Hotel Business Review

May-June ’12

1

Editorial

HOTEL Business Review

HOTEL B u s i n e s s

R e v i e w

An Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel Industry

Publisher cum Editor

Rajneesh Sharma rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

Associate Editor

Swarnendu Biswas Feature Editor

Kanishka Gupta Resident Editor

Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Sub-Editor

Tapapriya Lahiri Layout & Design

Hari Kumar V Narender Kumar Photographer

Mahendra Singh Mehta Production Assistant

Mamta Sharma Advertising Sales Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre Subscription Sales

Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales

Sanjay Anand Director Operations & Finance

Rajat Taneja Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi:

Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 45084903, 25854103 Telefax: 25854105 Mumbai:

Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400093 Phone: 28395833 Telefax: 28388947

E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net Website: www.hbrmag.com © 2012 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No article can be reproduced in part or as whole without prior permission of the Publisher.

Hammer Hotel Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed and published by Rajneesh Sharma on behalf of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1202, Pragati Tower, 26 Rajindra Place, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Basement, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase - 1, New Delhi 110 028.

Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 overseas.

Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Editorial Policy : Editorial emphasis in Hammer Hotel Business Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing instututional Hotel business. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

2

May-June ’12

After two years of dismal showing which followed the outbreak of global recession, the Indian hospitality industry posted impressive results during 2010-11. Not only the nationwide hotel occupancy posted healthy figures, but the revenue per available room also showed an increase of more than 10 percent after two years of decline. The growth momentum for the hotel industry which took off in 2010-11 after a recessionary slump has been continuing since the last fifteen months or so. Despite the recent threats of a second dosage of recession shocking the global economy looming over our heads, the Indian hospitality industry is going through a growth of 10-15 percent per annum.

The revival in the Indian hospitality sector is fostered by increased disposable incomes by more numbers of Indians and the growing role of India in the global economy. These two factors can together contribute towards impressive growth of leisure and business travel, both to and within India, in the near future. The fact that India is a source of affordable and highly skilled IT and BPO manpower, and the growth of the MICE market through spurt in corporate travel have also contributed to the growth of the Indian hospitality industry, which is manifested also by the impressive domestic and foreign tourist figures during 2011.

We can say that in the present scenario, India’s hospitality industry with its high growth potential is an ideal industry to invest in. No wonder, a great many international hotel chains are showing their interest to invest in India since the latter half of 2010. Though Delhi NCR and Mumbai are two of the busiest hotel construction markets in the country, but the trend to invest in tier-II and tier-III cities is also becoming evident among the industry, largely due to the increase in pockets of disposable incomes in those cities and the exorbitant real estate costs in the Indian metros.

However, it would be wise for the Indian hospitality industry to consolidate its position so that it can withstand any future shocks. For that not only it should endeavour to build more rooms to absorb the demand but also introduce stateof-the-art facilities and services in also those properties which are not tagged with the elitist five-star tag. At the same time, the industry should make earnest efforts to enhance the business and leisure travel potential of its properties. In the Cover Story of this issue we have attempted to explore the revival of the Indian hospitality industry and its various associated facets in detail, which we hope our esteemed readers would find to be an absorbing read.

The role of crockery in the hotel operations cannot be overemphasised, though selection process of crockery seldom gets centre stage in intellectual discourses on the hospitality industry. The right crockery for the right food helps to make the right impression on the minds of the guests and ordering the appropriate crockery in a hotel’s kitchen/restaurant depends upon multiple factors such as the concept of the outlet, the operations to which the crockery is expected to subjected to, the F&B options at the outlet, the cost/budget of the crockery in question, durability of that crockery, décor of the restaurant, etc. We have tried to explore various factors that come into play during crockery selection in hotels, in our Business Story.

Besides these, our regular in-depth features, and the news and events section are targetted to feed your holistic appetite for information, opinions and analysis about the ever evolving hospitality industry. I hereby sign off, wishing all our readers quality time between the covers of the magazine.

HOTEL B u s i n e s s

R e v i e w

An Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel Industry

26

inside COVER STORY

The hospitality industry of India is on the upswing. The revenue per available room (RevPAR) has seen a significant rise in the recent years, which has proved to be an impetus for the hotel chains and as well as for the stand-alone hotel entrepreneurs to invest in the Indian hospitality industry.

30

DESIGN

Lighting systems, lamps and shades nowadays play a very important role in the hotel atrium/ guestrooms/alleys and restaurants.

Their fundamental role is to illuminate the respective areas without the light falling directly in the eyes of the guests, with the help of proper selection of lamp shades and lamp fittings.

The Bungalow on the Beach is a heritage property which easily manages to give guests their own encounter with the sun and sea breeze. History and nature merge to create a wonderful romantic sonata in your senses. You feel like you have been rejuvenated…

F&B

Heading the F&B department of a hotel or a restaurant chain, or for that matter running a stand-alone restaurant business successfully is both exciting as well as challenging.

34

PROPERTY

TECHNOLOGY

A laundry plays a vital role in hotel housekeeping operations because it oversees the cleaning and upkeep of linen and fabric on a daily basis. A laundry is also essential from the guests’ point of view as laundry requirements may arise during the course of their stay, which usually get taken care of by the in-house laundry in hotels.

48

BUSINESS

Good food with appropriate crockery selection could result in wonders. The right selection of crockery helps to put the right impression on the guest.

38

44

54

SPA

Spa Soul at the Galaxy Hotel, Shopping and Spa is a world class spa, fitness & wellness centre, spread across 15,000 sq.ft. on the rooftop. The place is spruced with excellent facilities and well-trained staff to ensure holistic healing, relaxation and rejuvenation in style.

DEPARTMENTS 04

Event

08

News Scan

22

Appointments

52

Industry

57

Product Preview

58

Business Opportunity

60

Interview

Cover Pix: Le Meridien, Coimbatore

May-June ’12

3

Event

HOTEL Business Review

iba 2012: Showcasing the Bakery Industry iba 2012 is going to set the stage for the world’s bakers and more at Munich from 16-21 September 2012. The event will be held at New Munich Trade Fair Centre, Munich, Germany. Munich is looking forward this year when iba will transform the ‘cosmopolitan city with a heart’ into one with a passion for the baking sector. Held every 3 years, this global event for baking is worth the visit if you are a baker, a confectioner, a hotelier or a caterer, run a coffee shop or if your business is related to baking in some way or the other.

At iba 2012, more than 1100 exhibitors will feature the latest innovations in the baking industry where more than 70,000 visitors are expected. From a range of bakery and confectionery machinery to accessories, baking agents to packaging, and shop ovens iba 2012 will cover all the areas of the baking industry as well as related areas.

Here, the visitors can also experience the world of coffee at the ‘Coffee, cake & more ’exclusive exhibition in Hall A4. The show will be supported by the various programmes, seminars & discussions. Events, competitions and special themed areas will be located in Hall B3 during iba 2012:

Highlights of the Event • Awards ceremony for the iba cup competitions • Presentation of the ‘StollenZacharias’ • Presentation of regional bread specialities steeped in tradition, with background information provided by professional associations and the Bread Museum (Brotmuseum) • Practical presentations by bakers and confectioners • Valuable insight into the topic of sustainability.

4

May-June ’12

iba Summit The iba Summit will take place immediately prior to iba 2012. Here you will have the opportunity of meeting decision makers from all over the world and discoursing on current affairs and important topics pertaining to the bakery industry with them. It is the Zentralverband des Deutschen Bäckerhandwerks e. V. (German Bakers’ Confederation) who will organise the iba summit. For the trade professional, the summit is a great opportunity to discuss experiences with others and learn something new. iba Cup The iba Cup will see teams of bakers from Argentinia, Australia, Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Taiwan and the USA lining up against one another to determine who exactly is the best. Prepare to be captivated by this exciting contest!

Gain fresh ideas and impetus for your business whilst marvelling at the technical finesse shown by the best in the industry.

Seminars & Bakery Tours 1) Lochham Short Seminars on Bavarian Baking Culture These half-day seminars will aim to demonstrate a cross-section of Bavarian baking and the range of baked goods made in this region of Germany.

This presentation will last between 3.5 and 4 hours, and will be offered twice daily (8.30 a.m. – 12.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.) on each of the days the trade fair will be taking place.

Beginning with a brief theoretical introduction to raw ingredients, production techniques and the product range make-up, the seminar will move on to demonstrate current Bavarian baking technology and, for the main

part, will focus on demonstrating how different Bavarian baked goods are being made.

On request, smaller ‘do-it-yourself’ parts can be incorporated into the proceedings. Each participant will receive a selection of baked goods to take away with them. The seminar will focus in particular on breads and biscuits from around Bavaria, such as sourdough breads, wheat-rye and ryewheat breads, and smaller baked goods made of wheat and rye, such as the ‘Maurer-Laiberl’, ‘Riemische’, ‘Pfennigmuggerl’, ‘Sternsemmel’ and ‘Kaisersemmel’, and ‘Brezn’ (pretzels) of course.

There will be no more than 20 participants in each group at the bakery.

If there are more than 20 in the group, participants may be spread across several rooms. Unless you know German, it is wise to bring someone with you who can interpret. Depending on the group size, a place at this seminar will cost from EUR 70 per person onwards. Early booking is advised.

2) Bakery Tours As in the previous years, tours of bakeries in Munich and the surrounding areas will be offered to the visitors.

The size of the business visited will be chosen based on the requirements of the visiting group. Groups must make their own way to the tour venues, and arrange their own interpreter if necessary. If the option will be available at the time, the group will also be accompanied by an advisor from the Landesinnungsverband (state guild association). If this option is unavailable, the bakery owner will be briefed in advance by the Landesinnungsverband. Drinks and small snacks are usually provided during or after the tours.

Event

HOTEL Business Review

9th International Hospitality Expo 2012

E V E N T S’ C A L E N D E R

The region’s biggest food and hospitality event, IH Expo 2012 will be held from 6 - 9 September 2012 at the exhibition grounds in Panaji, the capital of Goa, supported by the Department of Tourism, Chambers of Commerce and a number of industry associations, trade and professional organisations, besides publications. The business event will focus on food & beverages, equipment and services, interiors & decor, besides efficient energy & engineering solutions. Almost all market leaders and major players in related fields have also confirmed their participation at the event. According to the organisers, Trinity Media Ventures, this year has been an exceptional year in terms of international business visitors, who have registered to be at the event. The Hospitality Purchase Managers’ Forum has also extended its support as an associate, which would to enable the forum to attract key heads from the purchasing departments of all major hotels.

India Hospitality Expo (IH Expo) has grown to be a huge trade show serving the Indian hospitality and food industry. This year over 400 companies will display their latest products and services. The exhibition will draw a nationwide target audience comprising thousands of key decision-makers and showcase the latest products and services across food & beverages, hotels and catering, interiors, exteriors, tableware, catering equipment, technology, and careers in hospitality.

The exhibition will also have a spotlight on Green Energy in the hospitality sector.

Companies who develop and promote eco-friendly products like heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVACs), LED lighting, motion detectors, water and other energy saving equipment will be given special opportunities to present their efforts to save the planet earth. In addition, a wine and spirits tasting event will be organised at the IHExpo 2012 to promote the wine culture in India. A number of other activities like talks, seminars, demonstrations, etc. are also planned to run concurrently with the event. ○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

World Hotel & Resort Development Congress India 2012 World Hotel & Resort Development Congress India 2012 (WHDCI 2012) – South Asia’s top-level hospitality event, will be held during 5th - 6th September 2012 in Mumbai. The event is expected to garner over 200 industry leaders ranging from leading hotel investors, developers, owners, operators, architects, government officers, consultants, and solution providers to discuss the hot spot issues of India hospitality industry and for making deals.

Main topic of WHDCI 2012 will cover: Global Industry Outlook and India Focus; Keep Ahead by Accurate Strategy & Technological Advancement; Project Management from Inception to Completion; Innovated Next Generation Design and Interior Concepts; Green Hotels Initiatives and Smart Technology Application.

The room supply in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to increase to about 410,040 rooms over the next 3-5 years, of which India accounts for 19 percent. WTTC expects travel and tourism demand in India to grow at 8.2 percent annually, till 2019, the highest growth after China in the big countries’ league.

With the rapid growth of foreign tourist arrivals during 2011, the room supply in India will increase about 48 percent over the next 3-5 years, from the current capacity of over 110,000 rooms. In contrast, Las Vegas City alone has a supply of 150,000 rooms, Beijing alone has 40,000 rooms, and Shanghai alone has about 50,000 rooms. India’s hotel inventory is expected to increase by more than 61,000 rooms in the next three years with over 30,000 rooms currently under construction. Meanwhile, some tier-II and tier-III cities are showing sustained RevPAR growth. Development of mid-tier hotels has been another hot spot in the Indian hospitality industry. Many international and domestic big hotel chains are showing ambitious expansion plans in India. India has been emerging as the most attractive destination for global hospitality industry players.

6

May-June ’12

MIFB 2012 12-14 July 2012 PWTC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.mifb.com.my Hong Kong International Tea Fair 16-18 August 2012 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Hong Kong www.hkteafair.com Ahara International Food Fair 2012 23-25 August 2012 Chennai Trade Centre www.aaharchennai2010.com India F&B Pro + Hospitality Expo 6-9 September 2012 Expo Centre, Panaji, GOA www.trinityworld.biz Asiafruit Logistica 5-7 September 2012 AsiaWorld-Expo www.asiafruitlogistica.com Food Tech / Bakery Tech & Hotel Tech 2012 7-9 September 2012 Milan Mela Exhibition Complex, Kolkota www.kolkatafoodtech.com Sweet and SnackTec India 2012 11-13 September 2012 Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.koelnmesse-india.com Fine Food India 2012 17-19 September 2012 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.finefoodindiaexpo.com Annapoorna World of Foods India 2012 26-28 September 2012 Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.worldoffoodindia.com Hotel Expo 2012 10-12 October 2012 The Venetian Macau, www.hotel-exhibition.com SIAL Paris 21-25 October 2012 Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris, France www.sial.fr TRAFS 2012 25-28 October 2012 Hall 103, BITEC Bangkok www.thailandhoreca.com Oishii Japan 2012 and Delicioso Spain 2012 1-3 November 2012 Suntech, Singapore www.oishii-world.com

HOTEL Business Review

Shruti Shibulal Arrives With The Tamara Coorg Shruti Shibulal, the daughter of IT tycoon S D Shibulal —the cofounder and CEO of Infosys— has launched a 30-room boutique resort property in Coorg, Karnataka, which is named The Tamara Coorg. Tamara translates into lotus in Malayalam and Tamil.

The resort, spread across a builtup area of 90,000 sq. ft. is located amidst a 170-acre coffee plantation in the Western Ghats.

The property is in the process of expansion, and would house 26 additional rooms.

In 2006, Shruti had acquired the coffee plantation, which she followed by setting up a company named Tamara Real Estate Holdings, which happens to be the parent company for the boutique resort brand The Tamara.

However, Shruti’s passion in hospitality is not a new development. In 2008, Shruti and the famous Chef Abhijit Saha, founded Avant Garde Hospitality (AGH). The company has interests in various verticals in hospitality such as restaurants, catering, and food and beverage consulting. It operates two fine dining outlets in Bangalore by the name of Caperberry and Fava.

8

May-June ’12

News Scan

Renaissance Hotels on a New Campaign Mode Renaissance Hotels, the original lifestyle brand within Marriott International Inc.’s global portfolio, has announced its first global advertising campaign—“Live Life to Discover.” The new multifaceted campaign, which comes to life through print, digital and on property experiences, is targeted to induce today's lifestyle-oriented business travellers to explore a hotel or a destination’s hidden gems through recommendations from on-site Renaissance Hotels ‘Navigators’ (the brand’s hospitality lifestyle concierge service).

The campaign was created in partnership with Anomaly, a global marketing and communications agency with an extensive

list of impressive clients including Nike, Budweiser, Diageo and Converse. The campaign aspires to ask today's modern business traveller the question, “If you are travelling to a destination for business, why not make the most of your free time and discover something exceptional and unique?”

The visually appealing print advertisements depict off-thebeaten path recommendations from various hotel navigators who curate unforgettable moments for guests around the world. The multi-million dollar global print campaign will run in 32 countries and will be featured in lifestyle, business and travel print media, as well as key out-of-home sites in the US and China. The wide-ranging lifestyle campaign was photographed by award-winning photographer David Black, across four countries and three continents.

In addition to the print advertisements, Renaissance Hotels will bring the campaign to life through a full scale digital reinvention of the brand, including a re-launch of the website, enhancements to the brand's social media channels, and a powerful digital advertising campaign; all inspired by unique discoveries from around the world.

“There is a discoverer in all of us, and we challenged ourselves to create a powerful campaign that speaks to our guests in a meaningful way and reflects the brand today,” said Tina Edmundson, the Senior Vice President of lifestyle brands for Marriott International, Inc. “Live Life to Discover embodies the global spirit of Renaissance Hotels and today's lifestyle-business traveller and their eagerness to explore the world beyond their everyday routine,” she added.

The campaign manifests the continued evolution of Renaissance Hotels, which was acquired by Marriott International in 1997 and quickly become one of the most popular brands within the company's portfolio. A natural continuation of the brand's extraordinary journey, the Live Life to Discover campaign represents the culmination of the global repositioning of the brand.

News Scan

The Business Intelligence Solution of MICROS MICROS Systems Inc., a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, has been selected as the restaurant technology partner of the US-based Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries. The Broadwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries has contracts for more than 450 locations throughout the globe where MICROS will provide the MICROS Restaurant Enterprise Series (RES) point of sale system and the mymicros.net cloud-based reporting and business intelligence system.

Recently, TIG Global, the subsidiary of MICROS has rebranded to MICROS eCommerce. Here it deserves a mention that just over two years ago, MICROS launched its consumer-facing hospitality Internet marketing and services business with the acquisition of TIG Global. Since that time, MICROS has distributed the eCommerce marketing offering through its global offices and has developed a series of unique, groundbreaking eCommerce products. The rebranding to MICROS eCommerce represents the completion of the full integration of eCommerce marketing, services and products into MICROS’s suite of solutions for the hospitality and travel industries.

MICROS eCommerce’s dedicated staff are now located in Washington, DC, Singapore, London and Neuss, Germany. Over the last two years, MICROS’s eCommerce footprint has expanded to include a premiere client base across the globe such as the Dorchester Collection in Europe, Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts in Asia, and Delta Hotels & Resorts in North America.

“We have always had a holistic view of hospitality eCommerce. Our clients’ success is based on the visibility we give them throughout the customer travel-buying journey.

Our suite of eCommerce products now closes the loop on that journey and provides the best-in-class, end-to-end solution set for the hotel and travel industries,” stated Jos Schaap, Senior Vice President, MICROS eCommerce. ○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

Eco Initiatives at The Imperial A hotel which ensures conservation of water, fuel and energy and has systems in place to reduce, reuse and recycle waste is considered a green hotel. Some of the green practices at The Imperial New Delhi include ensuring conservation of water, fuel and energy and having systems in place to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. On the World Environment Day, The Imperial New Delhi inaugurated the solar panels for heating water in guest rooms, which are extremely efficient in terms of saving energy, emit less carbon and thereby are environment friendly. Here, at The Imperial New Delhi, suppliers are asked to reduce packaging material and recycle paper and send waste to recyclers. The recycling initiatives also include processing of all printed stationary for notes, and internal posters.

Taking lots of green initiatives, the Imperial New Delhi is also looking forward to install biogas plants for effective waste management and for generating eco-friendly gas for cooking.

This will in turn also reduce carbon emission into the environment. The property has a plan to replace the coal fired tandoor with the semiautomatic chapatti machine run by natural gas, which in turn will reduce tonnes of carbon emission into the environment.

Future green initiatives include installation of CFC-free equipment for refrigeration, replacing the pumps with VFD systems (Variable Frequency Drive) that will consume electricity as per the requirement, installation of solar lighting fixtures for plantation areas and solar water heating system and placing water recycle plant for gardening, flushing systems and cooling towers. It is probably the capital’s only hospitality property where, Earth Hour is being followed every week wherein lights are switched off in many areas of the hotel for one hour.

10

May-June ’12

12

May-June ’12

May-June ’12

13

HOTEL Business Review

News Scan

Toshali Resorts’ Endeavour to Promote Orissa Tourism The pressing need of travellers and pilgrims for a high quality restaurant on the famous Diamond Triangle Buddhist trail comprising Ratnagiri-Lalitgiri-Udayagiri, is getting addressed by Toshali Resorts International. The Gurgaon-based hospitality company, Toshali Resorts International has launched its operations at Toshali Ratnagiri by opening an authentic Odia cuisine restaurant.

The fully air-conditioned restaurant will offer a wide array of authentic and traditional Odia cuisines for the visitors. The special attraction will be the traditional way of serving the guests in authentic tribal utensils.

The delicacies will include rice, dalma, different types of peetha, etc. Nonvegetarians will also have their own choice of specially cooked mouth-watering items like lobsters, fish, mutton and chicken. The restaurant, which is commencing operations with 24 covers will eventually have 75 covers after its expansion within a couple of months.

“Offering our first restaurant service at Ratnagiri — the Buddhist heritage site— is a proud moment for all of us. It is a humble initiative from Toshali to cater to the needs of tourists coming here from across the world. Soon, we will be offering accommodation as well as conference facilities to Buddhist tourists,” said T. Banambar Patra, Founder and Managing

14

May-June ’12

Director, Toshali Resorts International.

Toshali Group has been awarded four Odisha Tourism-owned accommodation units on Public-Private Partnership model. All the properties are located in the Buddhist circuit of Pathrajpur, Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri. Toshali Ratnagiri will have 20 rooms including 2 suites, along with a coffee shop and other amenities to meet the tourists’ requirement. The property is currently under renovation. “We will be adding swimming pool, health club, spa, coffee shop, library and a conference hall with a capacity of 60 persons as part of the renovation,” Patra informed. He said that the company is working to complete all the work within the next four months. All the four properties are within 80 km distance from the airport at Bhubaneswar and are well-connected by road, which takes only a car ride of one-and-half-hour from the airport.

“Our focus is to develop customised packages for tourists who come to India for pilgrimage and cultural circuit visits so that they can experience the 2000-year-old Buddhist heritage of the state.

We are aggressively promoting these heritage sites of Odisha through various outreach initiative with media, tour operators, embassies and universities. Special promotional activities are being planned for international tourists,” affirmed Harihar Patra, the Director-Marketing, Toshali Resorts International.

HOTEL Business Review

News Scan

Taj InnerCircle Programme Bags RCI Expands its Network of Freddie Awards Affiliated Resorts Taj InnerCircle, the frequent guest programme of the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, was awarded the Best Program of the Year, and for Best Redemption Ability and Best Customer Service at the 2012 Freddie Awards, which was held in New York in the recent past. Taj InnerCircle won these awards for the Middle East, Asia and Oceania region. Freddie Awards was introduced in 1988 and honours excellence in frequent travel programmes.

Deepa Misra Harris, Sr. Vice President – Sales & Marketing, The Indian Hotels Company Limited, said, “We are extremely delighted and proud to have been voted as one of the best hotel programmes in three categories by our guests and to be benchmarked with the world’s best. This recognition from our esteemed patrons reiterates our commitment to deliver consistent value and experiences to Taj InnerCircle members.”

The Taj InnerCircle makes for a perfect programme for those who stay with Taj Hotels frequently or dine at its restaurants.

Besides earning points, Taj InnerCircle offers its members easier, faster and more flexible check-in and departure formalities. The members can redeem these points for attractive rewards and enjoy member-exclusive benefits like price-offs on Taj Holidays, and special offers on room tariffs, restaurants, private jets and spas across all their brands – Taj, Vivanta by Taj, Gateway Hotels, and Ginger.

16

May-June ’12

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange, has announced three new resort affiliations in India, which are located in the popular tourist destinations of Rajasthan and Panchgani in Maharashtra. With these additions, RCI expands its Indian portfolio to more than 100 affiliated properties. Achieving this milestone is of even greater significance as RCI celebrates its twentieth year of operations in India this year. In 1992, RCI established a small office, manned by a staff of five with a common vision of bringing memorable holiday experiences to Indian families. In that very first year, RCI signed three affiliations in India.

“We are delighted to welcome these three charming resorts into the RCI network,” said Radhika Shastry, Managing Director, RCI India. “These are truly reflective of our commitment to provide members with the types of vacation experiences they want by adding affiliated resorts in highly desirable destinations across India. Ananta Spa & Resorts, The Aranyawas Resort and Summer Plaza Resort are unique holiday options infused with the rich local culture of each region and we look forward to RCI members enjoying stays at these resorts,” she added.

Ananta Spa & Resorts is a sprawling nine-acre spa resort located amidst the historic landscape of Pushkar in Rajasthan. RCI members have shown enthusiasm for spa holidays, and this resort was added as an ideal holiday destination to relax, refresh and enjoy luxury. Ananta Spa & Resorts expertly combines a beautiful ambience with incomparable hospitality.

The resort has luxurious accommodations that blend nature’s delights with a modern look; conceived in minimalist vision. Furthermore, the resort features a spacious health club with an outdoor pool, spa, steam room, gym, massage rooms and beauty treatment rooms, as well as a lounge bar and an all-day dining restaurant. Camel and desert safaris, camp fires and colourful folk dancers would help you capture the essence of Rajasthan during your stay at this resort.

The Aranyawas Resort is located in Ranakpur, Rajasthan, home to the renowned Jain marble temple. This resort, set in the wilderness of the Aravali mountain range, offers a personalised guest experience with high level of service. The cottages and rooms have magnificent views of the valley and river. The interiors, painted in rustic colours, are modern and include walk-in dressing rooms. The Aranyawas Resort is the right haven to discover the magical facet of the regal state of Rajasthan.

The Summer Plaza Resort is located in Maharashtra amongst the scenic Panchgani hills, providing RCI members in western India with a wonderful drive-to holiday destination. It spans five acres of luscious green flora and is located adjacent to the Saputara Lake; inviting guests to savour a unique form of luxury. The resort offers lots of entertainment options with its temperature controlled swimming pool, movie theatre, hitech gym, discotheque, jacuzzi and spa. Outdoor sporting activities such as boating, parasailing and other water sports options are also available.

May-June ’12

17

HOTEL Business Review

News Scan

Delhi NCR Hotels Crowned with TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hilton New Delhi Janakpuri, The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi, and Vivanta by Taj - President, Mumbai have received TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Approximately 10 percent of accommodations listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award.

To qualify for this Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by the travellers on TripAdvisor. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews should be received within the last 12 months. TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel site, which facilitate tourists and travellers to plan and have the perfect trip.

“Hilton New Delhi Janakpuri is pleased to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence,” said Rubal Chaudhary, General Manager at Hilton New Delhi Janakpuri. “We strive to offer our guests a memorable experience, and this accolade is evidence that our hard work is being appreciated as it is translating into positive traveller

18

May-June ’12

reviews on TripAdvisor,” he added.

"TripAdvisor is pleased to honour exceptional businesses for consistent excellence, as reviewed by travellers on the site," said Christine Petersen, President of TripAdvisor for Business. "The Certificate of Excellence award gives highly rated establishments around the world the recognition they deserve.

From exceptional accommodations in Beijing to remarkable restaurants in Boston, we want to applaud these businesses for offering TripAdvisor travellers a great customer experience."

IHCL Wins Gallup Great Workplace Award 2012 Gallup Consulting, a global consultancy specialising in employee and customer management, has conferred Indian Hotels Company Limited with the 2012 Gallup Great Workplace Award. Indian Hotels Company Limited has won this prestigious award for the third year in a row.

Indian Hotels Company Limited, which operates Taj Group of Hotels, was chosen for this coveted award for inculcating high levels of employee engagement, which forms the central theme of the company’s business strategy.

John Fleming, the Principal and Chief Scientist — Customer Engagement and HumanSigma for Gallup Consulting, said, “The fact that employee engagement is deeply engrained in the culture of Indian Hotels has led to it winning the Gallup Great Workplace Award in succession. It is in the top 5 percent of organisations in India on employee engagement.”

Commenting on the award, HN Srinivas, Sr. Vice President – Human Resources, said, “The company is extremely proud to have won the coveted Gallup Great Workplace Award for the third time which further strengthens our commitment towards creation of newer benchmarks in the service delivery. This award recognises our strength in hiring, training and incentive systems which have combined to create an organisational culture in which employees are willing to go that extra mile for the guests.”

Here it deserves a mention that Gallup Great Workplace Award is based on multiple criteria, including overall engagement levels and evidence of engagement impact on key business metrics. Gallup compares applicants' results across its renowned workplace research database comprised of millions of work teams, across more than 170 countries. A panel of workplace experts reviews each organisation's impact portfolio, which includes quantitative and qualitative components.

HOTEL Business Review

Radisson Blu MBD Noida Gets Awarded Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel groups, has awarded the Radisson Blu MBD Noida as ‘Asia Pacific’s Best Performing Franchised Hotel of the Year for 2011.’ The announcement was made at the company’s global hotel business conference in the recent past, held in Nassau, Bahamas.

Radisson Blu MBD Noida won the award on the merit of an exceptional performance, having exceeded its targets and enhanced its profitability for the last fiscal of 2010-2011. In addition, the hotel has successfully beaten its competitors to maintain the number one position in terms of RevPar. The hotel is one of the top scorers of Carlson Rezidor’s Quality Performance Review and has also been Earth Check Silver certified.

Commenting on the award, the General Manager of the property, Parmeet Singh Nayar said, “This award is a credit to the entire team at the hotel, where achieving continuous customer delight has been the top priority. A combination of great teamwork, incredible effort and high standards of service has gone into taking the hotel to this coveted position.”

20

May-June ’12

News Scan

Springfit Brings Added Comfort to Hospitality Springfit, India’s premium and progressive mattress brand, has introduced its technologically advanced premium pocketed spring mattresses named Ortholife. Ortholife mattress is designed to suit your home and lifestyle with luxurious appeal. It can add a touch of glamour to your bedroom.

Most importantly, the product can effectively address the endemic back problem, a by-product of today’s stressful lifestyle and replace it with stress-free sleep.

The mattress is inbuilt with Triple Zone Technology i.e. three different zones with different concentrations of pocketed springs that support the natural S shape of spine. These varying concentrations of pocketed springs provide support to head, body and feet, facilitating to ease out the pressure on heavy parts like lower back while gently supporting the rest of the anatomy. This technology is widely endorsed by orthopedic doctors.

Furthermore, the imported knitted fabric with cushioning properties endows this mattress with more softness, which soothes your back for more restful sleep.

Overall, the personalised comfort and the rejuvenating experience make Ortholife mattresses an almost indispensable solution in today’s hospitality sector.

The firmness at the centre and softness on top and bottom give proper support to your back and says goodbye to backache. The singular design in fabric and different quilting on every zone add to the cosmetic appeal of this mattress.

Springfit’s wide range of high quality spring mattresses is now also available in Nepal. The company is also spreading wings to other parts of the world.

Besides Ortholife, Springfit’s range of mattresses includes imported latex mattresses, memory foam mattresses, micro pocketed spring mattresses, and also comprehensive range of bedding products, and mattress protectors, body pillows, feather pillows, memory foam contour pillows, etc. which can address an entire range of sleeping solutions for the hospitality sector.

One Stop Solution For SUPERSHINE

Supershine

World Class Laundry Equipment

has been successfully installing and maintaining Commercial Laundry Equipment since 1990, in India and its

neighbouring countries.

Supershine

offers TURNKEY SOLUTIONS for any kind of Laundry projects. It represents world’s leading brands

specialising in Laundry and Drycleaning equipments. The company has pan-Indian presence to provide quality services and spares as per the requirements of the clients. The list of our clients range from the best in Hospitality Industry - Oberoi, Taj, Hyatt, Sheraton, Le Meridien, Radissons, Marriots, Leela etc., Healthcare Industry - Apollo, Escorts, Medanta - The Medicity, Bombay Hospital, AIIMS, etc., Defence - Major Hospitals, AFMC, various establishments and units of Army, Navy, Air Force & Assam Rifles and Garment Exporters & Commercial Laundries.

SUPERSHINE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS PVT. LTD H.O.: 3, G.F., Padma Tower-II, Rajendra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: +91-11-45142222 • Fax: +91-11-45142255 Mumbai: 022-28805617, 32959681 Bangalore: 080-65835148, 09916357921 Chennai: 09003180088 Kolkata: 033-40011975, 09903120095 Goa: 07738377505 E-Mail: north@supershine.in, corporate@supershine.in Website: www.supershine.in

News Scan

HOTEL Business Review

Arola Comes to JW Marroitt Mumbai The two star Michelin Chef Sergi Arola’s new Restaurant & Bar opened its doors on 9th June 2012, at the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai. JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai has partnered with two star Michelin Chef Sergi Arola to bring his Arola brand into India. This chic lifestyle address will offer guests the exclusive flavours of authentic Catalan cuisine and was slated to be among the most anticipated happening in Mumbai’s gastronomic scene.

Arola offers a unique culinary concept by the Chef called ‘PicaPica’— a style of dining where a variety of creative dishes are served on a platter for all to share. The food is to be presented on small beautiful ceramic, glass and stone plates. The cocktail couture at the interactive bar offers over 30 varieties of gin. Classic cocktails, gin and tonic as well as the martini constitute the signature feature on the beverage list.

The inimitable Arola service style and home-produced ingredients

12345678901234567890123456789012 12345678901234567890123456789012 12345678901234567890123456789012 12345678901234567890123456789012 12345678901234567890123456789012

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

Rajan Malhotra Rajan Malhotra has been appointed as Director, Sales & Marketing, Le Meridien Jaipur. His responsibilities will entail organising and directing all sales & marketing effort for the luxury hotel with a specific focus on creating and developing new markets and business associations. Armed with his experience of over a decade with well-known domestic and international hotel companies, he is expected to support Le Meridien Jaipur’s current upgrade plans. ○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

Mark Nicholas Mark Nicholas has been appointed as Director of Rooms for The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi. He will lead a young and enthusiastic team spanning across front office, concierge, guest transportation

22

May-June ’12

1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901

Appointments

Radhika Dewan Radhika Dewan has been appointed as the Associate Director of Sales at Jaipur Marriott. She has been associated with the Marriott group of hotels since 2006.

In her role as the Associate Director, she has to develop and implement sales strategies, foster revenues and oversee sales teams. Implementing and executing all aspects of sales analytics of the property is amongst her key focus areas.

She has held different positions with increasing responsibilities in her previous tenures, before she joined Jaipur Marriott. Radhika had served as the Sales Centre Manager at Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai and Assistant Sales Manager at Goa Marriott Resort, Panjim.

According to Pankaj Birla, General Manager, Jaipur Marriott, “Radhika’s multi-faceted approach, her technical & organisational competency and excellent communication skills, along with her professional business appearance and presentation will bring success to the organisation.” ○

will add to the entire experience. The restaurant manifests a seamless blend of the ambience and experience that Arola stands for. Besides its delectable gastronomic offerings, Arola offers breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea through the open terrace.

On the eve of the opening of the restaurant, Sergi Arola said, “I am very excited about bringing the Arola experience to India, which is on the brink of a culinary revolution. The menu will include specially selected mix of all the popular dishes from Arola restaurants all over the world, while also creating signature items for Mumbai. The aim is to pleasantly surprise the Indian guests with eclectic European cuisine, designed especially for their increasingly discerning palates. JW Marriott Mumbai with its location and hospitality philosophy is the perfect fit for an Arola experience.”

and Heavenly Spa by Westin. Mark was the Front Office Manager for the Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi prior to this. ○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

Vikram Malhotra Premier Inn, the UK’s largest budget hotel chain and part of Whitbread PLC, announced the appointment of Vikram Malhotra as Vice President – Development for South Asia (India, Sri Lanka and Maldives). With industry experience of nearly 15 years, Malhotra brings on board a solid understanding of development, client/owner relationships and team management. He has extensive experience in leading large global teams with hands-on exposure, and has been successful in building strong business functions. In his new role, he will be primarily responsible for developing and executing a strategic development plan for the expansion of the Premier Inn brand in South Asia. He will operate from the company’s regional offices in New Delhi. ○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

○

Jaideep Anand Ananda in the Himalayas’ has announced the appointment of Jaideep Anand as the General Manager. Anand brings with him more than 20 years experience in the hotel industry. Holding a post-graduate degree in hotel management, Anand began his career with The Oberoi in New Delhi, where he held several senior management positions. His last position was that of General Manager for the Ista Hyderabad, one of a number of hotels in the Ista Hotels group, which consists of a series of trendy, young hotels set in the heart of buzzing cities throughout India.

“I am thrilled to have been appointed as the new General Manager at such a remarkable property, embodying such a fantastic reputation. The Ananda has led the way in holistic health over the last 12 years and I look forward to continuing its reputation as a place of health and healing,” said Anand.

BAKERY REVIEW

Apr-May ’12

P R O D U C T

29

24

May-June ’12

May-June ’12

25

HOTEL Business Review

C o v e r St o r y

Showing Promise The hospitality industry of India is on the upswing. The revenue per available room (RevPAR) has seen a significant rise in the recent years, which has proved to be an impetus for the hotel chains and as well as for the stand-alone hotel entrepreneurs to invest in the Indian hospitality industry. Several international hotel chains have made investment and expansion plans in India, in the recent times.

There is also the trend to invest in tier-II and tier-III cities, since the cost of real estate is lower there in spite of a growing demand for hotels in those cities, as compared to the metros. It is predicted by World Travel Organisation (WTO) that India will receive 25 million tourists by 2015. The constant increase in the number of tourists — both national and international — has led to a spurt in the construction of hotels. Ashok Malkani explores the revival of the hotel industry in India in the recent times, and examines hospitality as an investment option in India.

26

May-June ’12

C o v e r St o r y

HOTEL Business Review

J

ust three years ago, Manjit Singh, a travel agent from Mumbai, was tempted by hotel executives with discounts and freebies. Yes, he even got offers for foreign junkets. Uptil this time of the year his business hasn’t been bad but he laments that those lucrative offers from the hotels have dwindled. It may be too bad for him, but good for the industry.

It is time to welcome a revived Indian hospitality industry, which in the recent past had fallen into bad days or rather into two long bad years, following the global recession. The recovery came in 2010-11. The nationwide hotel occupancy in the 201011 fiscal reached a healthy 68 percent, which matched the occupancy levels of a pre-recession 2007-08.

Return to Healthy Data There is no denying the fact that 2010-11 fiscal was a comeback year for the Indian hospitality industry. The revenue per available room, which is a good yardstick of a hotel’s profitability, also increased by 10.7 percent in India during the 2010-11 fiscal.

This is not an ordinary achievement considering that nationwide revPAR for hotel business experienced plummeting of 14 percent in 2008-09 and 11.6 percent in 2009-10. The demand for number of room nights also showed an enhancement of 15-30 percent on an average, on a nationwide basis, during the 201011fiscal.

According to ICRA (Investment and Credit Rating Agency of India), the demand or occupancy-led recovery that began with the return of domestic travellers late in calendar 2010, received an impetus with foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) picking up in the subsequent months. The latter half of 2010-11 witnessed the industry going for higher tariffs, although pricing recovery for the whole of 2010-11 reached a modest 5-8 per cent.

During 2011, the Indian tourism industry experienced an 8.9 percent growth in foreign tourist arrivals over 2010, which accounted for the healthy hospitality figures in the recent past, though at the same time, India had 740 million domestic tourists during 2011, and this staggering figure is expected to only

increase in the coming years. And these healthy tourism figures augur well for the hospitality industry.

Overall, the growth momentum for the Indian hospitality sector, which sparked off in 2010-11 has been maintained in the current fiscal and one can expect both domestic and international tourists to contribute towards the hospitality business in the coming years. With 740 million domestic travellers and with 6.29 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2011, India is being considered as one of the most attractive hotel markets in the globe.

The Growth Factors Despite a renewed slump in global economy, the hospitality industry of India is going through a growth of 10-15 percent per annum, and according to the experts in the industry, this impressive growth in the Indian hospitality industry can be attributed to more numbers of people with increased disposable incomes. The rise in disposable incomes in India and the growing role of India in the global economy are likely to foster both leisure and business travel to and within India in the near future.

The growth of the business travel and MICE market are other contributory factors towards the growth of hospitality in India.

May-June ’12

27

C o v e r St o r y

HOTEL Business Review

The research by World Travel and Tourism Council shows that India ranks 18th in business travel. The Indian hotel industry is expected to grow by 10-15 percent during 2012. One of the chief growth parameters of the Indian hospitality industry is expected to be the MICE market,which is showing appreciable growth.

Moreover, the fact that India is a source of cheap and highly skilled IT and BPO manpower has encouraged the global IT and BPO industry to set up their units here, which in turn has increased the demand for hotel rooms. Besides these, certain measures like the VoA (Visa on Arrival) scheme by the Government of India can have a long-term positive impact on inducing outbound travellers to India, which in turn can give a fillip to the demand for rooms in the hospitality industry.

Already results in that direction are forthcoming. According to an ICRA study, presently, India has extended the VoA facility to nationals of 13 countries including Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Asian countries of Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar. Contemplation on adding over 14 new countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Brazil and South Africa to this scheme is also underway. Since this facility was introduced in January 2010 (and the list expanded in January 2011), over 6,500 VoAs have been issued in 2010 and over 12,000 VoAs in 2011. This has facilitated easy travel to India at short notices for the outbound tourists.

More Room to Invest The healthy travel and hospitality scenario and increased disposable incomes in India makes the Indian hospitality sector an ideal industry to invest in, for both national and international players. Not only in the five-star segment, India has huge potential for growth in the three-star or under threestar category as well. Therefore small entrepreneurs are also eyeing this industry for stand-alone budget hotels. No wonder, a great many international hotel chains have shown interest to expand their footprints in India, since the latter half of 2010.

The domestic hospitality sector is also expected to garner investments to the tune of 11 billion USD by 2012, and 40 international hospitality brands are expected to make their

28

May-June ’12

presence in the country in the next few years. Starwood is looking at having 100 hotels in India across its brands, by as early as 2015. Marriott had also planned to double its hotel portfolio in India during 2011-2014. The hotel chain is placing a great deal of emphasis on the Indian market.

And India’s revived hospitality sector has room for such increase in rooms and more. According to FHRAI, India currently has over 200,000 hotel rooms spread across hotel categories and guest-houses but is still facing a shortfall of over 100,000 rooms. Whereas, according to an ICRA study in 2011, India had an estimated 170,000 hotel rooms of which around 60,000 are branded. The hotel industry in India is endeavouring to invest 10.3 billion USD by 2015, which will provide room for 60,000 additional rooms. However, even with the expected addition of another 60,000 hotel rooms (across segments) over the next three to five years, the industry is expected to fall short of meeting the long-term demands of an impressively growing economy like that of India. So it is the right time to invest in hospitality.

However, high real estate cost in metros, paucity of skilled and talented manpower, and the extensive rigmarole of licensing policies where a hotel in India needs to have close to 80 licenses before initiating operations, are possible impediments to the growth of hospitality sector in India.

Key Regions of Growth As expected, the two largest metros in India—the Delhi NCR with a pipeline of over 9900 rooms (across categories), and Mumbai with an active pipeline of around 3,800 rooms were two of the busiest hotel construction markets in the Asian subcontinent, by July 2011. Still these two cities lead the country in terms of forthcoming hospitality projects. ICRA expected the NCR to add another 5,000 premium/luxury rooms or so by 2015, and also expected NCR and Mumbai to witness strong demand for hotel rooms in the coming years. However, with supply also being strong, especially in the NCR (where room supply is expected to grow by 50 percent), ICRA expected this market to experience a weak recovery.

However, all is not well with the Indian hospitality sector.

According to ICRA, the viability of certain high-cost hotel projects in the NCR is uncertain. High real estate prices and increase in the costs of construction materials and commodities have pushed up the project costs and break-

C o v e r St o r y evens for these new hotels significantly. This could lead to some distress in the absence of strong pricing power over the medium term, ICRA noted.

Going by industry sources, there are also some other tier-I pockets where a spurt in room supply may be expected. They include Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Pune. Chennai which had around 2,400 rooms in 2011, is expected to double its inventory by 2015. Chennai’s luxury landscape is set to undergo a major shift with properties like the ITC Grand Dakshin, Leela, JW Marriott, Hyatt Regency, Radisson and Park Hyatt expected to open by 2014, in phases.

The small towns and cities are also becoming destinations for many upcoming hospitality properties and this may counter the impediment of prohibitive real estate costs in metros to some extent, for the Indian hospitality sector at large.

Trends in Revenues and Profits for the Indian Hotel Industry

Source: ICRA’s Estimates, Capitaline Database, Sample of Selected Hotels

Future Projections According to Cygnus Business Consulting and Research report, the Indian hotel industry is expected to attain a figure Rs.230 billion by 2015, exhibiting a healthy CAGR of 12.2 percent. India is expected to invest approximately Rs.448 billion in the hospitality industry in next five years from 2011.

Despite the rearing of global economic crisis again, the development of hotels in India has been an attractive investment for hoteliers and prospective hoteliers with deep pockets. As per Cygnus’ estimates, total supply (number of hotel rooms) in India is expected to reach more than 180,000 within four years. Various domestic and international brands have made significant inroads into the Indian hospitality space and more are expected to follow.

Overall, the Indian hotel industry holds a huge potential due to the positive impact of demand-supply scenario, growth drivers, investments and government initiatives for the tourism sector. Besides being the right time for the investors to invest in developing new hotels we can say the time is also just right for the Indian government and its hospitality sector to enhance its hospitality credentials by installing state-of-the art facilities and services in its non fivestar hotels and resorts, and by restoring the erstwhile pristine charm of many of its tourist attractions, so that we do not miss the bus like many other times in the history. Unless we take advantage of this buoyant phase we are not likely to emerge as one of the important players in the global hospitality industry in the years to come.

I

May-June ’12

29

Business

HOTEL Business Review

The Challenges of Crockery Selection

By Kanishka Gupta

I

t is said that food is first eaten or for that matter savoured with eyes, that is, if the food is nice to look at then the appetite grows. For the food to look nice a lot of importance is given to the plate in which it is dished out so that it is good to look at and at the same time convenient for the customer to have food from.

No wonder, in a hotel’s or a restaurant’s kitchen and as well as in hotel’s room service, crockery plays a very important role.

Presenting your food to your guest can be a tricky proposition, especially if you are not used to making it look pretty on the plate.

Before you begin styling your food, you need to decide on what you will present it on. You wouldn’t want all your efforts in the kitchen to be ruined by your choice of plates. Plates should complement your food presentation and heighten your culinary skills.

Adding Delight to Eating The various types of crockery used in

30

May-June ’12

hotels’ and restaurants’ kitchens and hotels’ room service depends on the type of menu/cuisine that is being served. For example, the requirement of crockery for soup varies from the crockery required for serving pastas (depending on its natureconsistency and texture of food).

If the right crockery selection is made for the right food then this facilitates the eating experience, as ideally eating should not only involve satiating of hunger and palate, but also a celebration of all the senses.

Good food with appropriate crockery selection could result in wonders. The right selection of crockery helps to put the right impression on the guest, making her/ him delightful and inducing her/him to think about a repeat visit to the establishment, which may eventually increase the number of footfalls at the restaurant.

Nowadays, crockery is used extensively in India in the hospitality sector and due to the evolving hotel industry, the use of

crockery has been not only restricted to serve food but also extended in terms of eye appealing presentations and in terms of serving food in a style which lasts long in the minds of the guests and gives value addition to the overall meal experience.

“Crockery brands now have unique features to showcase. Preferably, they give opportunity to the Chef to present his signature dish in something which combines and completes the array of dishes coming straight from the kitchen to the table,” explained Alok Dubey, Associate Consultant, Cilantro Hospitality Inc. As compared to the earlier half of the last century, the recommendation and buying process of the crockery has become very important in the hospitality sector, which takes into account of the hospitality establishment’s theme, interior decor, etc.

Overall, institutional crockery purchase has become a more professional exercise for both the buyer and the seller.

The shape and design of the crockery is

Business

HOTEL Business Review

rated quite highly in the process of crockery selection. Although, durability and shipping together plays a vital role in maintaining the crockery for long, more emphasis on the selection process of crockery is placed on how the crockery will bring life to the food and the venue, and how different will it be from others in the competition.

Applications of the Crockery Range The requirement of crockery in hotels varies according to the operational status.

For example, star hotels’ banquets and room service spaces require economical crockery in porcelain, etc.

“We make available Patra Crockery from Thailand for this space and the price of this crockery varies from Rs. 130-Rs.160 per dinner plate, and it varies as per the SKU. For premium dining spaces/ premium lounges/bars, etc. more expensive crockery is preferred in Bone China and Perception China. We make available crockery from Nikko, Japan for these spaces. Average cost of a dinner plate in premium dining spaces/premium lounges/bars ranges from Rs.450Rs.1000, depending on its style and decoration. The price varies as per the SKU,” said Nirmal Khandelwal, Managing Director, FCML Projects.

Khandelwal says that the crockery they market is manufactured in Japan and Bangkok. None of it is manufactured in India.

The various types of crockery being used in a hotel’s restaurants or other restaurants are salad plate, appetiser plate, soup dishes, pasta plate, round dinner plate, rectangular or oval dish, simple wooden boards, serving platters, enamelware, stoneware, pewter, dessert

Nirmal Khandelwal

plate, etc. Besides in tandem with the operations, the type of crockery chosen should be in harmony with the theme, cuisine, menu and decor of the restaurant, whether be it a stand-alone restaurant or a restaurant in a hotel. But most importantly, the choice of crockery perhaps depends on the types of food which are expected to be served on it.

Tanapong Vamananda

For instance, for an Italian restaurant deep dishes would be used for the food as on a flatter plate it would not be easy for the guest to have food. Another example would be if the restaurant is serving oriental food and if the theme of the restaurant relates to red colour, then the dishes can be hand made and be red in colour.

Similarly, for hot beverages, cups or thermal glasses are used and for solid food items, pasta plates or flat plates are used.

Similarly, salad plates are generally used in high-end restaurants for serving various salads, while appetiser plate is the right choice for serving various appetisers like fish, chips or tandoori chicken tikka, etc.

B &B plates are the right option for placing breads and butter that accompany the main course, cheese plates are generally used for the serving of cheese, fish plate can be used for serving of an array of dishes, soup dishes are the preferred choice for serving of soups, dessert plate is used for serving various desserts, etc.

The location of serving also influences the crockery selection. For example, if the food is to be served in room for the guest, then the dishes have to be smaller in size so that they can fit into the hot box so that all the food can be presented in a single shot without disturbing the guest.

These are some of the various factors to be kept in mind while choosing from the wide range of crockery options available in the market.

One of the important players in the crockery segment is Royal Porcelian Public Company Limited, which is one of Asia’s leading manufacturers of high-quality ceramic tableware. “We are one of the largest ceramic tableware manufacturers in South-east Asia. Our products consist of four ceramic bodies, including Porcelain,

May-June ’12

31

Business

HOTEL Business Review

Fine China, Bone China and Maxadura (high alumina product). Positioning the right crockery products into each potential market segment, we do offer five different brands for the Indian market that consist of Royal Porcelain, Royal Porcelain Maxadura, Royal Fine China, Royal Bone China, and a new brand named DIVA, which offers premium Bone China quality and trendy design,” asserted Tanapong Vamananda, Marketing Manager of the Thailand-based Royal Porcelian Public Company Limited, which has a tie-up with Eagle Forgings, who are their partners in India for over ten years. “Our products are sold in both the domestic and international markets, and in over 50 countries around the world,” he added.

Vamananda says that their crockery is totally manufactured in Thailand, and they deliver value products through best technology from Germany and Japan.

“Though tableware technology does not change or move fast, unlike the technology in telecommunications or electronics industry, I can say that both our factories have the latest and state-of-the-art technology. Production and technology know-how have been obtained from the leading ceramic tableware manufacturers in Germany,” added Vamananda.

Consulting on Crockery Proper training manuals are provided by consultants in terms of serving of food items from the crockery, and the concern for storage of crockery is also discussed and briefed during various training sessions conducted with the operations team.

Systematic schedule for proper record of the breakages is also prepared in order to maintain the stock and financials.

Sahil Arora

32

May-June ’12

Rajesh Sharma

Purchasing is eventually done once the best quoted price is placed with regard to the quality of the product. Hotel’s kitchen/restaurants in hotels approach consultants for assisting them with identifying/placing orders for crockery.

Consultants use different parameters for recommending to a hotel’s kitchen/ restaurant the supplier or the different types of crockery. First step in this direction is to identify the concept of the outlet, its cuisine and style of service, which would lead to the selection of the required crockery through well reputed suppliers.

Consultants like Dubey connect the crockery supplier with the hotel kitchen and strives to ensure that the hotel gets the optimum deal in terms of products, costs and discounts and after sales service. This is done through the reputation that the consultants have build up over time with the vendors and keeping in loop their involvement with hospitality companies to whom the products are being sold.

Besides the operations where the crockery is applied to, and the F& B options at the outlet or outlets for which the crockery is to be supplied, the cost/ budget of crockery in question, durability of that crockery, theme/decor of the restaurant in question all have to taken into consideration before opting for the ordering of the crockery.

“The planning of crockery in hotels’ kitchen/restaurants depends on various things like number of restaurants/types of restaurants (in terms of cuisines), cost of crockery, their durability, and how they gel with the theme and décor of the outlet concerned,” explained Rajesh Sharma, Executive Sous Chef, The Grand, New

Delhi. Temperature at which they are likely to subject to, the weight of the crockery, and terms for payment, all contribute towards arriving at the final decision of their purchase, opined Sharma.

“While designing the concept of a restaurant all the things are kept in mind like theme, cuisine, furniture, furnishing, etc. and one of the crucial parts of the concept is the tableware. For a formal restaurant, the plates chosen are generally white in colour, although their shape and size can vary. For a casual restaurant the plates can be of various colours as long as they go along with the theme of the restaurant,” affirmed Sahil Arora, Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon.

“Further, while ordering for crockery the hotel’s kitchen’s/restaurants’ design/ layout should be kept in mind, so as to enable efficient stacking, storage, serving, retrieval and washing of the crockery. As the crockery is the main tool for serving the best quality food in a better manner so for that, the proper layout is to be done, which would ensure that efficient stacking, storage, retrieval and washing could take place,” averred Sharma. Arora also emphasised on the layout of the kitchen/restaurant while placing order of crockery.

According to Arora, the cost of chinaware contributes greatly towards the costing of the restaurant so a lot of importance should be given to its storage and stacking. “In five-star hotels there are different dedicated storages given to glassware, chinaware and equipment.

There is also a dedicated dish landing area where the soiled plates are brought from the guest’s table for washing with a specific

Alok Dubey

Business detergent and sanitiser, which is not harmful for the plates. Later they are stacked in different racks and covered for later use,” elaborated Arora. In this context Arora advised that, “The most important thing to keep in mind while placing the order for chinaware is the easy replacement of them as chinaware is prone to chipping off and breaking.”

R&D and Technology Traditionally, crockery was and still is made of ceramic materials such as earthenware, stoneware or porcelain.

However they could also be made of other materials such as wood, pewter, silver, gold, glass, acrylic and plastic. Now these different materials of crockery could be best used as per the theme and design of the place. For example, the unbreakable crockery made of acrylic or melamine definitely gives an edge where there is possibility of rough use. “Leading brands keep flexibility when it comes to accommodating change of design, colour, and theme, with the use of technology,” asserted Sharma.

“Due to advancements in technology,

HOTEL Business Review

these days the process of making crockery has become very intricate and scientific.

The plates are made with machines and moulds and baked to certain temperature for strength and durability so as to last long. There are certain themed restaurants which still use hand made plates but they are very costly and less durable as compared to the chinaware made in factories,” informed Arora.

Various factors drive technological developments in the manufacture and design of crockery and suppliers usually use the inputs/feedback from hotel’s kitchens/ restaurants to improve their products.

“The crockery we market to hotels, restaurants, etc. each has its product strengths. For example, some of these products are very India specific and are not used worldwide. We are very careful about any feedback from F&B Managers and Chefs regarding the style and size of the crockery,” confirmed Khandelwal. He views that new developments and improvements in the realm of crockery are an ever evolving process and companies nowadays are very sensitive to the new requirements and concepts generated by

the industry. “We share the feedback on a continual basis with our associate companies overseas who then implement the changes and develop crockery, based on those specific requirements. It is our and our associate company’s sustained endeavour to design and develop products as per the changing concepts and requirements,” he added.

“The most important thing which drives our strategy is based on customer’s satisfaction. Thus we put much effort in research to gather the data and get back with the product and service that fulfills the requirement. This helps us in ensuring our competitive position,” pointed out Vamananda, while adding, “Our designs and products must also keep up with the market trend. Thus, it is important for us to always come up with new designs of ceramic tableware as well as be innovative enough to be among the leaders in the industry. There are continual demands from our agents and clientele to come up with new designs and innovations and we always come up with new designs every year both in terms of shapes and patterns,” he articulated.

■

May-June ’12

33

Design

HOTEL Business Review

Lighting the Hospitality

By Kanishka Gupta

T

he hotel industry is all about hospitality for the guest.

A good hotel should not only make guests comfortable but strive to create a unique experience for them. And a good lighting scheme plays a vital role in achieving this goal.

The first point of contact for a customer to the hotel is its exterior appearance, so a lot of emphasis is put on highlighting the beautiful architectural features of the hospitality property or on creating some intriguing special effects with light.

Besides, in the hotel interiors, lighting automation and mood lights like multi-colour LED strips are nowadays being used to create different moods for the discerning guests. “The need for good lighting fixtures is always there in this industry, as a well designed luminaire creates a better ambience, mood, etc.” says Manoj Saxena, Director, Dollar Electricals.

34

May-June ’12

Utility and Moods Lighting systems, lamps and shades nowadays play a very important role in the hotel atrium/guestrooms/alleys and restaurants. Their fundamental role is to illuminate the respective areas without the light falling directly in the eyes of the guests, with the help of proper selection of lamp shades and lamp fittings.

“We use such types of fittings in restaurants for illumination so that all food items are clearly visible in their natural colours.

In guest rooms, lighting has been designed in such a way that if the guest wants to read something on a writing table or on the bed, then she/he will be able to do so without straining her/his eyes and body. Moreover, our guest rooms are designed in such a way that they have access to natural light during day

Design

time so that there is no need for extra lights during daytime,” elaborated Ravindra Singh, Chief Engineer, ITC Grand Central - Mumbai. Agrees Manveer Singh Yadav, Director— Engineering, Hyatt Regency Delhi. “Lighting system in our hotel is very important as it gives the ambience, feeling and warmth to the guests, as by seeing different modes of lights in the hotel, guests relate to them and feel connected.”

“Our hotel is designed in such a way that all public areas are lighted by natural light during day time. During late evenings, our different set of lights comes into action, which make the lobby and restaurants look very attractive. Our lighting system is designed in such a way that during the evenings, all public area lights, which include lights in lobby and restaurants, go on Dimming Mode,” explained Singh.

Dimmers help create an exotic ambience by controlling the luminosity of the light which gradually help reflecting an Ravindra Singh amalgamation of moods.

Calculated dosage of the use of colours and various kinds of shades further help enhance the impact of light. “After consultations with various experts in the field, we have installed state-of-the-art lighting systems of this sort throughout our hotel,” informed Yadav.

“Most of our lighting system is connected to the building management system through which all operations related to lighting is controlled. Our external façade lights and their orientation are designed in such a way that light does not disturb guests,” articulated Singh.

“We have some fantastic lights in our hotel, starting from the lobby where we have some very good set of lamp shades and lights. We have six outlets and each of in-house restaurants has a set of lighting system that enhances its ambience and reflects its distinguished moods. The lighting

HOTEL Business Review

system used throughout the hotel has a mix of contemporary to select antique designs, depending on the type of restaurant, room, banquet venue, etc. Most of the work areas and the rooms have LED(light-emitting diode) lighting systems,” stated Yadav.

Key Features of Spectacular Lighting

Manveer Singh Yadav

Various factors are being kept in mind while installing the lighting systems in hotels. At ITC Grand Central-Mumbai, all the public areas like lobby and restaurants have environment-friendly LED Lights, which consumes 80 percent less electricity compared to other average lighting systems and their lifecycle is also very high. Moreover, these LED lights do not produce harmful rays.

All these lights are dimmer controlled, which provides various options of lighting level as per the requirement.

Different ratings of LED Lights are installed at various locations which make the hotel attractive for the guests. “Lighting systems in our hotel is on dimmers which have different timings and scenes, where each scene is set as per the mood of the day,” explained Yadav.

No wonder suppliers like Jainsons Electronics and Dollar Electricals are doing roaring business when it comes to Manoj Saxena supplying different

May-June ’12

35

HOTEL Business Review

Design

lighting systems for hotels. “We have supplied through direct contact with the hotel staff and old outdoor, indoor, commercial, fancy and LED vendors, second is through the Internet and lights, besides all kinds of other lighting magazines. The vendors also approach Project systems. We have done some fibre-optic Managers when they get news of any hotel under installations too,” asserted Anubhav Jain, construction. Once the hotel gives its requirement, Director, Jainsons Electronics. it is the job of the vendor to give quotation and get Jainsons Electronics has supplied lighting the samples approved, after which they are systems to many esteemed hospitality properties awarded the order,” explained Jain. in India and middle-east. Jain says that less than 5 percent of their sales are from hotels directly, LED to Light the Future while if one considers their hotel sales through Nowadays, in this era of cost cutting, the their distributor network, it may be more. “We owners of businesses are opting for better and have supplied underwater swimming pool lights, environment-friendly designs and quality at Anubhav Jain outdoor facade lighting, dimmable lighting the optimum prices to fit the procurement in systems to various hotel clients. We have also their stipulated budgets. All in all, the current supplied facade lighting solutions to Grand Mumtaz, Srinagar in trend is towards using low consumption LEDs to empower the recent past. Around 10 percent of our sales come from the lighting solutions. hotel industry,” said Saxena of Dollar Electricals.

New technologies like LED and light automation have gained popularity. In LED lighting, the race is now for the Determining the Requirement most efficient product and making the initial cost as close as So how do hotels determine what lighting systems/lamps and possible to their CFL and halogen counterparts. Light shades they require and how do they choose their suppliers? automation involves dimming function to set different “At ITC Grand Central- Mumbai, all lighting systems installed moods, thus all the lights should have compatible drivers. are designed by professional consultants and as the said hotel is LED represents perhaps the most important development in a LEED Platinum EB Certified Building, so we are purchasing lighting technology since the invention of the electric light light fittings as per LEED guidelines,” concurred Singh. “We changed our lives more than a century ago. LEDs facilitate us to generate unique, low energy lighting solutions, which involve have a lighting consultant who gives us options and ideas for affordable maintenance costs. And as investment in R&D the latest technology available in the market and good light pertaining to LEDs continues and their volumes increase in the fixtures,” put forward Yadav of Hyatt Regency Delhi. industry the price of LEDs are expected to come down Suppliers also first determine the requirement of lighting significantly. systems by hoteliers before getting the purchase order. Saxena For some time now LED lighting systems have been in vogue of Dollar Electricals said that, “We normally go as per the in the Indian hospitality sector. Due to their flexibility and the requirement of the hotels that they communicate to us.” possibility to set any desired colour, LEDs offer lighting There are many ways to get news about the requirement of solutions which are not possible with any other existing lighting systems in a particular hotel. “The most common is technologies, such as colour wall washing, sharp light/shadow lines, etc. LEDs also help to avoid light pollution on windows.

Lighting Industry Indian hotels and restaurants are already introducing LED lighting solutions for cosmetic and environmental purposes he lighting industry in India has grown by leaps and bounds in bars plus in reception and dining areas. Indian hotels are in the last 20 years or so. “Lighting has become a very also beginning to use LED bedside and standing lamps, and important part in the planning and development of any new effective 3W LED downlighters, (designed to replace 20W halogen versions) are also expected within a year or so. LEDs establishment, which of course include hotels. The percentage are also having application in hotel signage and they are of total budget allocated on lighting in hotels has increased replacing fluorescent, incandescent and neon lamps in this manifolds over the last few decades. Big players like Philips, regard. Their low energy consumption, bright clear colours Osram, Wipro, Bajaj and Havells have all forayed into the and enduring lifespan make them pragmatic lighting options lighting of the hospitality sector. One major change in this in today’s hospitality industry. period has been the capturing of the market by imported However, as replacements for conventional general lighting, LEDs are still distant because their cost/lumen ratio products,” explained Anubhav Jain, Director, Jainsons is still too high. Nevertheless, the next few years are expected Electronics. to witness more LED solutions in specialised areas of hotels, “The lighting industry in India has evolved greatly in the such as reception and meeting areas, where more decorative last 15-20 years. New lamp sources like metal halide lamps, effects are required. Within a decade LEDs should become a CFLs and now LEDs have created vast opportunities for the viable option for general lighting solutions in hotels. designers and manufacturers to develop the luminaires to “Taking all the factors into account, one can safely say that the hospitality industry is moving towards increased use of LED suit the hospitality sector,” pointed out Manoj Saxena, and indoor commercial downlights and other fittings rather Director, Dollar Electricals.

■ than fancy lights that were used earlier,” concluded Jain.

T

36

May-June ’12

Apr-May ’12

37

Property

HOTEL Business Review

A Bungalow on the Beach

By Kavitha Srinivasa fragile economy and the rupee’s freefall against the dollar have urged even highend tourists and travellers in India to look at domestic locales as holiday options.

Domestic tourism is the collateral beneficiary in this economic melee.

Thankfully, at the same time, the Indian hospitality industry has been making earnest efforts to encourage inbound travel, which means inbound tourists and travellers are likely to throng India’s bewitching locales and perennial legacies in hordes, in present times and also in the years to come.

India now has a significant number of singular and offbeat hospitality properties to attract discerning tourists. For example, a Neemrana property in the coastal town of Tharangambadi, Tamil Nadu, aptly named as The Bungalow on the Beach, has been attracting a steady stream of foreign and domestic tourists. The hospitality property has strategically positioned itself to attract domestic travellers with new packages. The property resonating with the whisper of centuries of colonial heritage is also tapping foreign travellers through an enhanced visibility on the Internet.

Tharangambadi or the Land of the Waves in Tamil, became Tranquebar for the Danes who ruled it from 1620-1845, after which the British took over its

A

38

May-June ’12

administration till the independence of India. Tranquebar is reputed to have the thickest ozone layer in the country which makes this sylvan locale ideal for relaxation and rejuvenation. This picturesque coastal town lies 15 km south of the ancient Chola port of Pumpuhar, and 15 km north of the former French comptoir of Karaikal. As we enter Karaikal, the Neemrana sign posts are strategically positioned on the roads to reinforce its presence.

The Bungalow on the Beach is a

heritage property which easily manages to give guests their own encounter with the sun and sea breeze. Time becomes irrelevant when you stand facing the sunrise with a 14th century Pandya temple on your left and a 17th century Danish fort to the right. History and nature merge to create a wonderful romantic sonata in your senses. You feel like you have been rejuvenated…

Savvy Marketing Spurred by the last year’s response,

Property

HOTEL Business Review

right now the only national level hospitality player operating in Tranquebar and has reaped fruit since its presence in 2004. “The Bungalow on the Beach is attracting a large variety of Indians and foreigners. The Danes are as romantic about Tranquebar as the French are about Pondicherry. But they ‘rediscovered’ it after we came. So our joy is to have put the property on the tourist map,” revealed Wacziarg, who comes across as a blend of an hotelier and restorer. Take the case of Ole Torp Aundal, a Danish engineer who came to Chennai for work. “I decided to take a break and chose to spend the weekend at this heritage hotel. Since Tranquebar was a Danish settlement, I wanted to visit the place. I am glad I came here as I am enjoying the sea breeze and the solitude of the place, with the The Bungalow on the Beach After Restoration

Bungalow on the Beach has created an off-season package that extends from May to July. An off-season package for a double occupancy includes morning and evening tea/coffee, continental breakfast and 35 percent discount on room rent. While Neemrana chain of hotels has traditionally relied on the tried and tested method of word-of-mouth publicity, this time the marketing blitzkrieg has been extended to the online medium too. This year, the idyllic heritage hotel has decided to leverage the potential of the Internet through a tie-up with MakeMyTrip.com.

“We have a majority of Indian clients and felt it was best to access them through the

online mode,” said Francis Wacziarg, CoChairman of Neemrana Hotels.

The Neemrana Hotels has also officially announced in June that Internet Moguls — the digital marketing agency— will handle its search engine optimisation. This collaboration is aimed at global tourists and travellers seeking an experiential holiday, which the group is known for.

Internet Moguls’ role is to improve Neemrana’s presence on the Google’s search engine.

Discovering Heritage An early entrant stands to gain and Neemrana is no exception. The group is

occasional eagle and sparrows for company,” Aundal spoke as he nursed a cup of tea.

Such guests have kept the hotel in good shape. The country may be witnessing a deteriorating macro-economic situation, but the property enjoys a 50 percent occupancy over the year, which Wacziarg feels is not bad for a place “somewhat at the back of beyond.” Rooms like Queen Anna Sophia with their long airy corridors are always in demand because they offer a wonderful sea view.

Even the restaurant’s feast sports a scenic view. It is best to sit outdoors by the swimming pool and begin the day with a

May-June ’12

39

Property

HOTEL Business Review

healthy Continental buffet breakfast. A Continental or south Indian meal can be enjoyed indoors in the dining area too, embellished with a fine selection of Delft plates.

According to Wacziarg, he ‘discovered’ Tranquebar when he visited it as early as 1972 and had always kept it in mind that it should be developed. However at that time, it was too premature as he was not into hotels at that time.

Cool Aesthetics Bungalow on the Beach had changed hands over time. In 2002, Wacziarg bought the property and restored it to its erstwhile glory in 2004. The seaside bungalow has been engineered with forethought. Wood has been used generously in place of iron, as the latter tend to rust because of the property’s proximity to the sea. Even in the peak of summers, Bungalow on the Beach remains cool. The walls are made with a combination of egg white, chunam and calcium. Cement which causes heat, has been avoided. The total cost of restoring the eight rooms of the property, with the public areas and swimming pool was around Rs 1.25 crore. The restoration took about a year-and-a half, during which the furniture and artifacts were purchased from all over South India.

Sourcing collectors’ items wasn’t very difficult as the hotelier cum restorer had already forged ties with artisans and was familiar with flea markets in the southern region of the country. This knowledge seeped into him when he opened Hotel De L’Orient, the Neemrana property in Pondicherry, which marked its gateway into south India. Tourists and travellers

40

May-June ’12

travelling to south India can find it convenient to stop at Tranquebar, just 120 km drive from Pondicherry. Here they can savour the Danish colonial flavour with pristine nature and recharge their batteries.

“Being on the Pondicherry circuit where French are in large numbers has kept our occupancy levels high here as well,” said Wacziarg.

Besides chalking out a circuit, Neemrana has the ability to convert ruins into tangible assets. Bungalow on the Beach, the former Danish Governor’s bungalow, is no exception. Its swaying unhurried pace is reassuring and the ambience is comforting. The beach bustles with activity at dawn as fishermen scurry to get their pick for the day. “The most perfect moment of the day is when you get up in the morning, sit at the verandah sipping a cup of tea or coffee and watch the huge orange ball rise right in front of you! Along with the Sun, you can’t help admiring the sea and the fishing boats,” added the sensitive hotelier.

Though you may casually term it as a resort, but Bungalow on the Beach is not your archetypal seaside resort. This retreat

in real sense packages a slice of Danish history with a quintessential south Indian flavour, reflected in the traditional brass lamp, wooden artifacts, Burma teak beams, brass four poster beds, and antique colonial almirahs. A carefully planned wooden stairway connects every floor of the bungalow, the highlight being the terrace which is a nice place to relax towards the evening. Though the rooms carry names like Princess Louise, they exude earth tones like green. Finally it turns out that it is a ‘heritage hotel that happens to be by the sea. Except for a spa, which operates during the season, Bungalow on the Beach does not have the games and recreational activities associated with a conventional resort.

Turning the Tides When the hotel was inaugurated in December 2004, tsunami struck and devastated the place. Ironically, the tide turned in Neemrana’s favour. A disasterrelief effort brought the Bestseller Foundation from Denmark to the place.

The NGO collaborated with INTACH Pondicherry and their collaborative effort

! "# #$$

5, 1 +2 ) 6 7 ) 8 9) !: 9

! " ! #

% & ' ( ) * +

$ , %& '' " '

) & - % . /

) 0

% 1

) & ' ( ) % .

()

) ) 2 3 ) .

( * + ) ( .

4

Property

HOTEL Business Review

morphed Tharangambadi into a Model Heritage Town. An arched gateway leads you to the Tharangambadi Heritage Town, where The Bungalow on the Beach is located.

Sensing the potential, Neemrana was quick to add three more hotels to its portfolio at the Tharangambadi Heritage Town. These include the Gate House, a beautiful palm-ringed Tamil house that seamlessly blends the colonial charm with contemporary ambience. A lily pond, tiled roof and sunlit reception room add to its quaintness. There is also the elegant Nayak

House on Goldsmith Street, whose rooms bear the names of Gold and Platinum.

Nayak House is a Neemrana group enterprise located at 5 minutes walking distance from The Bungalow on the Beach.

This hotel has a room which is supposed to be Tranquebar’s tallest room and overlooks the place. Finally, there is a budget class hotel of Neemrana at Tharangambadi Heritage Town with dormitory rooms. It is called the Tamil Nadu Hotel. The off season package extends to the Gate House and Nayak House but not to the Tamil Nadu Hotel since it is a budget hotel.

In all there are four hotels from Neemrana at Tharangambadi, with varied price points to address different segments of the economic pyramid. The rates vary from as low as Rs. 150 for dormitories with beds to rooms that are over Rs 6,000.

It is an intelligent business strategy indeed.

Even those guests staying in the budget hotel can enjoy the beauty, cleanliness and historic relevance of this heritage town, and this would eventually give a fillip to the tourism at Tharangambadi, and to the revenues of Neemrana Hotels in both short and the long run.

■

Si g h t s a n d S ounds

The Bungalow on the Beach Before Restoration

A

n old fort that refused to be washed away with the killer tides of tsunami, a road which lies submerged under the water and a reconstructed church are some of the landmarks of Tharangambadi or Tranquebar.

This is the only place in Tamil Nadu where the East Coast Road and Dansborg Fort are located within a space of 550 meters. The oldest Lutheran church in India was built in this charming town, in 1706. New Jerusalem Church, built in 1718, is also an architectural marvel. When in Tharangambadi, do not forget to visit the Maritime Museum in the vicinity, which is a poignant reminder of how tsunami wrecked Tranquebar.

The prevalence of Danish architecture makes Tranquebar different from the neighbouring towns. The Danish bungalows are characterised by wide colonnaded verandahs, with a large central hall flanked by rooms. Over the centuries, many of these relics were reduced to ruins.

The post tsunami efforts of the Bestseller Foundation from Denmark in collaboration with INTACH Pondicherry have helped the maritime port town regain

42

May-June ’12

its original grandeur. Tharangambadi is being transformed into a model heritage town under the Tharangambadi Restoration Development Scheme. Everything has been falling into place in a nice sort of manner since then. Formal public places recreate the dignity of a bygone era through phased out activities.

A sum of Rs.5 crore was pumped in for the first phase. Under this phase, the beach sports a facelift through citizenfriendly initiatives like granite benches supported by ornate lampposts. Towards the evening, families flock by to watch the ebb and flow of the tides. As the sun sets on the western horizon, people munch masala channa or relish a dollop of ice cream. Though the place is a crowd-puller, it remains unpolluted as yet.

One can come across carefully resurrected Tamil homes located on Goldsmith’s Street, so called because it once housed goldsmiths. These woodbrick houses have good ventilation because the front door symmetrically aligns with the back door. The other features include urlis, open courtyards and

verandahs with raised platforms for members of the joint family to sit out and relax. The INTACH office is located in a Tamil house. It was felt that a crafts centre should be housed alongside to provide livelihood for the tsunami hit households.

This led to the Tranquebar Crafts Resource Centre, which has revived the culture and crafts of Tranquebar and created a steady source of income for the artisans. This is a place where you can buy a souvenir or two.

The Dansborg Fort is also a must visit site. It was built by the Danish Royal Navy Commander in 1620, during the reign of the Nayaka King Ragunatha Nayaka of Tanjore when Tharangambadi was a flourishing trade centre. The fort faces the east coast of India and from here the pepper trade route to Denmark commenced. Today, it remains as an eye catching piece of architecture that overlooks the sea. This is a scenic spot to catch the sunrise over the Bay of Bengal. The Tamil Nadu Archeological Department has taken it under its wing since 1977. With a modest entry fee of Rs 5, the Danish fort is worth a visit as it carefully preserves relics of an era long gone by.

Overall, Tranquebar is the ideal place to listen to the sound of waves, admire the tiny thatched hamlets and watch the monuments by the moonlight. Here the Lutheran churches, majestic bungalows of the erstwhile Danish Governors’ and the British Collector’s residence together help you relive the colonial era in the nascent days of the twenty-first century, while the glorious temples of Kumbakonam and Tanjore can transport you to the regality of the ancient era.

BAKERY REVIEW

Apr-May ’12

P R O F I L E

35

Te c h n o l o g y

HOTEL Business Review

The Role of

Laundry in Hospitality

By Kanishka Gupta

A

laundry plays a vital role in hotel housekeeping operations because it oversees the cleaning and upkeep of linen and fabric on a daily basis. A laundry is also essential from the guests’ point of view as laundry requirements may arise during the course of their stay, which usually get taken care of by the in-house laundry in hotels. Dry cleaning, normal laundering, express laundry, pressing, etc. are the standard set of laundry services offered to hotel guests.

Rooms are a major sub-section of housekeeping and without laundry, it is impossible to make available to the guests

44

May-June ’12

fresh and plush linen, which is vital to the décor of the rooms and central to the concept of a five-star or for that matter any star hotel’s experience. When dirty or used linen is sent for cleaning, it undergoes several stages like sorting, washing, extraction, drying, pressing, packaging, and distribution. Each process is important so as to breathe life into the linen and keep them from smelling or appearing soiled. It is observed that the normal life of linen like bed sheets, pillow slips, duvets are 100 -120 washes.

A laundry also provides the hotel’s housekeeping staff with clean, crisp and

well-ironed uniforms. This is necessary as the employees are representatives of the hotel and pivotal to promoting the hotel’s image. Overall, the laundry department plays a very important role in the housekeeping function of a hotel.

Typical Laundry Functions Reetha Thomas, Executive Housekeeper, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida said, “A laundry in a five-star hotel is operational for 24 hours throughout the year.” That gives us an idea of the importance of laundry operations in hotel business. Any article which is processed in laundry primarily goes through four stages. First, sorting is done for stains, according to the type of linen as different items often require different washing formulae. Thus, it is inadvisable to mix different items of linen in the same wash batch.

Then the laundry undergoes actual washing. The sorted linen is weighed according to the washing machine’s load limit. Large washing machines are used, which are usually operated by a certified washer operator. The washer operator loads and unloads the washer, decides what is to be washed according to the laundry’s schedule, and monitors the chemical levels in the water.

Third, in the drying/tumble stage, linen is dried in tumble dryer according to its type and weight and after that, items like bed sheets/pillow slips are also calendered and then folded. Items like towels and blankets are put through a

Te c h n o l o g y

Reetha Thomas

dryer until they are no longer damp. In short, in this stage, the clean linen is dried, ironed and folded.

Then the processed linen is prepared for delivery and kept ready for rooms, restaurants, etc. In the delivery stage, clean linen is stacked in clean linen trolley and sent to the floors for repeat usage.

The laundry operations in a hotel are

Gurdeep Singh Parhar

HOTEL Business Review

often not a one man’s job. For example, at Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida, K R Nautiyal is the laundry in-charge under the guidance of Reetha Thomas and is assisted with a team of two valets and 12 workers under him.

On a daily basis, an average weight of 1100-1300 kg of linen/fabric is processed at Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida. These include bath linen of 240 kg daily on an average, bed linen of 300 kg daily on an average, guest white of 15 kg daily on an average, guest colour of 25 kg daily on an average, and guest light of 20 kg daily on an average. F& B white of 120 kg daily on an average, F&B colour of 80 kg daily on an average, white uniform of 100 kg daily on an average, coloured uniform of 110 kg daily on an average, spa towels of 200 kg daily on an average, dry cleanable items of 30 kg daily on an average and others constituting 25 kg daily on an average are also part of the total average weight of laundry load processed per day at the property.

“In-house laundry caters to guests as well as staff (for maintaining hygiene and standards of the uniform) of the hotel. A laundry’s function in any hotel is that of a 24 hour department. From soiled linen from each F&B outlet and room linen to staff uniforms, laundry caters to all.

Sorting, cleaning, dry cleaning, ironing and then marking are the major functions of a laundry in a typical day,” said Gurdeep Singh Parhar, Manager — FabriCare, ITC Maurya, New Delhi. “A laundry also plays an important role in providing a luxurious experience during any banquet function in the hotel by supplying crisp and clean table top covers and other required essentials. The laundry

at ITC Maurya, New Delhi has a capacity to process 8,000 kg of laundry per day.

Our hotel deals in all types of linen such as towel, silk, wool, cotton, etc. which require different chemicals to treat them,” he added.

Laundry Equipment in Use At Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida, a variety of machines for different uses made by different manufacturers are installed. “Skilled and experienced staff operates the machines as the process demands expertise and technical knowhow,” informed Reetha.

Washer-cum-extractor, a state-of-theart machine with a capacity to wash 200 kg linen per hour; dryers; flat bed press with folders; utility pressing machine; drycleaning machines; marking machines constitute the range of laundry equipment of ITC Maurya, New Delhi. “The hotel does train the laundry men to operate these machines as they require some level of expertise to operate,” said Parhar.

The need for sophisticated range of laundry equipment is catered to by various suppliers and manufacturers. One of the important suppliers of laundry equipment in hotels is Supershine Laundry Systems Pvt. Ltd. Suppliers like Supershine Laundry Systems manufacture and supply a range of laundry equipment and has an impressive list of clientele comprising top-end hotels. “A typical hotel laundry consists of washer extractor, drying tumbler, feeder, flat work ironer and folder, dry cleaning machine and finishing presses,” affirmed Karan Goyal, Vice President, Supershine Laundry Systems. “Majority of five-star hotels in India purchase imported laundry

May-June ’12

45

Te c h n o l o g y

HOTEL Business Review

equipment due to their superior quality and better processing results on an average,” he added. Hotels happen to be the primary market segment of Supershine Laundry Systems. “About 95 percent of our sales come from our hotel clients,” pointed out Goyal.

Choosing the Equipment and Supplier A well-equipped laundry area can be a very convenient asset to any hotel. But how do hotels determine what laundry equipment they want or require and how do they choose their suppliers? While buying laundry equipment following factors can be taken into account by the hotels so as to enable them to possess the optimum laundry set up.

Overall, Reetha feels that when choosing a supplier for laundry equipment some important parameters should be taken care of. They are price, quality, training provided, sustainability of supplies, and whether the supplier complies with relevant legislation of the company like ISO certification, HACCP certification, etc. The availability of the supplier and spare parts of the equipment purchased, during an emergency, should also be taken care of account. “It is also important to determine the availability and pricing of common parts of the laundry machines which you intend to purchase and one should also make sure that one has the warranty details in writing,” explained Reetha. She also urges

Karan Goyal

buyers to ask for a handful of references in the industry and to do their homework before checking the suppliers.

Besides these basic factors some other factors too need to be considered while purchasing a laundry equipment or a range of laundry equipment in a hotel.

“Before shopping for laundry equipment, you must consider your daily needs or the size of property you are working with.

Hotels should carefully consider their daily laundry needs before buying any laundry equipment,” asserted Reetha. She also correctly pointed out that before heading to buy the laundry equipment or the range of laundry equipment, one should be armed with the information on space like length, width and height of the laundry where it/they need/s to be

installed.

“To determine what type and how much industrial laundry equipment a hospitality property needs, it is important to first determine the size of your laundry operations, fabric used in the hotel and load per day. Other things to consider are employee turnover and floor space, etc.,” elaborated Parhar.

“Always try to buy high efficiency and energy-saving equipment. Large capacity washers and dryers mean more output and greater efficiency in processing your daily wash requirements,” explained Reetha.

She also advised to be sure of taking advantage of any opportunities to save.

“Many retailers offer additional sales information online, so remember to check store websites,” she stated.

When asked on specifications about washer and dryer, she said that, “A washer or dryer should have programmable cycles

Machines Used in Radisson MBD Blu Hotel Noida S. No. Types of Machine

Usage

Supplier

Capacity

Manufacturing Company

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Washing Washing Drying Drying Pressing Washing Washing Stain Dry Wash Pressing Pressing Pressing Pressing

Supershine Supershine Supershine Supershine Supershine Supershine Supershine Supershine Supershine Supershine Supershine Wotak Wotak

125 LB/56 KG 126 LB/56 KG 25 KG 25 KG

Image Image Supershine Supershine Image Whirlpool IFB Supershine Itaclean Supershine Forenta Ajax Ajax

46

Washing Machine No. 1 Washing Machine No. 2 Tumbler (Dryer No. 1) Tumbler (Dryer No. 2) Calendar Machine (Flate Work Ironer) Washing Machine (Domestic) Washing Machine (Domestic) Spotting Machine Dry-cleaning Machine Steam Press Cuff and Collar Press Hot Head Press Form Finisher

May-June ’12

5 KG 5 KG ******* 12 KG ******* ******* ******* *******

Te c h n o l o g y and simple one touch operation.”

According to her, it should have customisation of cycle times, spin speeds, number of rinses and water temperature, which means consistent wash outcomes and ease of operations.

That is not all. Manual dosing of powdered or liquid detergents and sanitisers is often plagued with issues like pilferage, over use, poor cleaning outcomes, and detergent residues in fabric, along with potential safety issues and higher costs. “All of these issues can be overcome and detergent costs can be slashed by fitting automatic chemical dosing pumps to your machine,” articulated Reetha.

The Role of Consultants Consultants also help in the selection process of laundry equipment. “Vital Concept Design is a hotel operations design firm which has designed over 100 hotels and hospitality spaces. Once selected for an assignment, the company provides services that range from assessing laundry capacities to preparing designs of laundry and housekeeping spaces, to assessing the vendor capabilities, making recommendations and finally coordinating with various agencies like architectural services consultants, the laundry equipment vendor and finally with the client and brand manufacturer to ensure that there is minimal variation between the designed and the end product delivered,” explained Ram Vittal Rao, Director, Vital Concept Design.

In fact, the role of consultants in selecting the laundry equipment is crucial.

For example, in most cases, Supershine Laundry Systems does not need to determine the laundry equipment

HOTEL Business Review

Centralised Laundry

C

entralised laundries are a new trend in the industrial laundry business. Rao informed that his firm had been providing advice to entrepreneurs to set up centralised laundries that would cater to the hospitality industry, since 13 years ago. “In India, the advent of more centralised laundries will allow hotel brands to be comfortable and thus save on capital and operations costs,” conferred Rao. “In hotels OPLs (On Premise Laundries) are energy and manpower intensive and are difficult to maintain. However, the plus side is that stringent quality checks are easy to enforce as the laundry is in-house,” he pointed out.

Rao believes that the time for centralised laundries has arrived in India, but in the same breath he states that, “Centarlised laundries have to be careful in their delivery modes and packaging, as linen handling is critical and is susceptible to humidity and poor quality of finishing at the end of the line due to bad handling by the delivery team.”

In India, many hotel brands insist on having OPLs (On Premise Laundries), while these same hospitality brands in many international locations are comfortable with centralised laundries and their linen programs. Such linen programs entail that the entire inventory of the hotel’s linen supplies and uniforms are maintained by the centralised laundry vendor. The hotel simply has to take delivery of finished products and hand over the soiled items. The hotel can reject badly finished or any damaged pieces by doing random sampling at the time of delivery. requirement of a typical hotel because most hotels hire facility planning consultant to plan the back-of-the-house requirements which includes laundry, kitchen, etc. For laundry equipment, the designated consultant comes out with a laundry tender document which is circulated to the various laundry equipment vendors in contention.

“Supershine quotes as per the tender specifications, as do other vendors.

Henceforth, the consultant holds technical negotiations with all the vendors who approach the hotel for supplying of laundry equipment in order to ensure that all are on a standard platform. Then a technical comparison is drawn by the consultant, which is passed on to the hotel owner along with a preferred vendor list.

The hotel owner then holds multiple rounds of price negotiations, following which, the purchase order is being issued,” emphasised Goyal.

Future is Indigenous

Ram Vittal Rao

Goyal views that the “future of laundry equipment industry in India is definitely of indigenously manufactured laundry equipment.” Goyal has a valid reason for this statement. “This is because imported laundry equipment has a market segment limited primarily to five-star and four-star hotels, which can afford some extra initial capital investment on laundry equipment

due to their quality consciousness. Other discussed market segments like hospitals, garment manufacturers and educational institutions primarily cater to their laundry needs through indigenously manufactured laundry equipment,” he analysed. Now when the laundry equipment manufacturing processes in India will advance and as the indigenous laundry equipment manufacturers will be able to match quality expectations of five-star and four-star hotels, the imported laundry equipment’s requirement in the market will diminish.

“So, indigenous manufacturing of laundry equipment is the way to go,” Goyal concluded.

I

May-June ’12

47

F&B

HOTEL Business Review

Challenges of Running the

F&B Show

By Sharmila Chand

H

eading the F&B department of a hotel or a restaurant chain, or for that matter running a standalone restaurant business successfully is both exciting as well as challenging.

Our discussion with various F&B Managers confirms what we already knew. It becomes evident that running an F&B show is not a smooth sailing business at all.

It takes great organisation skills, and consistent hard work; often involving 24x7 engagement to successfully run a restaurant business. One has to have the skills of putting every resource in the right place to one’s advantage so that the F&B business can bring in more customers and, hence, result in greater profits.

Jakhar, F&B Manager at Galaxy Hotel Shopping and Spa, “In the realm of F&B, work pressure is indeed high. One needs to balance it well. For time and task it is the guest first. There is no room for the attitude of keeping aside

Managing Matters As expected, the job entails many pressures at work. According to Amit

48

May-June ’12

Amit Jakhar

pending jobs, no room for detached approach and no saying ‘No’ to the guests’ needs. However, for stress relief one should allocate at least half an hour for workouts daily.”

Similar views are aired by other industry experts. “It is not always a cakewalk to establish a profit making F & B unit. One of the many challenges we face at our level is the dichotomy when a certain unit is witnessing a constant traffic of patrons but is unable to reap the expected profits. The burgeoning numbers are not always the sign of a successful F&B outlet, there are different attributes and subtleties that need to be orchestrated to create an F&B unit that is both popular as well as beneficial,” pointed out Vineet Wadhera, Director — Food & Beverage, The Grand, New Delhi.

“In our line of work (especially in operations), dealing with a seemingly difficult & unforeseen situation at work

F&B

HOTEL Business Review

“Maintaining a ‘To Do’ list and planning each day by prioritising our task, managing commitments, avoiding procrastination, delegating work, anticipating and being prepared, avoiding distractions and learning to say ‘No’ when necessary, concentrating on results rather than the activity, together helps in managing our time and stress effectively,” asserted Singh.

“

Kingdom of Dreams is a very hot & happening place and we have to be always on our toes as something interesting or the other keeps on happening here. All these actually give us the thrill & make our work even more interesting. We in fact take challenges as a part of our job and each time we come across a seemingly difficult task and accomplish it, we have this huge sense of satisfaction that is comparable to none.

”

— Bobby Singh, F&B Manager, Kingdom of Dreams.

is a daily affair and it is no different at Kingdom of Dreams as it is a very hot and happening place. We have to be always on our toes as something interesting or the other keeps on happening here,” elaborated Bobby Singh, F&B Manager at Kingdom of Dreams, Gurgaon. However, challenges are part of the enjoyment for a die-hard F&B player. “All these actually give us the thrill and make our work even more interesting. We in fact take challenges as a part of our job and each time we come across a seemingly difficult task and accomplish it, we get this sense of satisfaction that is comparable to none,” added Singh.

“Having said that, it is very important to manage our time and stress as it gives us a sense of control and confidence,” Singh continued. And how does one do that in the frantic environment of F&B operations, on a day-to-day basis?

Qualities to Counter Challenges “There are various challenges in different F&B units that we face, depending on the mercurial conditions of the markets,” pointed out Wadhera.

According to him, the successful F&B Manager in a hotel needs the ability to gauge the pulse of industry trends and make the overall F&B business unit profitable. She/he must also have the ability to improve customers’ satisfaction and increase their loyalty, along with the ability to improve staff performance and their motivation.

“The ability to seamlessly manage the day-to-day operations of the several departments that form the F&B business unit, and the ability to maintain F&B outlets compliant with both internal standards and external regulations, and to manage the influence of workers´union in a nonconfrontational way are other attributes that a successful F&B Manager in a hotel should have,” elaborated Wadhera.

According to Tarun Bhatia, F&B Manager, Eros — Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place, to “Continually upgrading the products and services to match the competition and growing guest’s demands,” is a foremost challenge of the F&B unit.

“Then there is the challenge of exceeding guests’ expectations. Every guest comes with different expectations based upon her/his previous experience/ s or the stories she/he has heard. The challenge lies in understanding what guest wants and then exceeding her/his expectations,” explained Bhatia. He believes that staff retention, maintaining supply chain, and having limited time for your personal life are other challenges for a successful F&B Manager, which she/he needs to overcome.

Countering such multiple challenges

has its flip side too. “When you are in the service industry it is very difficult to manage your schedule your way and your personal life becomes unplanned,” conceded Bhatia.

“An F&B Manager needs to be consistent in meeting guests’ expectations, should have good operational skills, and have an innovative thought process. Besides these, a successful F&B Manager needs to successfully overcome the challenge of being cost-effective and profitable at the same time, to constantly enhance guest satisfaction without affecting bottom lines,” opined Jakhar.

Sattish. P, Food & Beverage Manager, GRT Grand Chennai opines that in order to run an F&B outlet successfully one needs to work well under pressure and be organised, flexible, creative and self-motivated. At the same time, according to Sattish, the person running the show at a F&B outlet, “Must possess high energy, entrepreneurial spirit, and should be a motivational leader, effective communicator and be effective in providing exceptional customer service.”

“

At GRT Grand Chennai, F&B is the most exciting department. Every day brings in new learning lessons and this makes work a lot more fun because you go back with learning something new every single day.

”

— Sattish.P, Food & Beverage Manager, GRT Grand Chennai.

May-June ’12

49

F&B

HOTEL Business Review

Furthermore, he thinks that she/he must have a “True desire to understand and anticipate the needs of others in a fast-paced environment.” He also asserts that, “One needs to have loyal, smart and knowledgeable associates to successfully manage the F&B show.”

Loving the Challenges Nevertheless, the F&B honchos, if given a second chance, will choose the same department to work. “I thoroughly enjoy every moment of my job, which helps me motivate through the challenging tasks or stressful situations.

Being a foodie at heart it becomes easier for me not simply to understand the needs of the customers but also the protocol that needs to be followed when we offer our products to them,”

“

I believe I am most fortunate to be working with the F&B industry about which I am passionate, and thus there are no career alterations that I have in mind. I hope to work with more cuisines and introduce more exotic menus that have not come to the country yet. I hope to have the opportunity to experiment more on the job so that the global Indian who is no more apprehensive about foreign tastes is able to enjoy exotic dishes in her/ his own home turf.

”

— Vineet Wadhera, Director — Food & Beverage, The Grand, New Delhi.

50

May-June ’12

explained Wadhera.

Singh too like many other F&B honchos, loves his job. He keeps a balance between work and personal life.

“Balance is very important for me and remembering to take a break and managing to find time for indulging & treating myself to small things that I like doing always works for me,” stated Singh.

Bhatia describes the job of running an F&B unit or F&B units as a “very non monotonous and challenging job

with scenarios and situations changing every time. You have to deal with these situations on a case to case basis. I enjoy being in different situations and handling them,” averred Bhatia.

“Besides the opportunity to taste the best of food & beverage options around, being a people’s man I enjoy meeting with some of the top shots and inspirational people around, which this job provides me with the opportunity,” explained Bhatia.

■

Tips to Strengthen the Team I. Tarun Bhatia, F&B Manager, Eros — Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place Communicate regularly with the team. Ensure that the team’s goals are well defined and are well communicated.

Ensure that the team members are trained well to handle their responsibilities. I would recommend combination of both classroom style and on the job training.

Empowering the team members make them more responsible and adds value to the individual’s role, in turn resulting in more satisfied employees and a more productive team. So empower your team members.

Tarun Bhatia

II. Vineet Wadhera, Director — Food & Beverage, The Grand, New Delhi.

Good service is given by outstanding staff and outstanding staff should have the inherent customer service abilities. Therefore it is advisable to hire staff who have inherent customer service abilities.

However, inherent customer service abilities should be coupled with specific skill building training programs and a guide on how to operate and what it is expected from them in order to get the desired results. Hence, build relevant skills and increase staff motivation among your staff. We conduct frequent training sessions with specific skill building agenda that reflects in benefit in the F&B outlets’ operations.

Also make efforts to maintain a strong performing team.

III. Bobby Singh, F&B Manager, Kingdom Of Dreams Rewards & recognition programs should be in place. We shouldn’t wait for the employees to do something extraordinary in order to appreciate their effort.

Good work that gets recognised tends to get repeated. A small pat on the back, showing respect, appreciating their effort verbally or in writing in a timely manner, goes a long way.

Empowering the team members by involving them in brainstorming, problem solving and even decision making makes the team feel more important & belonging.

Regular team/recreational activities should be in place to continually engage the team. High levels of involvement lead to commitment and increased levels of trust and motivation, thereby strengthening the team.

Training also plays a very important role in strengthening the tea m and therefore we need to identify training needs & provide regular training to the team in order to make team members more competent and confident at the same time.

Industry

HOTEL Business Review

Reviving Sufi Healing for Modern Wellness

By Tapapriya Lahiri

I

n India, the wellness industry is growing impressively with rich awareness of health and well-being, especially amongst the affluent spa goers. To undergo a blissful holistic journey of mind body and soul, ancient and modern treatments from all over the world are finding their presence in the Indian spa industry.

Over the last five years, the Indian spa industry has showcased incredible and enthused growth, not only in terms of increase in the number of spas, but also in terms of diversity of spas and spa therapies available. Diversity in spa treatments and customising them to the guests’ requirements are the new wellness trend. Now, the Indian spas are steadily incorporating ancient healing techniques and treatments through their signature spa treatment products. One of them is Sufi Spa.

Ancient Sufi Massage Soothing Sufi music manages to calm down our jaded nerves and tensed mind to great extent. Sufism is defined by its followers as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam.

According to many classical Sufi scholars Sufism can be defined as a science whose aim is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from everything else except God. Some mainstream scholars of Islam define Sufism as simply the name for the inner or esoteric dimension of Islam. Sufism is popularly associated with the beautiful poetry and teachings of many of its shaykhs and dervishes like Mewlana Jelaluddin Rumi and many more.

52

May-June ’12

Sufism is also associated with healing massage. The method of Sufi massage has a rich historical legacy. It was developed during the 9th -13th century, for rejuvenating the mind, body and soul. Sufi massage manifests in the form of pressure, friction and vibration while sweeping the body by hands. The Sufi method of massage treatment uses extracts of various herbs and flowers in the form of oil. The Sufi healing techniques are famous for their oils from natural extracts and exotic fragrances. Among these extracts, the rose and sandalwood extracts are regarded as the most important and valued fragrances for rejuvenating the senses.

The Sufi healing techniques have vast body of goodness for keeping people vivacious and energetic throughout their lives.

The Sufi massage helps to build strong immune system, besides stimulating the cardio-vascular system. It also ensures smooth functioning of human nervous system, rejuvenating weary muscles, restoring blood circulation, and improving the elasticity of the skin.

The Healing Oils Today Sufism has entered into a range of spa products. After a taxing nine months of experimentation and exploration, the Spa Director of The Imperial Spa and Salon, New Delhi, Jacqualine Tara Herron has come up with a range of six signature oils, which pertain to the Sufi massage traditions. Jaqualine has named these oils by the name of great Sufi saints, revered historical and mythological figures, and as well as after a famed city and state. They

Industry

HOTEL Business Review

Reviving the Sufi Tradition For many years, Jacqualine Tara Herron, the Spa Director at The Imperial Spa and Salon, had lived at a Sufi centre in the US. Along with her teacher Murshaid Isa Khadre, Jacqualine practiced different disciplines of Sufism; learning the attributes of selfless devotion and actualisation of the ‘truth’.

After some years in her journey through wellness, Jacqualine took over as the Spa Director of The Imperial Spa and Salon, New Delhi, where she has been integrating her knowledge of Sufism into a tailored range of spa products. “I have imbibed a nondenominational motivating philosophy

are named Oil of Kabir, Oil of Rumi, Oil of Mirabai, Oil of Kerala, Oil of Jaipur, and Oil of Mahadeva.

The oils contain pure cold-pressed base oils like jojoba oil, carrot seed oil, Moroccan argan oil, sweet almond oil, and apricot kernal oil. These oils for bath and body are also chosen to suit individual preferences. Besides creating the Sufi oils for spa treatments, Sufi Eau de Toilette is also a brainchild of Jacqualine. This signature line of products comprising these six individual blends of massage oils and an Eau De Toilette, launched by The Imperial Spa and Salon is aptly named as ‘SUFI.’ Eau deToilette is inspired by the Sufi Masters of Mystery. With key notes of Vetivert, Tonka Bean, Cedar Wood and White Musk, this aroma warms the heart.

The Oil of Kabir, which contains extracts of Frankincense and Neroli, is ideal to create a positive state of mind. The Oil of Rumi —made from the extracts of chamomile, sandalwood and amber — helps to calm the nervous system, and facilitates to counter eczema and psoriasis. Oil of Mirabai has a blend of fig, rose and black pepper and it awakens a sense of confidence in expressing one’s sensuality and intimacy.

The Oil of Kerala is blended with ginger, cinnamon and clove, which balances the circulatory system, and facilitates to reduce the muscle pain, pain in the joints, rheumatic disorders and arthritic aches. And then there is the Oil of Mahadeva made of Rose Otto and sandalwood that supports production of Vitamin B, which is especially useful for women to restore any hormonal imbalance. Last but not the least is the Oil of Jaipur — a concoction of grapefruit, pettigrain and junipe infused oil, which helps to detoxify the body and improves lymphatic drainage.

Besides enjoying the signature Sufi massages, the guests can also calm their jaded nerves through an array of personalised and customised spa treatments and achieve a haven of seclusion in the spa rooms of The Imperial Spa and Salon. However, here at The Imperial Spa and Salon, only resident guests can enjoy these spa treatments.

But one can purchase these healing oils and as well as Sufi Eau de Toilette. Neatly packed in embellished and embroidered bags, along with the signature wellness quotes of the spa, they reflect a holistic approach towards rejuvenation and relaxation of body, mind and soul.

that spiritually connects people from all walks of life. I have loved Sufi poetry and the timeless teachings of Rumi, Kabir, Mirabai and Hafiz for the past 20 years, and wanted this new sufi healing product line to be as divine and mystical as the Sufi mystics,” Jacqualine said. She has even got some Sufi verses engraved on the walls of The Impeial Spa and Salon for the guests to read and get inspired like she had and still has been, and thereby get induced to live a life charged by blissful energy.

A passionate Jacqualine said, “It was my decision to create our own exclusive wellness brand right from the beginning. I personally carried out all elements of research, including finding the right manufacturer, sourcing raw ingredients, keeping an eye on quality control, bottling, packing and labeling. As a therapist, I planned all the signature spa treatments at our spa, then wrote them and held training sessions to impart the knowledge through practical lessons. My consultancy skills allow me to contribute on every front of the operations of the spa.”

Bringing out ancient wellness treatments, which were long lost in the mists of time, has now become a very happening trend in the Indian spa industry. Years back, Ayurveda treatments created a wide market for the niche spas. With the growing demand and awareness towards wellness, Spa Directors are vouching for fresh signature treatments to carve a niche for their spas. They are introducing ancient treatment techniques with a contemporary ■ touch for their discerning guests.

May-June ’12

53

Spa

HOTEL Business Review

A Soul Refreshing Experience

By Sharmila Chand

S

pa Soul at the Galaxy Hotel, Shopping and Spa is a world class spa, fitness & wellness centre, spread across 15,000 sq. ft. on the rooftop. The place is spruced with excellent facilities and well-trained staff to ensure holistic healing, relaxation and rejuvenation in style.

With sauna, steam, open air whirlpool and infinity edge swimming pool, one can feel the soothing magic of rejuvenation seep into your soul, at the Spa Soul.

In addition, Spa Soul offers yoga palladium, diet counselling, weight loss packages, stress management option, etc.

Succinctly, Spa Soul has a spa, a gymnasium and a swimming pool under its ambit of holistic wellness. The experience at the gymnasium at Spa Soul is in tune with the international fitness

54

May-June ’12

trend of today’s times. Or perhaps a notch above…

The Spa Soul at Galaxy Hotel, Shopping and Spa is designed to create serenity with luxury. The ambience is characterised with lush with indulgent landscaping. Six treatment rooms of the spa offer personal washrooms and showers. Sauna, steam, and open-air whirlpool are the other features of this haven of wellness.

Spa-Soul’s swimming pool at the roof top affords a wonderful view of the busy satellite city’s skyline. The open air swimming pool with whirlpool beds and infinity edge pool can come across as pure indulgence, even for the body, mind and soul of the discerning travellers.

The ultramodern technologically advanced equipment from Techno Gym with its Wellness Key System, together with the trained instructors allows you to customise exercises according to your body’s fitness requirements.

The state-of-the-art facilities at the technologically advanced gymnasium allow one to customise the exercise equipment to her/his requirements by adjusting distance, speed, and workload based on one’s fitness level. All one needs to do is — insert her/his personal ‘key’ into a machine, and set a training schedule interaction that is ideal for the body.

Spa

HOTEL Business Review

Wellness Becoming Holistic Armed with a degree in physical education, Sanjeev Kumar, Manager, Spa Soul, Galaxy Hotel Shopping and Spa, specialises in sports injury and yoga sciences. He has completed 15 years in the spa and wellness industry, having worked with reputed hospitality brands such as Grand Hyatt, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Shangri-la, and Al Bustan Rotana Dubai.

Having invested so many years in the spa industry, Kumar is well-versed with almost all the nuances of wellness and has developed strengths like thorough knowledge on physical fitness and spa technologies along with strong team management and guest relation skills. The excerpts of the interview follow: How long have you been in the spa industry? What are the important changes you have witnessed in your field in the past 5-6 years?

I have invested almost 15 years in the spa industry and have witnessed very

interesting changes in this field during the course of my tenures.

The Indian spa industry over the last 5- 6 years has shown tremendous growth, not only in terms of the number of spas, but also in terms of the diversity of spas and the spa therapies available.

This growth has resulted in the necessity to ensure a consistent quality spa experience for the spa visitors.

What are the current top trends in the spa from the point of view of consumers, and also

May-June ’12

55

Spa

HOTEL Business Review

in terms of spa operations and design?

Today our guests want a complete and wholesome experience, covering the entire family under one roof. This is motivating the spa businesses to come up with innovative solutions and packages for the complete family; that is providing holistic wellness services to each individual of the family including children.

The latest trends in the spa operations are focussed on the sophisticated technology used in the spa services, and in attaining increasing guest satisfaction through use of innovative and global products.

The present trend in spa design is not just about treatment rooms or aesthetic decor. It explores and takes into account of how the spa can operate at its best and how we can elevate service levels in spa.

What are the top three traits or skills every Spa Director must have to manage the spa successfully?

She/she must have the requisite qualification, product knowledge, guest handling and interaction skills and team management abilities.

What are the aspects you enjoy about being a Spa Manager?

The one fact which I enjoy the most about being a Spa Manager is the opportunity to help people live a healthy life. Being a Spa Manager also enables me to keep myself updated about the recent wellness trends. Also my job provides me with a lot of opportunity to meet different people from various walks of life. These are also the factors which make my job of Spa Manager enjoyable.

These three factors are the main reason why after spending so many years in the industry, I still feel so excited about working in the wellness domain of spas.

Is your job challenging? Can you point out five foremost challenges in your day-to-day work?

Yes, my job brings along certain challenges. These challenges crop up

56

May-June ’12

from both the operational as well as service front. Some of these challenges are becoming very common for any Spa Manager in India.

They include the challenge to find the trained manpower to run the spa business in the context of such drastic changes in spa business and services in the recent years, the challenge of retaining good talent in the wake of high growth rate of the spa industry, the high cost of spa operations due to the increase in the standards of spa service and spa technology, and the lack of structured training resources for employees which impedes us to develop the skills of our workforce.

Moreover, there is still not a clear idea amongst consumers in India about the value that the spa can bring in terms of health and wellness, unlike western countries where spa treatments have been merged with the medical options. Changing the general consumer perception towards spas is a challenge.

This has been worsened by the fact that very often many professionals within the Indian spa industry still communicate spa services in a contradictory way. However, thankfully this general perception is changing for the better with each passing day.

popularisation of spas is not that distant an idea in the society.

Going forward, the increasing awareness and concern about personal health amongst the society will motivate people to develop an inclination and focus towards spa services thus resulting in more growth for this business.

On the other hand, budget spas are set to be a reality in the future. The key factor in the spa business will be to improve the pricing policy and to define different business models, which would pave the way for increasing competition.

What direction do you see the Indian spa industry is heading to in the near future?

Spa Soul is having a state-of-the-art fitness studio, equipped with techno gym, sauna, steam, pool and outdoor Jacuzzi. â–

Despite the obstacles, the

There are different kinds of spas. How would you define and classify the spa you have been managing?

We are one of the few high-end spas in the city offering holistic beauty, health and wellness service to our guests. We are equipped with the most advanced technologies used in the spa industry, around the globe. We are also one of the few spas in the city offering sports therapy to our guests, which is not available in many other places.

Tell us about the fitness and rejuvenating facilities offered at the spa, in a nutshell

Product Preview Laundry Fragrance People interpret fresh-smelling clothes as the sign of a well-done laundry job. During the whole laundry process, our nose is used more than our eyes. For instance, we use our nose to decide whether a shirt needs washing; this simply reflects it is often easier to smell than to see that a garment needs cleaning. And after the wash, we smell the garment again to determine whether it is clean. Getting the clothes to smell right during the different phases of the laundry cycle – washing, drying, ironing, storing and in-wear – makes the whole process much more enjoyable. Sugandhco brings a feasible solution for this. Simply add a few drops of Rajak at the time of final rinse and get fresh-smelling, clean clothes. Rajak is powerful; it has great diffusiveness and brilliant retention on washed clothes, giving your housekeeping services a whole new look and feel!

Sugandhco Pvt. Ltd. perfumer@gmail.com

Outdoor & Garden Furniture Loom Crafts collection of outdoor & garden furniture is made of synthetic fibre, which is a weather resistant, maintenance-free material. The outdoor series is ideal for all those who want to enjoy the pleasures of the garden without the burden of maintenance, as well as for the demanding contract market.

The collection includes woven furniture of all kinds for the patio and a wide range of tables in many different sizes and materials.

Some of the chairs in the collection can be stacked so that storing them during the winter requires a minimum of space. Loom Crafts’ outdoor living collection consists of lounge sofas, sofa sets, lounge chairs, center tables, side tables, etc. Loom Crafts’ outdoor dining and sitting collection consists of dining tables and chairs, where there is a large selection of chairs, dining armchairs, consoles, service trolleys and tables of different sizes and designs to choose from. All Loom Crafts products are hand-woven with the unique reinforced polymer fibers which are UV stabilised for all weather outdoor résistance. The entire Loom Crafts collection is dirt repelling, very strong and totally environmentally - friendly as it is toxin free, bio-degradable and recyclable.

Loom Crafts Furniture India Pvt. Ltd. info@loomcrafts.com

HOTEL Business Review

Bar Accessories From FCML The new accessory collection from FCML contains tools that are must-have for any bar. There are also some different products like the T-Open Cap Lifter, Wine-storage System, Decanter with Plexi Glass Support, Fragrance Diffuser, Corkscrew Wine-master, Wine Rack, and Glass Markers, etc. that set this collection apart from others.

All items in this collection reflect distinct style and flair. The products have a strong focus on innovative aesthetics, functionality, and durability.

The products are made of very durable materials like stainless steel, glass and polycarbonate, making them easy to maintain and long lasting. All items are available in bright and subtle colours; the decanter stands are in red and blue colours and the wine markers are multi-coloured. The products complement each other as a whole set. For people who socialise a lot the bar tools are likely to become interesting picks. All the products make for excellent gift items. The products are priced quite reasonably, keeping in mind the usage and durability of these products.

FCML Projects sales.fcml@fcmlindia.com

Helping Towards a Smarter Kitchen NRS Kitchen Tech supplies commercial kitchen equipment & commercial restaurant equipment from the top manufacturers in the industry, and also manufactures these products themselves. NRS Kitchen Tech is also a manufacturer and supplier of commercial refrigeration and food service equipment. The exhaustive product range offered by NRS Kitchen Tech covers a broad selection of categories and sub-categories within affordable prices. Variety, cosmetic appeal, and usability make the products coming under the ambit of NRS Kitchen Tech smart purchase options for institutional requirements in the fast-paced business environment.

A comprehensive service is provided by the company to the customer, which ranges from consultation, planning and designing of their food service facilities, to fabrication, import, supply installation and servicing of equipment.

To make the products offered by them (whether as manufacturer or as supplier) more usable and durable for over the years, NRS Kitchen Tech provides annual maintenance contract (AMC) for the kitchen equipment and spare parts, which in turn facilitates cost reduction and efficiency for the buyers.

NRS Kitchen Tech info@nrskitchentech.com

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

May-June ’12

57

B U S I N E S S

O P P O RT U N I T Y

At just Rs. 600 pcc. (minimum 5 x 1 col), Classified Advertisement is the cost effective way of promoting your product & services to your potential market. Ask for special frequency rates for multiple issues. Contact us at hammerpublishers@vsnl.net

1015, Vikas Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi - 110018

Su b s c r i b e r s . . . !

Are you interested in Advt. for ... Lost / Found ... Tenders / Corrigenda ... Appointments ... Flea Mkts for Used Goods ... Buy-n-Sell of Assets ... Franchise Opportunities ... Event Mgmt Contact our Advertisement Executive at 011-25854103 / 05 or Email us at hammerpublishers@vsnl.net for special rates.

58

May-June ’12

B U S I N E S S

O P P O RT U N I T Y

ASK FOR YOUR 2012 Hotel & Institutions Buyers’ Guide TODAY! The 2012 Hotels & Institutions Buyers’ Guide provides comprehensive information on more than 8000 products and over 5000 companies. It is the only editorial driven guide, providing latest updates and trends on the products & services. To get your 2012 Hotels & Institutions Buyers’ Guide contact our branch offices or e-mail us.

Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 45084903, 25854103 / 05 Mumbai: 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400 093 Ph.: 91-22-28395833 Telefax: 91-22-28388947

E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net

A D V E R T I S E R ’S I N D E X COMPANY

PAGE NO.

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

COMBII ORGANOCHEM PVT. LTD.

05

PUSHKAL TEXTILES

DEXTROUS INFOSOLUTIONS PVT. LTD.

14

RANS TECHNOCRATS (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

FCML PROJECTS

15

RATIONAL INDIA

10

FIDELIO INDIA PVT. LTD.

09

REMINGTON STEEL ARTS

58

FINE FOOD INDIA 2012

37

SAMRAT FURNISHERS

14

FOOD TECH KOLKATA

43

SIO VASUNDHRA INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.

11

IFB INDUSTRIES LTD.

FIC

08 BIC

SOFT SENSATIONS PVT. LTD.

BC GF

IH EXPO 2012

41

SONY INDIA

KESRI TRANSCONTINENTAL

33

SPRINGFIT MARKETING INC.

17

KRONA LIQUATEC LTD.

18

SPRINGWEL MATTRESSES PVT. LTD.

07

STACKWELL

55

LOOM CRAFTS FURNITURE (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

24, 25

MITORA MACHINEX PVT. LTD.

16

SUPERSHINE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS PVT. LTD.

21

MITZVAH ENGG. INC.

58

SWARAN PROJECTECH PVT. LTD.

29

NEELKANTH INDUSTRIES

19

UNIVERSAL CHEF S.L.

13

NRS KITCHEN TECH

20

VENUS INDUSTRIES

01

OSHII JAPAN 2012

23

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

58

* BC - BACK COVER

* FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER

* GF - GATE FOLD

* BIC - BACK INSIDE

COVER

May-June ’12

59

Interview

HOTEL Business Review

A Seasoned Professional for All Seasons

By Sharmila Chand

Pradipta Narayan Biswas has been recently appointed as the General Manager, Hotel Operations, of the Galaxy Hotel, Shopping and Spa, Gurgaon. He comes with over 18 years experience in operations, revenue maximisation, sales and marketing.

He has honed his skills further during his tenure at various well-known hospitality brands such as the Orchid Mumbai, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, Grand Hyatt, New Delhi, ITC Hotels, Park Plaza Royal Palms Mumbai among others. He has recently been awarded the Hospitality Leader of the Year award at his last stint at Orchid, by the Stars of the Industry awards. The excerpts of the interview follow: What is property?

the

USP

of

your

The USP of the hotel is its location, and its being a boutique hotel with rooms, F&B, spa, & an exclusive high-end shopping mall.

Being a small luxury hotel we are able to cater to hotel guests better because of our increased staff ratios. We provide personalised individual attention to each & every guest.

What is the marketing strategy you have adopted to promote your property?

Marketing strategy for the hotel is keep things simple, be the leader in whatever you do, and let others follow you & your concepts. The hotel pioneered the concept of microbrewery in the country. Today Gurgaon has 13 microbreweries yet we are the market leaders in microbrewery, in Gurgaon.

What are the distinguishing features of your property?

Being a boutique hotel comes with its set of advantages. Our whole hospitality concept revolves around guest personalisation & catering to every guest’s need, even at times serving it before the guest has asked for it.

We endeavour to create a magical feeling across the entire experience of the guest with us; right from the time she/he comes to the airport to her/his departure. What the guest carries back is her or his experience. Perhaps that is the reason why our hotel has a very high ratio of repeat clientele.

complemented with great food gains prime importance in the hospitality industry.

What would you say is the differentiating factor of your F&B outlets?

Each of our F&B outlets is unique in its own way. While The Monk is known for its minimalistic, modern, Zen setting, and healthy oriental cuisine offerings, Howzatt is India’s first cricket themed pub cum microbrewery.

Beanstalk, our cafe & pastry shop at the centre of shopping arcade serves freshly brewed coffee made from the best quality Italian lavazza coffee beans. The place is Wi Fi enabled & a pianist performs here every evening from Tuesday to Sunday.

At our health oriented beverage bar named Axis; characterised with chic interiors and a live late night band, seasoned chefs, an impressive exhibition kitchen, and the finest and freshest of ingredients together create a trans-ethnic cuisine with classic Indian and modern influences.

Also our upcoming Lebanese & Indian restaurant will be unique in its own way.

Could you reflect on the future plans and new initiatives you wish to undertake in your property?

There are lots of new developments in terms of opening of new restaurants. Also planning to open the largest banquet hall in Gurgaon, which will be operational soon.

What according to you is the role of F&B in getting business for a hotel?

What is the most crucial issue to tackle in the Indian hospitality industry today?

F&B is the nerve centre of the hotel after the rooms. Giving great service

It is getting the right manpower with the right attitude and desire to sustain and grow

60

May-June ’12

in the industry.

What do you enjoy the most about being at the helm of affairs at the hotel?

I love taking care of the staff and guests all 24 hours. I love the glamour of the hotel business; I love the movie stars and other celebraties coming in through the gates of the hotel & me welcoming them.

What are your professional strengths?

greatest

My greatest professional strengths are my ‘Can Do’ spirit, my belief in myself and the constant support of my HOD and team members, which become invaluable, particularly in trying times and crisis.

And what do you consider your weakness?

I tend to get angry at times, though over the years I have really worked hard at it to keep it in check, and today, I can say that I can control 75 percent of my anger. Also I tend to give chances to people, which is often misunderstood.

What is your working Mantra, your guiding philosophy in work?

Work hard and work smart, and be honest with yourself and your company. Success will follow.

Anything else you would like to say?

The journey so far has been pretty interesting. I began from the scratch and have reached here. However, I feel I have to achieve much more… I believe to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.