Hotel Business Review ( Nov-Dec 2013) The Business magazine for Hotel Professionals.

Nov-Dec ’13

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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 Resident Editor

Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design

Hari Kumar V Narender Kumar

Production Assistant

Mamta Sharma

Business Co-ordinator

Pooja Anand

Advertising Sales

Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma 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, India Phone: 91-11-45084903, 25854103 Telefax: 91-11-25854105 Mumbai:

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E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net Website: www.hbrmag.com © 2013 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.

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In India, the escalating real estate prices in metros is inducing businesses to set up establishments in tier II and tier III cities of the country, especially in those tier II and tier III cities of the country, which are endowed with good infrastructure and connectivity. This is in turn is encouraging a demand for hotel rooms in those tier II and III cities of the country.

Along with the astronomical land prices in metros and the rising demand for rooms in tier II and III cities, the increasing disposable incomes in tier II and III cities is also playing an encouraging role for many star hotel chains to focus on comparatively smaller cities of the country.

Moreover, the growth in domestic tourism, especially with the growing popularity of travel to unconventional destinations among the young upwardly mobile India, has made many small cities of India gain greater attraction for the hospitality investments. The fact that smaller towns often act as gateway to pilgrimage centres or industrial belts, make them ideal stop over destinations for both business and leisure travellers. Two pertinent examples in this regard are Nagpur and Karnal. The hospitality industry of India has begun to recognise this business potential, which in turn is again resulting in a growing number of hospitality projects in tier II and III cities of India.

Though mid market hotels may seem to many as smart hospitality investments for tier II and III cities of India, but luxury hotel chains are also having their presence in these cities, probably encouraged by the fact that there is no dearth of affluent individuals even in smaller cities of India, and neither there is now a dearth of affluent business and leisure travellers travelling to tier II and III cities of the country. We have discussed this trend in detail in the Cover Story of this issue.

In these post-modern times, the role of information technology has gained a crucial role for the augmentation and survival of hotel business in India. Social media has emerged as an important marketing tool for hotels to increase revenues. Through creative usage of IT, various factors which need to be taken into consideration for holistic marketing of a hotel, can derive better results. In the Business Story of this issue, we have explored the various effective ways to market a hotel, and also the challenges for and the professional requirements of marketing personnel in the hospitality industry of today.

Besides these topics of growing concern for the industry, we have dealt with many other pertinent trends and happenings for the industry as well— through our information, analysis and opinions. One of them is the exploration of growing trend of live kitchens. As I sign off while wishing all our esteemed readers a very Happy New Year, I hope that you all will find our effort useful for the industry, and have an engrossing time between the covers of the magazine, after the festivities are over.

HOTEL B u s i n e s s

inside

R e v i e w

An Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel Industry

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COVER STORY

With rise in land prices in metro cities, many IT players and many other businesses are shifting base to tier II and III cities, thereby creating a demand for more hotel rooms in these cities.

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BUSINESS

PROPERTY

As you traverse down the Tata Motors Road at MIDC Chinchwad Pune, the imposing 12 storey structure of the newly opened DoubleTree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad greets you. The first branded hotel in Chinchwad, the hotel is located a mere 24 km from Pune and 140 km from CST airport, Mumbai.

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DESIGN

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HOUSEKEEPING

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SPA

The carpets can accentuate the appeal of a hotel room to the visitors and also infuse brightness in reception areas and in the restaurants of the hotels.

Housekeeping is the edifice of the hotel industry. Without a clean restroom, or a spic and span lobby, the best of facilities and amenities of a five-star hotel are likely to unable to attract discerning guests.

The Marketing Head of the hotel has to find the factors that shape the hotel’s attractiveness to its guests and potential guests.

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F&B

Hospitality kitchens in restaurants, whether they be restaurants in hotels or stand-alone restaurants or restaurant chain, are becoming sleeker by the day. Commercial kitchen designs are becoming trendier. They are now not only enticing and glamorous but are also userfriendly. One trendy aspect of restaurant kitchen business is the open show kitchens.

Goa Marriott Resort & Spa presents to you the Quan Spa, a worldrenowned wellness brand that promises a whole new world of spa & wellness treatments.

DEPARTMENTS 04

Event

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News Scan

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Appointment

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Report

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Product Preview

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Business Opportunity

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Interview

Cover Pix: Jukaso Inn, Gurgaon

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Event

HOTEL Business Review

The 9 International Hotel Expo th

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nternational Hotel Expo, the longest running and the most well-established hospitality exhibition in Macau, was held during 20th-22nd November 2013, at the Venetian Macao.

The 9th International Hotel Expo did gain solid reputation from the managerial class of the hotel industry in the Greater China and the Asia- Pacific Region.

Not only the hotel owners, General Managers, Procurement Managers, department heads but also the hotel investors, developers, civil engineers, etc. from Hong Kong, Macau and China as well as the group delegations of Thai Hotels Association, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines, Malaysian Association of Hotels, Korea Hotel Association, etc. attended the event, bringing significant business opportunities for exhibitors.

The scale of this year’s exhibition was double the size of the previous edition.

Exhibitors from countries like Australia, Denmark, Germany, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, USA, China, Hong Kong, Macau showcased a wide range of equipment & supplies for the hospitality industry including linen, mattresses, furniture, carpets, cleaning equipment, luxury tableware, guestroom amenities, energysaving kitchen equipment, energysaving lighting, intelligent equipment, hospitality technology solution, electrical & mechanical equipment, spa and

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wellness products, wine, seafood, frozen food, quality ingredients, alkaline water, juice and beverage, etc. The exhibition’s highlights were: • The 6th Seminar on Co-operation between Hotels & SMEs: It was aimed to enhance the co-operation of SMEs with hotels. Award Presentation Ceremony for the ‘Best Hotel Furniture Suppliers’ was held and the list of ‘Macau International Lotus Cup Hotel Furniture Design Competition’ prize winners was announced.

• The Luncheon Reception for the 7th Asian Hotel General Managers Forum: It was hosted by the Macau Government Tourist Office. The luncheon reception attracted the attendance of the delegates of various hotel associations, hotel’s General Managers and key hotel operators.

• Industry professionals were invited to give speeches at The 7th Asian Hotel General Managers Forum. As many as 300 hotel’s General Managers and other senior executives from China, Hong Kong, Macau and other Asian countries attended the forum, sharing the hotel management & operations expertise and providing insights to the industry’s development trend.

Asia Green Awards were presented to the suppliers who gave contributions to enhance green hotel & catering, at the Presentation Ceremony being held after the Forum.

At the exhibition, the Asia Industry Hotel League was constituted with the objective to link up the hotel practitioners with the suppliers of China, Hong Kong, Macau and various other regions of Asia to enhance experience, exchange & co-operation for the development & prosperity of the Asia’s hotel industry.

International Forum on Sustainable Green City gathered the attendance of the respective associations, the academics and practitioners of the E&M sectors in which insights to the industry development trend and contributions to the construction of green city were given.

The 9th International Hotel Expo also had a Special Activities Zone, which provided the exhibitors with a platform to launch promotion and carry out interactions with the visitors. Latte Art Workshop was held daily during the three-day-long exhibition, where professional baristas gave demonstrations and offered the audience with free cupping.

The exhibition also witnessed the specialists from Thai Spa Association and Hong Kong introducing the latest spa & wellness products and discussing topics on the importance of spa to the development of resorts, hotels, etc. at the Spa and Wellness Forum.

The next and the tenth edition of the International Hotel Expo will be staged again at the Venetian Macao, during November 26 -28, 2014.

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Event

HOTEL Business Review

EVENTS’ CALENDER

Hi-AiM Aims High ‘Hi-Aim — The Hospitality Industry Conference’ will be held during 20th-21st March 2014 at JW Marriott, Aerocity, New Delhi. This 3rd edition of the Hi-Aim Conference is an annual hospitality event, which presents itself as a valuable platform to share information and knowledge and develop businesses. The event also includes networking opportunities that is expected to allow one-on-one interaction between participants. By attending the Hi-Aim, a hospitality industry professional can interact with the leading people in the industry and develop essential business contacts.

In fact, networking is the main reason why so many executives attend Hi-Aim. Opportunities to network can be availed throughout the conference, from the lunches, coffee breaks, exhibition to the lavish evening reception. The sponsors’ exhibition area is expected to be an excellent place to meet delegates during the conference.

Over 250 senior level executives are expected to attend the event this year from various properties, making HiAim an industry event in true sense. Host of distinguished professionals associated with the hospitality industry, which include hotel operators, developers, technical services team of international & domestic hotel chains, consultants, academics, architects, interior designers, MEP designers, facility planners, project managers, etc. are expected to attend this event where over 25 exhibitors would be showcasing their product/s.

Again this year leading hotel companies like Hilton, Carlson, IHG, Lords Hotel, Starwood and Marriott are supporting the conference as ‘Gold Sponsors’ while Accor, Hyatt and Fortune Hotels are supporting it as ‘Associate Sponsors’.

The Conference Programme will have key-note presentations, leaders’ panels and specialised breakout sessions. Over 40 speakers who are leaders in the field have been selected to take part in the programme. The Conference Programme will include interviews with leading hoteliers, panel discussions on the latest developments, trends and best practices in the hotel industry. The event will also host ‘The Exposition,’ which will feature 50 quality brands, which will together showcase innovative products and services for hospitality projects.

An industry expert opined that perhaps no other event in India will give you access to such a high-level and wide range of people from within the hospitality industry as Hi-Aim is expected to.

For further information contact: Amit Kaw at amit@hi-aim.in Alabh K at alabh@hi-aim.in

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Hotel Investment Forum India 14-15 Jan 2014 The Leela Kimpinski Gurgoan www.hifi-india.com/ Myanmar Hotels, F&B and Travel Show 2014 17-19 Feb 2014 Yangon, Myanmar Convention Centre www.mhft.sphereconferences.com/ Gulfood 2014 23–27 Feb 2014 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Dubai www.gulfood.com HOSTECH by Tusid 12-16 March 2014 Istanbul, Turkey www.hostechbytusid.com Aahar 2014 10-14 March 2014 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.aaharinternationalfair.com EDT Expo 27-30 March 2014 Istanbul, Turkey www.cnredtexpo.com Alimentaria 2014 31 March -3 April 2014 Fira de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain www.alimentaria-bcn.com HOTELEX 2014 31 March -3 April 2014 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai,China www.hotelex.cn/ FHA 2014 8-11 April 2014 Singapore Expo, Singapore www.foodnhotelasia.com SIAL China 2014 13-15 May 2014 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai,China www.sialchina.com Thaifex- World of Food Asia 2014 21-25 May 2014 Impact Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand www.worldoffoodasia.com

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News Scan

HOTEL Business Review

Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards 2013 Devi Garh by lebua Awarded Recently Devi Garh by lebua, Udaipur was voted the ‘Favourite Boutique Hotel in India’ at Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards 2013, which was held at a glittering ceremony at ITC Maurya, New Delhi on 28th November 2013.

Here it deserves a mention that nestled in the ancient Aravali hills, 28 kilometers away from the Udaipur, Devi Garh by lebua is a stunning hill-top fort palace that has been fantastically restored into a luxurious, sophisticated and romantic retreat.

Present at the award ceremony were some important names in travel, tourism and hospitality, which included Parvez Dewan, the Secretary of Tourism, Government of India and Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum, Minister and Deputy of Mission, Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi among others.

Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards are globally renowned and considered among the most prestigious awards in the industry. Readers’ feedback is basis of these awards. As part of the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards, readers of Condé Nast Traveller India voted for their preferred destinations, airlines, hotels, spas, airports and more, across 25 categories, based on their personal experiences. The winners were determined by a UK-based tabulation agency, after being scored on several parameters unique to each category.

A Coveted Honour for Spa by ESPA Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards 2013 also honoured the Spa by ESPA at The Leela Palace New Delhi as the ‘Favourite Hotel Spa in India.’ Voted

by Condé Nast Traveller India readers from across the globe, the spa at The Leela Palace New Delhi is highly appreciated for the unique Ayurveda-inspired treatments available for both men and women, and the unmatchable guest experience.

Aesthetically designed in the shape of a maze, the decor of the spa includes dark timber flooring, intricate hand-carved marble finishing, beautiful patterned ceilings and is adorned with fine art collection. The multi-level spa includes a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a spa café, beautifully appointed relaxation areas, steam and sauna. It has seven exquisite treatment rooms and a couple spa suite for its guests. Located on the second level of the spa, the hand and foot finishing studio offers an array of luxurious manicures and pedicures.

Commenting on the recognition, Louis Sailer, General Manager, The Leela Palace New Delhi said, “We are delighted to receive the honour and thank all the readers of Condé Nast Traveller India who voted for us. Such awards make our efforts worthwhile and we truly look forward to continuing the legacy of providing the finest wellness experience at our spa.”

Sereno Spa Awarded the Favourite Destination Spa Sereno Spa at Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa has been awarded the ‘Favourite Destination Spa’ at the recently concluded Conde Nast Traveller India Readers’ Travel Awards 2013. Emerging a winner by competing with some of the most premium spas in the country, the ‘Favourite Destination Spa’ award reinstates Sereno Spa’s impeccable wellness credibility.

Commenting on the achievement, Thomas Abraham, General Manager of Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa said, “It is a great honour for us to have been voted as ‘Favourite Destination Spa’ at

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the Conde Nast Traveller India Readers’ Travel Awards 2013. This accolade is a perfect interpretation of our continued commitment and passion to create authentic and unique experiences for our guests. We thank all our guests for their

continued support”.

Spread over 36,000 sq ft, Sereno Spa comes across as a wonderful wellness spa destination. The spa offers holistic treatments and a blend of unique therapies inspired

by Ayurvedic and yogic traditions, besides a host of personalised spa packages and fitness programs designed to promote and accentuate wellness, detoxification and serenity. Sereno Spa has been the recipient of a host of prestigious awards and accolades in the past, including ‘Best Resort Spa’ at the asiaSpa India Awards 2012.

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HOTEL Business Review

News Scan

The Right Address for Grand Weddings

The recently opened Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi — the flagship Kempinski Hotels’ property in India — was recently awarded as the Best Five-Star Hotel Wedding Venue at the Ravishing Wedding Awards 2013. The hotel competed with leading hotel brands in the country and emerged as a winner.

The hotel was acknowledged the winner among its competitors for the total banquet space at the venue, the facilities offered, type of events organised, and the décor and the team visit at the hotel. This hotel has organised four large weddings this year in addition to a host of other social events like first anniversary and golden jubilee celebrations.

“Winning this award in the first year of operations is a great achievement. It is a proud moment for us, as we have worked tirelessly to ensure each event is a success. We take pride in housing the largest pillar-free ballroom in the luxury hotel segment in India that blends modern infrastructure with sophisticated appeal. This mix helps us create truly luxurious, magnificent and memorable weddings,” explained Vella Ramasawmy, General Manager of Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi.

Here it deserves a mention that Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi, which was opened in December 2012, comprises 480 guest rooms. The five-star property offers 70,000 sq. ft. of banquet space that can accommodate up to 6,000 guests in an opulent setting at a given time, and the property is also home to the largest pillar less ballroom (25,000 sq. ft.) in the Indian luxury hotel segment. Located on the ground level, the ballroom is accessible via three separate entrances with an exclusive driveway.

The modern ballroom’s mood lighting system enhances the atmosphere, using a mix of colours including blue, yellow, red, pink and green. In addition, the ballroom features modern audio-visual facilities.

Ravishing Wedding, a monthly magazine, has carved a niche for itself in the bustling segment of magazines specialising in Indian weddings.

Treehouse Group’s New Managed Property The Treehouse Group has announced its foray into the leisure destination with its management of the now operational premium property at Ranthambore, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. The property named Anuraga- A Treehouse Resort is a full service five-star hotel, which is the product of restoration of one of Ranthambore’s oldest hotels, the Anuraga Resort, into a modern complex embodying traditional legacy.

This resort is an important new addition to the Treehouse Group, which has already made a name for itself in the management of various hospitality concepts across the country.

Anuraga- A Treehouse Resort promises to transport the visitor to a grand home in the interiors of Rajasthan using influences of art and culture of the tribal community of the region. The hotel, which renders authentic Rajasthan architecture and construction styles, is beautifully done up with distinctive motifs across the rooms, lobby and public areas. The resort comprises 40 rooms and four suites, a banquet hall, swimming pool, gardens, conference facility, and spa and gym.

Visitors to the resort can also get the chance to visit Shabri Farm and Dairy, which is one of the most successful organic farms in Rajasthan.

Richa K Singh, EVP, Treehouse Group further elaborated on the association. “The Treehouse Group has had a successful stint

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in the management of fully serviced hotels, with the 100 room Treehouse Hotel Club and Spa at Bhiwadi and the serviced apartment at Goa – The Treehouse Blue Goa. Anuraga - A Treehouse Resort at Ranthambore is another landmark for us, as it takes the group to one of the most popular destinations in the country for travellers on business or leisure,” she explained. “We are confident that this new addition will set new benchmarks in hospitality and service for our guests,” she added.

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News Scan

HOTEL Business Review

MBD Group Completes Ten Years in Hospitality Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida, has recently completed its ten successful years of operations. The hotel is owned and managed by the MBD Group, a nationally renowned player in the

publishing business in the country.

MBD made its foray into hospitality sector ten years back with its flagship venture, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida, which happened to be the first five-star property in Noida.

To commemorate this milestone, a series of promotions and initiatives has been launched at The Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida. Each initiative

has been conceptualised to enrich the experience on the special occasion. This special celebratory moment gives guests a number of exciting promotions and services at the hotel’s restaurants, bar and at its spa and health club named Espace; showcasing some of the best of hospitality and innovation the hotel has to offer.

The MBD Group’s strength lies not only in identifying markets, but also in effectively managing its hotels. During its successful journey, MBD Group also came up with the first five-star hotel in Ludhiana —Radisson Blu Hotel MBD Ludhiana. With its plush interiors and world class services the hotel has already been recognised as a trendsetter.

Whether it is a new-age or age-old interpretation of cuisines at its award winning restaurants ‘Made In India’ (the Indian restaurant), ‘R.E.D.’ (the Oriental restaurant) or ‘S-18’ (the 24 hour brasserie) or setting new standards in designer chocolates and cakes at the ‘The Chocolate Box & Lounge’ the Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida presents some wonderful F&B offerings.

The three F&B outlets of the maiden hospitality venture of the MBD Group

— Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida — have been the recipient of the prestigious Times Food Guide Awards for three consecutive years. The hotel’s Indian specialty restaurant ‘Made in India’ has also been the recipient of HT City Crystal award (Editor’s choice). The hotel’s banquet halls are spread across 1200 sq.ft. and they come with modern interiors making them perfect for theme parties and wedding dos.

Taking giant leaps in the hospitality sector, the MBD Group has also announced one of its most ambitious projects— MBD Zephyr in Bangalore.

The project entails a luxury hotel, residences and service apartments. Some of the well known international names in the field of architecture and interior designing have been roped in for MBD Zephyr to deliver luxury in its true sense.

The Green Hospitality of Fern The Fern Hotels & Resorts has recently honoured the 1000th member of its new guest reward programme, named Green Cover. The 1000th member is Young Wee Lee, a Senior Manager with Air Products Asia, Singapore who happens to be a frequent guest at The Fern’s five-star Mumbai hotel, Meluha -The Fern. He has enrolled with the Green Cover reward programme recently.

“The Fern’s Green Cover reward programme is our latest offering that combines excellent reward returns with our trademark environment initiatives.

The response is fantastic and has opened a new window of co-operation between our guests and us. Green Cover is an insurance for a greener tomorrow,” said Alan D’Mello, Brand Director, The Fern

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Hotels & Resorts.

Green Cover is a product of The Fern brand’s conversations with its guests. In a guest survey, an overwhelming majority appreciated the green initiatives The Fern brand has dedicated itself to and 73 percent indicated they would like to do more to help the environment if they had more time or better opportunity.

With its Green Cover, The Fern, known for its leadership in carbon reduction in its hotels, has created a new category of ‘green’ loyalty programmes. Each Green Cover member receives a tree in her/his

honour and will be able to donate some of her/his points towards ‘green’ initiatives, in support of NGOs such as Grow-Trees. com, WWF, Sanctuary Asia, and the BNHS.

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News Scan

HOTEL Business Review

The Heritage Gets a Facelift The Ranbanka Palace in Jodhpur has been recently renovated. Lively style and warm hospitality greet you at the newly renovated heritage property. Ranbanka Palace is the only property in the blue city to be acknowledged as a ‘Classic Heritage Hotel’ by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Creatively blending the post-modern comforts with old-world charm, the hotel today welcomes the guests with aesthetically upgraded and refurbished interiors, a restored courtyard and freshly manicured gardens. The spacious new

lobby with full garden view adds to the charm of this great heritage hotel. The imaginative upgradation has further highlighted the unique appeal and well preserved colonial charm of this palace-hotel.

Here it deserves a mention that designed for kings, the anticipatory

service at Ranbanka Palace is delivered by carefully trained and monitored personnel; belonging to nearby villages and from families that have long attended to regal needs.

Explore Nature with Adventure After the successful launch of a luxury heritage resort in the form of V Resorts Fort Auwa, which is located 35 km from Jodhpur, V Resorts is all set to expand its footprints in Uttrakhand with the launch of a 16-room property, named V Resorts — Rajaji National Park. All the 16 rooms of the property are east facing, thus offering awe-inspiring views of the

rising Sun and a picturesque landscape of beautiful farm fields being tendered by local Garhwali people.

Located on the outskirts of Haridwar and Rishikesh, the all new V Resorts — Rajaji National Park is a charming resort amidst the wildlife, offering wonderful scenery of the picturesque landscape of hills and farm lands.

Placed in the foothills of Shivalik ranges of Himalayas in Uttarakhand, Rajaji National Park can come across as a preferred haven for nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts and bird watchers.

Commenting on the expansion, Vaibhav Dayal the Co-founder of V Resorts, said, “The location of V Resorts

– Rajaji National Park is such that while it places you in perfect serenity, disconnected from the world, you are only 20 minutes drive from the cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh.”

The eight rooms of the resort come with private plunge pools. Apart from these V Resorts — Rajaji National Park also offers guests a swimming pool, restaurant with bar, conference room, games room and a host of adventure activities. While staying at the resort, besides enjoying wildlife sighting in Rajaji National Park(which is home to some 23 species of mammals and 400 birds species), one can also take pleasure in some white water sports like river rafting in Rishikesh.

MICROS Wins Four 2013 W³ Awards for Hotel Website Design The Columbia-based MICROS Systems, Inc., a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, continues to gain recognition for its outstanding interactive marketing and website design work. It received top honours for clients in the 2013 W³ Award Competition.

The W³ Award Competition is hosted and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, interactive, advertising, and marketing firms. Website

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entries into the competition were judged on creativity, usability, navigation, functionality, visual design, and ease of use.

MICROS has been selected as a Gold award recipient for the Parc 55 Wyndham (www.parc55hotel.com) website in the Hotel and Lodging category. In addition, MICROS also won Silver awards for the Joie de Vivre Hotels website (www. jdvhotels.com), the Delta Hotels website (www.deltahotels.com), and the Mystic Hotel website (www.mystichotel.com).

“When partnering with clients to

design their websites, our principal focus is on producing creative, innovative, unique websites that drive direct bookings,” stated John Gularson, Executive Vice President of eCommerce, MICROS. “We are pleased to share these honours with our clients,” he added.

Here it deserves a mention that MICROS Systems, Inc. provides leading enterprise-wide applications, services and hardware for the hospitality and retail industries. MICROS solutions are utilised across more than 180 countries, and on all seven continents.

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HOTEL Business Review

Lemon Tree Hotels Launches Twin Properties at Delhi Aerocity Lemon Tree Hotels has launched its twin properties at Delhi Aerocity, thus becoming one of the first hotel chains to open its hotels in the exclusive hospitality district near Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Strategically located between Delhi and Gurgaon, and a stone’s throw from both the airports, these two hotels with a combined inventory of just under 500 elegant rooms, offer comprehensive meeting and conference facilities as well as specialty restaurants.

The hotels are expected to interest both business and leisure travellers.

Speaking on the occasion, Patu Keswani, Chairman & Managing Director, The Lemon Tree Hotel Company said, “We are happy to be a part of the Delhi Aerocity Hospitality District and to be one of the first hotels to open here.” He added, “We are looking forward to welcoming our guests and promise them the highest standards of service and unbeatable value-for-money.”

The newly opened Lemon Tree Premier property at Delhi Aerocity has 287 rooms and suites. In line with the design ethos of Lemon Tree Premier hotels, this hotel features cool interiors and inspiring artwork. All the rooms of the hotel have hi-speed Wi-Fi, a media hub, a digital safe (accommodates a laptop), an orthopaedic mattress and premium bath amenities.

The F&B options at the hotel include Citrus Café, the 24x7 coffee shop; Slounge, the hip recreation bar and Republic of Noodles, the award-winning pan–Asian restaurant. Guests can rejuvenate at Fresco - the spa - or at the fresh, green outdoor area with a refreshing swimming pool, a vertical garden, loungers and cabanas.

The newly opened Lemon Tree Premier at the Delhi Aerocity also offers a ladies section where greater security is provided to lady travellers along with an exclusive range of in-room amenities designed for ladies.

The newly opened Red Fox Hotel at Delhi Aerocity has 207 smart rooms. All rooms are endowed with hi-speed Wi-Fi and essential amenities. Guests can choose to relax at Clever Fox Café, a 24x7 casual restaurant or have an action packed workout at the well- equipped fitness center.

Both these hotels offer a specially designed room and bathroom for differently-abled guests, as well as a washroom at the lobby level. Both the hotels are running attractive launch offers, which are valid for a limited period. With the opening of these new properties, the tally of Lemon Tree Premier properties has now gone up to six hotels across six locations nationwide and of Red Fox Hotels to four hotels across four locations in the country.

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News Scan

Bittel India Comes Up Shandong Bittel Electronics Co., Ltd. (Bittel) is an important global player in the field of telephone manufacturing that is focused completely on the global hospitality market. Beginning operations in 1989, Bittel has a long and successful history in the design and manufacture of durable, feature-rich technology products for the hospitality Industry.

Bittel is today a world leader in the design, development, production and supply of hotel phones and Mediajack.

Eagle Forgings is an importer of equipment for the hospitality industry and represents many foreign brands in India & Nepal which are engaged in supplying equipment and consumables for the hospitality industry.

“We have been representing Bittel in India for quite some time. Both Bittel and Eagle Forgings are of the view that it is now time to take our relationship further and open a joint office in India so as to better the services to our customers,” said Ajay Khanna, Partner and the CEO of Eagle Forgings. Both Bittel and Eagle have decided to take their relationship further and open a joint office in India so as to better service their customers.

“After the start-up operations of our Bittel India Delhi head office, we have plans of setting up complete infrastructure in other parts of India also,” Khanna added.

The three main advantages of opening Bittel India are to provide services to Indian customers from India, to keep Bittel’s stocks in India so that supplies can be made easily and quickly, and to set up service facilities locally in order to provide better service to the customers.

It is expected that with the establishment of Bittel India, Bittel’s products will be promoted both horizontally and vertically to meet the requirements of different hotels/hotel groups, in India.

Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Jaipur Awarded Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Jaipur has won the Country Inn & Suites Hotel of the Year’ award for 2013. The awards ceremony was held at the Carlson Rezidor group’s annual Asia Pacific General Managers Conference 2013 at Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu, the Philippines. The awards ceremony was witnessed by more than 150 General Managers and senior executives from Asia-Pacific, US and Europe. The award for Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Jaipur included a plaque, a certificate and a prize of 1000 USD for team celebration.

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Appointment

HOTEL Business Review

Jai Kishan

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) and Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) have appointed Jai Kishan as the General Manager Operations for the

entire complex.

Kishan has more than 17 years of work experience in the hospitality industry and his work spanned varied geographies - India, Switzerland, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia. Prior to joining Accor Group he was with The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, India as the Executive Assistant Manager. He has also worked in some of the most renowned hotels across the world in various capacities and departments.

In his current role as General Manager Operations at Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & Hyderabad International Convention Centre, he is responsible for managing all aspects of operations across the entire complex with focus on increasing revenues, optimising profits, developing the teams, enhancing brand standards, and exceeding guest expectations.

Louis Sailer

The Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts has appointed Louis Sailer as the General Manager of The Leela Palace New Delhi.

He brings to his new role nearly three decades of experience of leading some of the finest hotels in the world. Before this present tenure he was the General Manager of London’s new luxury hotel, Café Royal.

Sailer has worked with the finest hotels across the globe, which include names like The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, Raffles Hotel, Singapore among others.

On his appointment, Rajiv Kaul, President, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts said, “We are delighted to welcome Louis to The Leela family. His stellar experience in managing luxury hotels around the globe shall help further strengthen The Leela Palace New Delhi’s position as the premier hotel in the capital city.”

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Sailer is a distinguished executive leader with a comprehensive and progressive career path in restructuring, managing and building multimillion-dollar entities and capturing five-star performance ratings.

Kuntal Malviya

Kuntal Malviya has been appointed as the new Quality Assurance Manager at The Suryaa New Delhi. Kuntal comes with a rich experience of 7 years with top-notch hospitality brands in the industry like the Le Meridien and Sheraton.

Her prime focus has been on implementation of best practices, monitoring and reviewing audit reports, and quality analysis of property. In her present tenure, she is being responsible for handling quality aspects, TCEM (energy consumption) along with safety & security.

Besides the role of Quality Assurance Manager she is also handing the PR & marketing of the hotel. In her present role, she is presently engaged in creating a strategic marketing communications plan for promoting The Suryaa New Delhi as Delhi’s favourite hotel.

Harjeet Wasan

Tux Hospitality, the hotel management, operations and marketing company of Shipra Group, has appointed Harjeet Wasan as the new Vice President. Wasan comes with more than twenty years of experience in the Indian hospitality industry.

A hospitality graduate, Wasan began his enriching career as a Trainee Assistant Manager with The Imperial New Delhi in 1992. With the passage of years, he rose to the rank of General Manager Pre Opening services and Operations with JHM Interstate India. He has experience of working with top-notch establishments in the hospitality industry.

In his new role, Wasan is responsible for enhancing the image of the organisation through directing the business & operations and focusing on establishing Tux Hospitality

as the main choice among the leading hospitality management organisations in India.

Aseem Kapoor

Hyatt has recently appointed Aseem Kapoor as Area Director – North West India. In his new role, Kapoor will be supervising Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, Hyatt Ahmedabad, Hyatt Amritsar and Hyatt Regency Ludhiana from 2014. This future responsibility will be in addition to Kapoor’s current responsibilities as the General Manager of Hyatt Regency Delhi.

Kapoor began his career in hospitality in 1989 as a Management Trainee with Holiday Inn Mumbai and in 1990 he joined The Oberoi, Mumbai as Catering Sales Executive.

He joined Hyatt in 1995 as Assistant Director of F&B at Hyatt Regency Delhi and was subsequently promoted to Director of Food and Beverage in 1997. Kapoor was the first member of the pre- opening team of Hyatt Regency Mumbai.

Sunjae Sharma

Hyatt has recently appointed Sunjae Sharma as the Area Director– South India. This position is in addition to his current responsibilities as General Manager, Hyatt Regency Chennai.

Sharma has been associated with the hospitality industry for over 24 years and possesses a diversified experience panning across several hotel brands. Sharma has been associated with Hyatt International for over a decade and has handled multiple roles at Hyatt’s most iconic properties across the country. In 2009, Sharma was assigned the challenging and exciting responsibility of opening Hyatt Regency Chennai, Hyatt International’s first foray into South India. Hyatt Regency Chennai opened in August 2011.

In his new role, Sharma will be responsible for supervising Hyatt Bangalore, Park Hyatt Chennai, Hyatt Regency Chennai, Hyatt Regency Kolkata, Hyatt Place Hampi & Hyatt Regency Kathmandu.

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HOTEL Business Review

Report

FCML’s New Showroom in Mumbai

Recently FCML Distributors Pvt. Ltd. opened its new showroom at Shree Laxmi Woollen Mills Compound, off Dr. E. Moses Road, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. FCML is a lifestyle retail brand that brings to you a range of hospitality supplies, European luxurious bathroom design products, elegant and contemporary home décor products & accessories and à la mode collection of beautiful eco-friendly, recycled tiles, all inside one parapet. One can say that over the decades, FCML has been playing a crucial role in infusing lifestyle elements into the Indian hospitality industry, along with great dosage of utility.

The company is a retailer for products from Italy, Switzerland and other places outside India.

FCML, which caters to the needs of the hospitality industry, had on display at the new showroom elegant taps and washbasins, which can easily attract the industry, and as well as the lay person.

The bathtub with water jets, to act as a muscle relaxant, was the centre of attraction.

Besides a range of international bathroom products, FCML had on display modular kitchen with one Nirmal Khandelwal touch cabinets. The magnetic door opened just with a light touch of the hand. The soft close doors were also a novelty for many of the visitors. Michelle, who was conducting a tour de force through the kitchen products supplied by the company, informed that the modular kitchen

was water-proof and the cabinets were scratch resistant. Indeed the products on display were a blend of visual appeal and utility.

And to meet the demands of the discerning buyers – be they homeowners or hoteliers – FCML also has a range of floorings.

The company supplies a la mode collection of the most beautiful, eco-friendly, recycled tiles. A few of the surfaces that will leave you enthralled are from Casa dolce casa, and Cerim, and of course, the wood floors and laminates.

According to FCML’s Director, Nirmal Khandelwal, FCML enhances the interiors of home and hospitality industry into beautiful living spaces. “Our products are focused on enabling you to create a style statement in your abode,” he added.

Khandelwal disclosed that they had tied up with some of the renowned international lifestyle brands offering home and bath solutions. “It is this association that has enabled us to achieve and sustain global standards of elegance, which has been manifested in the four divisions of FCML, which are FCML Hospitality Supplies, FCML Luxurious Bathrooms, FCML Homes, and FCML Surfaces,” declared Khandelwal.

Yes, the company that began its journey in the early 1840s as a steel trading company, has, over the last 170 years, created history with its superlative products and services. The company in 1970 entered the supplier segment market for the Indian hotel industry, which in India was still at its nascent stage.

Today, FCML has emerged as a coveted brand with designers, hoteliers and home owners.

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HOTEL Business Review

Report

Accor Expands Novotel’s Network in India panel installed in the centre of common areas where guests can browse and find information related to the brand, the hotel and its neighborhood, including suggestions for restaurants or museums, or information regarding the weather and flight schedules. The interactive system offers other services to guests too such as sending virtual postcards.

It is expected that the recently opened hospitality property will further strengthen the brand’s growing MICE network in the country. The property features flexible banquet offerings, occupying an area of over 11,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space, with a divisible Ballroom and six additional meeting rooms. The hotel can cater to a variety of events such as weddings, social banquets and conferences. The modern audio

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ccor is expanding its Novotel hotel network across India.

This world-class upper mid-scale brand from Accor continues to grow rapidly in the country with a record opening of three Novotel hotels in the Q4 of 2013, in India, which are Novotel Goa Shrem Resort, Novotel Ahmedabad and the recently opened Novotel Pune. The Novotel Pune happens to be the Novotel’s 8th hotel in the country. Novotel is a mid-scale hotel brand of Accor. Here it deserves a mention that Accor, a leading hotel operator in the world, has presence in 92 countries across the globe, with approximately 3,600 hotels under its ambit. Novotel has presence in 60 countries.

Located on Nagar Road, 3.2 km from the Pune International Airport, in key commerical and entertainment hubs with close proximity to Koregaon Park, Novotel Pune offers 223 ergonomically designed rooms with contemporary décor and modern amenities. The hotel offers a variety of room types including 14 Suites, 12 Superior Rooms, 33 Premier Rooms, and 164 Standard Rooms. One can say that Novotel Pune provides guests with comfortable environment and the latest inroom amenities, which are suitable for both business and leisure travellers.

Jean-Michel Cassé, Senior Vice President, Operations, Accor India said, “Accor is focused on India as a core growth market and the expansion of the Novotel brand in 2013, in India, has been positive with three significant openings during the year.

Novotel in India has firmly established itself as one of the most respected hotel brands today. The properties of Novotel in India have been commended by guests and received recognition for their exceptional services.”

“With the opening of Novotel Pune, Accor continues to break away from the tradition and revolutionises the guest experience with a ‘Virtual Concierge’ facility. This will enable Novotel properties to enhance guest experiences and become a benchmark in hospitality technology innovations,” he added.

At Novotel Pune, guests can experience a novel technology feature in hotels — Virtual Concierge. It entails a touch-screen

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and visual equipment, which are supported by a trained and well-dedicated team of personnel on standby, can facilitate the success of events at Novotel Pune. The hotel has also introduced Eureka meeting room concept. Eureka meeting rooms offer the option of uninterrupted meetings with a facility to reconfigure the meeting layout.

Novotel Pune also offers five food and beverage options, which include The Square — Novotel’s signature all day dining restaurant that features an open show kitchen and interactive dining experience, Fuzion, which offers Indian & international flavours with a creative twist; Soak, the outdoor pool bar on the 2nd floor of the hotel; Bar-Code a sophisticated and graceful lobby lounge; and Crust, the Patisserie & Deli for exploring the tastes of oven-fresh delights and sweet indulgences.

A well-equipped fitness centre and an outdoor swimming pool contribute to the holistic nature of the high quality hospitality facilities at the hotel. “We are delighted with the opening of Novotel Pune. With this property, we will be able to serve the corporate, business and leisure travellers in Pune with a world class infrastructure and exceptional services,” explained Bandish Mehta, General Manager, Novotel Pune.

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Report

HOTEL Business Review

The Ritz-Carlton Enters India in Style

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he Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., has opened the doors of its first hotel in India. Located on the Residency Road in the heart of downtown Bangalore, the hotel is part of a destination renowned for its worldclass shopping, dining and entertainment options. Here it deserves a mention that Bangalore, which has presence of a plethora of Fortune 500 companies, also enjoys a rich cultural heritage with a thriving theatre and arts scene.

The 277-room property embraces tradition with jaali (lattice screen) design, that dates back from the Mughal era. The property is dotted with many architectural and interior design features, including pointed archways and ample white marble. An impressive marble staircase is the centerpiece of the hotel interiors and decorative paintings and sculptures, coupled with intricate jaali patterns, are all carefully blended to form an essential part of the hotel’s character.

Jaali screens offer a sense of privacy while allowing light to flow through them.Here it deserves a mention that the classy hotel adorns 1,280 pieces of contemporary art from prominent artists.

“We are redefining the international standard for luxury hospitality in India with a truly unique property in Bangalore,” said Herve Humler, President and Chief Operating Officer of The RitzCarlton Hotel Company.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore introduces seven dining venues to the city, which are being run by the Michelin-starred Executive Chef, Anupam Banerjee. A RitzCarlton Club Lounge, the first managed Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA in Bangalore, a

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Rossano Ferretti salon, and the city’s largest no-pillar ballroom are other highlights of the property.

The newly opened hotel houses The Lantern, designed by Japanese interior designers, Super Potato. Resembling a Chinese lantern, the restaurant’s unique dining and lifestyle experiences explore diverse aspects of the world-famous Chinese cuisine. At this restaurant, authentic dim sum creations explore the complex interplay of flavour, colour, aroma and texture while regional specialties from across China such as hot and sour chicken soup and ‘ma po’ tofu celebrate the time-honoured classics of China’s distinguished culinary history.

The Market, also created by Super Potato, comes across as a culinary theatre that includes a unique wine room and private dining spaces for guests. At The Market, an extensive collection of both New and Old World wines provide

myriad opportunities for traditional and creative pairings; whereas an aromatic selection of gourmet coffees and teas provide similar opportunities for lighter meals. The Market, which provides all-day dining option, draws together the culinary traditions of East Asia, Europe and India to offer unforgettably colourful, flavourful and exciting meals throughout the day, whether be it breakfast, lunch, dinner or a sumptuous Sunday Brunch.

Riwaz, designed by Peter Silling, literally translates tradition into reality by serving authentic dishes from India’s North-West Frontier in a contemporary setting.

The city’s rooftop bar and sky lounge, Bang, is the elevated platform from where one can savour wonderful sunsets and panoramic views of Bangalore over cocktails and jaali inspired dishes. The Lobby Lounge brings legendary RitzCarlton Afternoon Tea service and cocktails to Bangalore, and The RitzCarlton Bar has an impressive selection of cocktails and fine wines for the connoisseurs of the spirit.

Business facilities offered at the hotel include a range of meeting rooms featuring the stunning 600 sq. mt.

Ritz-Carlton Ballroom, one permanent boardroom and three function rooms with natural light.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA can provide you with a holistic wellness experience with Ayurvedic and internationally-acclaimed treatments. The fitness and wellness options at the hotel also includes an expansive state-of-theart fitness facility with a fully-equipped Technogym, and an outdoor swimming pool with poolside lounge and bar, surrounded by lush foliage.

Open 24 hours daily, the expansive Fitness Studio features a full complement of Technogym equipment; steam rooms and saunas in addition to a skilled training team ready to help you achieve your fitness goals. Located on a 5,866square-foot (545-square-meter) terrace, The Pool Bar serves fresh fruit and other refreshments beside a pristine blue outdoor swimming pool.

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HOTEL Business Review

Cover Story

The Industry Expands Beyond the Metros In India, the metros and tier I cities seem to have reached a saturation point, as far as the growth of the hospitality industry is concerned. With spiraling land prices in the metros, many business establishments and industries are shifting base to tier II and tier III cities of the country, particularly to those tier II and tier III cities of the country which have good infrastructure and connectivity. This can be an important reason for the increasing demand for hotel rooms, and consequently, the direction of hospitality projects, in these tier II and tier III cities.

Now more star hotels than ever before are eyeing these cities for future expansion. With increasing MICE business, reputed hotel chains have started operations – or are planning to start operations – in subsidiary cities of the country.

At the same time, the increasing income levels and spending power of a section of the younger generation in India, many of whom want to explore uncharted territories, has also encouraged not just mid budget hotels but even luxury hotels to target the not-soroutine holiday destinations. Ashok Malkani finds that many of these travellers are willing to spend extra to get five-star facilities. This indeed makes the Indian hospitality industry sit up and think…of establishing star facilities in the not so common tourist destinations of the country.

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Cover Story

HOTEL Business Review

W

ith increasing disposable incomes among the youth in tier II and III cities of India there is a rise in consumption of luxury services in these cities, which also includes partaking of luxury hospitality services. Also, with rise in land prices in tier I cities, many IT players and many other businesses are shifting base to tier II and III cities, thereby creating a demand for more hotel rooms in these cities. The rising land prices in metros and the demand for rooms in tier II and III cities have prompted several star hotels to shift their focus of expansion to the tier II and III cities of India.

For the uninitiated, it may be mentioned that cities with a population of around one million – like Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Patna, Dehradun, Pondicherry, Pune etc – are dubbed as tier II cities, whereas minor cities with population of less than one million like Madurai, Baroda, Nashik and Trichy are termed as tier III cities.

The Real Reasons Some years back, an expert in the hospitality industry said that about 40 percent of the total cost of setting

up a hotel in a metro city in India was accounted by the land cost. And the factor which influences such a major portion of costs of the hospitality projects would of course play a huge role in influencing investment decisions of hospitality projects, which generally involve a huge gestation period.

It doesn’t need an Einstein or rocket science to fathom that land prices are much lesser across tier II and III cities of the country as compared to that of the metro cities, thereby involving much lesser investment of setting up a hotel in

those cities. The expert viewed the huge difference in land prices between metros and tier II and III cities of India was one of the major reasons behind many players from the mid segment hotel industry channelising their new hotel projects to the tier II and III cities of the country.

This view holds true very much relevant even today.

However, huge difference in real estate prices between metros and tier II and III cities is not the only reason for the hoteliers’ growing interest in tier II and III cities of India. According to hotelier

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HOTEL Business Review

Manjit Singh Khera, “Marketing and promotional expenses in most cases are much more cost-effective in tier II and III cities than in the metro cities. Besides these, labour in such cities is easily available and is generally available at a cheaper rate than in metro cities, thereby lowering the operational cost. This way these cities provide fertile grounds for the players of the hospitality sector to launch mid-sized hotels, targeted at the corporates whose visit in these cities for business purposes has increased manifolds during the recent times.”

Moreover, the improvements in infrastructure, connectivity and enhancement of domestic travel have together made many of the tier II and tier III cities of the country, especially those with tourist potential, as attractive investment destinations for hoteliers.

The changing economic climate in small cities of India entails a speedy return on investment on hotel projects in tier

II and III cities. The sustained growth of domestic tourism has also enhanced the potential of hotel business across tier II and III cities of India. Take the case of lebua Hotels and Resorts which has taken the management of three properties in Rajasthan and re-branded them into Devi Garh by lebua, Udaipur, lebua Resort, Jaipur and lebua Lodge at Amer, Jaipur This is probably a case of tourism encouraging expansion of hospitality in tier II and III cities.

Besides the conventional tier II and III cities, satellite towns like Gurgaon and Noida also hold great potential for the growth of the hotel sector. Business travellers have contributed greatly to the hospitality markets in tier II and III cities. The fact that with the growth of Indian economy, cities like Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Gurgaon, Hyderabad,

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Cover Story Premiere (Agra), Sarovar Bangalore and Pune are Portico (Bekal) and attracting many more Sarovar Portico (Ajmer) international travellers – for 2014-15. The group than they were attracting has plans to penetrate a decade ago has also been Solapur (Maharashtra), an important reason for Thekkady (Kerala), the interest of important Bhiwadi (Rajasthan), hospitality players to Jaisalmar(Rajasthan) and set up properties in Kilpauk (Chennai). these cities. India’s Carlson Rezidor opened growing stature as a its new property in August, MICE destination is also in Hyderabad. The influencing growth in group also has plans for international corporate Manbeer Choudhary hotels in Visakhapatnam, travel into tier II and III Vijayawada, Tirupati, cities.

Warangal and Karimnagar. Raj Rana, Moreover, with a section of young Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, and adventurous breed of travellers Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, stated, “It in India opting for unconventional is part of our strategy to further expand destinations, the demand for hotel the brand presence of Carlson Rezidor in rooms in many hitherto unknown and India. We have various brand offerings to lesser known small cities — cities which achieve ROI expectations according to the are gateways to many unconventional size and profile of the cities. Our hotels tourist destinations or are in the vicinity of unconventional tourist destinations or are spread across different segments, which include the mid scale brands such are unconventional tourist destinations by themselves — are likely to increase in as Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, Park Plaza and the Park Inn by Radisson, and the years to come. as well as upscale brands such as Radisson Foray of the Brands & Radisson Blu, In tier II and III cities We can say that there are multiple reasons of India, the land is less expensive as why several Indian and international compared to the gateway cities in tier 1. hotel chains are now looking at subsidiary This factor lowers the cost of the project cities of the country. According to Pankaj than the usual investment figures when it Sampat, GM, Vivanta by Taj – President comes to developing world class hotels.”

Mumbai, Nagpur, Gurgaon, Noida, “Moreover, smaller towns often act Vashi, Pune, Indore, Raipur and Amritsar as the gateway to pilgrimage centres and have potential for hotel business. Nagpur, industrial belts. We have recognised this with its easy connectivity with Mumbai potential and consequently, Carlson and Pune, has great potential to develop Rezidor hotels have made inroads in into a business destination, and Amritsar places such as Katra, Varanasi, and is an important religious destination.

Amritsar which support religious The UK-based hotel chain, Premier tourism. At the same time, Radisson Inn hotels, which opened a 109-room Rudrapur and Radisson Nagpur are hotel in Pune in August, will be starting examples of hospitality properties operations of its 130 room property in catering to the nearby industrial belts,” Rana pointed out. Presently, there are Goa in early 2014 and, by the end of 21 operational hotels under the Carlson 2014, it would have its fifth property Rezidor brand in tier II in India, in Chennai. and III cities of India.

DoubleTree by Hilton, Besides tier I cities, tier which recently opened II cities are also playing its doors in Pune, is also an important role in the planning 2-3 more hotels during the next couple of development plan of years, in tier II cities of the Starwood in India. “We country. have been observing Sarovar Hotels has a the markets where the line-up of three hotels airlines are flying to. These – Crystal Sarovar destinations, whether they Avsar Koc

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HOTEL Business Review

be tier I, II, III and even tier IV cities, will have a lot of impact for Starwood.

Especially our aloft and Four Points

by Sheraton brands are best suited for these markets,” explained Dilip Puri, Managing Director, India and Regional Vice-president South Asia, Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts. Starwood recently launched aloft and Four Points

by Sheraton (formerly belonging to the Royal Orchid group, now a part of Starwood) recently, in Ahmedabad.

In order to attract the business travellers, Preferred Hotel Group has envisaged to explore into tier-II and III cities of the country. The group which serves 650 hotels across the planet, entered India in 2002, by adding Imperial Hotel, New Delhi, in its portfolio. Now the global hospitality marketing services provider has entered into tie-ups with 30 hotels in both luxury and business categories. “We are seeing our growth by

moving to tier II and III cities of India,” asserted Seema Roy, Director, Group Sales and Marketing, India, Preferred Hotel Group.

For its expansion, Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd. is also envisaging to focus on tierII cities. Chander K. Baljee, Chairman and Managing Director, believes that presently, the major metros and tier-I cities are overcrowded with the entry of foreign hotel brands. He opines that there is lot of potential and opportunities for Royal Orchid Hotels to focus on first class business segment in smaller towns and cities. Baljee stated that Royal Orchid Hotels was exploring the possibility of management contract for its expansion in tier II cities, which have many stand-alone hotels needing professional management.

Budget for Growth The budget hotels have bright future

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to or stopping by at tier II and III cities than ever before and they don’t mind paying extra for opulent and high-priced hospitality options. Take the case of Noor Mahal in Karnal. It is a classic case of fivestar hospitality in a tier III city.

The fact that Karnal lies approximately 20 km away from the four important business districts of Haryana, which are Panipat, Yamunanagar, Kaithal and Kurukshetra, makes the establishment of a luxury hospitality property in Karnal perfect sense. “Nowadays, I feel that the returns on investment in a five-star property in a metro or even in a tier I city of India are not likely to match the huge investment that it entails,” asserted Manbeer Choudhary, the Chairman and Managing Director of Jewel Classic Hotels Pvt. Ltd. Noor Mahal is an unit of Jewel Classic Hotels Pvt. Ltd. “This changing business dynamics of the Indian hospitality industry has induced me to explore my hospitality business in a tier III city like Karnal, which has great potential to attract well-heeled business and leisure tourists,” he elaborated.

With 122 rooms and elaborate convention facilities, boasting an 18,000 sq. ft. banquet hall, as well as smaller function rooms, large lawns and parking for 700 cars, Noor Mahal perhaps will be an inspiration for more fivestar hotels to opt for nontourist destination. A decade ago, a five-star hotel in a tier III city of India which is also not a conventional tourist destination would seem to be an unthinkable option, but Noor Mahal has made that unthinkable a reality in the recent past, which may inspire others to have their Sahdev Mehta

in the tier II and tier III cities of India.

Consulting and research firm HVS has said in a report that low cost hotels will see a growth of about 50 percent in tier II and III cities. The demand, in these cities, is more for budget hotels.

Perceiving this demand, many foreign players have entered into tie ups with local hotels to increase their presence in India. For example, sometime back, the internationally renowned Intercontinental Hotel Group entered into a joint venture with India’s Duet India Hotels to launch the Holiday Inn brand. The partnership would develop 19 properties in the initial phase.

In fact, these are exciting times for the hospitality sector as a whole in tier II and III cities of India, and also specifically for the mid market or budget hotels. Even in this present not so wonderful phase for the hospitality industry in India, the mid market hotels were seen achieving healthy bottom lines and occupancy rates, and were seen carrying out their expansion plans. Take the case of Concept Hospitality, which notched 81 percent occupancy across its properties, on an average, last year.

The Scope for Luxury However, the tier II and III cities of India are not only attracting budget hotels, though these cities are more suitable for budget hotels only.

Even luxury hotels are targeting secondary cities.

It is because now many well-heeled leisure and as well as business travellers with ample exposure with luxury brands of hospitality are travelling

Cover Story hotel projects on similar lines.

Avsar Koc, Regional Director of Sales, India, Middle East & Africa, Kempinski Pankaj Sampat Ambience Hotel, says that Kempinski believes in offering its facilities to clients all over the country. He stressed that having properties in primary as well as secondary cities “enables us to offer a full destination experience to our guests, like in Jordan where we have hotels in the capital city Amman, at the Dead Sea and in the small city of Aqaba, which allows travellers to experience the top sites of Jordan without compromising on service quality.”

According to Sahdev Mehta, General Manager, DoubleTree By Hilton, PuneChinchwad, there are several reasons for the branded hotels venturing into tier II and III cities. “While the land cost is one of the major factors, the operational costs are also comparatively

HOTEL Business Review

lower than in metros and tier I cities. star hotel in this city would do well not Moreover, there is also ample human only by way of its food outlets but also resource talent available in these cities. in terms of its room occupancy as guests Educated personnel available here can be visiting the social dos from outside would be accommodated in these hotels. Thus easily trained to meet the requirements the populace’s propensity and capacity of your hotel. With expansion of business establishment in these cities to spend should be one of the criteria there is demand for branded hotels. For for establishing a hotel in tier II and III example, Pune-Chinchwad is cities,” pointed out Mehta. an automobile industry hub Succinctly, with increasing and there is always demand spending capacity of people for branded hotels here which in tier II and III cities, there can cater to the requirements is likelihood of more budget of the executives of the as well as luxury hospitality industry,” explained Mehta. players including these cities in In fact, Mehta gives an their expansion plans. In fact, a entirely new perspective for the website discloses that travellers branded hotels to venture in from Mangalore, Agra, Amritsar Raj Rana to tier II and II cities. “I feel and Dehradun are willing to that the branded hotels would do well pay 50 percent more for a hotel room even in tier II and III cities which do than travellers from Delhi and Bangalore! not have an industrial base. The only Yes, the trend definitely is for more hotels requirement is the prosperity of the place. – from mid budget to luxury – in tier Take the case of Kolhapur. It is a sugar II and III cities of the country. Going by industry belt of Maharashtra. Many of the trends, it seems that tier II and tier III the residents there would like to socialise cities of India can be collectively termed as the futureland of the Indian hospitality in a star hotel in the vicinity. It would industry. add to the individual’s social status. A 

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HOTEL Business Review

Marketing a Hotel

In today’s competitive world, it seems very difficult for a business to thrive or even survive without a proper and dynamic sales and marketing infrastructure. The hospitality industry is no different.

In the highly competitive hospitality scenario of these days, it is mandatory for a hotel to have an insight of sales and marketing. The manager of sales and marketing in a hotel must be aware of the four Ps (price, product, promotion, and place) as they relate to specific market segments, providing a customer-focused perspective. In addition, the marketing department of the hotel must also be aware of the Internet’s increasing role in giving fillip to sales and marketing.

Various parameters may influence a customer to choose a hotel. It can be location, the hotel’s meeting and banqueting facilities, its overall hospitality and hygiene standards, its wellness options, its price, or all of them.

The Marketing Head of the hotel has to find the factors that shape the hotel’s attractiveness to its guests and potential guests. She/he must monitor customer reviews on the hotel’s website or on hotel booking sites to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the hotel where she/he is engaged. Not only that, Ashok Malkani finds that it is important for the Marketing Managers to speak to their guests in person or in follow up calls. They must also go through some research studies periodically to identify trends that could influence the bottom lines of the hotel, such as growing demand for service apartments, the rising popularity for banqueting options, etc.

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HOTEL Business Review

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he role of Director of Marketing (DOM) in a hotel is far more challenging today than it was a decade ago. Now she/he has to not only compete with or outsmart the rival hotel’s marketing strategies, but also need to creatively use the online social media outlets to project a favourable image for the hotel where she/he is professionally engaged.

The Online Force It goes without saying that the marketing personnel engaged in promoting a hotel must have a thorough knowledge about the profile and expectations of the guests visiting the hotel, and tailor their marketing strategies accordingly.

The study of the profile of the guests should involve much more detailing than simply broadly segmenting them into leisure and corporate travellers. For example, the difference in socio-economic profile of a business traveller visiting a five-star hotel to that of a business traveller visiting a no star budget hotel is likely to be vastly different. Similarly, the difference in socio-economic profile of a

leisure traveller visiting a top-notch luxury heritage hotel to that of a middle-class family crowd visiting a mid market hotel during family holidays is expected to be largely different. But overall, one can say that technology is playing a crucial role in the marketing of hotels.

With the advances in technology,

the approaches to client relationships in hotels have undergone massive change.

“I think this is the most exciting time for working in the hotel’s sales and marketing department. These days it has become more complicated than just building a website and hoping that your customers will book online,” explained Stephanie

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HOTEL Business Review

D’Silva, Drector of Sales & Marketing, The Westin Mumbai Garden City.

Sunil Bhatia, Sales & Marketing Manager, The Mirador Mumbai disclosed that technological advances were reshaping the entire marketing strategy. ”As far as footfalls in our hotel are concerned we offer attractive pricing on the web portals.

We have voluminous business from a few reputed companies,” he expressed.

Nowadays, a hotel website needs to be creatively marketed and promoted and the marketing team at the hotel needs to be abreast of today’s Internet marketing strategies.

Most Marketing Managers of hotels agree that a hotel’s key to successful revenue optimisation includes consistent delivery of effectively priced offerings across multiple online channels.

Of course, the Marketing Head of the hotel should ensure that the hotel’s website showcases up to date information about the hotel’s location, accommodation options and other facilities and rates. It is preferable that the hotel’s website also gives brief write-ups about tourism spots in the vicinity of the hotel, if any. Marketing Heads of hotels also have to ensure that hotels’ details are put up on destination websites and online booking sites to increase reach to their target audience.

can say today’s marketing buzzwords in the hospitality industry include relationships, revenue maximisation, social connections and brand advocates.

So, what are the necessities for a good marketing professional in today’s hospitality industry? According to many industry experts the person should enjoy multi-tasking and should be good at it.

She/he must also be equipped with some digital skills. At the same time, she/he must understand the possibilities of social media and use it as an integral part of the marketing mix, along with conventional marketing techniques. Of course, she/he should understand public relations, advertising, e-mail marketing and website maintenance as well.

The Footfall Factor In the present circumstances what are the methods that have been devised by the marketing professionals to increase the footfalls in their hotels? Having competitive pricing is one of them. Bhatia

The Marketing Edge Though nuances of marketing strategies may differ from one hotel to another hotel or from a given guest profile to another, but some perceptible changes in marketing of hotels is being witnessed across the Indian hospitality industry in general. One

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Stephanie D’Silva

says that his hotel offers attractive prices on the web portals. Impeccable customer service is the other time-tested method of gaining footfalls.

Stephanie states that besides competitive prices, “Our hotel has a great location. The guests see a fabulous product with value for money. Since The Westin Mumbai Garden City is a part of the Starwood Hotels and Resorts we do get SPG travellers who choose to stay with us.”

“Brand loyalty and consistency with the brand is what gets you repeat customers. The customer needs to see the value for money and consistency in service.

Brand loyalty is built over the years. Each experience which the customer has at your property contributes towards building the brand,” she added.

Besides the challenge of increasing the footfalls, the hotels are also concerned about checking the declining footfalls.

There are several ways to deal with lower footfalls. According to Bhatia, finding new markets is one of the effective ways to tackle the problem of lower footfalls.

He thinks as some old markets are drying up there is need for new markets to tap.

He views that for new markets we need to think out of the box.

Another way of countering low footfalls or enhancing existing footfalls is by building awareness and through creative promotions. According to Lokesh Sawant, Director of Sales, Courtyard By Marriott Pune Chakan, “We have worked on methods to increase awareness, and to enhance food & beverage and rooms usage at the hotel. There are three ways

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HOTEL Business Review

in which we have done this. Firstly, there is a sustained marketing plan for the hotel for it to get visibility that includes ads, hoardings, etc. Second initiative is identifying 30 corporates that will have the propensity to spend at the hotel and we have reached out to them with posters and e-mailers, extending 10 offers. Their employees only have to display their office ID and they will be able to avail the offers. This has been a great hit with the IT park in Talwade, which is about 7 km from the hotel. Thirdly, we have developed weekend offers for families and individuals looking out for a getaway, either from Mumbai or Pune. These packages include meal options and are priced aggressively as compared to the weekday rates available at the hotel.”

As far as brand loyalty is concerned, Swant is of the view that people connect with brands and they know what to expect in the hotel brand with which they are familiar.

“In order to develop a steady revenue base and attain high levels of repeat business, you are required to forge strong customer relationships,” viewed Bhatia. One of the ways strong customer relationships can be built is through customer loyalty programmes. “A customer loyalty program that rewards guests who book regularly, not only benefits the hotel but also the guests,” reasoned Bhatia.

Stephanie feels that promotions are an essential part of hotel’s marketing. “One needs to enhance occupancy during those times of the year which are characterised by low bookings. Introducing gourmet weekends or offering one night’s extra accommodation when booking for a given period of time, can be some pragmatic options to attract more guests to the hotel during the lean phase,” she opined. Similarly, collaborating with other meeting venues and offering their delegates’ accommodations or meeting space can be an effective route to gain many potential guests.

Summing up, one may state that hoteliers should continually look for ways to better their approach towards pricing and revenue generation and to enhance customer loyalty. It is essential that the Marketing Managers of the hotels gain a holistic view of their guests’ preferences, and not just information about their room rate spend. This in turn will translate into higher footfalls in the long-run.

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Lokesh Sawant

The Role of Data Integration Marketing team of the hotel should collect data from all transaction systems and need to integrate them to provide a true picture of guests’ preferred activities.

This data should take into account of all ancillary guest spends, ranging from online reservations to check-out; from food service to the day spa usage; from guest rooms to gift shop and more. A deeper understanding of guest preferences leads to better decisions about promotions, service offerings, pricing, inventory levels, food and beverage options, supplier choices, etc. It also facilitates in devising better financial strategies for the hotel.

Challenges to Marketing It goes without saying that the sales and marketing team of hotels need to tackle several challenges in order to enhance the revenues of the hotels where they are employed. “Companies in certain segments are cutting down their travel, conferencing and entertainment budgets.

Sunil Bhatia

Near the airport many branded hotels have come up, giving a stiff competition to The Mirador. The only strategy is to do intelligent selling which helps in making the guests keep using our hotel,” observed Bhatia.

The competition from international hotels and hotel chains is very much a reality in this globalised world.

International hotels can not only affect the business of domestic stand-alone hotels but also of Indian hotel chains. Often the local hotels are not likely to have the marketing budgets of international hotel chains, and when budget is a constraint, creativity has to emerge with a stronger force to make an impact.

Then careful handling of prices in the wake of competition is another marketing challenge for a hotel. While competition necessitates bringing down rates, how does a property lower its rates so as to remain appealing to its guests without going so low as to betray the hotel’s brand image? This is one of the major challenges that the Sales and Marketing Managers and Directors of hotels face.

Also some hotels are not willing to change how they do things. This may be detrimental to business. The Sales and Marketing Manager has to tackle this issue in a tactical manner. However, along with embracing new marketing initiatives brought about by technology, adherence to the traditional route of marketing the hotel is also important.

Stephanie believes that hiring methods for the sales and marketing personnel in hotels need to be updated. “Hiring practices for finding innovative and knowledgeable sales and marketing support need to be modified for today’s times. You need to know whether the sales and marketing personnel that you are hiring are aware of net marketing. Ask detailed questions about web marketing and monitoring e-distribution channels to ascertain their proficiency in this direction,” she proffered.

To sum it up, today the Marketing Head of the hotel needs to know how to maximise or rather optimise the hotel’s revenues by using both traditional and as well as online marketing tools. For that she/he needs to tailor programs to enhance occupancy and footfalls, by profitably using the hotel’s accommodation, MICE, F&B, and leisure facilities. 

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Property

HOTEL Business Review

The Classy Address for Business and Leisure

By Ashok Malkani

A

s you traverse down the Tata Motors Road at MIDC Chinchwad Pune, the imposing 12 storey structure of the newly opened DoubleTree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad greets you. The first branded hotel in Chinchwad, the hotel is located a mere 24 km from Pune and 140 km from CST airport, Mumbai. The hotel is centrally located in the heart of Pune’s automobile and industrial belt (MIDC), and is only a 25 minutes drive from the Pune International Airport. With its strategic location, the property also provides easy access to key business districts such as Chakan, Hinjewadi IT Park, and Talegaon The impressive façade of the hotel by day becomes even grander by night due to the colourful lights along the runway leading up to the glass doors of the hotel. As you enter the lobby you are left speechless by the systematically arranged rows of bottles that invite you to 3 Spices – the 24 hour restaurant that offers a sumptuous buffet and a vast a la carte menu. The restaurant serves North

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Indian, Asian, Italian, British and South Indian cuisines. Incidentally, the neatly arranged bottles comprise the repertoire of finest drinks that are from the library of carefully chosen fine wines.

At the reception you are greeted with a warm smile and a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie that can warm the cockles of your heart. And this warm welcome

extends throughout your stay, with the GM and the F&B Manager supervising to see that there is no stone left unturned to make your stay a memorable one.

Get into the elevator to reach a choice of 115 superior designed rooms having chic interiors. The rooms are spruced with various elements of comfort and functionality. The rooms of the hotel include 35 Executive Rooms (with wooden flooring), 12 superior twin rooms, 6 Suites and 1 Presidential Suite.

The Presidential Suite features an executive meeting room, living room containing a sofa, coffee table and an entertainment center featuring INN LINK — an integrated control system located beside the bed for controlling all electronic features of the room. The dining room, which features a wet bar with personalised 24-hour butler service, has a seating capacity of six. The separate bedroom features a king-sized bed and an additional entertainment center.

Presidential Suite guests enjoy exclusive access to the Executive Lounge and two hours of complimentary usage of the

Property meeting room.

Sahdev Mehta, the General Manager of the hotel, stated that this suite was only let out ‘on invitation’. That is only those guests whom the management approved were given the Presidential Suite.

The Executive Rooms also present a statement in elegance and opulence. They are tastefully decorated with king-sized beds, featuring down and feather pillows.

In any of these rooms, you can pamper yourself in lavishly appointed bathroom with rain shower. All Executive Room guests enjoy access to the Executive Lounge, offering breakfast, evening cocktails with canapés, and a selection of other hot and cold snacks and beverages.

At the hotel, one can experience a wonderful gastronomic journey at any of the hotel’s multiple restaurants and bars.

Indulge at Linear Lounge, the hotel’s trendy whisky bar. Here you can meet with friends or colleagues to unwind over a fine wine, beer or signature cocktail and a selection of tempting finger food at the chic and stylish lounge bar named Linear.

Saurabh Choksi, the F&B Manager, informed that a private room for 10

HOTEL Business Review

people is also available for a get together.

The ambience at Linear Lounge is fabulous for a social do or for some quick drinks with friends. The atmosphere is very relaxing and inviting, A specialised service, which can be availed of by the locals, is that one can book a bottle of liquor here and the bottle will be kept in the library at the lounge with a personalised name tag, which can be

used by the guest on her/his next visit.

At the 3 Spices, at the lobby level, you can savour mouth-watering Asian, continental and Indian cuisines. The decor is understated, modern, non-cheesy.

Food quality is yummy. The buffet spread is simply sumptuous. It offers an array of delectable vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The desserts –which are excellent preparations ranging from mild sweetness

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The Multi-dimensional Hotel Sahdev Mehta who has been associated with the hotel even while it was being reconstructed stated that the hotel is the first branded hotel in Chinchwad, a hub of the automobile industry. He is of the opinion that besides welcoming business guests, the hotel is also ideal for those who are on the lookout for an impressive venue for social events or even marriage ceremonies. The excerpts of the interview follow: Who are the major clients for the hotel?

Almost all major auto manufacturers are located in MIDC. This area is Pune’s automobile and industrial belt, It houses manufacturing units of Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto and Eaton. With its strategic location, the hotel provides easy access to key business districts like Chakan, Hinjewadi IT Park and Talegaon, which houses Mercedes Benz, JCB, Infosys, Wipro and more. Our hotel provides them with all the facilities, which the corporates seek.

What facilities do you offer for organisng meetings?

Our largest meeting room is of 624 sq. ft. We have several smaller rooms which can cater to small groups, either for business meetings or social events.

Our meeting rooms come complete with full audio-visual support. Our planning tools can help you manage your guest list, secure guest rooms, plan seating arrangements and more.

Besides meetings do you also have infrastructure for hosting other events?

When it comes to life’s celebrations DoubleTree

by Hilton Pune Chinchwad not only provides you with wonderful venues but also with helpful special event planning tools and welcoming accommodations for your gathering.

Our warm yet modern spaces are ideal for everything, from birthday and retirement parties to reunions and athletic banquets. Whatever you have in mind, our event planning resources can help you book the right event venue.

How do you describe the level of personalised services at the hotel?

We have tried to implement all the necessities that our guests would require.

Be it for meetings or leisurely stays, our staff is always there to help them. The hotel provides facilities for children, like a crib, as well as for the aged by providing them with a wheel chair. Our everattentive staff is always willing to go out of their way to meet all the requirements of the hotel guests, with a smile. In fact, service with a smile is our motto.

to higher side – are also mouth-watering.

For those with a liking for Tappanyaki, sushi, sashimi, they don’t have to wait long to sate their taste buds. By the time this article appears in print, the hotel will have opened Miyuki, its new outlet serving authentic Japanese cuisine.

Even now, the skilled Chef offers you traditional bento boxes as take away.

But for a really thrilling experience that will be remembered by you through the coming years, visit the rooftop restaurant and bar, at Level 12, at night.

The rooftop restaurant, with a pool and cascading waterfall at one end, gives you an aerial view of the twinkling MIDC lights. With a pool on one side and the aerial view of the area on the other The Skye is the place to visit by day or night.

And for those with a sweet tooth, Tarta, the cake shop, has a choice of goodies on display. Ask the Pastry Chef to present some ‘sweet somethings’ for you.

Succinctly, the hotel’s comprehensive F&B options, serving local and international cuisines, are sure to satiate the discerning tastes of its guests.

The hotel offers ample space for meetings and events. Whether it is a gettogether for the inner circle or a gathering of the whole team, DoubleTree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad offers customised spaces and the requisite logistical support to make your meeting a success. “From board meetings and trade shows to conferences and team building events, we can help you host any business event with ease,” said Mehta.

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While the business events and board meetings can keep the company healthy, the guests can visit the hotel’s fitness centre to keep slim, trim and healthy.

Truly, Double Tree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad is a multi-faceted hotel. 

Catering to a Range of Tastes According to Saurabh Choksi, the F&B Manager of the hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad, besides offering luxurious accommodation, also offers a variety of Indian and international cuisines. The excerpts of the interview follow: What are the dining options offered by your hotel?

Our fine dining options suit all tastes. You can treat yourself to local aromas, delicacies, and a well-selected wine list at 3 Spices – our all day dining outlet serving Asian, Indian and Continental cuisines. Or you can bring the night to life under a ceiling of stars, with the fragrances of authentic frontier cuisine, at our rooftop restaurant named Level 12.

The cake shop, Tarta, has a range of handmade designer cakes and pastries.

Enjoy these delicacies, preferably with a cup of coffee or a pot of tea.

What about your bars?

3 Spices has a wide choice of wines.

Besides these, you could raise a toast with our selection of single malts and artistic cocktails at Linear Lounge, where a resident DJ keeps you entertained.

How is the catering done in case of meetings and weddings?

The catering is done in-house.

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HOTEL Business Review

The Business of

Show Kitchens

By Sharmila Chand

H

ospitality kitchens in restaurants, whether they be restaurants in hotels or stand-alone restaurants or restaurant chain, are becoming sleeker by the day.

A great many of them are no longer hidden messy zones that are used just for F&B production. They are considered as a showcase of hotel’s/restaurant’s fresh and trendy ideas in the realm of F&B. In other words, commercial kitchen designs are becoming trendier. They are now not only enticing and glamorous but are also user-friendly. One trendy aspect of restaurant kitchen business is the open show kitchens.

The show kitchens do have several advantages in today’s F&B in-vironment. “Live kitchen adds to the overall concept of the restaurant; it entails the freshness of food and instant cooking, which can be the essence of a successful food and beverage operations. Besides that live kitchens have the possibility of the Chef interacting directly with guests and preparing food as per the guests’ likes and dislikes,” observed Yogendra Negi, Director, Operations, Set’z Restaurant in New Delhi, who has immense experience in setting up the open show kitchens.

According to Jatinder Singh Dhaliwal, Executive Chef of Le Meridien Jaipur, the advantages of live kitchens in restaurants is that they facilitate in adding value to the outlets, and they

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have greater possibility of keeping the guests happy, “as guests get to see Chefs cooking live for them, and thus the latent question about the quality of food and hygienic standards being maintained in kitchens gets answered.”

Dhaliwal also thinks that live kitchens can complement the conventional kitchens by distributing the work load. “Live kitchens should reduce the load in the kitchen operations by taking care of starters & appetisers till the time the main course is getting made inside,” Dhaliwal pointed out.

At the same time, there are some possible negative fallouts of having a live kitchen at restaurants. “If equipments fail for some reason it can cause chaos around and can generate negative publicity,” pointed out Dhaliwal. Moreover, according to him, “If publicity of the outlets with live kitchens is not done with innovative ideas the place may not yield brisk footfalls and rich revenues.”

Great View of Cooking There are various facets that need to be taken care of while developing kitchen designs for open show kitchens. To explore this theme further, I talked with experts in the industry and found out some key areas which need to be kept in mind while designing and operating show kitchens.

F&B

HOTEL Business Review

Jatinder Singh Dhaliwal

“The open show kitchens are inspired by the customers’ demand for freshly prepared dishes. When the food is prepared in full guest view, a customer’s perception of the freshness and quality of ingredients tend to be much higher,” explained Sudeep Sharma, Food & Beverage Manager, Jaipur Marriott Hotel, while talking about the key essentials in setting up the show kitchens in restaurants.

“The whole idea of a show kitchen is for the guests to see the entire process of cooking, so it is needless to say that the show kitchens should be designed to give an explicit view of the ingredients, the preparation process, etc. How a Chef prepares the dishes also adds to the overall watching experience. A lot of excitement to taste the dish is build on how passionately a Chef is preparing it and how detailed is her/his approach in dishing out the best possible culinary experience for customers. So the essentials of a show kitchen are a great view of the action and the Chef ’s showmanship,” he elaborated.

Hygiene is Must Moreover, the hygiene factor in show kitchens assumes even more importance than it does in conventional kitchens, which are hidden from the guests’ eye, as in show kitchens any laxity in hygiene is “The overall set up of the live kitchen has to compliment the entire look and feel of the restaurant, which is a big challenge to cater to, with quality equipment and quality personnel being limited.”

— Yogendra Negi, Director, Operations – Set’z Restaurant

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HOTEL Business Review

not only being felt and sometimes seen but is almost always seen by the guests; often instantaneously. The show kitchens must maintain impeccable hygiene. Chef Jatinder Singh Dhaliwal, Executive Chef of Le Meridien Jaipur, gets down to the details. “The area of the show kitchen should be kept as neat as possible as everyone is watching,” he asserted.

According to him, show kitchens should not only be eye-catching and neat, but they should also have proper ventilation, which entails good air flow & exhaust system. However, this essential hygienic requirement should be the prerequisite of every indoor restaurant, not just of the restaurants with live kitchens.

Dhaliwal also stressed on neatness of uniforms and trendy designs of Chef coats for show kitchens. According to Dhaliwal, strict HACCP & other hygiene standards are necessary for the setting up of open show kitchens.

As expected, Negi also stressed on hygiene and neatness of uniform in the operations of live kitchens. “Hygiene issue needs to be handled with care as anything

Expert View

For hotels, restaurants with interactive kitchens are an attractive choice as they allow a single space, if designed right, to offer a wide choice of options, both in terms of décor and menu. This reduces the need to develop two or three separate restaurants, each requiring an independent associated kitchen and a dedicated team, without compromising on guest satisfaction.

— Gautam Verma, Hospitality Consultants (India) Pvt. Ltd.

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messy can give a bad impression, often an instant negative impression, in show kitchens. Kitchen staff ’s grooming is also an important aspect in live kitchens; their uniform etc. should be immaculate,” explained Negi.

Need to be Aesthetic Merging the aesthetics and functional convenience is also very important for show kitchens. “Since these kitchens are practically next to some of the tables in the restaurants where the customers are sitting, the kitchen and its equipments need to look appealing in every way.

The challenge is to balance the aesthetic component with the functional convenience,” averred Sharma.

Sharma also gave importance to the design element in setting up of commercial show kitchens. “A great deal of time and money is invested in making sure you have a great kitchen design that looks good to the customers’ eyes,” proffered Sharma.

By Design “The most important thing to be considered in setting up show kitchens is the design element. You have to choose the right company which has the experience of designing such kitchens in the past and there should be mutual understanding of the ideas and concepts. The overall setup of the live kitchen has to compliment the entire look and feel of the restaurant, which is a big challenge to cater to, with quality equipment and quality personnel being limited,” averred Negi.

The right design can help in guest satisfaction and thus also in generating restaurant revenues. “A Chef needs a smooth preparation process to minimise the production time and create a great dish at the same time. Incorporating the right design in live kitchens thus can present unique opportunities to the restaurant and if commissioned properly, it can greatly enhance guest satisfaction,” pointed out Sharma.

Space and Visibility Having an open show kitchen can lead to space constraints, which in turn may lead to compromising on the potential revenues. According to Dhaliwal, “space is the biggest challenge in a restaurant with live kitchen as you need ample space to

“As more and more restaurants are opening and competition growing, the restaurant business in India is fast ceasing to be a business which is just about food and drinks. The experience needs to go beyond the dinner and drinks. You need to give the customers fond memories and a reason to talk about the restaurant to others. In this regard, interactive kitchens really fit the bill and can add up to the dining experience, by allowing the customers opportunity to watch their dishes being cooked.”

— Sudeep Sharma, Food & Beverage Manager, Jaipur Marriott Hotel

put covers.” The space constraint in show kitchens needs careful consideration.

“The element of live kitchen takes away lot of dining space and that is why the live kitchen should look like a part of the entire concept and not just a cooking station,” elaborated Negi.

Dhaliwal calls for maximum possible visibility for live kitchens. He also calls for installing proper fire safety system. He also emphasised on highly trained staff and full-proof equipment maintenance system in place for operations of show kitchens.

Getting Equipped Negi also emphasised on kitchen equipments. “Modern day restaurants have to be very well-equipped with a gamut of modern cooking techniques and with kitchen equipments which are known around the world as a brand.

Therefore live kitchens should be adorned with equipments like cooking ranges, undercounter refrigeration units, chopping boards, etc.,” opined Negi.

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Design

HOTEL Business Review

Weaving an Impression

By Swarnendu Biswas

H

ospitality industry, especially the five-star hospitality, entails strong lifestyle elements.

And lifestyle statements in the hotel are reflected not only in spas and F&B options, but also in flooring.

And carpets play an important role in adding value to the flooring solutions.

Carpets, whose genesis in India can be traced to the Mughal period, have spread their roles from adorning palaces to adorning the rooms. According to the Carpet Export Promotion Council, today the carpet industry of India supports the livelihood of around 2.5 million people in India, either directly or indirectly.

Today, carpets are an integral part of

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the décor and design of the modern day hospitality industry of India.

The Varied Roles The carpets can accentuate the appeal of a hotel room to the visitors and also infuse brightness in reception areas and in the restaurants of the hotels. According to Asif Hasan, President, Ramsha Home & Living, an important player in the carpets segment which supplies carpets to both hospitality sector and as well as through retail, “A carpet can play a pivotal role in the décor of the room, by enhancing the room’s beauty. The carpets also contribute to the comfort of the guests.” And in the winters, carpets can double up as luxury as well as utility, particularly if the hotel

is in a hill-station. Yes, carpets can also facilitate in prolonging the life of the floor.

According to an expert, carpets can be hand-tufted, hand-knotted or handwoven, and can be made with wool, wool-viscose, wool-silk and linen. Other yarns can also be used in making carpets.

Hand-knotted woollen carpets, tufted woollen carpets, pure silk carpets, chain stitch rugs, staple/synthetic carpets are only some of the wide varieties of carpets available in the market.

For the Market However, the types of carpets being used should vary from one hotel to another, so that carpets gel well with the décor and design of the hotel room. For example, a

Design

HOTEL Business Review

Asif Hasan

customised wall-to-wall knotted carpet with fancy designs and wool from New Zealand being its ingredient, may gel with the décor, design and other facilities of a luxury hotel’s room, but the same product may look too showy for a budget hotel room.

Similarly, a carpet with colourful wildlife woven on it will be more appealing in a resort located in the vicinity of wildlife, and catering to adventure tourism, whereas a carpet with Persian design or historical motifs will be more appealing in a luxury heritage hotel.

Generally, wool is regarded as the best yarn for carpet. Among wool, the wool from New Zealand is considered premium. According to Hasan, the fivestar hotels mostly use knotted carpets.

“Presently, we are supplying hand-tufted, hand-knotted, broadloom (handloom), and shaggy rugs to the hospitality sector,” stated Hasan.

He informed that in the hand-tufted section, they were supplying the heavy duty rugs in 2800 GSM with 12 mm pile height in fine Bikaner woolen yarn as well as in New Zealand woolen yarn.

The company is also supplying shaggy rugs in polyester yarn, and handknotted rugs in Indo-Tibetan pattern, showcasing contemporary designs.

Presently, Ramsha Home & Living has presence all over India. We have our production infrastructure at Bhadohi, in Uttar Pradesh.,” stated Hasan. The production infrastructure also includes the company’s own dyeing, weaving, washing and finishing facilities.

Today with the evolution of the Indian hospitality sector that is propelled by the changed choices of discerning guests, the role of carpets is expected to be more classy than ever before. “Our research and development team always emphasise on innovative quality and ranges for the hospitality industry,” pointed out Hasan.

Today, customising carpets as per the décor of the hotel room is a happening trend. “Ramsha Home & Living is very much engaged in customising carpets as per the requirements of the clients.

In fact, it is our specialty in the Indian markets .Customising carpets in hotels helps in tailoring the carpet as per the décor, theme and space of the hotel room,” proffered the President of Ramsha Home & Living.

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Carpets and Care No discussion on carpets can exclude the issue of carpet cleaning.

Carpets add aesthetic and utilitarian value to a hotel room, but the carpet needs to be cleaned on regular intervals. However, cleaning of carpets should go hand-in-hand with prevention of their untidiness. Hasan advocates placing “Quality walk-off mats at entrances to reduce dirt from being walked onto carpets.”

Carpets in hotels should ideally be vacuum cleaned daily to eliminate a major portion of dust and debris that they are subjected to on a daily basis, and this exercise can be supplemented with cleaning of carpets with appropriate enzymes or other chemicals at regular

intervals, which will facilitate to address the possible stains, spillages, soils and odours.

“Avoid over wetting when cleaning your carpet, and remove stains & spills immediately. Prompt action will avoid the spillage penetrating the pile fibres,” explained Hasan, while discussing cleaning of carpets. The entrepreneur also cautions against rubbing the stains as according to him, this can spread or deepen the stain.

Enzyme cleaning is generally regarded as an environment-friendly option as compared to other conventional cleaning solutions, as enzymes are not saddled with a high pH or alkaline formulation.

Whether you want to shampoo the carpet or subject it to bonnet cleaning, enzyme-based chemicals can act as an effective solution to address the stains, soils and odours. Enzyme-based chemicals are also known for their ability

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to digest those bacteria and microbes, which causes foul odours.

Without proper maintenance and cleaning, not only the longevity of the carpets would be compromised thereby adding to the variable costs of the hotel, but the carpets would also look and smell foul and be counterproductive to the image of the hotel. For example, if the hotel lobby has a foul smelling carpet, many potential guests to the hotel may decide to revert from their decision of choosing the given hotel for their lodging. Regular cleaning is especially important for carpets placed in public areas like hotel lobbies, which tend to attract the maximum footfalls in hotels. However, environmentallyfriendly carpets can tackle the maintenance of carpets to some extent.

“We have introduced the usage of micron and accro yarn which are 100 percent resistance from dust and shredding, which make them environment-friendly,” affirmed Hasan.

Challenges and Potential There is no denying the fact that carpet industry in India is highly labour-intensive and involves great craftsmanship and dexterity. In fact, carpets from India are renowned for their enticing designs. “The hand-made creation of carpet involves great skill of weaving and is time taking,” said Hasan.

He opines that “maintaining our high standards of quality and adhering to the delivery schedule is a continual challenge for us.”

Hasan views a very bright future for the carpets in the Indian hotel industry, and with demand for hotel rooms growing despite the lean phase in the industry, his optimism cannot be

termed as misplaced. However, at the same time, it should be remembered that sky-rocketing operating costs is inducing many hotels to reduce costs, which may in turn affect the demand for carpets in the Indian hospitality industry, as carpet entails not so insignificant maintenance costs, in terms of man hours.

Take the case of Lemon Tree Hotels, which has no carpets. One can say that if the present trend of cost-cutting continues across hotels, along with the present shift of the Indian hospitality industry towards mid-market or budget segment, the future of the carpets in hotels in India can be easily challenged by custom-made designs of flooring in engineered marbles, which are easily available and have low maintenance.

In order, to tackle the challenges from marbles and other stones, the carpets need to be customised, classy and cost-effective at the same time. In order to be cost-effective, more mechanical intervention in the production process seems to be the need of the hour for the industry.

The Human Angle The carpet industry of India produces beautiful creations but also leads to wastage of childhood of many child labourers engaged in the industry. The hospitality industry of India should concertedly make an honest endeavour to end this heinous practice against humanity by stop using any carpet which involves child labour.

This collective industry initiative should of course, be supplemented with proactive government intervention and stringent implementation and further strengthening of existing laws against child labour. Hasan believes that elimination of the scourge of child labour from the Indian carpet industry needs joint effort of both the carpet manufacturers and the

hospitality industry in tandem with each other.

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Housekeeping

HOTEL Business Review

Housekeeping Challenges H

By Swarnendu Biswas

ousekeeping is the edifice of the hotel industry. Without a clean restroom, or a spic and span lobby, the best of facilities and amenities of a five-star hotel are likely to unable to attract discerning guests. It is because without sanitation luxury loses its significance. Similarly, the aesthetic décor of the room wouldn’t appeal to the guest if she/he comes to the room after the meeting and see that her/ his bed sheets are still as dishevelled as it was before she/he left in the morning, and the depleted toiletries in the bathroom are not yet replenished.

Yes, the major chunk of the revenue of hotels still comes from rooms (though F&B segment is fast catching up), but without good housekeeping standards, the best of hotel rooms will fail to attract repeat visitors.

However, it doesn’t mean that housekeeping is important only for five-star hotels, which are normally characterised by high-end amenities and decor. It is essential for all hotels, but for five-star properties, the housekeeping standards should be nothing short of impeccable, as here you are catering to guests who are likely to have experienced high standards of hospitality across the globe and naturally they have become habituated

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to not settle for anything ordinary.

Much More Than Cleaning

Housekeeping in hotels today is a complex and elaborate task and is not at all confined to cleaning and changing the bedding of the guest rooms, and cleaning of rest rooms and replenishing their toiletries as is being commonly perceived by people outside the hospitality industry.

But that does not mean that the guests would not appreciate the wonderful laundry service, or for that matter the impeccable security of the hotel where she/he is staying, perhaps not realising that both of these facilities now fall within the purview of housekeeping in many hotels.

The laundry service does not only include cleaning the guests’ linens and garments, but also the linens of rooms and also linens of the F&B outlets of the hotels, and maintenance of staff uniforms. At the same time, the now extended role of housekeeping also involves reporting of any untoward elements or about any suspicious person/ luggage/activity in order to facilitate the security concerns of the hotels. At the same time, the housekeeping department needs to ensure that the guests’ privacy is not in any way compromised because of rigmarole of security.

Of course, the guest is also unlikely to wonder why the facility is pest free, when the city is full of pests. Yes, pest control of the property is also a housekeeping exercise. Similarly, if the guests get impressed by the wonderful horticulture of the housekeeping property, many of the hoteliers should thank her/his housekeeping staff for that. And if hotel is an environmentally friendly property, the challenges of waste disposal and waste recycling can assume very crucial role in the purview of housekeeping.

Housekeeping plays an important role in forming the overall reputation of a hotel among its guests and potential guests.

Facilitating Guest Satisfaction Succinctly, on a broader scale, the role of modern housekeeping in hotels is to facilitate guest satisfaction through quality professionalism along with special personalised touches, thereby contributing to the guest’s repeat visits to the property despite the attractions of competition.

Besides continual attention and stringent adherence to cleanliness and hygiene, aesthetics and security, great housekeeping should also focus on individual guests’ preferences, likes and dislikes and endeavour with the objective to not only meet her/his expectations

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Housekeeping

HOTEL Business Review

from housekeeping services, but also to exceed them. The housekeeping teams at hotels shouldn’t miss opportunity to interact with their guests without getting intrusive and facilitate in every way to ensure that their guests are having not only a comfortable but also a wonderful stay.

For example, while chatting with the Executive Housekeeper the guest reveals that it is her birthday today. And then she would be pleasantly surprised if she gets a bouquet of flowers in the evening, along with a box of chocolates and warm wishes. Next time when she visits the city for business, she is likely to choose this hotel only, assuming all other factors remaining the same. Ideally, great housekeeping should in most cases (not in the above-mentioned case), be apparently invisible to the guest, but should add up to the overall guest experience.

At the same time, it should help in making the first impression among the guests, which in these times of frenzied competition is extremely crucial for the growth. The absence of good housekeeping, however, makes it apparent to the guests about the crucial role of housekeeping.

require training of the in-house and as well as the outsourcing staff (wherever applicable) not only at the time of induction but also from time to time, both in terms of soft skills and technical expertise, so that they are abreast with the latest trends and demands in housekeeping operations pertaining to the hospitality industry. This can help the hotels to compete with their competition, and no wonder many five-star hotels across the country are adhering to this principle.

Training should not only be at the level of rank and file housekeeping personnel, but also include the Managers and supervisors. However, the nature of training should ideally vary from senior and junior level personnel. For example, the junior level housekeeping personnel can be trained on handling some new-

Cost-effectiveness and Coordination And of course, the Executive Housekeeper would ensure that this challenging endeavour must be attained in a cost-effective manner too, whether through in-house manpower or through judiciously or for that matter optimally combining the efforts of in-house staff and outsourcing operations. It is because cost saved can also be profit earned.

The housekeeping department of a hotel should also have excellent coordination with all the departments of the hotel, in order to minimise disruption and optimising comfort, convenience and security for the guests. Among all the departments, its coordination with the security department of the hotel is most important.

Training is Crucial Housekeeping is not only a 24/7 exercise for the hospitality industry, but is a continually evolving field. Therefore the success of housekeeping services in hotels

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age equipment about which he is not familiar, or about tackling the day-today maintenance challenges, while the training for senior level personnel should focus on cost control, or people handling skills. These performance development training programmes from time to time can not only give an edge to the housekeeping of the hotel concerned, but can also help the housekeeping personnel in their career growth, thereby preventing employee dissatisfaction and arresting the attrition rate to some extent.

Already many five-star properties are laying great emphasis on frequent training, but the emphasis towards frequent and updated training in the realm of housekeeping should percolate towards many three-star and two-star budget hotels also, spread across the country. Only then our hospitality

industry can become more professional at par with international standards, in holistic terms.

The training process should ideally be based on feedback of guest satisfaction.

As far as housekeeping in hospitality industry is concerned, guest feedback should be ascertained and acted upon on a continual basis(ideally one hour before the guests’ check-out) , because only through guest feedback the Executive Housekeeper can decide for sure in which areas her/his idea and execution of housekeeping for the given hotel has been right or wrong.

A Challenging Profession The challenges of housekeeping are many. For example, the maintenance of cleanliness in rest rooms and lobbies of the hotels, which attract heavy footfalls, is a perpetual challenge. If the lobby has marble flooring, the task of its maintenance becomes all the more daunting. Removal of food stains and grease stains from marble flooring is a time consuming task.

Granite flooring also needs great care. It is advisable to periodically clean granite surfaces with a natural stone or granite cleaner to maintain their shine. However, using harsh cleaners on granite flooring can damage the sealant and dull the finish. The Executive Housekeeper should also ensure that cleaning products and supplies are always adequate and appropriate floor cleaning measures are being employed for different types of floors of the hotels.

Doing the cleaning up operations after a huge conference or banquet is over is no less challenging. And maintaining housekeeping standards amidst renovation is an arduous task indeed.

The Executive Housekeeper should ensure that the efficiency and the motivational levels of her/his team are kept high, so that both bottom lines and attrition rates are not unduly affected.

The paucity of skilled and qualified manpower in hotel housekeeping is always a challenge, which perhaps can be addressed through better pay packages, better social security and less erratic working hours. 

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Spa

HOTEL Business Review

Explore Wellness at

Quan

By Sharmila Chand

G

oa Marriott Resort & Spa presents to you the Quan Spa, a world-renowned wellness brand that promises a whole new world of spa & wellness treatments. Over the years, Quan Spa has won several national and international awards like the ‘Pevonia Spa Asia Award’ for the Best Hotel Spa, India for the year 2007, 2008 & 2009 and the ‘Hall of Fame Award’ at the Pevonia Spa Asia Awards for the year 2010.

Quan Spa comes across as a haven of

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calm, tranquility and relaxation. Quan, a Chinese word that literally means ‘a source of pure water,’ represents a wellness destination that seeks to provide a path to wholeness and well-being. Quan also refers to all things good and pure — an auspicious word to represent a spa that seeks to provide a path to wholeness and well-being. Here the treatments provide a welcome getaway to unwind and prepare for the journey ahead.

The Quan Spa at Goa Marriott Resort

& Spa has five treatment rooms. There are four individual treatment rooms and one couple treatment room with a bath tub. All the rooms are attached with relaxing sofa, shower cubicle and rest rooms. There is also a steam room, chilled showers and a Jacuzzi; a brand new Fitness Centre (gymnasium) and a Kids Club as part of the recreational facilities.

The fundamental concept of Goa Marriott Resort & Spa’s Quan Spa is based on the five elements – Earth (Prithvi),

Spa

Water (Jal), Air (Vayu), Fire (Tejas) and Space (Akash). This theme is predominant in the décor of the spa and the five treatment rooms are also named after these elements. There is also an attempt to create positive energy in the treatment rooms by having Tibetan singing bowls and raw crystals placed in strategic locations of the treatment rooms. Elemental-based unique music for each treatment room and public areas like the relaxation lounge is another signature feature of this spa.

‘Goan Magic’ is the signature treatment

HOTEL Business Review

of Quan Spa at the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. Western, Indian and oriental methodologies amalgamate to synthesise this signature massage. Here with long loopy movements, the masseur with great dexterity removes toxins and other harmful elements out of the body system.

Body and mind strike a fine resonance, induced by the smooth application of a hot herbal compress and oil, to attain the state of well-being.

Another signature package at the spa is the ‘Celebration Wedding Ritual’ which

is a programme of relaxation inducing spa treatments (steam, body polish, aroma fusion massage, facial, and milk bath) taken together in the comfort, privacy and luxury of the Couple’s Room at the spa to calm pre-wedding stress.

Spa therapies at the spa can be broadly classified into five sections, which are: (i) Detox (ii) Enhance (iii) Relax (iv) Rejuvenate (v) Chinese Experience.

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Spa

HOTEL Business Review

Anna and the Spa

By Sharmila Chand

While exploring the spa I got to meet Anna Fernandes, the Director of Spa at Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. Anna’s journey in the hospitality industry began with the Marriott in 2001, as a pre-opening team member with the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai. She joined the property as an Administration Executive, and soon took on the responsibility of handling Club Marriott memberships at their health club.

As the years passed by she started developing a keen interest in spa operations too and worked towards educating herself on the same. She was soon certified in CIDESCO & CIBTAC (international spa certification). In the year 2006, she was promoted to the post of Assistant Spa Manager and in a year’s time, she graduated to be the Spa Manager of the property.

On 1st October 2012, she relocated herself to Goa Marriott Resort & Spa as the Director of Spa. The excerpts of the interview follow: How long have you been in the spa industry? What are the kind of changes you have witnessed in your field during the past five-six years?

I have been in the spa industry since the last seven years. There have been changes in the Indian spa industry during the recent years. People are now more knowledgeable about various international wellness brands and spa treatments.

Nowadays, you would see guests enquiring for spa facilities while making reservation for their hotel bookings. The hotels in India are also looking at spa as a revenue generating department within the hotel. It has been also observed that a lot of young people are now taking up a career in the spa industry.

Most important top trend in the

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Indian spa industry is the spa gift vouchers. Hotel guests now look forward to purchase a spa gift voucher for various occasions i.e., birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations. Moreover, spa has emerged as an ideal place to unwind with your friends and relatives on the weekends.

Corporate gifting of spa treatments is one more thing which is very much a happening trend. Corporate guests are looking forward to spa breaks during their meetings or conventions. Another trend that is observed is having a healthy spa menu at spa facilities that includes health drinks or smoothies, etc.

Initially the hotels used to have just a small health club with two to three massage rooms. There were not many qualified personnel at the hotels to provide an exhaustive range of wellness treatments. However the latest trend in

spa operations in the Indian hospitality industry is to have a spa concept. Once the concept is decided then the design would definitely follow through.

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

The top three traits or skills every Spa Director should have are the knowledge of handling Spa operations, which include knowledge about the guests, about the spa team and spa products, and about the vendors and suppliers.

The Spa Director or the Spa Head should also be endowed with people management skills. She/he should understand the requirement of every team member of the spa managed by her/him, which include the requirement of the Spa

Spa

HOTEL Business Review

Receptionist, the Spa Therapist, and the Spa Attendant. The Spa Director should also have the knowledge of marketing and should know how to promote the spa to the guests.

country.

What do you enjoy the most about being a Spa Director?

The spa is designed to create a feel of well-being. All the treatment rooms at the spa are sea facing and are equipped with shower and a changing area. This gives the required privacy for all our guests, especially the external guests.

Moreover, the range of spa treatments offered at the spa is fairly exhaustive. It includes Massage Therapy, Face Therapy, Body Therapy, Spa Packages & Spa Promotions. Our comprehensive wellness solutions cater to the needs of both business and leisure travellers.

We have a team of skilled, trained and experienced spa therapists. Besides that, we also provide on the job training.

Succinctly, at the Quan Spa at Goa Marriott Resort & Spa, we offer a range of spa treatments to suit each guest’s requirement and ensure that the guests can avail the spa treatment that they are looking for during their stay and that they feel completely relaxed and rejuvenated in mind and body after experiencing our spa treatments.

We have also introduced spa promotions to ensure that we offer value for money and something different for the guests to look forward to. Guests could also purchase a Gift Certificate and gift it to their friends & relatives.

I enjoy spending time with my team, ensuring that I understand their concerns and queries. I help them perform and deliver with perfection. I also like interacting with the guests visiting the spa. It gives me an opportunity to understand their requirements to visit a spa and guide them to experience the right spa treatment so as to ensure that they return for more.

What do you dislike the most?

Misbehaviour of some guests with the spa therapists is a thing which I dislike the most in my profession.

Is your job challenging? Can you point out five challenges?

Of course, my job is challenging and I love the challenges. Challenges help me to strive more and give me an opportunity to perform better. The five important challenges in my job that I would like to point out are the paucity of skilled and trained spa therapists having the knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology of the human body; dearth of spa institutes, competition from spas that do not adhere to the spa standards & spa procedures, the challenge of supplies of products getting delayed due to nonavailability or due to discontinuation of some spa products, and the challenge of tackling guest misbehaviour.

What direction do you see the Indian spa industry taking in the next ten years?

Over the years, the need for a spa has grown in urban India and is increasing.

Nowadays, every five-star hotel that opens ensures that it has a spa attached, since a wide section of well-heeled individuals which include corporates, celebrities, and even general leisure guests, is quite keen in availing spa treatments to ensure that they feel good, look good, stay healthy and experience a feeling of well-being, relaxation, rejuvenation and get destressed. Hence I perceive there is a lot of potential for the spa industry in the

Could you tell us the USP of Quan Spa at Goa Marriott Resort & Spa? What distinguishes it from others?

How many treatment rooms do you have, and how big is the spa?

The Quan Spa at the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa has a total of five treatment rooms, out of them four are individual treatment rooms and one is a Couple Suite They have been named under five elements of nature. The spa is spread across 7588 sq. ft.

Do you offer a signature treatment?

Goan Magic is the signature treatment at our spa.

Tell us about it.

Goan Magic is a combination of Indian, western & oriental style of wellness. It is a full body massage with soft to medium pressure and attains a state of well-being.

Tell us about the other infrastructural facilities offered at the spa

The other important facilities offered are Ladies & Gents Wet Area that includes steam, Jacuzzi, chilled shower, lockers & shower facilities, relaxation area, gymnasium and the pool.

Do you have some customised treatments?

Yes, we do have customised spa treatments. One of them is ‘Indoceane Spa Ritual,’ which is a luxurious fourstep journey to wellness that includes Mediterranean (sweet & savoury body scrub), French (purity ritual), Indian (oil massage), and Chinese (sublime cream wrap) wellness features.

Then there is ‘Celebration Wedding Ritual,’ which is designed as a prewedding spa treatment to calm you from pre-wedding stress. It entails body polish, aroma fusion massage, facial and foot ritual.

Besides the above two customised treatments, Quan Spa at the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa also has packages which are conceptualised around the five elements of nature — earth, air, space, water, and fire.

Do you have some special massages apart from your usual spa treatments?

The spa offers lifestyle & wellness therapies apart from the usual spa treatments.

We have also introduced Cabana Comforts — an outdoor massage regimen that has two treatments to offer. They are Anti-Stress Massage and Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage.

The former treatment promotes relaxation and would ease muscle tension while the latter treatment would help release muscle pain, fatigue and relieve physical & emotional tensions.

What is your favourite treatment to receive and why it is so?

My favourite treatment is the ‘Quan Foot Ritual.’ This particular treatment is a quick foot soak in warm water with extracts of rose & aswagandha, followed by a quick foot scrub and a foot massage.

This relaxing foot treatment is a pure bliss that induces complete relaxation.

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Product Preview

HOTEL Business Review

WHEN GARDENS ARE MINIATURE

A miniature garden is a term widely used for small sized gardens, whether they be living or artificial. Dish gardens, terrariums, bonsai, tray gardening, windowsill gardening, tea cup gardening are all considered miniature gardens.

Many people living in apartments miss having a garden, and thus the trend of miniature gardens is fast catching on. Just like life-sized landscapes, the possibilities for miniature gardens are many. They can be placed indoors or outdoors, in-ground or in a pot, and their size may vary.

A miniature garden should ideally have a perfect blend of plants, hard surfaces, patios, and accessories, all in proportion to each other The miniature gardens can also have their healthy roles in the hospitality industry, where they can provide soothing views and as well as infuse environmental-friendliness in hotel spaces. There are many benefits of keeping greenery indoors. Plants can absorb harmful substances in the air from cooking or even from chemicals in the paint on your walls.

Furthermore, they can absorb carbon dioxide and also filter dust from the air, thereby returning fresh oxygen and increase humidity in your environment.

In hotels, the ideal place for miniature gardens is hotel lobbies and reception areas. Each of the miniature gardens from The Finishing Touch can attract not only the children but also the adults.

The Finishing Touch thefinishingtouch07@gmail.com

HERBAL EXPERIENCE

COMBII Organochem was established in 1978, incorporating 20 years in the field of research and application of Botanical & Mineral materials on the human body. COMBII, the brand owner of HERBLINE, is one the largest, the most assured and the only manufacturer and vendor of Natural Skin & Hair Care products with ISO 9001:2008 accreditation in India. HERBLINE brand has won international acclaim for quality and service at the “Quality Summit” in Madrid, Spain in 1999.

Having commissioned a new state of the art, modern plant in the Himalayas at scenic Bhimtal (close to Nainital), an excise free industrial area, natural spring water is used to manufacture the products. Being the largest purveyor of guest toiletries to the hotel industry in India and Nepal, since 1978, COMBII has been a market dominator since inception. HERBLINE purveys to the exacting leaders in the industry – Oberoi Hotels & Resorts (Trident), Marriott, Crown Plaza (Nepal), Yak & Yeti, Radisson (Shimla & Nepal), Chioce Hotels, Charlet Hotel (Mumbai), Park Plaza and scores of other chains & stand-alone properties as well as heritage properties. The HERBLINE product range includes all the Guest Toiletries and Health Club & Spa products. HERBLINE products are also exported to international clients in countries like Mauritius, The Czech Republic, Japan, Maldives, Hungary, Cyprus, UK and USA, to name a few.

Manufactured in a modern FDA and ISO approved plant, using internationally approved formulations that have been developed in house through extensive and ongoing efforts of the R&D team, the complete range is based on ‘Naturally derived’ ingredients and well researched ‘Ayurvedic’ properties of plant and mineral matter. In-house microbiology and quality assurance laboratories ensure that perfect, international quality standard products are manufactured and dispatched from manufacturing facilities. All HERBLINE products are gentle and effective on the human body, are biodegradable, eco-friendly, not tested on animals and use recyclable packaging materials.

COMBII Organochem Pvt. Ltd. info@herbline.com

A CLASSY OUTDOOR STYLE STATEMENT

Loom Crafts, an important player in the realm of outdoor lifestyle in India, yet again sets a brand new landmark with the first of its kind outdoor furniture range, woven with synthetic braids and ropes.

Each product of the range, comprising dining sets, seats, armchairs, chaise lounge, platforms, benches, side tables and modular elements is styled to evoke international sensibility.

Interspersed with Loom Crafts’ premium manufacturing and production quality, the entire range of this outdoor furniture features UV Stabilized Polynol Synthetic Braids and Ropes; meticulously woven over aluminium, stainless steel and wood frames to enhance its strength and durability, thereby making it robust in nature and at the same time opulent in appeal.

Taking cue from distinct exteriors, the range is available in a choice of classic colors to compliment various preferences and aesthetics, which can be coordinated with a host of soft furnishing and lose cushions to create a customised look, that promises to keep your outdoors in vogue year after year. The transitional style of this line of outdoor furniture by Loom Crafts stems from its design versatility, which makes it ideal for both indoor as well as outdoor spaces, in residential as well as commercial set-ups.

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

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Interview

HOTEL Business Review

Leading the Show

By Sharmila Chand

Pankaj Mathur, General Manager, The Suryaa New Delhi, has 27 years rich experience in the hospitality industry, and he has experience of working with India’s leading hotel chains like Taj, Oberoi and Welcome Group. His ability to build productive relations and fostering a positive climate for teamwork has always been his strength.

His current role involves building the brand Suryaa as Delhi’s favourite hotel, optimising guest satisfaction, human resources management, marketing management, revenue management and operations. The excerpts of the interview follow: What is the USP of your property?

We are a five-star hotel with affordable rates and unmatched service and quality, and this is a major point in our favour. Our guests receive all the luxuries of a five-star hotel while keeping their expenses in check.

Our focus is on ensuring that our service is memorable and we take pride in stating that we are Delhi’s favourite hotel for the last 31 years.

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

We have positioned ourselves as Delhi’s favourite hotel in terms of rates and services. We are taking steps in every segment starting from PR, social media, marcom plans to various activities on the property.

We are also regularly enhancing our F&B segment, while keeping in mind the new trends and taste of the guests.

Kindly throw some light on the hotel’s facilities for the corporate travellers?

The Suryaa New Delhi is in close proximity to the international airport and Pragati Maidan – an important venue for international trade fairs and exhibitions in the capital — and also in close proximity to Nehru Place, another important business centre of Delhi.

Based in the heart of the capital and owing to our extremely well connected location, our banquet and conference hall have been the key features for the hotel, making them a hub for a gamut of business and social conferences/ events.

There are four meeting rooms with technologically advanced conferencing facilities. These rooms have an impressive range of amenities for a corporate or business traveller – high speed Internet,

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phones with voice mails and customised meeting services. Moreover, there are spacious halls to organise events of both professional and social nature.

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

How much emphasis do you give to this department?

F&B plays a crucial role in the hotel business. It acts like a star attraction for a hotel. We give immense importance to this factor. We have recently taken on board Chef Sanjay Bahl as our F&B Director who has 25 years of rich experience in the hospitality industry. He is currently engaged in creating a great global cuisine menu for our soon to be launched all day dining facility named ‘Ssence.’

What would you say are the strengths of your F&B outlets?

The Suryaa’s in-house restaurants and bars — Atrium Lounge, Sampan, French Crust and soon to be opened Ssence — have/will have their own unique traits.

Atrium Lounge is a signature lounge known for its fine wine collection from the world. It is also a place where you can treat yourself with an array of food selections.

Sampan, a Pan-Asian restaurant, presents a scenic view of the city with a wonderful selection of sea food wafting with oriental flavours.

French Crust is a patisserie that showcases international quality of our talented Chefs who churn out mouthwatering goodies. It is one of a kind onestop shop for all your sweet cravings.

The major differentiator of our F&B offerings also includes the services provided by our associates, which are personalised and warm.

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

We are currently working meticulously towards the opening of our all day dining option named Ssence. We are also involved in developing a Club Lounge and creating activities for club guests. Building the brand with a sustainable marcom plan is now on our agenda.

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

According to me, finding quality associates and managers and retaining human resource talent is the most crucial issue to tackle in the Indian hospitality industry today.

What is your strength professionally?

Having worked with some of the finest hospitality brands in the world, I bring with me best practices to the table. During the course of my career, I have opened five hotels, which include Starwood’s Four Points by Sheraton Hotel & Serviced Apartments in Pune.

How do you de-stress?

My ideal way of de-stressing is by spending time with my family and to get away from the regular routine. I also like to indulge myself in reading. It opens your mind to a vast space of knowledge and imagination.

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

My guiding philosophy in work is to be a role model and a great coach. I believe in following performance management module and getting the best out of people by recording performance.