NEWS IN BRIEF
Leela Palace New Delhi opens
Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has officially launched its latest property situated in the exclusive Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi. The hotel was designed by a host of firms including SRSS, Kirk Nicks, Spin Design Associates, and Jeffrey Wilkes. According to the group’s President Rajiv Kaul, 2011 will see the opening of the Leela Palace Chennai, and development of a plot of land in Agra, just 1.1km from the Taj Mahal.
Hotel Leelaventure to sell 5% stake
Hotel Leelaventure Ltd. anticipates selling about 5% of the company within the next two months, reducing its founders’ stake to 50%. The share transaction with an unidentified private equity firm would raise about `6 billion (US$135 million) that would be used to reduce Leelaventure’s debt, which currently hovers around `38 billion.
Langham takes off in India
Langham Hospitality Group has unveiled expansion plans to develop hotels in India, starting with the Eaton Smart brand at New Delhi Airport set to debut later this year. In addition, the group has signed a management agreement with Lavasa Corporation for two new hotels in the eco-friendly hill city of Lavasa, whilst a 130-key Langham Place hotel is under development in Pune.
Accor to launch key brands in 2011
Accor plans to launch Sofitel, Pullman and Formule1 in India this year, bringing the number of brands it will have operating in the region to six. Sofitel Luxury Hotels will debut with the opening of the 302-key Sofitel Mumbai BKC in the third quarter with a further property scheduled to open in 2015. In addition, a total of ten Formule1 sites have been secured throughout the country. Between now and the end of 2012, Accor will open 21 hotels in India, putting it on track to achieve its goal of 90 hotels in the country by 2015.
IHG and Duet India Hotels Group to Develop 19 Holiday Inn Express Hotels
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has signed a joint venture partnership with Duet India Hotels Group (DIHL), to develop 19 new Holiday Inn Express hotels across India. IHG will invest through a 24% equity stake, making a multi-year investment of US$30 million into the partnership. The new hotels will add approximately 3,300 rooms to IHG’s current India development pipeline of over 10,000 rooms (46 hotels) and are expected to be operational by 2016.
Wyndham signs seven full-service properties for Ramada and Days Inn
Wyndham Hotel Group has signed seven full-service properties in India, six of which will be branded with the Ramada flag. Gurgaon-based Aerens Goldsouk International Ltd. has signed agreements for four of the properties, in Chennai, Kochi, Hisar and Ludhiana, whilst Madhuban Group will develop the other two, in Dehradun and Mussoorie. The announcement follows the introduction of the Days Inn brand to India with agreements for three new hotels. The latest news will
see a fourth property go up in Raipur. “When we started out in India, we knew there was a lot of potential for growth here, and today’s announcement is testament to this,” says Ken Greene, Wyndham Hotel Group President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific. “Seven signings in one day is a huge event for us and strengthens our market and global presence.”
Name: James Soane Job Title: Director Company: Project Orange
Current projects in India: Park Hotel, Pune
How do you see the hotel industry in India developing? There is an explosion of new hotels, updated properties and choice for the business and leisure traveller. Many of the new hotels are design led in the four- to five-star international market mainly aimed at tourists. However there is a huge market for three-star business travel both for the internal and international market. Typically people had few choices... this is changing.
Do you see any design trends emerging in Indian hotels? The good hotels use the local culture and craft as a spring board for their identity. Who wants to go to India and stay in a beige room? I see that the market is responding to the visual richness found all over the country, rather than replicating cookie cutter designs from the West.
What is the biggest challenge to working in India? Quality control can be a really big problem, which is the down side to craftsmanship.
Sarovar Hotels aims to open 30 hotels in India by 2013
Sarovar Hotels and Resorts plans to add between 20 and 30 properties to its network of managed hotels within the next two years. The group currently has 54 properties in its portfolio through management contracts under the Premiere, Portico and Hometel brands, and it also franchises hotels under Carlson’s Park Plaza and Park Inn brands.
What tips can you offer others for success in the region? I think it is really important to visit the site and the region as much as you can... it is all very well working remotely, but you have to be able to conjure up the sense of place and the emotional values or the result may be under whelming.
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