new vibrant uniforms have been created in the magical weave of Benares.’’ Renaissance has partnered with Cintas and TwinHill to develop two dedicated Renaissance uniform programs. Each of these programs provides hotels with a great selection of quality fashion forward garments. Payal Jain has designed the uniforms for the Imperial. “At Sun-n-Sand, uniforms are designed in collaboration with the Executive Housekeeper (Corporate) and the Sr. Vice President and the same is approved by the Managing Director and Sangeeta Manchramani (Interior Designer – Hotel) after designing at least 3 to 4 different combinations for their approval”, explains Dalvie. ■ by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI
GM SPEAK
Change of guard at Leela Bengaluru comes with zest to learn and experiment The Leela Palace Bangalore welcomes this month their new General Manager, Kunal Chauhan. Moving in from Resident Manager at The Leela Palace New Delhi, Kunal is set to take over the managing of the property at only 34 years of age. Oozing energy and with over 13 years of hospitality experience he is eager to contribute and to establish his property is the most premium and exceptional choice of business hotel in Bengaluru.
Y
ou must be one of the younger GMs to assume the role of a deluxe 5 star hotel GM, what fresh perspective will you be bringing in?
I think I bring with me a lot of energy, humbleness, determination and most importantly immense zest to learn and experiment. I also believe that my strength lies in bonding everybody in my team with each other, me being a team player myself.
B
eing young, also means less experience, what is your impression?
I have had the pleasure of working with some of the finest and most acclaimed leaders of hospitality industry thereby contributing to my extensive discipline, training and exposure over the years which has ultimately prepared and groomed me to accept this challenging opportunity. I would prefer to fly with a pilot who has experience in flying hours and not just look at his age.
B Kunal Chauhan
General Manager, Leela Palace Bangalore
More than being a tough market, the city of Bengaluru is a mature market. People in this city understand and appreciate quality, luxury and service.
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32 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
angalore is a tough market and The Leela is comparatively one of the older properties. There is much newer capacity in the city. What is the kind of niche that you are going to work towards?
More than being a tough market, the city of Bengaluru is a mature market. People in this city understand and appreciate quality, luxury and service. The Leela Bangalore over the years has established itself as the landmark in Bengaluru offering unmatched product and service. With its palatial architecture, the Leela Palace Bangalore stands majestically amongst seven acres of
lush green gardens. Here you will find warm, impeccably trained staff anticipating and attending to the finer details of our guests. We will continue to be a brand which believes in nothing but the best. We will continue to keep up with the changing technology and nuances and the recent makeover of the buzzing new Citrus and the soon to be opened – Le Cirque Signature is a testimony of The Leela’s finest standards of its offerings for it discerning guests.
B
angalore as a city, no longer has a centre, it has sprawled on all sides, so how do you ensure your share?
B angalore is the fastest growing city in
India. The city’s geographic boundaries have extended atleast to 35% - 40% in the last 7 years. The growth is particularly due to major IT, Banking, Pharma, manufacturing industries etc. mushrooming in the city. Areas like Sarjapur, Whitefield, Electronic City, Peenya, International Airport have turned into business districts. This growth has triggered increase in business travellers into the city, thereby increasing the demand for hotels. More demand means, more inventory of rooms and due this more than 9 five star hotels were opened in the last two years which have added fresh inventory to the city. Inspite of this enormous growth in the city and competition, The Leela Palace Bangalore still enjoys location advantage su r rou nde d by compa n ies l i ke Intel, Thomson Reuters, Accenture, IBM, Cisco among many others which have heavy travel into the city. The hotel has also sustained its positioning and charm and is still the most preferred choice by the corporate honchos,
GM SPEAK
Head of the states and Celebrities. Also, the added advantage is that this is the only palace hotel of Bangalore and is a neighbour to the Hindustan Aeronautic Limited and also to the HAL airport where most private choppers land.
W
hat are the top 3 trends in the hospitality industry?
C urrently, it is taking luxury to a whole
new height, offering unsurpassed level of service and attention to guest detail. For instance, a guest staying for say about 4 days
QUICK QUESTIONS: Best part of your day is: when I meet my happy guests l Essential qualities in a good GM are: to gel well and work with your team, to know your guest and to have the spirit to improve each day l
The best thing about my hotel is: The product itself is so magnificent that it leaves you mesmerized l When faced with a difficult guest, one must: Listen and understand the guest’s requirement. No guest is difficult, just that they are particular about what they want as rightly so because we are in the business of service where we must treat our guest as God. l A successful hotel needs: Commitment, hard-work, detailing and the desire to improve each day l
consumes apples alone and has left all other fruits untouched for the first two days, the housekeeping is trained to pay attention to these details and make note of the same and ensures a basket full of apples alone are replaced on third day with a letter mentioning the same and the same is updated in the guest’s profile so as to ensure the same turn down amenities are placed in his room. O t he r a sp e c t i s con s t a nt pro duc t innovation and offerings. Various innovative channels of distribution, ease of making and tracking a booking whether it is a fully loaded apps on your android, apple or windows hand phones or any other web based channels, trendy gadgets like a E-Menus on I pads in the restaurants, free Wi-Fi in the fleet of cars making it easy for guests to respond to urgent and important emails after a long flight on their way to the hotel. Lastly I believe it is critical to offer world class food and beverage options, for instance, our newest restaurant – Citrus which is just back from a magnificent makeover built on “Theatre of Food” concept offering more than 11 international cuisines, two interactive live kitchens, Rotteserie Grills and much more. In addition we have Jamavar, an Indian specialty fine dining restaurant, a pan-Asian restaurant – Zen and the Library Bar and Lounge which is popular for Single Malts, Martinis and Cigars.
E
arlier the GM only looked at hotel operations, but today he is an allrounder, looking at everything. There is nothing not under your purview. How do you see the evolution of the role of the GM? And what are the challenges that come along with it? I feel the addition to general manager’s role keeps it very interesting for us. It encourages us to keep our eyes and ears alert so that we can make necessary changes and sustain in this competing world. We are only as good as our last guest’s experience and hence it helps us to stay connected with the real world outside.
W
hat is your vision for the property, 5 years from now?
My vision primarily will be to see The Leela Palace Bangalore as the most premium and exceptional choice of business hotel in Bengaluru. By following the Leela Dharma, I am very certain we will be able to take our personalised service to our guests to the next level of world class luxury which will set a benchmark in the service of hospitality industry in India. Another area where I would like to focus is, controlling costs without compromising on guest experience and increasing the profitability of the unit thereby transforming the vision of our stakeholders into a reality. ■ by PRIYAANKA BERRY
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 33
SPA SPEAK
‘Right Sizing – essential for the spa profitability’ Dr. Manish Patwardhan, President of Indian Spa and Wellness Association has been in the spa and wellness industry for nearly a decade and is a one stop spa solution provider. He is also the founder of Spa Consultants and has been developing and operating spas for its clients since 2004. In conversation with HotelScapes he talked about how the spa industry in India can achieve profitability.
W
hat do the profit numbers look like for spas in hotels in India?
Spas in hotels don’t necessarily always make profits. There are a few issues faced by these spa operators which need to be taken care of. Variable occupancy is one such issue as they have to face low occupancy in lean seasons. Lack of support from hotel owners/operators in promoting the spa during MICE is also a reason why they don’t make profit. Human resource has always been an issue with the spa industry and having unprofessional and unreliable staff is a problem. Many areas in our country have high taxation which makes the spa services costly.
W
hat are the challenges of setting up profitable spas in India?
Dr. Manish Patwardhan President of Indian Spa and Wellness Association
Spas in hotels don’t necessarily always make profits. There are a few issues faced by these spa operators which need to be taken care of. Variable occupancy is one such issue as they have to face low occupancy in lean seasons.
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Real estate is one of the major costs to be faced in setting up a spa. Also, a spa needs to have a perfect location and various cities in our country lack that. Extreme shortage of professionally trained staff also becomes a huge challenge for the industry along with high marketing costs. The spa business still doesn’t have an industry status and being in this profession is seen as a taboo in today’s fast growing world too. This is the reason why there is lack of professionals in the industry. Also, there is high spending on start up capital which needs to be taken care of.
A
ccording to you, what are the key points to be taken care of to achieve profitability at a spa in India?
In today’s situation ‘Right Sizing’ ‘Down Sizing’ 34 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
and ‘Optimum Sizing’ of the Spa is the key to success. I can personally vouch based on my recent success stories with my clients, that this is the key to success in spa business. ‘Right Sizing’, ‘Down Sizing’ and ‘Optimum Sizing’ not only refer to the actual size of the Spa but in reality mean ‘Sizing of the Entire Business Model’.
Right sizing space:
Real Estate (Rentals) costs is a big concern today in any city in India, whether its Metros like Mumbai, Bengaluru or Delhi or Tier II cities like Indore, Nagpur and Pune. Real estate costs range from INR 50 to as high as INR 600 per. Square feet, this makes the right sizing of the Spa most important factor to consider. In a Day Spa scenario, an Optimum Spa size is wherein you can keep your rentals between 60,000 to 100,000 per month.
Right sizing area:
In a Day Spa, it is important to study the market and understand the overall prospective guest profile, their preferences in terms of Spa treatments, their spending power etc., and then decide the right size of the proposed Spa. Today, I feel it is appropriate to set up multiple right sized outlets in a city as per a suburb, rather than for 2 big outlets in a city. In a hotel or resort property, wherein there are usually 2 types of guests business and leisure and it is important to understand the global standards/ statistics in terms of expected footfalls from the
SPA SPEAK
B
y when do you think the spas in India will be able to come to a stable stage of profitability in India?
The Indian Spa and Wellness industry is growing at a massive pace of more than 35%. All the cities including Metros, tier 2 are seeing a huge surge in investments in this business. But if we look at the businesses critically we may realize though there might be huge number of spa’s opening every month in the country, there might be equal number of spa’s closing down every month as well. A lot of spas we develop are making profits as we strictly adhere to the above points. But overall the industry will start making profits once the entire industry starts understanding what it takes to make the spa profitable. I think it will take another 3 years at least to reach such a stage.
H hotel/resort occupancy from these 2 types of guests. These expected/projected footfalls will eventually decide the size of the Spa. According to me right sizing very important in the hotel/resort spa’s as the spa’s also need to become revenue centres in these properties and not loss centres. What is extremely critical to understand is that just because you decide to double the size of the spa, does not mean the business is going to double as well. As per my experience the business may increase only by 15–30%. But your expenses (both capital and operating) will surely double at least.
Right sizing ambience and design:
The spa whether Day Spa or hotel/resort spa needs to look beautiful, clean and hygienic. The spa ambience and design has to functional and not a showcase of opulence and money. Spas usually go wrong in this area; they end up spending extravagantly in this area making the capital investments beyond the reach of recovery. Right sizing in terms of spending on interiors and ambience is very important. Choosing the right materials which are easy to maintain and long lasting is also a part of right sizing of the Spa. Limiting these costs in between INR 1,500–2,000 per sq ft is extremely crucial in terms of right sizing of the spa.
Right sizing manpower:
Manpower is extremely critical for right sizing
of the operating expenses. It is very important to understand that being overstaffed or understaffed is both dangerous for business. For deciding the right sizing of the spa manpower, it is important to understand the projected utilization of the spa service stations vis-à-vis utilization of the staff and then decide the right sizing of the manpower. Instead of having staff on 2 shifts, try if you can service the same number of guests by half the number of staff by offering overtime or commissions to the staff working in 1 shift. Try giving break-shifts instead of 1 full shift by keeping minimum manpower during less busy hours and vice versa.
Right sizing products:
Understanding the facility utilization of your Day Spa or the Hotel Spa, it is necessary to allocate right sizing budgets towards Products being used in the spa treatments. Personally I see to it that I allocate the right budgets towards products keeping in mind the proposed MRP, concept of the spa and positioning of the spa. Whilst, I have been talking about right sizing, I would like to stress here that it is imperative that we don’t compromise on the experience, quality at all whilst striving for right sizing. If you are not getting a minimum 20%–30% returns on Investments, You are certainly not doing something Right, You need to go to the drawing board and seriously look at right sizing.
ow different do you think the Indian spa industry is from those in other Asian countries?
The spa industries around the world are much systemised and have proper procedures but the Indian industry lacks a lot of essential elements like, regulation, licensing and a lot more. Also, there are no standardised and uniform training programs for the professionals to learn the nuances of the industry. Guests are also not adequately aware of the spa services they are being offered. The main factor because of which the industry is lacking behind is that it is still being considered as a taboo in the country.
W
hat are the most exhausting factors in a spa in terms of expenditure?
A spa has a lot of expenses to be taken care of; some of the most exhausting factors of all are the interiors of the spa, equipments that are being used in the spa which needs to be as per the industry standards, also real estate (operating expenses) also count for huge investments. The wear and tear is also high in the spa industry which further adds to the cost.
W
hat future prospects do you see for Spa industry in India?
The future certainly looks bright; the industry is growing at a good rate of 30–40% every year. The industry will soon gets regulated so that the whole industry becomes organised and structured. We are now moving towards wellness than just towards pampering. ■ by NIKITA CHOPRA
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 35
TECHNOLOGY
Do It Yourself – Automated Technology Technology is making deep inroads in our day to day life. Today guests want speedy service, and hotel staff is called upon to respond promptly with expected standards. With guest expectations on the rise, hotel properties can no longer rely on paper records to track staff assignments, room status and guest requests. It is here that technology comes in handy. HotelScapes finds out those hotels which are making a mark in automation technology and making the guests’ stay more convenient than ever before.
T
oday hotel guests a re contempora r y travellers, tethered to tablets, smartphones and other gadgets. These techsav v y consumers desire a hospitality experience that is centred on convenience, comfort and most importance of all, swiftness. It is easier for guests to engage in automated self-service than to wait in a long queue or rely on hotel staff for everything. According to EA M Amit Sachdeva, Westin Pune Koregaon Park “services like automated wake calls and internet access are available at all hours and guests can access them in the comfort of their rooms or any public areas any time as they please. Services like room access control instill a sense of security in guests assuring them of authorized access to the residential floors. This technology also helps the hotel control disbursement of special privileges that are valid for particular floors only. Automation in the building management system ensures a homogenous guest product. Programmes like SPG ensure guests have seamless connectivity and access to their account information at the touch of a button from anywhere in the world without having to call anyone for it. Such conveniences add to the overa ll guest experience.’’ Some of the facilities
36 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
TECHNOLOGY
Amit Sachdeva
Raza Muqri
Souffian Zaeraoui
Services like room access control instill a sense of security in guests assuring them of authorized access to the residential floors. Programmes like SPG ensure guests have seamless connectivity.
With the virtual concierge app he can request for any specific service to be ready before he arrives at the hotel thus saving his time apart from our mobile app which makes the hotel reservation easier.
With the inclusion of automated services our guests feel more connected and technology helps us in delivering a true home away from home experience.
that Westin Pune provides to its guests are – Automated wake calls, room access control, DND service, guest feedback system, SPG points accreditation and redemption. According to Raza Muqri, Front Office Manager, Jaipur Marriott, “Automated technology has made the guest’ stay hassle free and easy since today guest is always on the move. One thing he does not want to worry about is hotel rooms. With our mobile app making hotel reservation has become easier. Apart from this, with the virtual concierge app he can request for any specific service to be ready before he arrives at the hotel thus saving his time. We currently have virtual concierge which is an automated service which is like a concierge on the go. You can request any service prior to checking in to the hotel which
will be ready on your arrival or at any desired time. Along with this Marriott also has a smart phone app designed which makes hotel reservation convenient. Also technology has enabled a higher level of service. To validate this further Souffian Zaeraoui, Operations Manager at Pullman Gurgaon Central Park says “With the inclusion of automated services our guests feel more connected. Technology helps us in delivering a true home away from home experience by anticipating and exceeding their requirements. Technology-friendliness boosts work-flow and in the long run, the guests’ loyalty. Also supports team members to be able to deliver great guest experience”, he quotes. Some of the options available in automation for guests at Pullman are multiple channels including i nte r ne t acce ss , te le phony,
EAM, Westin Pune Koregaon Park
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Front Office Manager, Jaipur Marriott
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Operations Manager Pullman Gurgaon Central Park
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interactive games, automated room controls, door key cards, advertising signage, way-finding display etc. “The most amazing aspect at our hotel is, Pullman Gurgaon Central Park’s Virtual Concierge iPad application is available with our guests offering them a plethora of services’’. Hotels have profited hugely with automated services in terms of convenience and faster service. “Our hotel has been able to cut down on supervision as the efficiency of security systems have improved and we have been able to deliver a consistent product due to the BMS. Easy access to SPG has ensured guests get the information they require at any time without any human intervention’’, says, Sachdeva. Muqri also says “automated technology has made it easier for hotels to maintain an effective
guest profiles which helps us immensely to give personalized service to each one of them that elevates the guest experience and helps us to get having our guest back with us.’’ On the same lines Zaeraoui says “automated technology has streamlined communications across all channels and enhanced entire guest experience with improved ser vice times, personalized assistance and quality communications.’’ Where Westin is considering various options in room and food and beverage operations to make the experience more interactive and fun for guests Jaipur Marriott is expected to launch mobile check ins next year. To enhance the guests’ convenience and service that makes check-in/out quick, convenient and effortless Pullman Gurgaon Central Park is planning to install self-service check-in/out kiosks. Though this technology has increased the efficiency, we felt automation services must have reduced the human interaction. We posed this question to these hotels, and the answer we got was contrary to what we thought. According to Sachdeva “Service automation does not pose any threat to guest interactions, they only enhance the guest experience and not replace the work done by the hotel staff. Any form of service requires a personal touch despite the level of technology adopted. Automation only complements the service and increases efficiency.’’ Elaborating on the sa me lines Muqri says “One can never replace the human element with technology, I for one don’t think that it reduces the personal interaction but hotels have to be careful to see that there is a healthy use of technology and human touch as this is the future of super service.’’ ■ by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 37
F&B
W
hy serve organic food? “Ma k i ng a comm it ment towa rds
Nutritional edge – Organic food Restaurants across the country, from high end to greasy spoon, are using organic ingredients onto their menus. Some hotels understanding the need of organic produce, are now adopting this healthier way of serving food. HotelScapes in conversation with them tries to understand the role of organic food in the present lifestyle and what’s motivating them to take this initiative. 38 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
a healthy living starts with eating healthy food”, says Kapil Vig, Food & Beverage Manager, The Lalit New Delhi. “With growing awareness about the harmful effects of chemicals used in growing vegetables, people are choosing to consume organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables,” he continues. Grand Mercure, Bangalore serves organic dishes only on request and once the guests’ order then they customize the dish according to their requirement and serve it. According to Chef Vijay David, Executive Chef, Grand Mercure, Bangalore “some guests are concerned about the health and fitness therefore they choose to have organic and healthy food. Organic food is richer in vitamin contents and other nutrients.’’ Jitender Singh, Executive Chef, Amour believes that the reason they serve organic food is that it’s majorly accepted as its more nourishing than conventional produce and since they are organically produced the taste also differ. “Since we do breakfast at Amor Bistro we use organic eggs here, wherein besides the farmed eggs we also give our guests the choice of organic options to choose from. We use fewer leaves in our salad which are organic. Also the cucumbers we use are organic because I personally love to use it. I add it wherever it is possible to. It has a great nutritional value and taste”, he adds. The Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa also strongly believe in the promotion of eco-friendly products. They actively encourage a nd prefer loca lly grown fruits and vegetables that are cultivated orga nica lly. “ We grow our ow n organic products, which is served in our restaurants. The word ‘organic’ is not just associated with vegetables and fruits anymore; it also refers to eggs, poultry and fish that are organically reared. They are all collectively grown on the organic farm. There are no chemically induced processes involved in increasing the output and growth
F&B of the product’’, asserts Daniel Kumar, Executive Chef. In today’s world people are also very well aware about the ill effects of conventional food, so there is a huge demand of organic and natural food and that’s why Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resor t has included organic products in their servings and have their own garden for organic produce just like Zuri. Pronoy Gomes, Sous Chef, La Brezza and Enoteca, “usually in the hotel/ restaurant business, first recipes would be made and then the raw material is procured, but we procure the raw material first and then make the recipes according to the availability. So I always try to make 100% organic food. We have our own garden where we grow different vegetables and herbs like, papaya, brinjal, pumpkin, lettuce, cauliflower, Brocolli, celery, lemon grass and herbs like basil, mint, thyme and rosemary. Organic food is always good to have but while using organic food, make sure you buy the freshest from the stock.”
The flavour packed punch
There have been comparative studies of the organoleptic quality of organic and conventional apples than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. The more intense flavours in organic fruits and vegetables probably stem from two factors: somewhat higher average levels of antioxidants, and somewhat lower average crop yields. Elaborating further on t a s te Vig says “O rga n ic fruits and vegetables are drier than the conventionally grown ones, which make their flavour more intense due to higher concentration of pulp. Also, chemicals are used to ripen unripe bananas artificially which makes them taste differently. Hence, there comes a slight difference in the tastes.” Also according to him the demand
Kapil Vig
Vijay David
Jitender Singh
With growing awareness about the harmful effects of chemicals used in growing vegetables, people are choosing to consume organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables..
Some guests are concerned about the health and fitness therefore they choose to have organic and healthy food. Organic food is richer in vitamin contents and other nutrients.
Organic food is that it’s majorly accepted as its more nourishing than conventional produce and since they are organically produced the taste also differ.
for organic food is primarily driven by concerns for health a nd env i ronment , since no pesticide, chemical residue or additives are used in growing them. “The con of not using any chemicals is that the production becomes limited which makes organic food costlier than the conventional food. In the present scenario consumers choose to buy organic food, because it is considered healthier, safer and more nutritious. We’re serving organic food at Baluchi – our signature restaurant that serves pan Indian cuisine”, he adds. According to David organic flavouring is usually used out of organic alcohol, gum acacia and powder flavouring. “Liquid f lavouring is not as stable as the f lavour concentrates but powder flavouring is usually put in a base of dextrose to keep it easy to mix. Also, they last long.
We use alcohol based extracts in beverages, ice creams other food of sorts. Depending on the dish we pick ingredients such as vegetables, spices and dairy products. We prefer to get the products from local vendors who are into organic farming”, he explains. For Singh there is a difference of d ay a nd n ig ht a s fa r a s f lavouring of organic food is concerned. “There is a major difference of f lavour since I have experienced it myself. For example farmed eggs or organic eggs will have a difference of day and night. Be it taste, colour or its nutritional value, there is a marginal variance. Put together all these things they create and make a difference. If you look at the conventionally produced cucumber there skin and seeds are not edible whereas organic cucumber will have edible seeds”.
According to Kumar “compared to chemically grown food, organic fruits and vegetables are preferred by 43 % of the consumers, solely based on better taste. Research also shows that organic food has a better shelf life compared to other conventionally available products”. However Gomes believes that organic food is not only safer also more nutritious and tastes better than conventional food. The flavours are natural, that is why people are moving towards the ancient style of cooking, where people use to cook their food with natural vegetables, dairy and meat products.
Food & Beverage Manager, The Lalit New Delhi
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Executice Chef, Grand Mercure, Bangalore
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Executive Chef, Amour
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Price consideration
We also ask these experts why organic food costs more than the conventional produce. According to David prices for organic dishes are slightly different from January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 39
F&B conventional dishes. “Today, orga nic food is undeniably mainstream. People who buy organic vegetables are seeking assurance that food production is gentle to the earth, and looking for safer, purer, more natural food. So the minimal price difference does not bother them”, he adds. However, what Singh opines is different from what David believes in. “There’s certainly a marked difference in the pricing of farmed and organic products. I would say that the organic produces are 100 times costlier than the conventional produce.”
For Kumar it is the short supply of organic food which ma ke s t he m mor e co s t l ie r than the conventional produce. “Compared to conventional foods, organic food is marginally a little more expensive. Added to this, organic food is often short in supply. This takes a toll on a restaurateur’s overall costs, and simultaneously, the pricing of the food on the menu. However, there is a possibility that its success in the right marketplace with the right kind of rules and marketing will normalize costs”, he affirms. Gomes also has similar views.
He says “As everyone knows about the general rule, if production is less and the demand is high, automatically results in higher prices of any commodity, so same implies on organic food as it is time taking natural process, which results in higher prices as demand is growing day by day. Generally organic ingredients cost 10 to 40% more than the similar conventionally produced products”.
Importance of serving healthy food
It is an established fact that the
consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Further to understand the importance of including healthy food in our diet, we asked these experts about their say. “People often think of healthy eating a s a n a ll or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. A healthy diet may consist mostly of whole pla nt foods, w it h limited consumption of energydense foods, red meat, alcoholic drinks and salt while reducing consumption of sugary drinks,
N. Balasubramanian, CEO, Sresta Natural Bio-products Pvt. Ltd. talks about the demand of organic products in the Indian market and its future
N. Balasubramanian CEO, Sresta Natural Bio-products Pvt. Ltd.
Organic food is the latest upcoming trend in Indian hospitality Industry. Hotels are beginning to realize that they have a liability and responsibility to address the health and nutrition concerns of their clients and guests.
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40 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
How is the trend of organic food growing in hotel industry? O r ga n ic fo o d i s t he l a t e s t up c o m i n g t r e nd i n I nd i a n hospitality Industry. Hotels are beginning to realize that they have a liability and responsibility t o a d d r e s s t h e he a l t h a n d nutrition concerns of their clients and guests. In addition to this realization, hotels are now taking steps to ensure that they purchase items from authentic organic vendors whenever possible, and select items such as organic cereals, juices, spices among others. Since last one year this trend is gaining pace. Even Sresta under its brand name ‘24 Mantra’ have started serving organic to many hotels across the nation. Which categories of hotels are sourcing organic food? Prem ium 5 Sta r a nd 7 Sta r Hotels have exclusive organic restaurants for their guests. Due to their foreign clientele they have been the pioneers in introducing the organic menus. We are supplying to a few of them like Novotel, Marriott, Taj, The Park Hotel and few organic
restaurants in India. Under the brand name 24 Mantra, Sresta supplies more than 200 organic products in the market. We have already been supplying the basic ingredients and supporting many such establishments on an experimental basis. At many places, even chefs acknowledge the fact of promoting organic and share experiences of organic cooking. We are now inviting proposals from any interested food service establishment to help them to convert to total organic. We offer a well-designed support service package ensuring smooth transition. What are the future prospects for organic food in the Indian Market? India has always been on top when it comes to agricultural produce and fine cuisine. Today, the country is on the threshold of an organic revolution and Indian Organic industry though at a burgeoning stage has experienced persistent growth in past few years .India is transforming into world’s fastest growing organic food market assisted by the
spending & consumption patterns of the consumers. Currently 70% of the organic produce in India is exported to developed nations. The reason is simple: awareness levels are high. But the advent of organic in the hospitality industry will certainly boost the need of Organic Food in the Indian Market. Organic food market is growing by more than 50% year on year and it will continue to grow at this rate for another decade. Organic food is evolving from a luxury for the elite to a household name for the commoner. It will surely acquire a perma nent place i n I nd ia n households and hospitality industry with the government’s support and increase in disposable incomes. Also, overseas demand for Indian organic food will remain sturdy and vigorous to drive the industry to rare heights. What are the standard regulations for getting organic products certified? Organic certification is a process t hat helps producers a nd consumers of organic food to get their products certified through
F&B and processed meat. Keeping this in mind Hotel Grand Mercure has introduced special healthy eating options like ‘VIVA’ in their menu for diet conscious guests. VIVA is a concept designed by the Grand Mercure, Bangalore to serve people who are very particular about their diet and weight’’, comments David. The disturbed lifestyle is one of the prime reasons that people should concentrate on healthy food more than ever. Elaborating this further Singh says “it is essential to serve healthy food because the lifestyle today is so
i nt e r n a t ion a l ly a cc r e d i t e d certification bodies. Organic cer tification is intended to assure quality and prevent fraud. “Certified organic” label is a product assurance for consumers worldwide. The standards are laid down and administered in India by APEDA. It takes minimum of 3 years to convert the land to organic. Conversion period is called as “in-conversion” and conversion period can go up to 7 to 8 years depending on the residue levels in the soil. The land gets certified once soil reaches prescribed level under organic policy. 24 Mantra products and Sresta’s processing facilities have been certified for EC 834/20 07 standards, US NOP and Indian NPOP organic standards. At Sresta, we handle entire value chain from farming to final product. To insure organic integrity we follow the essential 5 levels of checks. How difficult is it to source/ produce organic food as compared to the other produce? Also how does the rate differ? Is it expensive for hotels to use organic food products? Orga nic food cultivation is very limited in India therefore availability is not prevalent at
hectic wherein you can’t afford to go wrong on food at least. I get up early in the morning and I reach home late, it is essential for me as well to intake healthy food in order to keep myself going through the whole day. I feel that whenever you are eating food, it should contain lot of fibre and protein. Whenever you think you require carbs they should be taken as well. Your body is intelligent. It tells what you want. One should listen to its call. A diet should be a balanced diet, it should neither be a diet wherein you are taking lot of calories but
this point in time. Yes organic food is a bit expensive than the conventional food even for hotels since there are other costs involved like certification etc. Labeled Organic products are priced anywhere between 20% 70% higher than conventionally grown food. The higher cost of labeled organic products is certainly rational as the organic fo o d compa n ie s ; i nc lud i ng Sresta offer regular incentives to farmers for not using pesticides and chemical fertilizers which they receive on a subsidized price. Sustainable organic farming is labor intensive. Another very important challenge faced by the organic producers is storage, since chemical fumigants can’t be used to keep pests and rodents away. We are using a technique called modified atmosphere treatment which is an eco-friendly way of curtailing pest while storing. In this technique, grains are put in a chamber and the oxygen level is reduced to almost negligible level therefore there is no scope for any larva or insects to be alive. This is giving us great result. In the whole process there is no intervention of chemicals or any kind of toxic material. Therefore it is a very safe way of controlling pest.
Daniel Kumar
Pronoy Gomes
We grow our own organic products, which is served in our restaurants. The word ‘organic’ is not just associated with vegetables and fruits anymore; it also refers to eggs, poultry and fish.
We have our own garden where we grow different vegetables and herbs like, papaya, brinjal, pumpkin, lettuce, cauliflower, Brocolli, celery, lemon grass and herbs like basil, mint, thyme and rosemary.
there should be fibre especially in the day time. People should take dinner by 9 O’clock and there should be less of proteins and more of fibre wherein carbs are also advised.” Daniel affirms “A growing trend in today ’s world is to eat and drink healthy. Customers demand a well-balanced and healthy menu. We at the Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa serve healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meals usually consist of a homemade granola bars, fresh, organic veggie juice, organically grown fruits and vegetables, and organically raised poultry”. W hen asked the same question from Gomes he counter-questions the readers. He says “I will rather put this question back to the readers how
important is your health to you? If you consume conventional food, example like bananas which are artificially ripened by using chemical like propylene or ethylene, it leads to irritation of the eyes and can also produce a slight transient conjunctivitis, t hus a f fe c t ing you r hea lt h badly. Another example is milk which is generally adulterated by mixing urea and sodium hydroxide which causes food p oison i ng lead i ng to hea r t problem, kidney cancer and many more diseases, making the consumption of conventional produce life-threatening. So the choice is yours. For a better and healthy lifestyle none of aspect of our routine should be ignored, where consumption of healthy food plays a huge role”, he adds. ■
Executive Chef Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa
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Sous Chef, La Brezza and Enoteca
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by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 41
CHEF’S CHEF’SPAGE PAGE
The Silver Hat Chef – Sabyasachi Gorai Sabyasachi Gorai lovingly called as Chef Saby has a younger and innovative perspective towards different kinds of cuisine, thus giving them an interesting twist. He was the Director of Kitchens for Ai- The Japanese Restaurant, The Love Hotel, Lap- The club, Olive Beach, Olive Qutub and the moving kitchen by Olive. He is also a winner of National Tourism Award (2011-12), received from the President of India. Recently he has won Silver Hat Chef Award at the 10th Annual Metro Chef Awards 2013 organised by Indian Culinary Forum. HotelScapes in a tête-à-tête with him asks about the current dining scene and how it’s been shaping up.
W
hat are the trends in food in Indian hotels?
Cultural and ethnic flavours are the new hottest food trends in Indian hotels. People are seeking a little more diversity in their cuisine. Many chefs are expanding their menus and subtly incorporating ingredients and products that are intrinsic to their cuisine, yet haven’t been fully discovered.
W
hat are guests looking for?
Today mere satiating the bellies is not the mere motto of the guests. They seek beyond that. Today guests are looking for good soul food, good service and lastly value for money.
Celebrity Chef
I have introduced many new cooking techniques that have become very popular. Such as cooking fish on a hot stone (hot stone cod), cooking and serving pasta/risotto in a copper pan.
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42 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
W
hat is the most essential item in your kitchen?
Knives (but obviously) and dusters, I think makes a kitchen complete.
A
W
I have introduced many new cooking techniques that have become very popular. Such as cooking fish on a hot stone (hot stone cod), cooking and serving pasta/risotto in a copper pan, cooking and serving chicken casserole in a ‘kharasi’ which is a traditional earthenware pot. These techniques help to preserve and yet bring out the flavours in the food. Plus also give a nice touch in the presentation of the food.
I make a nice pasta stew along with bacon and olive oil, or a bowl of Asian noodles. It’s the tastiest and quickest way when I can’t control my hunger pangs.
ny new equipment in cooking that has been brought by you into practice? If yes, then what is it and how does it help?
Sabyasachi Gorai
success of a dish as its taste and flavour. The way the food looks on the plate is what tempts our eyes and makes you want to taste it. For me, a perfect food presentation is one where the ingredients look natural, the appearance of the different ingredients blend well, and the colours of all the ingredients on the plate are well preserved. For example green peas on a plate should look green and no discoloured. It is these basics that make up a perfect presentation.
C
an you explain the increased importance in food presentation? What according to you makes a perfect food presentation?
Food presentation is just as essential to the
hen you just want to make something simple, quick, and delicious, what do you prepare?
H
ow do you ensure consistency, quality and taste in food?
Recipes have to be standardized and accurate to achieve consistency. But more than that the person cooking needs to have trained his taste buds and needs to have developed his palate. He/she also needs to have experienced and tasted that cuisine or dish so that he/she knows exactly what it’s supposed to taste like. ■ by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI
GREEN
Eco Hotels – The New-age Responsible Lodgings
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‘Green hotels’ are becoming more common in the hospitality industry of India. This is a positive sign showing how hotels are coming ahead to save the environment and enhance the natural heritage of the country. Here, we talk about a few hotels which have been making a mark in this segment.
he trend of eco-friendly tourism is growing at a fast pace, and this is a lso t he need of the hour for the sake of the environment. Various top-line luxury hotels in India have been practicing eco-friendly initiatives since some time now. But it is worth mentioning that hotels which don’t come under this category and the ones with lesser
Zafar Salim
Host, Annapara Homestay in Kerala
The land that we have used is not landscaped; we have maintained the natural terrain, the natural vegetation. This is the element which makes us unique.
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means are taking a step ahead to save the environment.
Annapara Homestay Kerala
Zafar Salim, host at the Annapara Homestay in Kerala invites guests to his resort which is located amidst the lush green lands in Wayanad in Kerala. The resort is placed amidst the natural vegetation and the un-landscaped l a n d , b u t s t i l l l o o k s ve r y appealing. “The land that we have used is not landscaped; we have maintained the natural terrain, the natural vegetation. This is the element which makes us unique. At Annapara Homestay, Natural
vegetation continues to grow except where the land is required for utility- no manicured lawns & flower beds are made,” says Zafar. It is located on a hillock and enjoys a complete view of the surrounding hills and valleys. It is a retreat for the nature lovers and the perfect place to unwind for the stressed urbanites. Zafar tells us that they try their best to keep the surrounding environment green and lush and also help the local area people by giving them employment. All their employees come from within a radius of 2km. He further says, “We have a natural swimming pool and not
a man-made one. There are no televisions at the resort, which saves electricity and helps our guests to relax, and as there is no carryover of food, so we don’t require fridge as well. Also, we have restricted use of power; we only use it for 4 hours in the evening which comes out to be around 1.4 units per day. With all this we are trying to achieve a low carbon print and save the beautiful natural landscape around us.” For entertainment of their guests, they take them out for walks, and organise nature based activities for them, like treks,
GREEN visit to the waterfall and other adventurous activities. “There is no light in the resort during the night, so we provide our guests with lanterns. We are not providing indulgent luxury to our guests, but with comfortable rooms, good a mbience, a nd natura l sur roundings, we have all the necessary facilities and services to serve them a comfor table experience but keeping the environment in mind. We also offer our guests hot water, heated at the boiler which runs with waste wood,” adds Salim. They had to face a lot of challenges when they started, the major one of all was making people aware that they exist and they serve a beautiful experience. Word of mouth worked a lot for them, then, they came to the internet and people started recognising.
He has some suggestions to share with hoteliers to help in saving the environment, “I would suggest hotels to keep a check on the amount of energy they consume, they should minimise wastage, achieve low carbon footprint, and indulge their guests in activities which would bring them closer to the natural beauty of India.”
Mountain Trail Resort, Mukteshwar
Mayank Gupta
Director, Sales, Mountain Trail Resorts
Waste is segregated as wet and dry. Wet is used for manure in our orchard and dry is transported to municipal dumps for recycling. No chemicals or inorganic fertilizers are used only natural manure.
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An eco-friendly boutique nature resort, Mountain Trail is the perfect place to spend your holidays in the lap of nature. With a strict eco policy, the resort is correctly called as a green resort. Mayank Gupta, Director, Sales, Mountain Trail Resorts tells us about some of the small steps that they take in saving the environment, “Housekeeping staff at the resort is instructed strictly to switch the ‘room mains’ off as soon as a guest leaves/departs. To save energy, 90% of the bulbs used are CFL that too mostly of 8-11 watts range. Water is from a natural
spring source and collected by harvesting rain water. Also, water usage guidelines are displayed in each room and towels/linen are not suggested to be washed every day. Cisterns are set at water saving levels the architecture is absolutely vernacular and blends with the village surroundings. These are ground level cottages only and have minimal impact on the natural surroundings.” The resor t is built in traditional building method and employs 100% local labour and services. Also, the waste at the resort is very carefully managed, with recycling in mind. “Waste is segregated as wet and dry. Wet is used for manure in our orchard and dry is transported to municipal dumps for recycling. No c he m ica ls or i norga n ic fertilizers are used only natural manure. Eco soap/shampoo is purely herbal to avoid chemical discharge. Dos/don’ts to protect environment are displayed on two ‘Information Boards’ at the reception itself. This makes guests aware of Hotel’s environmental friendliness and consequently
learns to respect local surroundings, people, culture and traditions,” explains Gupta. The gift shop at the resort also strictly uses paper bags and the old sheets and towels are cut to create cleaning rags. There are no televisions in the rooms to further save electricity. They have been doing a lot at the resort to not only save the environment around the resort but also the wildlife around there. Explaining the different aspects Gupta tells us, “The grey water from the bathroom is filtered through natural soil and then used to water our garden. An organic wild life garden has been created with a mix of fruit trees, wild flowers, shrubs, ornamental flowers, local plants, vines, grass etc. to attract all sorts of birds, butterflies, bees, caterpillars, snails, amphibians, reptiles, insects, small mammals, organisms in the soil etc. Bird houses, bird baths have been placed all over the resort to attract various species of birds. All Housekeeping cleansing products are environment friendly. Fire January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 45
GREEN wood used is only procured from a-forestation projects / dead trees allotted and then transported to our resort. Compared to when we took over the 2-1/2 acres land to build a resort the greenery is now at least 3 folds with almost over 100 fruit trees.”
The Fern Hotels & Resorts
With a true passion for the e nv i r o n me nt , Fe r n H o t e l s and Resorts combine an eco commitment with its brand. The different hotels of the brand are committed to include special features which lower down their carbon emission. Their initiatives are tremendous and involve some extra investments too ; Param Kannampilly, Chairman & Managing Director, Concept
Param Kannampilly
Chairman & Managing Director, Concept Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.
We like to believe that we will leave behind a better place than when we received it. We have been facing a lot of challenges too, like, sometimes technology, equipment, laws and services need to evolve as fast as our needs and the market needs.
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46 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. elaborates it further by saying, “The cost of implementing our recommended eco-facilities is between 13-15% at the project stage. This is recovered by the 3rd year of operation.” Some hotels of the brand has incorporated a green button which is a special feature on the bedside control panel and with a single push of the button the guest can make an immediate and immense contribution to the environment by reducing power consumption. Also, the guest is given a certificate at the time of check out, giving the details of the power saved by them. “Protecting the environment is a big incentive for us. The social & economic benefits are welcome bonus. It helps us tremendously in serving a unique experience to our guests as it has been a positive differentiator for us among the excellent new selection of hotel brands that have entered India in the previous two decades,” says Kannampilly. The hotel uses Ayurvedic toiletries to avoid chemicals, and cloth bags in place of plastic shopping bags. The taps and flushes installed in the bathrooms
are water friendly which further helps in saving 50 % of water. “Our inspirations behind these initiatives were the people and the community. We like to believe that we will leave behind a better place than when we received it. We have been facing a lot of challenges too, like, sometimes technology, equipment, laws and services need to evolve as fast as our needs and the market needs.” Environment sensitization is a significant part of the training programme for employees at The Fern Hotels. The Fern is aware of the impact that a hotel or resort has on its environment and its people. Hence, every The Fern property is an active member in its loca lit y. Communit y initiatives, of ten led by the Green Team, range from working alongside local administrators a nd r e s ide nt s i n pl a n n i n g i n f ra s t r uc t u r e p r oj e c t s t o outreach projects in schools and cleanliness drives. Giving out a social message, Kannampilly says, “I would like to give a message to all the hotels and resort owners to please be environmentally s e n s it ive i n wha t e ve r way
possible. This approach benefits everyone, especially those in the community who are to come.”
Wildernest Nature Resort, Goa
The principles of non-intrusive
and minimal impact development have been followed all throughout the setting up of Wildernest. It is here that stringent measures for calculating carry capacity levels have been adhered too and impact assessments for flora as well as fauna are carried out on a regular basis. The development and running of Wildernest is based on the strong foundations of fusing nature conservation and aesthetic appeal of all things natural and has been achieved till date with the support of Team Wildernest, the local communities and of course the patrons that visit the property. “The designs of the Eco cottages as well as other built structures resemble that of village huts and are so designed to provide an authentic feel of living in a forested habitat without compromising on the comfort aspects of the guest. Every cottage interior is designed
GREEN as prescribed by international eco-tel standards and lighting, use of alternative energy, safe garbage disposal, natural lighting and other aspect have been taken into consideration,” says Nirmal Kulkarni, Director, Ecology, Wildernest Nature Resort, Goa. Spaces like Wildernest are in the forefront of documenting p e ople ’s k nowle d ge of t he biodiversity, building bridges between modern day scientific te chn iques a nd t rad it iona l knowledge and bring about an awareness of the unique biodiversity in the region. They have been supporting almost 200 families, directly and indirectly benefitting six villages across 3 states. They are considered as a role model for ecotourism
Nirmal Kulkarni
Director, Ecology, Wildernest Nature Resort, Goa
Every cottage interior is designed as prescribed by international eco-tel standards and lighting, use of alternative energy, safe garbage disposal, natural lighting and other aspect have been taken into consideration.”
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by some of the country’s best known conservationists as well as hospitality experts. Kulkarni draws light to the details on how they made the area a better place, “Wildernest Nature Resort has conserved a region that is ecologically very important, as it is the catchment area for the tributaries of the Mahdei River, i.e. the Haltar nallah and the Valvanti River amongst others. A decade and a half after it started operations, and having purchased and declared its 450 acres of forest a private sanctuary called Swapnagandha valley, Wildernest has not only protected vital forests but has also succeeded in curbing wildlife poaching to a large extent and conserved a prime large cat corridor that allows for the free movement of large mammals like tigers, leopards and wild dogs.” He believes that conservation and respect for a ll life forms is an intrins ic value and needs to be imbibed strongly and purposefully if required. “We feel the need for youth and adults alike to understand that we are connected to our environments globally, that issues like global
wa r m i n g , hu m a n w i l d l i f e conflicts and climate change are now neighborhood issues. We must understand that our role is to connect and engage with guests and make them aware that their children will inherit this earth and that can come only if they are aware. To create that awareness we need them to appreciate life forms from our end.. action will soon follow,” he says.
The Orchid Hotel
To maintain a strong Environment Program, The Orchid has various initiatives in the terms of solid wa s te ma nagement , energ y efficiency, water conservation and preservation and environmental commitment. Guests here get a chance to stay in an environment friendly hotel. They get amazed by the environment friendly practices and in the process also realize how important it is in today’s world of global warming. They take pride in saying that once a guest stays with The Orchid they leave with a sense of responsibility towards the environment. The inspiration was to strike a
balance between leisure, comfort, luxury and environment. They didn’t want to become just another 5-Star hotel with all the leading facilities but they also wanted to be able to show the world that they can achieve much more than that with a sense of responsibility. Talking about the challenges they faced, the spokesperson of the hotel says, “When the concept of an eco-friendly hotel came up, there were many who found it amusing and didn’t expect a unique project like this to be successful. Also there were cost implications to be considered as the eco-friendly materials were traditionally higher priced as compared to the conservative materials. But today we can proudly say that we have created a niche for The Orchid Mumbai. Today more and more guests who stay with us appreciate the steps we have taken to protect the environment and create a win-win situation for everyone. Also, the ALM that we have formed has been a frontrunner in driving all our green initiatives.” ■ by NIKITA CHOPRA
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 47
GUEST COLUMN
Prashant Khullar
Director – Human Resources Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces
Employee Engagement – At the core of the business I see employee engagement as a concept with no boundaries. Any attempt of trying to achieve desired engagement/ satisfaction survey results may only lead to limited approaches for capitalizing on the concept of engagement.
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he concept of Employee Engagement is not NEW. It ha s been a common practicing term for many years for almost all industries across the globe. Most organizations have robust systems and practices addressing their people solutions for engagement. The hospitality industry is no different. In fact, employee engagement is more important in this business than many others. Many companies view employee engagement as directly proportional to guest engagement. Well, it is true that “ happy employees w ill ma ke happy guests”. Precisely, a nd that is the point in discussion. Employee engagement is not just making employees happy or satisfied. Happy employees are not necessarily productively engaged at the workplace. For example, employees may be highly satisfied because they have little work or do not hold positions where they may be accountable for key business outcome s t hu s c reat i ng low engagement. On the other hand, employees may be highly engaged but may be highly dissatisfied with the compensation, long working hours or poor working conditions. T he r e fo r e , i t b e c o m e s ve r y important to have satisfied and
48 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
engaged employees in the business. This makes it very important to the organization and its business leaders to take personal interest in driving employee engagement. But what’s all this fuss for? What do engaged employees do or probably do better? I am sure each of you would have your own understanding of this. But common results do state that these employees are the ones who truly demonstrate the organization’s values and beliefs. They are more productive at the workplace. They are the ones who take responsibility and go out of their way to delight the guests. They show a sense of urgency and passion in everything they do, more often than not. But the question remains, what is employee engagement? There are many published definitions to this, but as seen at many work places across the globe, employee engagement on many occasions gets limited to a set of fun & game activities every now and then. Better workplaces probably have these activities well planned for the month, quarter or even the year. Surely, it is an integral part of any annual HR plan but with limited measures of success or failure. Most organizations hold an annual or half-yearly engagement
and satisfaction surveys and use the results to determine their engagement scores. This is still limited only to reflect on how we are perceived. I see employee engagement as a concept with no boundaries. Any attempt of trying to achieve desired engagement/satisfaction survey results may only lead to limited approaches for capitalizing on the concept of engagement. The objective should be to assess the overall impact of engagement rather than desired survey scores. The scores of-course need to be treated as an indicator of the desired outcome and not itself the end objective. Each organization needs to develop and identify its own unique approach to developing its employee engagement culture. This has to be based upon its own internal personality as perceived by its employees. As a TATA company, IHCL (Taj Group) employees view trust and fairness as key values to the organizational culture. Therefore, these values will flow through in any people practice that would surface. The way the organization and its practices are perceived by its internal customers would decide the outcome. A modern approach to
employee engagement encompasses timely recognition, participative decision ma king, connec ting and communicating with each employee, providing timely learning & growth opportunities, providing opportunities for interaction with top management, developing role models at the workplace, making employees experience the business as a guest (customer) and most importantly being real and genuine – it isn’t a just another KRA! Organizations need to look at employee engagement from two perspectives largely – motivational and participative engagement for one and developmental engagement practices as the other. Firstly, processes that involve employees in participative discussion forums that include brainstorming for improving guest satisfaction, Process Improvement , bra nd standards formulation etc. The employees then need to be provided the empowerment at various levels to be able to take quick decisions and provide hassle-free experiences to guests. Revisiting organizational structures and reducing levels of hierarchy will enable greater empowerment and increase engagement. Secondly, p r ov i d i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o employees for facilitating their learning & growth. The approach here has to be different from regular promotions and increments. Today, most people want to take charge of the pace of their career development. Organizations need to facilitate learning plans and career paths that the employees can take charge of. They want forums and mechanisms to express their talent and expertise. They want to remain ahead and be recognized for their performance. Of course, this is easier said than done. But providing these opportunities engages employees productively. They actively remain engaged for developing their own set of skills and knowledge. Another important area for
GUEST COLUMN
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AS AN INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE, WE AT THE TAJ GROUP DEVELOPED OUR OWN UNIQUE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM UNDER THE TITLE “YEAR OF ASSOCIATE (YOA)”.
consideration is how we measure the outcomes of any employee engagement program. As discussed earlier, an employee satisfaction/ engagement survey may not provide enough feedback and details of the quality of initiatives and its impact at all levels. Therefore, a set of metrics including attrition, leadership development, employee growth opportunities, internal mobility, sa fety incident indices, guest satisfaction indices, productivity ratios for front & heart of house employees, disciplinary issues and number of grievance cases should be looked together when assessing the engagement programs. Of course the list can include many more but it is important for the organization to decide what it feels important to measure as an outcome. As an industry best practice, we at the Taj Group developed our own unique Employee Engagement program under the title “ Year of Associate (YOA) ”. This was developed in 2008 and has now become a key engagement process at IHCL. The program focuses on various parts of the engagement theory and is designed to address the diversity of employees in the organization. A traditional industry practice used to state that employees avoid visiting their place of work (hotels/ restaurants) after work. We chose to use this as a practice to help associates understa nd their business by experiencing it. We invite associates across all levels on their birthdays to dine with their families at the hotel restaurant . We a lso introduced hotel stays for newly wed and retiring employees. The concept was not just a simple giveaway but more strategic in intent.
We also developed CSR clubs across all hotels to provide opportunities to employees for partnering in the company’s CSR programs. This was done together with their families. Keeping in mind the family culture, YOA also covers an annual Parent’s Day celebration where parents of employees are invited to visit the workplaces of their children. Employees are also encouraged at regular intervals to participate in Process Improvement Teams for redesigning processes and brand standards. As a developmental initiative under the YOA, we also developed a program titled “SPEED (Special Program for Employee Education & Development”. This talent management framework provides any employee who has completed only one year in the organization the opportunity to get selected through a series of assessment rounds and be eligible for promotion/double-promotion within 6 months after successfully completing the program. Approximately 100-125 employees across different functions and levels participate in this programme annually. Lastly, each organization needs to set its own unique employee engagement philosophy. We need to understa nd that employee perception is reality. Not necessarily what we feel right would actually work right. Each process or initiative needs to be carefully thought through and seek timely feedback from all stakeholders. As is often heard, nothing lasts forever and we need to keep changing and developing the program. A two-way communication is the foundation of any employee engagement program or practice. ■
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 49
DESIGN Aangan Hyatt Regency
The Great Kebab Factory
Indian Design savvy restaurants
in the city’s five star fare
Perhaps there is nothing more relaxing than a fine dining experience. Culinary sophistication and plush ambience make for a memorable time for anyone in a restaurant. Today we have chockfull of restaurants everywhere, serving different cuisines. However only few of them exude the authentic feel, which compliments the cuisine served. To understand what it takes to design a restaurant according to the cuisine served, HotelScapes narrowed its approach and spoke to hotels housing some of the famous Indian restaurants and asked them what makes ‘a great restaurant’.
“F
eaturing a mix of four dominant cuisine types from the capital region, the gour me t specia lities at Aangan represent the finest vegetarian and non-vegetarian culinary traditions and authentic elements that have influenced cooking since the Sultanate period”, comments Somnath Dey, Director of Food & Beverage at Hyatt Regency Delhi. The 50 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
restaurant is set as a grand dining area as prevalent during that period, while making its ambience customer friendly with articulate décor entailing antique furnishings, old chests, wo o d e n r a c k s , c u r i o s a nd terracotta vessels placed around the dining area enhanced with soft lighting of the venue. “ T he p r e s e nce of S h a h i Dastarkhwan, the private dining section of the restaurant that
takes its name from the luxurious dining setting kept aside for the Emperor and his ministry during the Mughal era, has emerged as the preferred dining area for celebrations, whether it be a power lunch or a formal dinner’’, he adds. A l s o on p op u la r I nd ia n restaurant, The Great Kebab Factory, has put in hard work to bring out the authentic Indian element in the ambience. Sujith Gopinath, EAM, Food & Beverage,
Radisson Blue, Pune says “Entire hardware used in the Great Kebab Factory resembles a factory set up, which starts from the staff uniforms, waiters in blue dungarees and the menus clipped on wooden board like a factory log sheet which technicians carry at work, Lazy Susan on tables are designed specially with a raw mechanical finish with ball bearing and centre wheel visible.’’ Further to add Indian-ness to
DESIGN
Diya, Leela Ambience
Somnath Dey
Sujith Gopinath
Sanjeev Kapoor
Aangan represent the finest vegetarian and non-vegetarian culinary traditions and authentic elements that have influenced cooking since the Sultanate period.
Entire hardware used in the Great Kebab Factory resembles a factory set up, which starts from the staff uniforms, waiters in blue dungarees etc.
Diya is a fine example of balance – where traditional and modern design elements co-exist in natural harmony with five elements of nature – air, water, earth, fire and ether.
Director of Food & Beverage Hyatt Regency Delhi
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EAM, Food & Beverage Radisson Blue, Pune
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EAM F&B Leela Ambience, Gurgaon
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the entire ambience, things like cutlery have also been designed to ensure the desired feel. “A l l cut ler y used in t he restaurant has a rustic feel and finish. Even the décor of TGKF has such a feel of a ruin or an abandoned factory with broken walls n tiles, rugged and unfinished floors, skirting etc. There is a lot of steel used on the ceilings and walls etc. to give that look and feel of a factory. Chairs and tables have a very heavy feel as these are made out of solid teak wood and iron; however designers haven’t forgotten to give the comfort one should have especially when guests are dining at a fine dining restaurant,’’ adds Gopinath. Even t he pa int ings have designs of cracks and crevices on the ceiling. Ceiling is also lit with blue cove lights and contrasting orange chandeliers specially designed for TGKF across the country. Wall hangings have the rustic and antique feel with lot of wood , copper and brass artefacts January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 51
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DESIGN
THE MAIN MOTTO OF THE INDIAN RESTAURANTS TODAY, IS TO EMPHASIZE ON THE ANCIENT ELEMENTS OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY.
To understand the designing of Indian restaurants in a better way and to know how to ensure the Indian-ness in the design sphere, we interviewed Amith Chabbra, Creative Director, Livin’ Colors Design. Here are some excerpts.
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hen it comes to designing an Indian restaurant, my approach is very different. I feel that one does not have to use all the typical, cliched Indian elements to ensure that feeling of “Indianness” in a space. The first and foremost thing to remember when designing a restaurant of any cuisine is to ensure that the space has warmth and soul! Nobody wants to dine in a space that is cold and not inviting. If I were to design an Indian restaurant, I would opt for one single unique element and work around that as the central theme. For example, I had designed an Indian restaurant in 32nd Milestone, Gurgaon called India House, where I was inspired to use the floral Navaratan (meaning nine gems) motif. We created laser-cut metal jaali (another very Indian element) screens, but gave it a modern, contemporary twist by painting it white. We worked around this concept in the entire space. I personally do not like typical Indian restaurants which have got an ethnic touch to it. I would like
to give a contemporary feel to the space whilst still trying to add some Indian elements, but with a creative twist. Apart from the design, I believe that the aspects like flooring and fabrics count in building the desired atmosphere. There are so many amazing Indian materials available which can be utilized in to create a unique Indian restaurant, such as stones like brown kota, slate and khareda, which are truly native. And to add warmth, one can opt for raw salvaged wood or even sheesham as much as possible instead of laminated wood. I feel that we have very few restaurants which are Indian in terms of both design and cuisine. The main focus of Indian restaurants seem to be only on the cuisine but as far as the interiors are concerned, not much attention is paid in that aspect. Today’s diner is a well-exposed consumer who would appreciate good design along with good food! It’s important to maintain a balance and ensure that the interiors of any restaurant is creatively designed and inviting.
placed all over the restaurant. “Quite a lot of Indian artefacts used in the restaurant and also tapestry and carpets with traditional Indian/ Persian designs that depicts north west frontier cuisines. These rugs on the floor also bring in warmth to the restaurant”, validates Gopinath. Diya, Leela Ambience, Gurgaon also is a true exhibit of Indian restaurants of the capital. Created by world renowned architects Hersch Bender Associates (HBA) and designed by Design Studio Spin, the restaurant’s interiors are a tribute to contemporary India and to the evolving palates of food connoisseurs. “Diya is a fine example of balance – where traditional and modern design elements co-exist in natural harmony with five elements of nature – air, water, earth, fire and ether. The elegance of the restaurant is w it ne sse d i n la rge Bu r ma teak Shamianas that strongly remind the beauty of ‘Pachchikari’ work of the Mughal times. It also further adds to the elegance and privacy’’, adds EAM F&B, Sanjeev Kapoor. Further to ensure the Indianness of the restaurant, material like cotton, silk, hard wood, marble and copper have been used inside. Our Verdict: The main motto of the Indian restaurants today, is to emphasize on the ancient elements of different parts of our country, as they are considered to be the true exhibit of the whole Indian civilization. ■ by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI
52 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
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PHOTOFEATURE
Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel New Delhi
Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel New Delhi
Innovative Christmas celebrations
Le Meridien Bangalore 54 HOTELSCAPES • January 2014
Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi
PHOTOFEATURE
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The Imperial, New Delhi
Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel
Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre
hristmas is a time to share our joys, a time to make merry and celebrate with our loved-ones. Hotels in India got into the festive spirit for the cheerful month of December. Apart from hosting extravagant Christmas dinners and brunches, the hotels had grand decorations, tall Christmas trees surrounded by gifts, life-size gingerbread houses, and a Santa Clause to entertain the children. Some did it the conventional way, while some tried to do it with a contemporary twist. Where Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi had a 9-foot tall eco-friendly Christmas tree, Renaissance Hotel, Mumbai had a modern day Gingerbread city. All these hotels had created an amazing experience for its guests where in they could celebrate Christmas and New Year with luxury and style. The properties were decorated in shades of green, white, red and golden, the colours of Christmas! The colours of celebration! Taj Mahal New D e l h i h ad t h r e e Christmas Trees designed for the hotel – one at The Chambers, one at lobby level and another at the ba nquet e nt ra nce a nd The Imperial welcomed its guests with green trees covered with snow, reindeers, owls and a four feet tall gingerbread house. Taking you back to the festive mood of 2013, we take you through attractive and extraordinary decorations at hotels. ■ compiled by NIKITA CHOPRA
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 55
PRODUCTS Portico New York’s latest offerings
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ortico New York brings to you a vivacious collection of printed & plain duvets. Portico New York’s collections ranging from bed sheets, bed covers, duvets, duvet covers, towels, towel gift sets, shower curtains, soyabean duvets, anti-mite and anti-bacterial pillows, bath mats, blankets and more are available in an assortment of prints. The product range (comprising double bed sheet set) starts from `1,399 onwards. For more information visit: www.porticoindia.com
Electrolux’s new water purifier range
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le c t rolu x Ste rl i ng RO Water Purifier is an under the counter water purifier with a built-in water storage tank very apt for today’s modular kitchen. It works on RO + UF + Mineral controller technology that ensures your water has all the essential minerals you will need. Its design makes it an ideal companion for a double door side by side refrigerator. The product is launched to meet the ever increasing demand of those elegant Indian consumers who want safe and healthy drinking water. The price is `19,000. For more information visit: www.electrolux.com
L’Occitane unveils its new range
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’Occitane unveils two new fragrances F luer D’or & Acacia and Cedre & Oranger from La Collection De Grasse from the Precious extracts of Virginian cedar wood and Mimosa. Fleur D’or & Acacia for women conjures up sweet memories within the sensual depths of musk and white wood. Cedre & Oranger for men makes perfect sense, a r r iv i ng ju s t i n t i me t o gather the first fruits of the year: bergamot and orange from Italy. The price is `610 onwards (Fluer D’or & Acacia Hand Cream 30ml). For more information visit: in.loccitane.com
Rolf Benz launches its ultra-contemporary range
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olf Benz has launched Areo, their lounging sofa and modular seating range that combines elegance with lightness in a contemporary slender design. Available as a sofa in three widths or a modular range in an array of different variants Areo range offers perfect scope for both classical and ultra-modern seating constellations. The side element of this range is designed to allow unique design possibilities, with armrests that can be optionally fixed in place or fitted with an innovative hinging function. In the dynamic version, the side element can be transformed with a flick of the wrist to become a soft and cosy relaxing cushion. The price for this is on request. For more information visit: www.rolf-benz.com
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PRODUCTS King Koil unveils its new mattress range for back support
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ing Koil has introduced cellular memory foam and ultra-plush foam covered mattress Dr. Mattress which is a unique mattress range for back support by using industry leading Rebond foam as a core. This range maintains the highest level of guest comfort and satisfaction. It offers a specialised craftsmanship of eurotop construction to various combinations with Rebond foam with Ultra Plush Foam and Cellular Memory Foam which is introduced for the first time in Indian mattress industry. These combinations of products are widely recommended by orthopedic doctors worldwide and are well known to provide optimal sleep surface in non-spring mattress category. Its is priced at `9,000 to `36,000. For more information visit: www.kingkoil.com
Square Foot launches its new range of luxury engineered wooden flooring
Gaia launches Gaia Lite
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quare Foot has launched its latest range of luxury engineered wooden flooring range – LUXUS. This flooring range offers a global fusion of colour and design. It is made from precious range of Oak woods from Europe and manufactured in Germany. This flooring comes with a lacquer finish which makes the flooring scratch resistant and hardwearing, which can be re sanded as per traditional wooden flooring. Every product of this range comes in Oak Tokyo, Oak Vancouver, Oak Vienna, Oak Paris, Oak Milan, Oak New York, Oak Rome which signifies the preference, design and finishes of people living in these cities. This product is available in a revolutionary size of 16mm thick, with a 250mm width and comes in lengths for 7 feet to 9 width. This range starts at a special price of `1,200. For more information visit: www.squarefoot.co.in
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aia Lite from Gaia have no added sugar, zero cholesterol and are made with 6 nutritious grains. People who are simply looking for healthier choices, the new Zero added sugar bites surely makes a right choice. Even children can binge on these healthy bites, as it doesn’t contain sucralose. It is priced at `95. For more information visit: www.gaiagoodhealth.com
Sharp launches its King Size LED TV
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harp has launched a 90” LED featuring 3D and Internet and 108” Full LED TV which are the biggest commercially available LED TV sets in the Indian market. Both televisions are Full HD, with a 1080, panel capable of running at 200Hz, giving you incredibly detailed and crystal clear action. The 90 inch set with the Smart TV functionality gets you full access to Aquos Net+portal, including apps such as Skype and web browsing. The Television sets can be controlled using Sharp’s own application, which allows you to easily use or browse the internet on the TV, as well as a standard remote control. The 90-inch LED television is priced at `19,99,990. For more information visit: www.sharpindialimited.com
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 57
AWARDS
Jaypee Hotels conferred at National Energy Conservation Awards
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aypee Hotels awarded with an Energy Conservation award under the aegis of Ministry of Power the by the Honourable President of India , Shri Pra nab Mukherjee. Minister of State of Power, Shri Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia was also present at the occasion. The prizes included top rank awards, 34 first prizes, and 34 second prizes to the national energy conservation award winners who were the finest energy performers in diverse sectors i.e. industries, thermal power stations, office buildings, hotels, hospitals, shopping malls. The award is recognition of the hard work of the committed workforce at the Jaypee Hotels and implementation of energy conservation measures.
The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa awarded by Agoda.com & Booking.com
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he Met was conferred with two prestigious titles; “Gold Circle Award” from Agoda.com and “Best Rated City Hotel” from Booking.com based on the guest ratings and recognition. Commenting on the occasion, Vipul Gupta, Executive Director, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, said, “We are very happy with these honours being bestowed upon us. The Met has always tried to give the best of services to its customers and has earned a distinguished position among its customers. We express our gratitude towards these travel portals for recognizing our efforts at such a celebrated platform.”
Mihir Garh wins top honour at the Boutique Hotel Awards 2013 in London
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ihir Garh, in Rajasthan has been chosen as the outstanding winner of the Boutique Hotel Awards 2013, London-based international awards, dedicated to recognizing excellence among boutique hotels around the world. Mihir Garh, an exclusive nine suite boutique hotel, won the title of World’s Best Boutique Hotel, with an upper hand over other luxury boutique hotels nominated from around the world. The property was also named as one of the World’s Best Romantic Retreats.
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Hurry up! Block your space now! Hotelscapes is 2 years old this January, and commences its 3rd year of publication with the February 2014 issue. We are delighted to announce the 2014 annual issue, this February. Hotelscapes Annual 2014 will capture the latest in trends in the business. It will bring the last year in review and highlight the challenges in business in the year ahead. What is good news for advertisers is you pay regular rates for advertising. You also get additional distribution coverage at the 1st Hotelscapes Conference in later February in New Delhi. We are open for advertising and look forward to hearing from you latest by 5th February.
For advertising contact Saurabh Shukla 09210799523. Mail: saurabh@crosssectionmedia.com
NEWS SNIPPETS DOMESTIC
Holiday Inn Mayur Vihar
Holiday Inn Chennai
IHG continues expansion in the capital; also launches Holiday Inn Express Chennai Mahindra World City
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nterContinental Hotels Group signs a management agreement with Eros Resorts and Hotels Ltd. to manage its two hotels in Delhi’s emerging business district of Mayur Vihar. Under the agreement, the hotels will be rebranded to IHG’s Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn brands respectively. Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida offers 160 modern and spacious guest rooms. The hotel features Infiniti, an all-day dining restaurant as well as a lobby lounge and bar. Leisure facilities at the hotel include a fullyequipped health club, a spa and an outdoor pool. There are also a variety of meeting facilities to meet the needs of business travellers. With 193 guest rooms, including suites, Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida offers to its guests a variety of food and beverage options. Café On 3 is an all-day dining restaurant while Roadhouse Bar and Grill is an American food speciality restaurant. Additionally, the hotel is equipped with a business centre, 7500 sqft of
event space and a fully-equipped health club and an outdoor pool. Douglas Martell, VP Operations, South West Asia, IHG commented, “Delhi is a significant city in our robust expansion plans for India and we are committed to a strong presence here. The signing of the two hotels in Mayur Vihar is a great step in growing the choice of hotels we’re able to offer guests in the northern part of the country.” Satish Sood, MD, Eros Resorts & Hotels Ltd said, “The two hotels have great potential to significantly increase its share of corporate and leisure business and IHG is an ideal partner to accomplish it. We are also confident that the hotels will benefit from the world-class systems and processes brought in by IHG to not only offer unparalleled services to guests but also to nurture talent within the system.” Outside of Delhi, the group also launched, Holiday Inn Express Chennai Mahindra World City, the second hotel to open under a joint
venture partnership formed between Duet India Hotels and IHG which will see a total of 19 hotels open under the brand. T he 14 0 room hotel of fers com for t , convenience and good location for business travellers. In keeping with internationally fol lowe d s ta nda rds, gues t s ca n e x p e c t complimentary Wi-Fi in guest rooms and throughout the hotel, Free Express Start™ Breakfast or a Grab & Go option for a smart start to the day, self-service business centre and laundry room among other facilities. The hotel has well-appointed rooms equipped with electronic safe, ergonomic desk chair and efficient working station, en-suite bathrooms, a 32-inch LED television with satellite channels, iPod docking station, tea/coffee maker and mini fridge. Other guest facilities include a fitness room and two functional and efficient meeting rooms. Five Spices is a multi-cuisine restaurant which will offer a choice of Asian and Continental cuisine to guests of the hotel.
The Imperial introduces an Organic Waste Composter
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L-R: Arun Khanna, director Engineering, Vijay Wanchoo, Sr. Executive VP and GM cutting the ribbon with director Finance M.S. Sabapathi at The Imperial
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ontinuing with its commitment to the environment and in tune with “The Green - Hotel’ guidelines laid by Delhi Pollution Control Committee to manage the waste and to reduce the air pollution, The Imperial has installed a fully automatic bio-chemical machine ‘Organic Waste Composter’ which converts organic waste into nitrogen rich compost by reducing its volume by 80-90% of the original. This costeffective and eco-friendly technology saves valuable landfill space, avoids the emission of carbon in the environment and the compost generated from this machine can be used as fertilizer for farms and gardens.
NEWS SNIPPETS INTERNATIONAL
Hyatt announces the launch of Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica
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Brand Holiday Inn unveils its first property in Mauritius
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HG’s second hotel in Mauritius, and first Holiday Inn, the Holiday Inn Mauritius Airport in addition to leisure guests, also aims to cater to Mauritius’ growing business travellers with 450sqm of meeting space, including a boardroom and four meeting rooms. Located close to the new SSR International Airport, the property features 140 rooms surrounded by gardens carefully landscaped to preserve the natural botanic diversity. The names of the hotel’s dining outlets pay tribute to the proximity to the country’s airport and the history of air trips and travel
in Mauritius. Guests looking to unwind after a long day will enjoy the property’s gym and spa facilities. In addition, the building features rainwater harvesting for irrigation and uses local timber in all public areas, to help reduce carbon footprint. Jean-Eric Sirop, General Manager, Holiday Inn Mauritius Airport commented, “I’m delighted to announce the opening of Mauritius’ first Holiday Inn. The combination of the building and ground’s unique character, with its prime location close to both the airport and Mauritius’ beautiful beaches, will make this a popular hotel for business and leisure guests”.
yatt Hotels announces the opening of Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, the second Andaz resort to open this year following Andaz Maui at Wailea in early September. Renowned Costa R ica n a rc h ite c t , Rona ld Zu rc he r, created the resort’s pre-colonial design, which seamlessly blends organic and contemporary concepts with the country’s rich heritage. Situated on 28 oceanfront acres, Andaz Peninsula Papagayo features 153 guest rooms, including 21 suites and 8,200sqft of flexible meeting space. Andaz Peninsula Papagayo offers a variety of dining options, including three restaurants. Chao Pescao Small Plates & Bar serving Caribbean-inspired gourmet creations. Ostra is the hotel’s specialty restaurant, designed to emulate a private residence and serves fresh seafood and features three live culinary stations. Rio Bhongo is the hotel’s three-meal, open-air restaurant and features a wine stand, as well as a coffee shop with the finest Costa Rican chocolate and tea. The 11,000sqft ONDA Spa will offer peace and tranquility with nine treatment rooms and an array of therapeutic treatments, along with a 24 hour gym. The property also features a private accessible beach and two swimming pools.
The iconic Taj Samudra, Colombo reopens after extension renovation
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trategically located in the city’s business hub, the extensive renovation of USD 20 million, headed by interior designer, David Edwards, includes new Taj Club Rooms as well as renovated suites, including an all new Presidential Suite. While all the rooms are equipped with state of the art technology and contemporary luxury amenities, Taj Club guests can enjoy exclusive access to the chic Taj Club Lounge
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– a private sanctuary with a range of features that includes lavish breakfast spreads, business facilities, conference rooms and even a small library. The hotel offers varied dining experiences; inf luenced by Sri Lankan culture and traditions, the new lobby lounge Lattice offers guests some of Sri Lanka’s finest blends of teas and coffees, while YUMI, a chic resto-bar offers a live Teppanyaki counter and authentic
Japanese food. You can opt for North Indian delicacies at Navratna or Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine at Golden Dragon or continental preparations Steak & Grill House.
Taj Samudra also offers guests a shopping arcade, beauty salon, pool bar, fitness centre, floodlit tennis courts, an air-conditioned squash court and a trendy nightclub.
NEWS SNIPPETS INTERNATIONAL
GHM announces Chedi Club Jimbaran, Bali in spring 2014
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et to open doors in the second quarter of 2014, The Chedi Club Jimbaran, the fourth GHM property in Indonesia, boasts of 34 butler-serviced pool villas nestled within a 22,000 sqm estate. This luxury hotel has been designed and visualized by Robert Nation, principal of Nation Architects, and Jaya Ibrahim, one of Indonesia’s foremost interior decorators. Each pool villa will feature round-the-clock butler and inroom dining services, a full kitchen and a Balinese pavilion for al fresco meals and barbecues. The property offers guests a 25-metre U-shaped swimming pool, a restaurant specializing in contemporary Asian and Indonesian cuisine, a cigar lounge and library, spa and health club.
Marriott announces its 12th property in Japan
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rebranding of the former Gotenyama Garden Hotel Laforet Tokyo, the extensively refurbished and renovated property is operated by Mori Trust Hotels & Resorts, which entered into a management agreement with Marriott International in February of this year. Tokyo Marriott Hotel features 249 rooms and is geared to meet the growing demand for quality hospitality experiences in the country ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Commenting at the opening ceremony, Miwako Date, president of Mori Trust Hotels & Resorts said, “Both former and new guests alike will find much to discover about Gotenyama, which has a long and illustrious past as a centre of tea culture and other aesthetic pursuits. We look forward to blending the unique traditional elements of this setting with the many exciting innovations Marriott is bringing to the guest experience. There is no doubt in my mind that Tokyo Marriott Hotel will be a destination loved by domestic and international guests alike.” The property promises fluid, tech-enabled meeting spaces, intuitively designed guest rooms, dynamic dining and drinking venues, and good service.
Sheraton opens its 100th hotel in Asia Pacific and has another 30 Starwood Hotels scheduled to open in the region shortly
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chieving a commendable milestone, Sheraton hotels announced the opening of its 100th property in Asia Pacific, the Sheraton Shantou Hotel in China. Commenting on this feat, Hoyt Harper, Global Brand Leader, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts elaborated that, “Sheraton has enjoyed phenomenal success in Asia Pacific where it has helped meet the tremendous demand for high-caliber lodging
generated by the rising middle class. Sheraton Hotels in China will account for nearly one third of the new hotels opening this year in Asia Pacific, but we are also picking up momentum in many other countries across the region such as India, Thailand and South Korea”. Targeting an impressive growth trajectory, the brand aims to open its 500th hotel worldwide in 2016.
Sheraton Shantou Hotel marks the 60th Sheraton hotel in China, where the brand has 40 hotels in the pipeline with a focus on tier 2 and tier 3 cities. “By leveraging our first-mover advantage, Sheraton has paved an early foothold for expansion in China, and we are confident that we can carry the brand to a whole new level”, said Qian Jin, President, Greater China, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 63
PEOPLE SARAT VALSRAJ General Manager The Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa With over 17 years of hospitality experience, he brings with him keen managerial and strategic insights and learning that he seeks to implement in his new role at Zuri. An advantage he believes he has gained from the hands-on experience of rising up the ranks through many fruitful years of holding various responsibilities across different hotels and regions. He has worked at all properties of The Zuri Hotels & Resorts.
SHIVDAN SINGH General Manager Mana Hotel He has been serving the hospitality industry for past 17 years. After completing his studies from Jai NarayanVyas University, Jodhpur he stepped into this industry in year 1996 as Front office manager in Hotel Ratananda Polo Palace, Jodhpur. He is a thorough professional with practical experience in handling hotel operations as well as Sales & Marketing.
VIJAY KRISHNAN V MENON Executive Manager (Unit Head) The Park Bangalore He has over 18 years of experience; his last assignment was with The Park Hotels Group at The Park Kochi as unit head in a pre-opening role. His previous work experience includes Corporate Sales Manager, American Express – Global Corporate Services, Director of Sales & Marketing etc. In his current role he will be responsible for implementing service architecture; the new Park Hotels brand management, positioning strategies, delivering the revenues and costs.
MANUJ BAHL Executive Assistant Manager The Khyber Himalayan Resort and Spa, Gulmarg He has over a dozen years of rich experience in the hospitality industry. He brings with him knowledge and skills in diverse areas of operations management, strategic planning, and client servicing and business development. Prior to joining The Khyber, he has worked for various hotels in India and abroad. He will be responsible for planning and managing the day to day operations and will ensure the smooth working of new developments at the resort.
AJAY SAMPIGE Hotel Manager ibis and Novotel Bengaluru Techpark
VIKAS BHOLA Director of Sales and Marketing Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi
Earlier he was responsible for the hotel operation at ibis Bengaluru Hosur Road, a 185 keys property as the General Manager. Ajay is an accomplished hotelier and brings with him a wealth of experience from over 15 years in the hospitality sector. Most of his career comes from Australia and New Zealand where he has worked in numerous international hotel chains such as InterContinental Hotel Group, Mirvac Group, Toga Hospitality, Marriott Hotels etc.
He has over 7 years of hotel sales, operations and management experience having handled diverse portfolios in corporate, travel, trade and event sales. Vikas began his association with Kempinski Ambience Hotel as Director of Sales in April 2012 during the pre-opening period. Within a short span, he has been appointed as the Director of Sales and Marketing after demonstrating excellent hands-on experience in developing, strategizing and improving sales for the hotel.
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PEOPLE RAAG VERMA Director of Sales Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi
CHEF PANKAJ KALKO Senior Executive Chef The O Hotel Pune
Apart from guarding the sales team and administering their daily operations, he is also be accountable for supporting the team to achieve annual budgets, maintain market penetration index, and get involved in revenue management. Prior to officiating as the Director of Sales, Raag served as the Associate Director of Sales at the pre-opening phase of the hotel and has contributed incalculably towards its opening. Raag has worked with brands like Lebua Hotel and Resorts and Radisson Blu Plaza.
He brings with him 24 years of experience in the hospitality industry to his new position at The O Hotel. With varied all round experience in world cuisines, Chef Pankaj’s expertise also lies in innovation of recipes. In this new role Chef Pankaj will oversee the operations of the hotel’s four restaurants, Kitsch – the all-day diner, Addah – the rooftop resto-lounge, Harajuku – Pune’s only Japanese fine dining restaurant, and House of Chai – the hotel’s outdoor tea lounge.
RACHNA MEHRA Director of Sales The Khyber Himalayan Resort and Spa, Gulmarg
CHRISTIAN CABRERA RUBIO Italian Master Chef The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences
She has over 15 years of experience in Sales and Marketing of which two third has been in the hospitality industry. An enthusiastic, energetic and creative professional, Rachna has previously worked with Shangri-La, Radisson and her last assignment was as Sales Manager at The Oberoi Group. At The Khyber, she will conceptualize and implement sales strategies and will further strengthen the resort’s efforts in driving more business from existing as well as new markets.
His experience as a chef has been nothing short of meticulous, having gone through all the stations at the start of his career. His expansive repertoire of working as a chef has taken him to some of the best Italian restaurants around the world, like Florida Casa Tua (2 michelin stars), Quatro, Ago (owned by Robert de Niro), Café Milano and BICE in Miami, where he prepared two innovative food promotions.
SUNIL RAWAT Director of Food & Beverage Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi
AMIT CHAND Executive Chef Novotel Pune
In his new role, he will overlook and ensure smoother operations of the speciality restaurants, bar and banquet events. Sunil is responsible for concept creation, business plan & budgeting, staff recruitment & training, vendor development etc. His operational responsibilities involve revenue generation, customer satisfaction, employee engagement and corporate compliance. Sunil started his hospitality career with a very distinguished name in the Industry called The Oberoi Vanya Vilas, Ranthambore, Rajasthan.
He brings more than 13 years of hospitality experience to his new position as Executive Chef, where he will direct and oversee the hotel’s culinary experience. In this role, Chef Amit promises to conquer the hearts of the people of Pune by serving authentic international and local flavours with a modern twist. Chef Amit is crafting distinctive menus for each of Novotel Pune’s restaurants with a vision to offer guests a refreshing and unforgettable epicurean experience.
January 2014 • HOTELSCAPES 65
LAST PAGE
Challenging times for hotels: find your specific solution, to each his own Hospitality sector is taking a turn. Today we have so many options to give this sector new angles to thrive better. Also there is a need to identify what poses you challenge as the economy is still growing and visitors are still coming.
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ery often I am asked where was the challenge for the hospitality industry and what were the potential responses? Where is the challenge? We know there are people travelling. Activity may not be growing, but there is activity! Surely, there are people travelling, and the economy may not be growing the way we expected it to grow, but growing it is! There is an increase in costs, most notably in salaries and energy savings. Indian rupee has taken a fall, and imports are costlier. All this is well known and documented and is also true. So, where are the solutions? I feel that when the going is good, very few hoteliers or owners of any business bother about costs, not as much anyway. But when the going is not good, then we begin to see where we are going wrong, and where we can improve. The risks are then greater. There is a strong need to reinvent, become more business and task oriented, you begin to question and start looking for answers. Take a second look at your business model. See where it has worked and where it can be improved, tweaked, or totally thrown out of the window. This may be a good time to redefine your USPs. Identify your location, as this was the most important criteria for success, if the original pundits were right. You cannot change your location, but surely you can identify, propound afresh, given your location, what your market ought to be. From where, and for what? Are you better off to focus on rooms, or F&B; corporate or leisure; Indian or foreign. And then see how much of this you need to re-visit. It is basically a good time to renew your commitment with responsible hoteliering. The customer will not accept anything less, just because it is challenging times; he may even expect more! How do you balance cost, with your promise to your guests,
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and actually give them more than your competitor? So, there is mood to cut cost and yet give more to your customer. It is perhaps a good time to get your SWAT analysis done again. And preferably get some outsiders to do it for you, not your same internal team. It is time you give a new angle to your business. Brace technology. It does not cost as much, as you may fear. Social media is one such opportunity for marketing. But today, small investments bring great savings. Therefore, while you may be in no mood to create new spends, these may actually bring great savings. A challenging time is also a time to get Innovative. Look for new alliances. Others may be in the same boat as you are!! Alliances offer a win-win situation and they create new synergies. Depending upon how old is your property, the chances are that since your opening, you have new competition. Newer entrants to the business offer newer product lines and these may put you into a great disadvantage. Newer geographical boundaries, creation of new industrial and business districts may pose fresh challenges, spending habits may be changing in your neighbourhood, new markets may be opening up while the traditional are dying – you are in the best position to analyse what your particular problem may be. Economy is still growing, visitors to the country are still coming. There is flux in the marketplace but opportunities are still aplenty and, there is still business in the market – you have to identify what poses your challenge. The economic downturn is a too generic a description – you have to identify what is your specific challenge? Just as likely, your solutions may be also specific in nature! ■ by NAVIN BERRY
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Date of Publication: 16/01/2014
RNI No. DELENG/2012/47318 No.U(C)-105/2013-2014, Posting Dt. 16-21/01/2014 Reg. No. DL(C) 01/1353/12-14