hotel business review

1Sept-Oct ’12

Sept-Oct ’122

E d i t o r i a lHOTEL Business Review

HOTELB u s i n e s s R e v i e wAn Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel IndustryAn Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel Industry

Publisher cum EditorRajneesh Sharma

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With the increased tensions of our fast-pacedlifestyles, the increasing incidences of lifestylediseases in our cluttered lives; with theincreased disposable incomes in select pocketsof Indian society and side by side the growingconsciousness towards holistic health andwellness in the society at large havecontributed towards the demand for upscalespa resorts and wellness vacations in urbanIndia.

Wellness vacations are becoming popular,not only among the young and the trendy, but

also among the old and the moneyed, and a section of people in India arenow earnest about combining the enjoyment of a holiday with therejuvenation of a spa. And true to the characteristics of a fast-growingeconomy, this demand is quickly met by the supply, which is now beingreflected in a number of high-end spa resorts, and opulent spas in five-starhotels across the country. The Indian spa industry is showing an impressivegrowth of 20-30 percent per annum. According to the figures of the SpaAssociation of India, the Indian spa industry has over 2,300 spas, and itgenerates around $400 million annually.

India has great opportunity for becoming an ideal destination for spatourism if it can promote its Ayurveda and yoga in a more scientific andcreative manner to its twenty-first century domestic and inbound tourists,and at the same time, assimilate the knowledge of modern western therapiesin a more proactive manner across its spas. Already such a trend is gainingmomentum in India’s burgeoning wellness industry. One of the effectivechannels through which spas in hotels and resorts can greatly enhance theirrevenues is through medical tourism.

However, the spa segment of India is beset with challenges too. Thesevere paucity of trained spa therapists and the rampant proliferation ofsleazy massage parlours masquerading as spas are marring the developmentsin the wellness scenario of the country to a great extent. It is about timethat the business of spas in India becomes more regulated than it is now,and also more professional in its approach. We have tried to cover someclassy spa resorts in the country and also the prominent spa trends in ourCover Story, which we hope our readers would find interesting.

Like spa tourism, the religious tourism in India too has great potentialfor the Indian tourism and hospitality industry. In fact, the potential ofreligious tourism was always there, unlike the potential for spa tourism,which is a recently developing trend.

We all know that India gets a plethora of domestic and inboundreligious tourists every year, but the number can greatly enhance if we canimprove the cleanliness and enhance the hospitality infrastructure of ourdestinations of religious tourism, and introduce more innovative tourismpackages at times of our fairs and festivities. Here we have attempted toexplore the topic of religious tourism, along with reference of some recentdevelopments to bolster its growth, in our Business Story.

Besides these highly relevant topics, our regular and additional features,together with our coverage of news and events, are geared to give ouresteemed readers quality time between the pages.

3Sept-Oct ’12

DEPARTMENTS

04 Event

08 News Scan

24 Appointments

52 Spa

54 Focus

55 Product Preview

56 Business Opportunity

60 Interview

insideinsideinsideinsideinside

32 BUSINESS

This enduring influence ofreligion in India is being misusedby cunning charlatans and fakegodmans, but the influence ofreligion in India’s socio-culturalenvironment has immense potentialfor being constructively used bythe Indian tourism and hospitalityindustry.

26 COVER STORYWellness vacations are gaining

popularity among both youngand the old. Combining thebenefits of a spa visit with aholiday, either within India oroverseas, is becomingincreasingly popular amongupwardly mobile Indian tourists.

36 TECHNOLOGYSound is a critical element in

creating the right ambience in ahotel. A high quality‘background music system’(BGM) will enhance theambience, helping the guestsrelax. The influence of the BGMis subtle yet substantive.

42 ENVIRONMENTIt is not uncommon to see

hotel chains in India embarkingon a green journey andintroducing a bouquet of ecoinitiatives. Budgetary allocationsare made, eco policies are laid outand teams are formed to executeeco initiatives in hotels.

39 PROPERTYAt Aamod Dalhousie, a resort

nestled amidst sombre andsilent green mountains ofHimachal Pradesh with floatingclouds caressing the peaks,environment-friendliness isamply complemented by in-vironment friendliness. Cover Pix: The Leela Palace

Kempinski Udaipur

HOTELB u s i n e s s R e v i e wAn Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel IndustryAn Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel Industry

46 F&BPlanning the renovation of a

restaurant or a discotheque/nightclub in a hotel is nodoubt, a daunting task. But bymethodical planning, one canexecute a seamless renovationstrategy.

49 DESIGNWall coverings for the

hospitality industry are veryvital, as aesthetically, theyprovide a rich, timeless, warmand textured appearance towalls, which is not otherwisepossible through routine paints.

Sept-Oct ’124

EventHOTEL Business Review

Diversified Communications,the global organiser of foodexhibitions across four

continents, ran the second edition ofFine Food India in September 2012.The three day event was held at thePragati Maidan Exhibition Centre inNew Delhi, during 17th–19thSeptember 2012.

Over 3500 retailers, buyers,importers, and hoteliers attended theshow to meet manufacturers,producers, exporters, and sellers offood and drink items in India andaround the world. Major participatingbrands included Pepsi, Electrolux,Himalayan Waters, Nestle, Rational,Amrit Food, Tata Chemicals and AGS

Transact Technologies, DabonInternational, and Wi-Not BeverageSolutions. Top international companiesfrom Spain, Chile, USA, Australia,Italy, China, Russia, Malaysia,Thailand, Poland, Mexico, Pakistan,Iran, and of course, India showcasedtheir varied range of specialty and finefoods, gourmet foods, alcoholic andnon-alcoholic beverages, ingredientsand spices, bakery and biscuits,confectionaries and snacks, dairy, andhospitality services.

Discussing about internationalparticipation, Andreas Karaiskakis,Minister Plenipotentiary for Economic& Commercial Affairs, the Embassy ofGreece, commented, “Fine Food India

is an interesting show in India. It isvery well organised and the exhibitingcompanies are quite relevant to thebusiness. The organisers are doing agood job in putting together a show ofthis calibre. It is the first time forOlivéma, a Greek company, toparticipate in Fine Food India and wewill surely encourage other Greekcompanies to participate in this show,in the years to come.”

Along with excellent opportunitiesfor networking and businessdevelopment, the show hostedinformative business fora, cookingdemonstrations, international and localwine tastings, and Chef ’s masterclasses.Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, the Director of

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5Sept-Oct ’12

Sept-Oct ’126

Event

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Olive Bar & Kitchen, alsopopularly known as ChefSaby, inaugurated theChef ’s Master ClassTheatre on 17thSeptember. A seasonedfood & beverageprofessional, Chef Sabyelaborated on the ‘Art onplate’ methodology duringhis session in the Chef ’sMasterclass and explainedthat cooking is an art. Hegenerously shared his ideasand recommendations onunique and exotic dishes,and also suggested useful tips andeasier methods of cooking to hisaudience. Other top Chefs todemonstrate their culinary skills in theFood Theatre and Chef ’s Masterclasswere Chef Manish Mehrohtra, theExecutive Chef of Indian Accent, ChefYutaka Saito of Megu, The LeelaPalace, Chef Mickey Bhoite of LeCirque, The Leela Palace, ChefGagandeep Sawhney of Qube, TheLeela Palace, Chef MohammedJalaludeen from The Leela Palace, ChefLudovic, International CulinaryAdvisor from Elle & Vire, ChefThomas Blanchard, the ExecutiveChef from L’Opera, Chef Barnhardfrom The Lalit Hotel, and ChefNishant Choubey from Dusit BirdHotel. The Indian SommelierChampionship continued its traditonof awarding the best sommeliers inIndia, in the 5th Indian SommelierChampionship; held on 17th

September, at the Drinks Academy.Sommelier Magandeep Singh, thefounder of Wi-Not Beverage SolutionsPvt. Ltd., conducted thechampionship. Sommelier Gurjit SinghBarry and Sommelier GagandeepSingh hosted international winetastings, whereas mixologist YangdupLama, Shariq Khan, and Jon Lillyconducted sessions on cocktail making,mixing and vodka tasting respectively.

Top restaurateurs from all over Indiaattended the Restaurant Forum on thefirst day, which was moderated bySamir Kuckreja, the Founder & CEO,Tasanaya Hospitality, and thePresident of National RestaurantAssociation of India(NRAI). The RetailForum on the second day recorded full

attendance. Major retailers like AvniBiyani, the Chief Executive Officer ofFuture Group, Mini Yadav, the Ownerof Le Marche, Mohit Khattar, the MDand CEO of Godrej Nature’s Basket,Sanjay Tandon, the Managing Directorof Epicure Frozen Foods andBeverages, and the Vice President ofDabon International (P) Ltd. andClaude Bertrand, the CEO of DabonInternational were some of the guestspeakers who discussed opportunitiesfor the Indian retailers to evolve withthe changing Indian palate. Both thesessions in the Business Forum gavethe food service operators andrestaurateurs across India anunderstanding of the new trends,platform to discuss ideas, witness latestinnovations and view a wide range ofproducts specific to the industry.

According to Paul Phelan,International Director, DiversifiedCommunications India, “Fine FoodIndia 2012 was once again a greatsuccess with 135 exhibitors from 19countries doing business with over3500 visitors. The ultimate aim ofbringing together the hospitality, andfood and beverage industry was notonly accomplished but also exceededour expectations. We believe that thosewho participated at Fine Food India aseither exhibitors or visitors havedefinitely benefited through thisinitiative, and can imbibe what theyhave learnt, while moving forward intheir own businesses.”

The exhibition closed with a note ofthanks to the participants, with apromise to come back with an evenbigger and better Fine Food India, inDecember 2013.

Sept-Oct ’128

News ScanHOTEL Business Review

Goa to be a Destination of

International ClassThe government of Goa is on the lookout for internationalconsultancies for turning Goa into a world class tourismdestination, said Samuel Mathew, the Principal SecretaryTourism, Government of Goa on the 2nd day of the 47th

Annual FHRAI (Federation of Hotel & RestaurantAssociations of India) Convention at The Leela, Goa.

Mathew said, “Goa has been doing beach tourism for over40 years now and monotony has set in. We are looking forinternational agencies, which can provide us with theconsultancy services. Goa is a major international touristdestination but the next step required is to make Goa into adestination of international class. We are planning to look atthe possibilities in developing beach shacks, water sports, etc.”

Sounding a word of caution, he also mentioned that thegrowth has to be sustainable. “We also have to take care ofenvironmental issues and local population. They have to beprotected. Tourism is a multi-dimensional industry and manyinter-departmental procedures are to be followed.”

On the demands of FHRAI pertaining to the taxation, hesaid that broadly, taxes need to be rationalised across theboard. Double taxation should be avoided and every statehas different priorities. In Goa also there are issues related tothe land acquisition, casinos, etc.

Reason to Cheer for theHospitality IndustryThe inaugural session of the 47th Annual FHRAI (Federationof Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India) gave thehospitality industry a reason to cheer. The Union Minister ofTourism, Subodh Kant Sahai promised that he would help theindustry in acquiring the much required ‘infrastructure’industry status. Much to the delight of a full house (morethan 800 members attending at the Convention), Sahai said,“I have met the Honourable Union Finance Minister, P.Chidambaram recently and have raised the issue of grantinginfrastructure status to the hotel and restaurant industry. Ihave also been discussing this with the InfrastructureCommittee and promise that the anomalies present in thecurrent status of infrastructure to the industry will beremoved.”

The theme of the three-day convention was ‘EmploymentGeneration: Engine of Inclusive Growth. For the first time,the FHRAI convention was being webcasted all over theworld.

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Blu Day Celebrated AtRadisson Blu Hotel PVRadisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar, as part of its‘Turning the World Blu’ campaign, celebrated the secondsuccessful year of its new brand identity on 28th September2012, inthe form ofBlu Day. Tocelebratethis veryspecial day,apart frombluecoloureddecorationin the entirehotel,various indulging activities like a Blu High Tea,complimentary Blu cocktails, mocktails, desserts and gameswere organised for the guests.

“The Turning the World Blu campaign marks a newmilestone for the Radisson Blu brand, as for the first timeCarlson Rezidor is investing in a global campaign that will seethe brand reaching out to guests around the world,” saidPreet Inder Singh, the General Manager, Radisson Blu HotelNew Delhi Paschim Vihar. This campaign is part of the AsiaPacific’s three-year brand investment strategy to encouragetravellers to ‘Discover Radisson Blu’. “The integrated brandcampaign focuses on promoting Radisson Blu brandhallmarks, which are unique touch points for the guestswhen they stay with us. Through the campaign, we aim toreach out and engage more guests to appreciate the World ofRadisson,” he added.

Sept-Oct ’1210


Shruti Shibulal Joins The Tamara

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Carnation Hotels Enters in toa Management ContractCarnation Hotels has announced the signing of a managementcontract for the Himachal Pradesh-based upscale SuryavilasLuxury Resort & Spa. The 36-room property, which is owned byBajaj Hill Resorts Pvt. Ltd., entered into a 10-year renewableagreement with Carnation Hotels for management of theproperty. Under the agreement, Suryavilas will become part of theLemon Tree Premier portfolio. Here it deserves a mention thatCarnation Hotels is a joint venture between Rattan Keswani andLemon Tree Hotels.

Suryavilas is an upscale luxury resort in Himachal Pradesh, andit is currently under development. It shall expand to 50 roomsfrom its current 36 rooms. The property is situated off theKumarhatti-Nahan Road in Solan district, which is a 55 km drivefrom Chandigarh.

The management and operations of the resort will be takenover by the Lemon Tree Group from 1st December 2012 and thisresort will be known as a ‘Suryavilas, a Lemon Tree PremierResort’, effective 1st February 2013, after amalgamation of allsystems. The agreement was signed by Rattan Keswani, Co-Promoter and Managing Director, Carnation Hotels and AnilBajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Hill Resorts Pvt. Ltd.

Rattan Keswani, Co-Promoter and Managing Director,Carnation Hotels said, “We are delighted to add Suryavilas to thegrowing Lemon Tree Premier portfolio. This resort gives us a readyfoothold in the lucrative resort and spa market in the hill state ofHimachal Pradesh. It enriches the portfolio mix for our brand. Weare exploring the option of setting up more Suryavilas resorts withLemon Tree Premier branding with the Bajaj family.”

Gayatri Bajaj, the Managing Director, Suryavilas LuxuryResort & Spa said, “Apart from the advantage of bringing worldclass management to the table, this agreement will help Suryavilasgain tremendously in terms of global exposure and also in termsof access to consumers by being part of this fast growing group.”

Tamara Real Estate Holding & Development Pvt. Ltd. hasannounced that Shruti Shibulal, the daughter of Infosys Co-founder and CEO, S D Shibulal, has been appointed as thecompany’s Head — Corporate Strategy. Shruti, a Promoter &Director at The Tamara, was appointed in this executive role, whichcame into effect from 3rd September 2012. She will work underguidance of Senthil Kumar — the Director &CEO, The Tamara.Shruti is very much earnest on promoting sustainable living andresponsible tourism in India. Her vision has now been translatedinto The Tamara Coorg. She hopes that the future generations willrespect and enjoy this hospitality concept, developed in tandemwith the natural beauty and eco-system of Coorg.

As Head— Corporate Strategyat The Tamara, she is envisagingtowards long-term business growth of the company whilemaintaining the key company principles on responsible tourism.She will play a crucial role in shaping the future direction of TheTamara’s hospitality business in India, which includes expansioninto Kodhaikanal and Allapuzha.

The Tamara Coorg has been conceptualised as a hymn to thebeauty of the Western Ghats Mountains, located in the southernpart of Kodagu (Coorg) district. Revealed to the world in 2012,the resort presides over an estate of 170 acres; producing coffee,cardamom, pepper, honey and mixed woodlands on the raggedslopes of an east-facing hill. The breathtaking and eco-friendlyambience compliments the natural environment, adding superb

luxuries to create anexperiential getaway.

The Tamara Coorg hassome 30 awe-inspiringcottages, built on stilts on thesteep slope with picturesqueviews over the valley. The resort has silent, emission-free electricvehicles for guests’ movement. The multi-cuisine restaurant named‘The Falls’ offers regional, national, international & fusion cuisines,in an atmosphere of warmth and elegance and featuring a seethrough dance floor. ‘The Deck’, is the luxurious lounge bar andgrill of the property, and ‘The Verandah’ offers a heritage ambiencemixed with a rich coffee experience. The multi-purpose conferenceand recreation space can host groups comprising up to 60participants. It is suitable for senior management conferences, boardmeetings, and leadership training sessions. In the near future, theon-site facilities at the property will include a holistic spa, aswimming pool and a sports arena.

Sept-Oct ’1212


Accor Increases its Room Across Asia-Pacific

Accolade for Aditya HometelAditya Hometel has won the prestigious Awards for Excellencein the Best Maintained Property, in three-star category. Theaward was conferred by the Minister for Tourism & Culture ofAndhra Pradesh, Vatti Vasant Kumar, on the occasion of theWorld Tourism Day on 27th September, at a ceremony held atRavindra Bharathi Bhavan, Hyderabad. The award wasreceived by Deepkumar Gupta, the General Manager of AdityaHometel.

The esteemedaward is being givento Aditya Hometelfor its continuousfocus on adoptingand following thebest practices inhotel management.Aditya Hometel is athree-star hotel embodying a unique vision of hospitality andservice elegance. Aditya Hometel is one of the best three-starhotels in Hyderabad that attracts guests from all over thecountry.

On this occasion, Deepkumar Gupta, the General Manager ofAditya Hometel said, “We are happy to receive this prestigiousaward. This award is in recognition of our efforts and initiativesin this direction. We strongly believe in innovation and areconstantly striving to deliver the best for our guests. We willcontinue to strive hard to maintain the property. This awardmotivates and inspires us to be more focussed towards scalingnew heights. “

With the opening ofibis Hong KongCentral and SheungWan, Accor, the largestinternational hoteloperator in Asia-Pacific, has stated thatit now operates over100,000 rooms in theregion. Accor Asia-Pacific’s Chairman andChief OperatingOfficer, Michael Issenberg announced this achievementat the 2012 Economy Hotels World Asia conference inSingapore, reaffirming the group’s growth strategy for theAsia-Pacific. Issenberg also revealed the findings of Accor’sAsia Economy Hotels Research 2012, which seeks tobetter understand the attitudinal differences betweentravellers staying at economy hotels. Till date, Accoroperates 179 ibis brand family hotels in Asia-Pacific,including 113 ibis, 42 ibis Styles and 24 ibis budgetproperties.

The growing demand for international standard, value-for-money economy hotels induced Accor to commission

the Asia Economy Hotels Research 2012. The studysurveyed business and leisure travellers from eight keymarkets in Asia to gather insights into the differingattitudes towards economy hotels. According to theresearch, six out of ten travellers in Asia prefer internationaleconomy hotel brands to domestic brands and assigndifferent ‘personalities’ to them. International brands wereconsidered “stylish, high-class, reliable, attractive andenergetic” compared to domestic brands, which tended tobe viewed as “down-to-earth, practical, approachable, andconsiderate.”

“The Asia-Pacific region is one of Accor’s strategicgrowth markets, and I congratulate the regional team andour partners on passing the key milestone of 100,000rooms in the region,” commented Denis Hennequin,Accor’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Speaking at the 2012 Economy Hotels World Asiaconference in Singapore, Issenberg said, “Today Accoroperates 536 hotels in 16 countries across Asia-Pacific andis the market leader in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand,Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam. I am proud toannounce that Accor’s network has grown beyond 100,000rooms in Asia-Pacific, with the opening of ibis Hong KongCentral and Sheung Wan.”

Sept-Oct ’1214


Vivek Nair Elected as thePresident of FHRAIAt the 56th Annual General Meetingof the Federation of Hotel &Restaurant Associations of India(FHRAI), Vivek Nair, the Vice-Chairman & Managing Director ofHotel Leelaventure Limited, has beenelected as the President of FHRAI, for2012-13. One of India’s mostaccomplished and respected hoteliers,Nair previously served as the FHRAIPresident during 2003-04.

The newly elected FHRAIPresident highlighted the tourism sector’s vast intrinsicpotential to act as a catalyst for generating large-scaleemployment and promote equitable and inclusive economicgrowth. Nair pointed out that the Indian hotel industry ispoised to commit a capital investment of 1,27,600 crores tobridge the projected shortfall of over 1,80,000 rooms in thecountry, over the next decade. He urged the government tofacilitate a progressive and conducive policy framework forenabling the industry to viably undertake this massiveadditional investment. This includes granting ‘infrastructure’status to the sector as a whole, by removing the restrictivestipulation presently prescribed in the ‘Harmonized List ofInfrastructure Sub-sectors’.

Nair also requested all state governments to accord the sector‘industry’ status, so that all the hotels become entitled toindustrial rates on inputs such as power, water, etc. instead ofpaying commercial tariff. In view of the acute scarcity andexorbitant price of land in metro cities, he asked for aliberalisation of FSI/FAR norms and informed about FHRAI’sdetailed submission in this regard to the Ministry of UrbanDevelopment, during consultations for DDA’s MPD-2021.

SIHRA Re-elects K Syama

Raju as the PresidentSouth India Hotels & RestaurantsAssociation (SIHRA) has re-elected KSyama Raju, the Managing Director,Hotel Maurya Bangalore as its newPresident for 2012-13. The 61st AnnualGeneral Meeting of SIHRA, held atMarigold GRT Convention CentreChennai has decided that the managingcommittee members for the last year will continue for anotherterm. The other office bearers include T Nataraajan, CEO,GRT Hotels & Resorts as Secretary; M Chakravarthy, Director,Emerald Park Hotel, Chennai as Treasurer. The Vice-Presidentsinclude Jose Dominic, MD & CEO, CGH Earth; K MuraliRao, MD, New Woodlands Hotel Private Ltd; GV Krishnaiahand KL Ramnatha Bhat, Managing Partner, Sri Hariram Hotel.MP Purushothaman is the President of Honour.

Lemon Tree Shines in HRLeadershipLemon Tree Hotels has notched up a winning performance in therealm of HR. Davander Tomar, the Executive Vice President —Corporate Affairs, Lemon Tree Hotels has been felicitated with theprestigious ‘HR Leadership Award’ for the year 2012, by the AsiaPacific HRM Congress, at a glittering event in Bengaluru. TheAsia Pacific HRMCongress is one of themost prestigious HRsummits in the world. It isa global human resourceforum that partners with52 Asian countries.

“This award is arepresentation of thevalues we bring to our work at Lemon Tree Hotels. It is a teameffort and all of us come together to promote a professional openculture,” said Davender Tomar.

Patu Keswani, the Chairman and Managing Director, LemonTree Hotels, expressed happiness on the occasion and said, “It is amatter of great pride for everyone at Lemon Tree that Davanderhas been awarded the HR Leadership Award at the Asia PacificHRM Congress. This award highlights the progressive HRpolicies and practices we follow at Lemon Tree, and showcases theprofessional talent we have built here.”

15Sept-Oct ’12

Sept-Oct ’1216


ITC Grand CholaLaunched in ChennaiITC has added another feather in its cap by unveiling ITCGrand Chola in Chennai. Reaffirming its commitment tothe ethos of ‘Responsible Luxury,’ ITC Hotels has secureda LEED® Platinum rating, by India Green BuildingCouncil (IGBC) for this 600-room premium luxury hotelin Chennai. This coveted achievement has made ITCGrand Chola the world’s largest LEED Platinum rated

hotel in the New Construction category.This LEED Platinum rating can be construed as the

recognition of ITC Grand Chola’s commitment to performto the highest standards of energy, water and wasteefficiency and also the ITC Hotels’ commitment tocontinue to provide inspiration to the green buildingmovement in India. 100 percent of the electrical energydemands of the hotel will be met through renewableenergy sources. Efficient fixtures will reduce the building’swater use by 35 percent, as compared to internationallybenchmarked luxury hotel standards and 100 percent ofthe hotel’s waste will be recycled for useful purposes.

The ITC Grand Chola comprises 522 rooms and 78luxuriously appointed serviced apartments. Its 600spacious guest rooms, suites and luxury servicedapartments are the epitome of Indian grace and style;expertly spruced with thoughtful amenities. It is expectedto exceed the needs of both the business travellers as wellas the bespoke requirements of the destinationconnoisseurs.

With a built up area of close to 1.5 million square feet,ITC Grand Chola is inspired by the architecturalsplendour and rich culture of the imperial Cholas. It is atribute to the remarkable vision of a memorable era, longgone by.

ITC Hotels' tradition of culinary excellence is taken tothe next level at every one of the ten food and beverageoutlets at ITC Grand Chola. This luxury hotel in Chennaiplays host to the most comprehensive selection of finedining and F&B options, which include ITC Hotels'world renowned, award winning cuisine brands, alongwith offerings that are unique to the hotel. Here you candiscover new flavours from Asia and Italy.

The Imperial BestowedWith ‘International GoldStar for Quality Award’In recognition of outstanding commitment to quality andexcellence, The Imperial, New Delhi has been bestowed with

‘International Gold Star forQuality Award’ at the 37thInternational Star QualityConvention Geneva 2012, heldduring 29th-30th September..

The award is in the realm ofcustomer satisfaction, leadership,innovation and prestige asestablished in the QC100 TQMModel, part of the annual

program of B.I.D., Business Initiative Directions Awards; designedto recognise the prestige of the outstanding companies,organisations, and business persons in the business world.The award was received by Vijay Wanchoo — Senior ExecutiveVice President & General Manager, The Imperial, New Delhi,and the ceremony was attended by companies from 74 countries,together with leaders from different business fields, professionalsfrom the world of economics, the arts and corporate image,quality experts, as well as academic personalities andrepresentatives from the diplomatic corporations.

Sept-Oct ’1218

HOTEL Business ReviewNews Scan

Louis XIII Honours Capt. NairRecently, Vincent Géré, the Director of Remy

Martin Estates and Oenology honoured

Captain C.P. Krishnan Nair, Chairman, The

Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts by

presenting him customised Louis XIII

miniature with the initials of Capt. Nair as a

token of gratitude, for his consistent support

and cooperation. Vivek Nair, Vice Chairman

and Managing Director, The Leela Group, Aishwarya Nair, Corporate Food &

Wine Consultant, The Leela Group, Rukn Luthra, Managing Director, Remy

Cointreau —Indian sub-continent and Gulf— and Vincent Cleme, Louis XIII

Brand Ambassador — India, were also present on the occasion.

Here it deserves a mention that the Louis XIII is the iconic summit of French

refinement in taste. It is an out of the ordinary experience for cognac lovers: a

FIREWORKS OF AROMAS bursting from the astounding blend of GRANDE

CHAMPAGNE eaux-de-vie, the most prestigious of the six crus classed in the

delimited region of Cognac.

On this occasion, Rukn Luthra, the Managing Director, Remy Cointreau —

Indian sub-continent and Gulf said, “We are proud of our partnership with The

Leela Group of Hotels. The Leela Group has been a strong support for Remy

Martin in India and we look forward to our association to grow manifolds in the

future.”

“It’s an honour to present Louis XIII to the doyen of the hospitality industry.

Capt Nair’s Leela Group of Hotels is synonymous with ultimate luxury and so is

Louis XIII. We would like to thank The Leela Group for continuous support,”

explained Vincent Géré, Director of Remy Martin Estates and Oenology.

“When two powerhouse brands Remy Martin and The Leela meet, it is bound

to be celebrated with a friendship that will last more than our lifetimes. It’s

truly an honour for The Nair family and The Leela hotels to receive this

prestigious honour for our Chairman,” proffered Aishwarya Nair, Corporate Food

& Wine Consultant, The Leela Group.

Spring AirEnhances SleepingLuxurySpring Air Bedding Co. is a bedding companyfrom USA, with operations in India. Foundedin 1926 in USA, it is one of the oldest and mostprestigious companies in the US beddingindustry. The company’s products are currentlysold in over 40 countries under the Spring Airbrand and are now available across India. InIndia, the company has facilities in north andsouth India and a presence with over 250retailers across the country.

Its new range of Europedic and Nature’sRest mattresses assure complete support to yourneck, shoulder and hip. Spring Air’s series of‘Europedic Combination Mattress’ usesmemory foam, the most advanced material inthe lineup of comfort bedding. Equipped withthe celebrated NASA technology, the Europedic

Combination Series Mattresses are made fromhigh quality materials in the most appropriatemix and provides an unrivalled comfort andsupport to the human bodies. Whatdistinguishes the Europedic range from theconventional range of mattress in the market isthe feature of temperature sensitive and pressurerelieving memory foam material, which issandwiched with fine Ultra Cell High DensityFoam to give the customers promising comfortencapsulated with therapeutic properties.

Spring Air’s Nature’s Rest latex mattress is alsohere to make a revolutionary difference to yoursleep. Nature’s Rest mattress presents a perfectamalgamation of premium upholstery materialsinserted into multi-level coil units for ensuringproper support to the natural body curve. Themultiple layers of coil include natural latex, gel,high density memory foam or plant-based‘Surface Modified Technology’ foam. Theselayers are designed to ‘interlock’ with the encasedcoil units to reduce pressure at the shoulders andhips, while providing lower back support.

Park Hyatt Chennai Goes On-boardHyatt Hotels Corporation unveiled Park Hyatt Chennai, marking the 30th hotel inthe Park Hyatt collection, and the first Park Hyatt hotel to be introduced in the city ofChennai. Designed as a serene and tranquil retreat for the astute business travellers,Park HyattChennai is locatednext to theprestigiousGovernor’sresidence and is alsoadjacent to thethriving green areaof the GuindyNational Park.

Park HyattChennai features 201 luxury guestrooms, including 20 indulgent suites, allthoughtfully designed to create an inviting environment and contribute to theunderstated sophistication and mood of the hotel. Rich travertine marble floors andplush hand-tufted rugs are luxuries found in every guestroom. In addition, all suitesfeature exquisite, relaxing stone plunge tubs. The elegant and chic interiors create aunique, luxuriant and calming ambience, reflecting the quiet and refined side ofChennai.

Sept-Oct ’1218

Sept-Oct ’1220

HOTEL Business ReviewNews Scan

Making Kitchens MoreEfficientRATIONAL, the globalmarket and technology leaderin the realm of hot food preparation for professionalkitchens, shared useful information about efficient kitchenplanning and intelligent cooking processes during twoconsultant events. The events took place in Mumbai and

Chennai, wheremore than 200hundredplanners anddealers workingin this industrycould see livehow easy andefficient thecooking process

was conducted by using the SelfCookingCenterwhitefficiency.

The guests saw live how a huge variety of food wasprepared to perfection within a short span of time. Withinthe two hours of presentation, croissants, steamedvegetables, grilled lamb and salmon, pizza, biryani, chickentikka, dal makhani and much more delectable offeringswere produced in just one unit, without any stress.

For the events, RATIONAL India invited two expertsfrom Germany to inform about the latest kitchen trends.“Customers worldwide are facing growing energy costs andneed to find out how they can make their kitchen moreprofitable. With the SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency,they can replace a lot of traditional cooking appliances likesteamer, rice cooker, fryer, grill or tandoori oven and saveup to 70 percent of energy in comparison to kitchenswithout a combi-steamer,” mentioned Christian Hirsch, theProduct Manager of the headquarter RATIONAL AG.

“The SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency is not only thestandard for western dishes, but also for Indian cuisine,”

explained SaschaBarby, the Headof ProductManagementApplication ofRATIONAL AG,Germany. “Wehave developedseveral cookingprocesses

specialised to the Indian cuisine, like tandoori, tikka,biryani and much more. Chefs can prepare now samosasand/or idlis just at a push of a button. It is so easy anduser-friendly,” added Sascha.

“We have a lot of customers all around India who areusing the SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency for preparingIndian dishes. The feedback we get is great and makes usfeel proud,” said Aidan Hughes, the Chief Representativeof RATIONAL India.

Eclipse International to Enterthe Indian Mattress MarketCreating footprints in the Rs.5000 croreIndian bedding industry, EclipseInternational, the US-based global giantin bedding solutions, has chalked up ambitious plans to venture intothe country’s mattress market.The move comes as a part of EclipseInternational’s strategic expansion plan to reach out to theburgeoning mattress market in India. One of the leading and oldestsuppliers of mattresses worldwide, the company has set up its firstIndian production facility, with a capacity of 500 mattresses a day atRudrapur, in Uttrakahand. Having entered the northern region, thecompany plans to penetrate the southern, eastern and westernmarkets of the country in next two years with plants in Pune,Bangalore and Kolkata.

The entire mattress collection of Eclipse International includingOrtho, Bonnel, Latex and Memory Foam ensures use of high-endmaterials and goes beyond the traditional coir and cotton mattress toprovide luxury and support to consumers.

Talking about its Indian foray, B.K.Vijh, the CEO of EclipseMattress India said, “These are exciting times and with the beddingindustry undergoing a paradigm shift we are thrilled to enter theIndian market at the most opportune moment. It is a great time tolaunch the most awaited plan and bring Eclipse to India. Our entiregamut of products is geared to provide sleep solutions for consumers,based on comfort and support. Starting from North India, we plan tohave our operations up and running pan India, in the next two years”.

Eclipse International is eyeing sales of Rs. 300 crore from theIndian market in the next two years, by being present at modernretail outlets, together with company owned showrooms.

Wyndham Hotel Group’s Plans for IndiaThe hospitality giant Wyndham Hotel Group has recently said that

it would come up with 35 hotels in India under the ambit of Howard

Johnson brand, over the next five years. In this regard, Wyndham

Hotel Group has entered into a franchise agreement with domestic

real estate firm Unique Global Group. The agreement entails that

the Unique Global Group will open 35 hotels in India under the Howard

Johnson brand, in the next five years. Under the aggrement, the

first hotel having the Howard Johnson brand will be opened in

Bangalore, by mid 2013.

Unique Hotel Group will invest up to Rs. 2275 crore for setting up

these forthcoming hospitality properties. According to Unique Global

Group’s Chairman and Managing Director, Rajkumar Rai, the average

investment for one of these hotel rooms will be in the tune of Rs.60-

65 lakh and each of these hotels are expected to have around 100

rooms. Here it deserves a mention that in the recent past, Unique

Global Group has also launched Wyndham’s Ramada Resort and

Spa in the City of Lakes, which is also known as Udaipur. Besides

Howard Johnson, WHG has 14 other brands in its exhaustive

hospitality portfolio, and Ramada is only one among them.

Presently, Wyndham Hotel Group operates 475 hotels under the

Howard Johnson brand. The Howard Johnson brand has its presence

in 13 countries. For the Indian hospitality market, the group is

endeavouring to target business and cost conscious leisure

travellers who come under the mid-market segment.

Sept-Oct ’1224

AppointmentHOTEL Business Review

Sept-Oct ’1224

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Mughal, which secured the Tatler Award

for The World’s Best City Spa, in the first

year itself.

Virender RazdanVirender Razdan

returns to ITC

Windsor- A

Luxury Collection

Hotel, Bengaluru

as the General

Manager. Razdan

brings with him

an amazing

knowledge on

food & beverage, adroit people skills and

a cheerful temperament.

After pursuing a hotel management

degree from IHM- Srinagar, he

commenced his career at Hyatt Regency

Delhi. After a fruitful tenure with Hyatt, he

moved to renowned hospitality chains

like Hilton and Oberoi, where he spent

very successful tenures. Having proved

his competence in the field of hoteliering

it wasn’t long before he joined ITC Hotels.

Apart from his impeccable managerial

skills, Razdan also has great expertise in

wines. He is one of the proficient wine

connoisseurs across the country and this

skill of his has taken him globe-trotting.

According to him, each tour of his has

been a learning experience for him. This

versatile hotelier also enjoys a good

game of golf and white water rafting in his

spare time.

Aditya SinghKempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi has

appointed Aditya Singh as the Director

for Sales and Marketing, who will be

spearheading the room sales, catering

sales, marketing and revenue divisions

in addition to building and honing a

dynamic sales team. With a wealth of

knowledge of the Indian hospitality

sector spread over 17 years, Singh

comes across as a seasoned

professional in various aspects of sales

and marketing including pricing

strategies, property reactive sales,

proactive sales accounts and segment

sales, local and social catering sales,

and destination sales. Prior to his current

portfolio, Singh was the Director of Sales &

Marketing at JW Marriott Chandigarh

where he led the sales and marketing team

since the pre-opening of the property to

ensure a successful launch.

Manish NambiarManish Nambiar

has become the

Hotel Manager

for Kempinski

Ambience Hotel

Delhi. He is

expected to

replicate the

success he has

achieved in

Africa, Asia and Middle-East. Nambiar

brings with him over 16 years of

hospitality experience with a unique

combination of conceptual and culinary

knowledge. He has strong operations

management, sales, product marketing,

business development, and project

management skills. A great believer in

employee empowerment and talent

development, Nambiar was the Hotel

Manager at Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay,

Egypt, where he ensured high rankings for

the hotel on quality audits, customer

ratings, employee satisfaction and

revenues.

In his new role, Nambiar will be

responsible for directing the pre-opening

activities relating to finance, marketing

and guest services at the upcoming

Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi, and will

be conceptualising restaurant themes

and designs, developing vendors, and

operating supplies and equipment (OS&E)

identification and procurement for the

first Kempinski’s hotel in India.

Shubham ChandraHyatt Regency

Chennai has

announced the

appointment of

Shubham

Chandra as

Director Sales

and Marketing.

Chandra has

over 16 years of

experience in

business development, marketing and

sales with reputed names in the

hospitality industry. Chandra brings a

wide portfolio of experience to his new

role as he has worked in all the important

Indian markets from sales and marketing

perspective. Man management, financial

acumen, market insight and adaptability

are his key strengths along with driving

sales & marketing endeavours of the

organisation. In his new role, Chandra will

be managing the sales & marketing team

at Hyatt Regency Chennai.

Ranvir BhandariA passionate

hotelier and an

avid golfer with a

penchant for

perfection, Ranvir

Bhandari has

joined ITC Hotels

in the capacity of

Vice President

South & General

Manager ITC

Gardenia, Bengaluru, from September

2012. Associated with the Oberoi Hotels

for over a decade, Bhandari’s portfolio

included Hotel Manager, The Oberoi

Towers & General Manager, The Oberoi

Grand, Kolkata. Bhandari’s role was

pivotal in the capacity of General

Manager, ITC Sonar, Kolkata during its pre

opening phase in 2002, which augmented

its successful launch as the bedrock of

luxury hospitality in the east.

An established professional in the

realms of the hospitality business,

Bhandari is an alumnus of La Martiniere

School & a Bachelor of Commerce from St

Xavier’s, Kolkata. He also holds a Post

Graduate Diploma from Strathclyde

University, Scotland, Ecole Hoteliere de

Lausanne, Switzerland & the Oberoi

Center for Learning & Development.

Anil ChadhaWith a successful

stint as the

General Manager

at ITC Gardenia,

Anil Chadha has

now moved to

Delhi as The

General Manager,

ITC Maurya.

Chadha has had

previous stints

with ITC Maurya as the F&B Manager and

Resident Manager. He now returns to the

hospitality property as GM.

An alumni of the ITC Hospitality

Management Institute, Chadha brings

with him great experience of both luxury

and resort properties. In addition to his

stint at ITC Gardenia, ITC Windsor and ITC

Sonar, Chadha was instrumental in the

launch of KayaKalp: The Royal Spa at ITC

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Sept-Oct ’1226

Cover Sto ryHOTEL Business Review

Spa tourism has ampleopportunity for growth inIndia, a country which isthe centre of Ayurvedicmedicine. Spas and otherrejuvenating centres havebecome popular withurban Indians boggeddown with sedentarylifestyles. It has alsobecome popular amongwellness conscious crowdwith healthy disposableincomes.Wellness vacations aregaining popularity amongboth young and the old.Combining the benefits ofa spa visit with a holiday,either within India oroverseas, is becomingincreasingly popularamong upwardly mobileIndian tourists. Thisdemand has subsequentlygiven rise to several sparesorts in India. Here AshokMalkani takes a look at thegrowth of spa resorts in thecountry and does briefprofiles of some of theunique wellness havens.

Wellness Wave

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Riding a

27Sept-Oct ’12

Cover Sto ry HOTEL Business Review

The clutter, noise and tensions oftoday’s increasingly demandingworld are creating greater

demand for rejuvenation, wellness andsolitude, which can be met by the high-end spas. This demand is also fostered bythe increasing disposable incomes amongselect pockets of urban Indian society,whose numbers are no way negligible as amarket force.

Travel with WellnessAs a result, it is not uncommon to seepresent day’s luxury traveller seekingauthentic lifestyle enriching experiencesthrough healing and rejuvenative servicesprovided by spa resorts. Holidays withvisit to spas for holistic well-being, whichinclude both healthcare andrejuvenation, has become popular amonga great many Indian tourists, which hasopened new revenue earningopportunities for enterprising touroperators. This trend is expected tocontinue to grow further and evolvefurther through the coming decade.

The concept of travel with wellness ishowever, not a new one. The ritual datesback several millennia. The Greekpilgrims travelling to meet the healinggods way back in the fourth century BC,or ancient Indians reaching Himalayas foryogic salvation and spiritual healing arepart of global wellness legacy. Today,however, one doesn’t need to physicallyexert for holistic healing, which is just aphone call away.

It is because there is a greater demandfor wellness than yesteryears; whichearlier was confined to miniscule sectionsof society. People are now more aware ofthe benefits to the mind, body and soulthat visits to sophisticated wellnesscentres can bring, perhaps more than ever

before.Neither is wellness today totally

dependent upon nature, it is insteadpresented often as an intelligentcombination of nature, technology andprofessional expertise. The popularity ofspas has led to the growth of health andwellness tourism in India and the outsideworld. In this context, it wouldn’t be anoverstatement to say that spas in Indianhotels do have the potential to enhancethe revenues of India’s tourism andhospitality industry in a great way.

These days, Ayurveda and yoga haveattracted the western tourists perhaps likeno other ancient healthcare and wellnesstherapies. Kerala, the haven of Ayurvedain the twenty-first century, is dotted witha plethora of Ayurvedic medical sparesorts and meditation centers.

Many of them are frequented by well-heeled western tourists seeking healthand rejuvenation packages, whichinclude de-stressing, body toning, weightloss and healing of aches and pains likesinusitis, backaches among others.According to a report by HVS, tabledtwo years back, India was ranked the 19th

top spa country in the world, having2359 operational spas. By 2010, the spaindustry in India was employing morethan 22,000 people, and was generatingaround 384 million USD annually.

Spas Have a FutureWhat is more significant is that accordingto a joint report by Federation of IndianChambers of Commerce and Industry(FICCI) and the advisory firmPricewaterhouseCoopers, if the currentgrowth is maintained, the Indian healthand wellness industry is to double by2015. Presently, the sector is growing at aCAGR of 18-20 percent. The FICCI-PwC report also stated that the per capitaspend on wellness has escalated toRs.480 a year in 2011, from Rs. 300 in2008. In 2010, a study by the FICCIsuggested that the wellness industry inIndia was showing an annual growth ofclose to 20 percent and stood at Rs.1500crore.

Spa is a crucial part of the wellnessindustry, and is an industry in itself, inIndia. According to ASSOCHAM, the

Sept-Oct ’1228


Indian spa industry over the last fiveyears has shown tremendous growth, notonly in the number of spas, but also inthe diversity of spas and productsavailable. According to the figures of theSpa Association of India, the Indian spaindustry has over 2,300 spas, and itgenerates around $400 million annually.

One of the channels through whichspas in India can earn great revenues isthe medical tourism. With Indiaemerging as a great destination formedical tourism for the foreign tourists,many spas are using this opportunity topresent themselves as centres for pre andpost medical tourism recuperation andrejuvenation.

In 2008, ASSOCHAM said that themedical tourism market in India wasestimated to be worth over 300 millionUSD, attracting approximately 170,000foreign patients every year. ASSOCHAMexpected that India’s medical tourismmarket to inflate to a 2 billion USDbusiness by 2012.

Therapies from the WorldMany of the spas in India offerAyurvedic and yogic treatments, as theyare gaining popularity in our times.Many people are taking help of theseancient wellness therapies to escape fromthe tensions and frustrations of modernlife and lifestyle. But Ayurveda and yogaare not the only wellness facets offered atthe spas in India. Swedish massages,Chinese and Thai healing techniques,Balinese massage and various otherrestorative and rejuvenative therapies tooform an integral part of the spa culture atmany high-end spas in the country.Many spa resorts in the country haveadopted a combination of western,Indian and oriental wellness practices,

thereby providing the customer with aone-stop wellness solution.

Medi spas are gaining popularity, andready to use products with herbalingredients and natural preservatives, aswell as natural mud and marine productsare attracting consumer demand in spas.Plasma therapy, Botox, facials usingpearls, caviar, and diamonds, oxygentherapy and salt rooms are also gettingvogue in the realm of the Indian spaindustry. The spa resorts are also offeringhealthy spa cuisine which includesindigenous foods, organic vegetables, anddairy alternatives. India is now havingmany high-end spa facilities and alsoholistic health and wellness resorts at parwith the international level. Some ofthem are explored in the followingpassages.

Get Rejuvenated at RejuveRejuve — The Spa, Bekal, which can befound in the opulent environment or in-vironment of The LaLiT Resort & SpaBekal, comes across as a top-of-the-linewellness haven in Kerala, also known asthe God’s Own Country. Bekal is locatedin the northern part of this state, in the

district of Kasargod.“The Lalit Resort & Spa Bekal is a

luxury beach resort spread across 26 acresof virgin land. The resort is surroundedby a natural backwater on three sideswith internal lagoons meanderingthrough the property. The resort’s scenicbeauty is accentuated by lagoons,backwater and the Arabian Sea,” saidRajesh T, Sales Head of the property. Theproperty has abundant naturalsurroundings in the form of over 20,000coconut trees planted inside the resortand other forms of flora. It is the northernKerala’s first five-star deluxe resort. Theresort has a large, well appointed spa thatoffers health and lifestyle consultations,Ayurvedic treatments, western andeastern therapies, beauty treatments andyoga.

Rejuve — The Spa is located on theprime spot of the resort overlooking thelagoon. It is spread over 20,000 sq. ft.with four Ayurveda Rooms, fiveInternational Treatment Rooms and fourSpecialty Rooms. The spa has an open airyoga pavilion, a fully equipped worldclass gym with latest fitness equipments,an exclusive relaxation lounge with ahealth library, a couple’s therapy room, amedical spa room, a modern salon withfive beauty stations, and a meditationpavilion surrounded by garden. Eachtherapy room includes steam & showercubicle, garden with relaxation loungeand a dressing area.

“Ayurveda being the prominenttheme here, Rejuve — The Spa offers allAyurveda therapies in the most authentic& traditional form,” informed Dr. Renju,Spa Doctor at Rejuve — The Spa. Thevariety of wellness experiences offered atRejuve — The Spa include Punarnavam— Rejuvenation program, Nairmallyam

29Sept-Oct ’12


— Detox program, Lavanyam — WeightManagement program & Jeevanam —Anti-aging program.

Concepts like rejuvenation, weightloss, detoxification, and anti-aging arethe major focus at Rejuve —The Spa.All the guests at the spa are offered awellness analysis and consultation withthe in-house Ayurveda doctor whorecommends a suitable plan according tothe guests’ health requirement. Theentire experience to the guests at the spais expected to be of refreshing vigourand vitality combined with pamperedholidays. It doesn’t deserve a mentionthat the resort has a team of professionalwell-trained therapists, fitnessinstructors, nutritionists & spa doctors.

Rejuve Bliss, Rejuve Royal Retreat,and Rejuve Spa Journey are some of thespecial therapies offered at the Rejuve —The Spa. With Rejuve Bliss, the journeyof experiencing the delights of Ayurvedatherapies start with a foot ritual,followed by a traditional Ayurvedamassage called Abhyanga. This isfollowed by the calming & rejuvenatingtherapy, Shirodhara. A steam sessionafter the treatments will be a detoxifyingand refreshing experience. Rejuve Blissurges you to leave the world behindwhile you indulge in a session of bodypampering treatments.

Some of the myriad Ayurvedatherapies offered at the spa includeAbhyangam (a complete body massageusing a combination of soothing longstrokes to regulate the circulatory & thenervous systems), Elakizhy (leaves &herbs of suitable choice fried in herbaloil prepared as linen bundles are used tomassage the entire body, therebypromoting circulation, facilitatingelimination of wastes and treatinginflammatory conditions), andShirodhara (uninterrupted pouring ofsuitable herbal oil on to the foreheadresults in stimulation of the nervoussystem; effective in soothing the senses& calming the mind) among others.

The luxurious spa also boasts of ahost of western therapies, which includeSwedish massages, and Rejuve BodyTreatments. With Rejuve BodyTreatments, the guests can experiencethe journey for body revitalisation withthe finest and purest resources from theocean and the earth; blended togetherfor the perfect treatment. Guests can

choose from body wrap treatments likeTropical Fruit Wrap, Healing HerbalWrap and Aloe Vera Sandalwood Wrapor from body scrubs like CoconutHoney Scrub, Lemon Yoghurt Scrub,and Indian Spices Scrub.

An Idyllic ResortSomatheeram is another wonderfulwellness resort in Kerala. Established in1985, the resort claims to be the world’sfirst Ayurvedic resort. It is located atChowara Beach on a hillock, 9 km southfrom the famous Kovalam Beach.

The sunny beach at SomatheeramAyurveda Resort is of course an idealplace to get some solitude whileenjoying the scenery, feeling the seabreeze, taking a long walk, getting agood tan, or while even making castlesin the sand. The resort provides pristinenature with luxury and wellness. Theluxurious accommodation facilities atSomatheeram are built with a touch ofKerala tradition. Designed to give awonderful view, every room at the resortis well-equipped and offerscomprehensive facilities at par with astar hotel.

On top of all these, there are qualityAyurvedic treatments and therapies onoffer at the resort. A holistic experienceis what Somatheeram aims for with itsrange of Ayurvedic treatments andtherapies. And the expert hands at theresort make sure of it in every minutedetail. Pizhichil, Njavarakizhi, Dhara,Vasthi, Sirovasthi, Abhyangam, andNasyam are among the multitude ofAyurvedic treatments and therapies onoffer at Somatheeram Ayurveda Resort.

The multi-cuisine restaurant atSomatheeram presents a variety ofmouth-watering delicacies. A widevariety of vegetarian dishes is madeavailable to those undergoing Ayurvedatreatment at the resort. And there wouldnot be any lack of entertainment withSomatheeram’s expressly put togethercultural performances. Indeed,Somatheeram Ayurveda Resort is oneplace where enjoyment and well-beinggo hand in hand!

Presenting Ayurveda,Recreating KeralaAyurvedaGram Heritage WellnessCentre is a heritage wellness centre,wrapped in serenity, near but far from

Sept-Oct ’1230


the hustle-bustle of Bangalore. Thecentre offers several rejuvenationprograms suited to the guest’s specificconstitution and lifestyle, based on theancient principles of Ayurveda. As youdrive in through the gates ofAyurvedaGram you are likely to feel thatyou have been transported back in time,to a long lost era of quaint ethnic charm.The ambience is dotted with Kerala’santique Nalukettus, Kovilakams (Palaces),Manas & Illams — the traditional homesof Kerala.

Each one of these ethereal homes hasbeen transplanted piece by piece, all theway from Kerala, thereby recreating theerstwhile architectural glory of Kerala forthe twenty-first century wellnessconnoisseurs to admire. Accommodationoptions at AyurvedaGram HeritageWellness Centre combine the resplendentheritage of ornate woodwork, intricatecraftsmanship and exquisite furniturefrom the 18th and 19th century Keralawith a host of modern conveniences.Succinctly, this ethnic Ayurvedic healthresort seems to have been transplantedfrom the 19th century Kerala into sevenacres of herbal garden in Bangalore,whose ambience is spruced with morethan 200 species of rare medicinal herbs.

Backed by one of India’s leadingAyurvedic institutions — KeralaAyurveda Limited (KAL) —AyurvedaGram Heritage Wellness Centreis an Ayurvedic village with residentAyurvedic physicians, therapists, healthcentre, dispensary, yoga & meditationcentre, heritage cottages, and vegetarian

restaurant, which are all manned by anever-attentive service staff.AyurvedaGram Heritage Wellness Centreprovides authentic Ayurvedic treatmentsfor specific ailments such as arthritis,obesity, spondylitis, cholesterol, sinusitis,peptic ulcer, etc.

Whether you are looking for acomprehensive Ayurvedic treatment or aweekend getaway in an Ayurvedic healthspa, this resort can be the right addressfor you with its whole range of Ayurvedictreatments to suit every individual’s need.The treatment programs on offer at theresort include Panchakarma,Rejuvenation or Rasayana Chikithsa,Stress Management, Weight Reduction,Yoga & Meditation, Spine & Joint Care,Lifestyle Disease Management, andBeauty Care.

A perfect blend of time-honoureddiagnostic methods including pulsediagnosis, conventional therapies andeffective herbal medicines from KeralaAyurveda Limited(KAL), customisedyoga, pranayama & meditation, andbalanced vegetarian diet as per theclassical Ayurvedic scriptures togetherconstitutes the core program atAyurvedaGram. Since its inception, theresort has attracted international fame forits authoritative Ayurvedic treatmentsand long-term rejuvenation programs.The recipe behind this success story is thescientific execution of traditionalknowledge in a professional manner.

The Joy of WellnessThe aura of wellness is now spread across

the country. From the south to theHimalayas is a long leap but it goes toshow that spa resorts and Ayurvedictreatments have conquered distances.Standing tall in the Himalayas is theAnanda.

Located in the tranquility of Himalayanfoothills, close to the holy towns ofHaridwar and Rishikesh, and amidstgraceful sal forests, Ananda in theHimalayas is there to take you to amesmerising wellness journey. Once theresidence of Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal,today it is a world class destination spa.Overlooking the placid, mighty andmeandering Ganga, Ananda wouldfacilitate you in redefining lifestyles. Hereyou will get well-known traditional Indianwellness regimes of Ayurveda and yogacombined with the best of internationalwellness experiences to bring about theunion of mind, body and soul.

Ananda has endeavoured to recreatethe synergy of mind, body and intellectnot just through the natural Himalayanlocales and its proximity to the mountainsand the river, but through therejuvenating and ancient processes andphilosophies of Ayurveda, yoga andVedanta, combined with contemporaryinternational therapies which enhanceand augment them.

The wellness philosophy at Ananda inthe Himalyas is propelled by the conceptof a holistic lifestyle and well-being. Herethe vast menu of spa programmes andadventure activities energise the body,while serene yoga and meditation sessionsuplift the mind. The inclusion of art andculture into the wellness regime of theguests is carefully orchestrated to elevatethe human spirit. The spa offers anextensive menu of over 79 body andbeauty treatments, integrating thetraditional Indian systems of Ayurvedawith the more contemporary western spaapproach.

At Ananda, Ayurveda constitutes anintrinsic part of the wellness programmefor the guests. From massages andspecialised diet programme to fulfillpersonal goals to the more rigoroustransformations in lifestyle, here theAyurveda experience has been tailoredwhile keeping account of the individual’sdesire to heal, cleanse, relax and rejuvenate.

With qualified Ayurveda doctors andtherapists to administer treatmentsranging from therapeutic massages to

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the more rigorous modes of toxicelimination, the Ayurvedic therapies atAnanda are strongly rooted in ancienttraditions, while keeping in mindcontemporary preferences andcomforts.

Elements of DesignThough the spa resorts are much soughtafter these days, the appropriate spadesign poses several challenges. The spadesigners should have an insight of theindividual wellness preferences of thepeople who are likely to be interested inusing the services at spas. Many spa goersaim to strike a chord between their innerand outer selves.

The right design of the spa shouldfacilitate the spa goers to strike a balancebetween their essential characteristics andtheir external environment. Ideally, thespa design should aim to create a naturalatmosphere, with the use of naturalelements such as wood, stone and earthcolours, and spruce that natural décorwith scope to include a host of modernamenities and luxuries.

The spa resorts should provide

wellness with the right combination ofluxury and opulence and their décorshould make the guests feel at home. Atthe same time, the spa design and décorshould exude a sense of warmth and aninviting feel. Art materials and other suchaccessories for the spa should be chosenafter careful consideration, so that theycomplement the above-mentioned traits.The spas should preferably have warminteriors, which should emanate vibes ofcuring and healing.

The Impediments to GrowthHowever, all said and done, despite thehuge potential for India’s wellnessindustry, India’s spa market is stillconsidered a niche market but with greatopportunities for investments. Eventoday many hotels in the country lackexpertise and experience in managingspas. The paucity of trained spa therapistsand other spa professionals is animpeding factor towards the growth ofspas in the country. Considering thesefacts, it is not surprising that ourburgeoning spa industry accounts for lessthan two percent of the global spa

industry.Especially, the lack of therapists for

the Ayurveda method of treatment,which follows a 5,000-year-old Indiantradition, is a big problem. At present,the industry has only 1000 trained spatherapists, whereas there are 1200 sparesorts and 3000 day spas spread acrossthe country. According to a recent CIIreport, there is an urgent need foraround 20,000 trained therapists. Otherfactor holding the growth of the spas inIndia is the spa segment’s largelyunregulated nature. Accreditation of thespa centers and the certification of spatherapists are the need of the hour.

Today’s discerning spa goers in Indiaare likely to be exposed to globalwellness trends and thus poorly trainedspa therapists, loudness of décor, orunavailability of the new-agerejuvenating spa therapies in hotels andresorts can turn off an affluent spa goerfrom visiting spas in India. She maychoose to go to spas in her foreignvacations, and this is likely to lead to lossof revenues for the Indian hospitalityindustry. �

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India is a modern nation where flowsan ancient civilisation like the mightyGanga. The essence of Indian

civilisation is still very much vibrantamong the hearts, minds and souls of itspeople, even after the civilisation’stumultuous, adventurous butnevertheless continuous journey throughthe course of five millennia, and it isexpected to remain so for millennia tocome. With the exception of the Chinesecivilisation, perhaps no other greatcivilisations of the world haveexperienced such a thread of continuityacross several millenniums.

And there is no denying the fact thatreligion with its mythological hues is oneof the major cementing forces behind theedifice of Indian civilisation. Most major

religions of the world, such as Hinduism,Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism,Jainism, Zoroastrianism and Judaism arebeing enthusiastically practiced in thepluralistic cultural milieu of India, andthe country has places of tourist interestassociated with all these religions.

What is more important is that even inthe twenty-first century IT-poweredIndia, which seems to be obsessed withcricket and Bollywood, the influence ofreligion is very much evident among itsteeming millions. This enduringinfluence is misused by cunningcharlatans and fake godmans, but theinfluence of religion in India’s socio-cultural environment has immensepotential for being constructively usedby the Indian tourism and hospitality

industry. Of course, this religiousinfluence in India’s socio-cultural milieuis being used by the Indian tourism andhospitality industry, but it needs to betapped in a more proactive and optimalmanner.

An Immense PotentialIt is common knowledge that India hasnumerous religious sites and shrines,which are enough to make a devotee ofreligious tourism to explore for at least alifetime. From Varanasi and Jammu, fromAjmer to Tirupati, and from Goa to Purito Rameswaram, the thread of religioustourism in India spreads across the lengthand breadth of the country.

From taking a dip in the holy Gangesat Varanasi at the break of the dawn, to

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feeling the mellifluous music of aarti inyour soul as the twilight descends onHardwar, from undertaking the arduousAmarnath Yatra to taking part in the RathYatra at Puri with thousands of devotees;with loud chants of Lord Jagannathspreading through the air, from takingan introspective trip to the churches ofGoa and feeling the soul of Christianitywhose resonance could be heard muchbeyond the roar of the waves of theArabian Sea, to praying with a heart fullof devotion at the Dargah of HazratKhwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer toget relieved of one’s miseries, to feelingthe ripple of middle-path spiritualism inyour heart at Bodh Gaya, indeed, thereligious tourism in India can take myriadmontages, which are fascinating enoughto form their niches in the memories for alifetime.

Then there are religious events of epicproportions in India, where everythingstops for a few days at the destination/s,which are focal points of such events.These events are thronged by hugenumbers of domestic and even a sizeablenumber of inbound tourists, and offerenormous potential for religious tourism.The Kumbh Mela at Allahabad, Hardwar,Nashik and Ujjain, which takes placeonce in the same destination after everytwelve years, and the annual Rath Yatra atPuri afford a collage of experiences thatcould last a lifetime. Kumbh Mela is thelargest religious gathering on this planet.Both these mega events or rather largerthan life spectacles are high points ofcollective devotion, often coloured withfrenzied hues.

They give a kaleidoscopic view of theseminal yet vibrant, transient yetunchanging cultural landscape of India,where all changes are absorbed in a calmstream of continuity, without disturbingthe essential social fabric.

The Durga Puja in Kolkata or rather inWest Bengal, where the entire City of Joyand the state of West Bengal stops workfor a few days to bathe in the river ofundiluted celebration, calls for moreattention by the hospitality industry.Durga Puja has been celebrated in thecountry since time immemorial, but hasassumed such a huge magnitude since thelast fifty years or so. Today, it is not only areligious festival, but also a cultural andaesthetic extravaganza. Durga Puja, likeother prominent festivities of India like

Diwali and Holi, also acts as an occasionto meet old friends and distant membersof extended families. Their tourism andhospitality potential deserve to beharnessed by the industry in a muchmore creative way.

Festive BusinessFor example, hotels can provideaffordable excursion packages to famousDurga Pujas within the city of Kolkataand its vicinity, for their guests, duringthe time of Durga Puja celebrations.These packages can reap great dividendsin Kolkata and also in Delhi, whereDurga Puja is celebrated with greateuphoria. During Diwali and Holicelebrations also, hotels could rope inBollywood stars (at their own cost), andthey can take part in Diwali and Holicelebrations with the guests.

Double the cost of hiring theBollywood star can be recovered byincreasing the tariff of the resident guests(those who are staying at the hotels for agiven period) only for the day of theDiwali and/or Holi festivity, and alsothrough charging a good fee from thetransient walk-in guests to the hotels,who would be coming on those days totake part in festivities with a celebrity orcelebrities. Many of the guests coming tohotels for celebrations would not mindpaying a decent sum for the ticket to playHoli or to celebrate the ‘Festival of Lights’with Bollywood celebrities. At the sametime, if the star is called on the eve of her/

his film release, she/he may not bereluctant to celebrate Holi and Diwaliwith minimal charge, and view it as a PRexercise. However, this initiative is morerelevant for big cities, where hotels canexpect to have a sizeable number ofmoneyed walk-in transient guests.

Moreover, besides these above-mentioned fairs and festivities, India ishome to myriad other lesser-knownreligious fairs and festivities, which needto be better promoted before thedomestic and inbound tourists by thestate governments and also by thetourism and hospitality industry at large,and their respective destinations shouldbe spruced with better hospitalityinfrastructure than they are havingpresently.

Need for InfrastructureYes, religion is an important and a steadysource of revenue for the tourism andhospitality industries of India. Religioustourism is not only one of the largestsegments of domestic tourism in India,but it also attracts a sizeable proportionof the inbound crowd every year to itsspiritual ambit.

But nevertheless the fact remains thatthe immense potential of religioustourism, which can attract a huge sea ofdevotees to and within India, is far frombeing optimally harnessed. The furthergrowth and development of religioustourism in India first of all needs a drasticimprovement in the average quality of

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hospitality infrastructure at places ofreligious tourist interest in the country.This would greatly promote domesticreligious tourism, and accrue morerevenues for budget hotels.

More numbers of international qualityhotels and resorts are also neededespecially for effectively tapping thepotential of inbound religious tourism inIndia. Many a time, untidy hotels withlack or paucity of basic facilities,prevalence of unscrupulous touts, andbad roads in destinations of worship canevoke a discouragement among manyforeign tourists to make repeat visit toIndia for salvation.

For example, Sarnath, where LordBuddha gave his first sermon, islanguishing in utter neglect by thetourism and hospitality industry. Theplace doesn’t have even a handful of goodhotels and the public transport of theplace is pitiable. The guest houses atSarnath are dirty and unkempt. NearbyVarnasi doesn’t fare much better. Dustand filth share space in the holy city, withreligion, myth and history. The beauty ofthe Puri beach is greatly marred by thefact that is also dirty and overcrowded.

There is a huge demand supply gap inhotel rooms across various religioustourism centres, which is leading tofailure of India’s tourism and hospitalityindustry in tapping the full potential ofreligious tourism. In this regard, the stategovernments should play a proactive roletowards making real estate available toprospective hotels and resorts in theirrespective religious tourism destinations,

at affordable prices.Yes, we need more number of hotels

and resorts in places of religioussignificance. However, hospitalityinfrastructure doesn’t only entail a greatmany number of luxury and budgethotels and resorts. Simply building ofmore hotels wouldn’t do, roads andtransportation facilities at many of thepilgrimage destinations in the countryalso need to be improved. Many of ourfamous centres for religious tourism, suchas Puri, Hardwar and Varanasi couldgenerate greater number of foreigntourists, and much better revenues, withbetter cleanliness of its environment.Addressing spiritual needs in anunhygienic atmosphere is quite achallenge for the soul.

Welcome InitiativesThankfully, the Union and the stategovernments have lately been makingsome proactive efforts to give an impetusto religious tourism in India. Recently,Visa on Arrival facility to tourists fromcountries having high population ofpeople practicing Buddhism has beenintroduced by the Government of India.This measure is likely to better explorethe untapped tourism and hospitalitypotential of Buddhist circuit in India.

However, according to many tourismand hospitality experts, this decisionneeds further fine-tuning. Many of thembelieve there is a need to revive the oldinitiative for common tourist visa forBIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative forMulti-Sectoral Technical and Economic

Cooperation) countries for properexploitation of huge religious tourismpotential of the country.

Moreover, a special inter-state traincovering renowned Buddhist circuits innorth India is likely to cover Orissa, fromlate December 2012 onwards. The train isnamed Mahaparinirvan Express.Presently, the train’s journey includes mostparts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Thetrain connects Buddhist sites like Nalanda,Rajgir, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Khushinagar,Gorakhpur, Sravasti, Gonda, and Agra.The holy trip progresses through sevennights and eight days. Taking the pilgrimsto Lumbini in Nepal from Kushinagar,Bihar, by bus is also part of this package.

From late December, the train will alsocover many Buddhist pilgrimage sites inOrissa like Lalitgiri, Udayagiri,Khandagiri, Chadragiri, Ratnagiri, andJaipur. What is more relevant is that theexpansion of the train’s ambit willcoincide with the international Buddhistconclave in the state of Orissa. Thehospitality industry of India can exploitthis initiative in a creative manner.

This development is timely as despitehaving several Buddhist sites ofpilgrimage, Orissa has failed to exploit itsreligious tourism potential in the contextof Buddhist circuit to its optimal level.For example, only about 8600 touristsfrom different South-East Asian countriesvisited Orissa in 2009.

The fact that the timeless city ofVaranasi whose history spans throughseveral millennia of religious resonance, isnow a part of a huge heritage conservationprogramme that is jointly organised by theMinistry of Urban Development,Government of India and the World Bank,is also a praiseworthy initiative. Thisendeavour can give another boost to thepotential of religious tourism in India.There is no denying the fact that Varanasiis one of the important centers of religioustourism in India. The two other citiescovered in the first phase of the project,named Inclusive Heritage Resource-basedCity Development Strategies (IHCDS), areHyderabad and Ajmer-Pushkar.

However, these are at best can beinterpreted as only beginnings to thehuge task ahead. Many more suchdevelopments from the government andprivate players are needed to optimallyexplore the huge revenue earningpotential of religious tourism in India. ■

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Sounds GreatBy Kanishka Gupta

Sounds Great

For any hospitality venture, the ambience and feel ofthe venue is of utmost importance. A hotel often talksabout itself to its clients through a seriesinfrastructural applications like the décor, lighting, and

above all, through its sound systems. Together they help buildthe unique ‘personality’ of the hotel, which can distinguish itfrom others. For example, the apt foreground or backgroundmusic sets in the right mood. In order to appreciate such music,a quality audio system complimented with good controls is vital.

Understanding the guests’ needs and meeting or ratherexceeding the guests’ expectationsshould be the main focus of everyplayer in the hospitality business, andit is so in reality too. Often peoplevisit hotel after a stressful day of

work, and they look for not only quality food, drink,accommodation and toilet but also a place where they canunwind in style. In this context, it becomes very important forthe hospitality business to soothe or rejuvenate the oftenexhausted senses of its guests, and sound system play a veryimportant role towards a holistic guest satisfaction in the hotels.

The Sound of Music“Only a good audio system can do justice to the symphonies ofMozart and Beethoven. Discotheque will sound terrible if thereis no thump in the music. A spa with screeching beats will justhave the opposite effects. A good sound system can induce thecustomer to spend more time at the facilities and even have anadditional drink at the bar. The key areas of hotel where audiosolutions are a must are public areas, lobby, corridors, lifts,restaurants, bars/pubs/discotheques, gymnasium/health spas,meeting/conference rooms, banquet halls, pool side area,shopping arcade, car parking area and toilets,” asserted RajanGupta, Director, Hi-Tech Audio Systems.

Sound is a critical element in creating the right ambience in ahotel. A high quality ‘background music system’ (BGM) willenhance the ambience, helping the guests relax. The influenceof the BGM is subtle yet substantive. Moreover, most visitors toluxury properties already own high-end sound systems at homeand are able to differentiate between high quality sound and anaverage one, and for that reason also high quality background

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Techno logy HOTEL Business Review

Arun Kumar

Rajesh Mohan

music system is very much important for five-star properties.“Bose systems have a unique active equalisation which allows

the guests to even enjoy the background music in full frequencyrange. Hotel guests from lobbies to restaurants expect highquality uniform music coverage without the intrusive presenceof big box shaped loudspeakers. With Bose systems andtechnologies we are able to deliver a uniform sound across thespace so that with these systems around, every seat becomes apreferred seat in a restaurant. Moreover, systems like the BoseFreeSpace series are virtually invisible,” elaborated Arun Kumar,Divisional Manager (Professional Systems Division), Bose India.Here it deserves a mention that Bose Corporation in India isuniquely positioned to address comprehensive hospitality needsrelated to sound.

However, simply a great sound system doesn’t entail greatmusic or rather appropriate music for the place or the occasion.Choosing music is not an easy task and one can’t expect anyTom, Dick and Harry to perform this. There has to be aprofessional who can play the music, while understanding theguests’ profile and their expectation from that particular place.Music should compliment the overall ambience and theexperience of the guests. Great sound system is however,though not sufficient but nevertheless a necessary condition forgood music in hotels and great music often ensures loyal guests.

Tuning the Ambience“Background music for a hotel or in a restaurant of a hotelought to be chosen while keeping in mind the ambience, décor,cuisine and many other factors,” averred Alok Dubey, Associate

Consultant, CilantroHospitality. In India, modernmusic systems with advancedquality are available. “Theyare designed in a way so thatthey can be incorporated inthe interior design itself.System design, installationand commissioning ofprofessional music systemsand/or PA systems are done asper the internationalstandards for Indian hotels,”added Dubey.

“We have used audio and

video in such a way as to createthe most appealing atmospherepossible at our magnificentTropical Lagoon. Using high-tech and visually appealingvideo screens, coupled withrobust and ample audiosystems, we have createdambience that has set us apartfrom the rest of the pack,”articulated Rajesh Mohan,Head — Strategy, Planning andTechnology, Hotel Sahara Star,Mumbai.

Background music is vital inmaintaining the moods andambience, so carefully

constructed in the hotel. It forms an integral part of the first andlast impression left on the guests and hence are treated as crucialto the over all environment of the hotel.

“We understand this need and have put into placemicroprocessor-based BGM systems that can permeate everycorner of a hotel with soothing & relaxing music. This includesareas such as entrances to the lobby and the peripheral gardenareas. These systems, since they are under the control of acentral system, are integrated with minimal cost to theemergency evacuation, fire alarm & paging systems in place,”proffered Mohan.

Hotel Sahara Star uses a range of sound systems and these arepowerful and discrete audio reinforcement systems for banquethalls, bars & high lounge along with customised projection anddisplay systems with room combining capability that optimisethe utility of the venue. Speaker systems are connected to guestroom TVs; lobby, elevators, shopping arcades and other publicareas.

Hotel Sahara Star also has robust water-proof car callingsystems, which ensure that the guests will not find themselveswaiting in front of the hotel; waiting for their drivers to bringtheir cars to them. Simple as these systems may be, theireffectiveness is essential to the free flow of patrons in and out ofthe establishment.

The Range of SoundHeavy traffic areas like lobbies, shopping areas, corridors,

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Rajan Gupta

elevators and other public areasrequire background music systemswith automatic volume andsource control facilities. The audiosystem in the hotel’s public areasshould satisfy certain criteria interms of performance,controllability and style.

“Similarly, water and weatherproof speaker systems are essentialaround the swimming pool, spasand health and beauty centers andin the bathrooms. Such speakersare tested in extremely toughcircumstances and are resistant to

corrosion and humidity. Car parking areas should have hornspeakers installed, where clarity of speech is must,” elaboratedGupta, while explaining the role of sound systems in hotels.

The conference halls, banquet halls, bars, pubs anddiscotheques need a powerful and versatile audio system.Lobbies and restaurants in hotels need soft background musicsystems which are not very visible but provide excellentuniformity and tonal consistency in the listening area. Pubs andlounges need to focus on foreground music (FGM) withextended bass response, whereas banquets need both abackground music (BGM) and FGM application.

“Live bands are quite a common site in restaurants. Bose hasthe unique L1 series of systems, especially designed for themusicians. To top it the company also offers a range of solutionsto address the ever changing needs for the hotel’s businesscentres,” explained Kumar.

Installation FactorsInstallation of sound system in a hotel property is no easy task. Alot of varied factors need to be considered at every step. Firstand foremost, the client/consultant needs to be briefed aboutyour experience and expertise. He also needs to be detailedabout the products and must have a confidence that you are thebest man for this job.

Understanding the requirement of the venue along withwhat exactly the end customer is looking for is important.Designing a BOQ as per the requirement and layout planscomes next. Financial implications are discussed and once theBOQ is finalised, the placements of the speakers, amplifiers,

control systems, etc. are markedwith the help of various designsoftwares like Auto Cad, followedby EASE mapping. At times,some tweaking in the BOQ maybe required to incorporate betteroptions.

Now comes the mammoth taskof installation. It is very importantfor the installation team to be insync with the civil engineeringteam at all times in order to layconduits, wiring, ceiling cut outsfor speakers, etc. “Eachapplication should be treated

with utmost attention during the final installation of theproduct range. As per the requirements, speakers may berequired to be mounted on walls or hung from the ceiling withthe help of brackets and frames. Once the installation iscomplete, it is followed by testing and commissioning of thesystem and is then finally handed over to the client aftercomplete satisfaction from both the parties,” elaborated Gupta.

Addressing the Requirement“Bose Corporation has a systematic approach which begins withcapturing customer needs and collecting both geometrical andacoustical information about the spaces. Based on this, Bose’sdesigners design a high performing solution with the objectiveof delivering the optimum sound and simplified user interface.This then is installed in coordination with architects and other‘interiors’ related agencies. Bose’s engineers then commission thesystem and ‘bring it to life’. Thereafter, Bose’s engineers train thehotel staff in operations and handhold them for the first fewdays. We also offer system maintenance, post installation,”articulated Kumar.

“Understanding the requirement is an exhaustive process.Types/colour/size & the number of speakers are also discussed asaesthetics also is very important and cannot be undermined. Therequirement is then put in to a BOQ with process. Competitivebids are called for, followed by negotiations. Hotels areexempted from custom duties and as such normally prefer toimport under EPCG,” confirmed Gupta.

“Hotel’s requirements for sound systems are determinedbased on the end-users’ needs, corporate positioning objectives(owners’/management’s perspective), and the budget. Each areain the hotel is discussed individually and performance metrics ofthe sound system are being ascertained. This then forms thebasis of a detailed technical design, which thereafter is presentedin the form of a proposal to the client,” opined Kumar. ■

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At Aamod Dalhousie, a resortnestled amidst sombre andsilent green mountains ofHimachal Pradesh with

floating clouds caressing the peaks,environment-friendliness is amplycomplemented by in-vironmentfriendliness.

The property is located 5 km uphillfrom Dalhousie, perched on a mountainridge adjoining the 69 sq km KalatopWildlife Sanctuary; affording views ofthe Peer Panjal range on a clear day aspart of the frontal view, and densewoods of the wildlife sanctuary on thebackside.

The fact that the picturesque resort islocated away from Dalhousie, whichaccording to the Resort Manager of theproperty Pranay Raturi, like all hillstations of India gets crowded duringthe peak season and thereby experiencesa significant dilution to its scenicambience, has enhanced AamodDalhousie’s eco-tourism appeal evenfurther. At the same time, the resort iswell connected by road and is near tothe cities of Pathankot, Amritsar,Jallandhar, and Chandigarh.

Nature and AdventureAt Aamod Dalhousie you can reallyenjoy the bliss of doing nothing, or canchoose to explore your latentadventurous streak amidst woods andmountains. The adventure activitiesinclude guided nature hikes, mountainbiking, and camping. Also, the resort hasa adventure zone where you can try yourhand at Burma Bridge, monkey crawland a host of other high-adrenalineactivities.

The resort provides a range of onsite& offsite activities, guided nature walksand excursion trips to places of scenicbeauty in the vicinity. A trip to Khajjiar,which is popularly known as the miniSwitzerland of India, a visit to KalatopWildlife Sanctuary by road or on foot,and a trek to Dainkund, where you canwalk along the lush green meadows withbreathtaking views of the Mani Maheshand other peaks, shouldn’t be missed.For the more adventurous, 3-4 day trekscan be organised to Mani Mahesh andJot and other popular walkingdestinations.

The recreation centre with a well-stocked library, a pool table, foosball

table, and options of table tennis,carom, darts, etc. together contributetowards a great holidaying experiencealso for those people who prefer moresedentary forms of enjoyment.

Food for BlissA wide variety of cuisines of greatquality are on offer at the multi-cuisinerestaurant of the property, named TheColonial. Here you can get to enjoy thedelicious flavours of oriental,Continental & Indian cuisine, and alsothe local Himachal specials.

The experience of breakfasting atAamod Dalhousie with silver-cappedgreen mountains welcoming you to abrand new morning can be heightenedby the taste of freshly squeezed fruitand/or vegetable juices. Along with thehot and/or cold beverages, enjoytraditional hot Indian breakfast options,muesli and assorted cereals, fresh fruitsand cheeses, and cold cuts. You mayalso try out pan cakes and waffles. Greatfood also complements great nature…The bar at Aamod Dalhousie is well-stocked with an impressive collection ofspirits, which together is perhaps geared

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water, room heater among others.All the cottages have spacious

furnished sit-outs or large panoramicwindows, allowing guests to experiencenature closely. The balconies or patiosof all the rooms of the property offermagnificent mountain views. In thefive porta rooms of the property, inbetween porta sheets, a sheet ofthermacol is placed, which providesinsulation to the rooms.

P r o p e r t yHOTEL Business Review

All the five porta rooms of Deluxedenomination are completely portable.They can be unscrewed and then theirdoors, windows and walls can betransported anywhere else (preferablyto a pristine environment-friendlyplace) and be set up there asindependent hospitality units. Ofcourse, the comprehensive range ofmodern day amenities inside these portarooms needs to be restored along withtheir ‘structural rehabilitation’ if youwant to enjoy the optimumcombination of nature and luxury. Wecan say that these eco-friendly portarooms are not potentially limited bytheir present geographies, and havevery less maintenance in terms of clean& hygiene measures.

According to Raturi, the mud wallsof the 10 mud rooms of the property(comprising seven Deluxe and threeFamily rooms) are made with local mud,which doesn’t allow the pests togerminate, thereby making the use ofartificial pesticides redundant.Moreover, as Raturi pointed out, themud rooms are warmer in the winterand cool in the summers as compared toconventional rooms.

The mud walls of the 10 mudcottages of the property don’t have

to raise your spirits into even higherheights of euphoria.

The Cottages are GreenEco-tourism is imbibed in thephilosophy of Aamod Dalhousie, and isamply reflected in its day-to-dayfunctioning. “Here you are very close tonatural life, breathing pristine air alongwith enjoying luxurious amenities atpar with a conventional four-starproperty,” viewed Raturi. According tothe ever smiling and savvy ResortManager, the USP of the property isluxury with eco-friendliness.

The green and luxurious property,which was opened in 2011 April,comprises 15 rooms, which include 10mud rooms and 5 porta rooms. It goeswithout saying that both mud andporta are environment-friendly. Theinteriors and furnishings have oldworld charm and rustic flavours,combined with a comprehensive rangeof modern amenities and facilities.Some of the wide range of amenitiesand facilities provided at these eco-friendly cottages include Queen-sizebed with spring mattress, LCD TVwith D2H service, electronic safe, teacoffee maker, washroom with showercubicle, intercom facility, hot and cold Pranay Raturi

Sept-Oct ’1240

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P r o p e r t y HOTEL Business Review

painting of any artificial substance too.“For their maintenance, the solution ofmud is only used to repaint the walls,”explained Raturi. Both the mud andporta rooms, despite their eco-friendlycharacter, have an impressive range ofamenities that befits the standard ofmodern day hospitality. “Moreover,both mud and porta walls preventmoulds and other infestation togerminate in a much more effective waythan the walls of conventionalbuildings,” averred Raturi.

“All the rooms of the property areendowed with double-walled glass inwindows, which prevent the loss ofheat energy, and with CFL lights tosave electric consumption. The roomshave natural ventilation, and no VOCcompound and artificial room fresheneris being used in the rooms of theproperty. Moreover, the prevalence ofwood rather than cement or concrete inthe flooring of the rooms is also awelcome change,” explained Raturi,while stressing on the fact that “no treewas felled for making of this resort.” Heinformed that the woods from the treeswhich were fallen in the jungle due tonatural calamities like storm and heavyrainfall were provided to the resort bythe state government.

The furniture in the spacious roomsare well spread out and not cluttered,thereby further lowering the alreadyremote possibility of the presence ofpests in the rooms. Herbal oils are used

to create a fragrant atmosphere in therooms, without compromising on theenvironment, a measure which seems tobe complemented by the usage ofenvironment-friendly herbal soaps inthe bathrooms of the resort.

Water and Waste RecyclingRainwater harvesting and waterrecycling are the day-to-day measures atAamod Dalhousie. Rain water whichfalls on the roof are passed through thechannels installed below the roof of theproperty. The water is then collected ina tank, located below the verdant lawnof the eco-friendly property. Thereafter,the collected rain water is filteredthrough an exhaustive processinvolving three layers (of gravel, sandand charcoal) and then again reused forthe resort’s day-to-day usage.

As far as water recycling goes “all thewater used in the sleek bathrooms of theresort are being carried throughunderground pipes and are eventuallycollected in another tank, which isdifferent from the tank used forcollection of rainwater,” informedRaturi. And as you have understood bynow, the collected water from bathroomsis again filtered through sand, charcoaland gravel. “Then the filtered water isused for gardening and lawn area of theresort,” conferred Raturi.

Raturi also informed that thedrinking water for the resort is derivedfrom the natural springs in the vicinity.

“Then of course, a comprehensivefiltration process is being carried out onthe spring water to make it just perfectfor people’s consumption. Only then itarrives on the guest’s table,” elaboratedthe Resort Manager.

Waste recycling is anotherenvironment-friendly or rather in-vironment friendly measure beingconducted at Aamod Dalhousie. “Wehave made pits, where wasted foodmaterials are being disposed. Thenthese wasted food materials are beingdecomposed through worms alreadyinjected into the pit, which makes thewasted food to convert into manure.The manure is then being used for thelawn and the horticulture of theresort,” explained Raturi.

One can say that the comprehensiverange of eco-friendly measures beingcarried out at the property can makethe resort a haven for passionate eco-tourists who are keen to explore traveloptions with responsibility towardsnature. Already, in the backdrop ofeco-tourism gathering momentum inIndia, the resort is attracting brisk anddiscerning crowd. “We get around 300guests per month, on an average, whichinclude domestic as well as foreigntourists,” concluded Raturi. ■

41Sept-Oct ’12

The Tank Where Recycled Water is Stored

Sept-Oct ’1242

EnvironmentHOTEL Business Review

If you thought that catchy phrases likeearth concern and planet protection aremerely confined to the tight-knit

community of environmentalists, thenthink again. They are now very muchrelevant to the hospitality sector of India.Such green thoughts have strayed into thecorridors of many hotel chains dotting thecountry. It is not uncommon to see hotelchains in India embarking on a greenjourney and introducing a bouquet of ecoinitiatives. Budgetary allocations are made,eco policies are laid out and teams areformed to execute eco initiatives in hotels.

Such efforts often lead to awards andaccolades, besides of course, healthybottom lines in the long-run. A case in the

point is The Taj West End, a heritageproperty in Bangalore. “The Taj West End(TWE) has gone under EarthCheckCertification by EC3 Global. This is theonly worldwide environmentalcertification programme for the travel &tourism industry. The hotel has gotSILVER certification within a year and islooking forward to the next level ofcertification, which is GOLDcertification,” said Sanjay Sood, theGeneral Manager, The Taj West End,Bangalore. Here it deserves a mention thatEarthCheck is now used by tourismoperators in over 70 countries worldwide.

The TWE has adopted the TataGroup’s climate change policy and has

integrated environmental measures in itsoperational process through the EARTH(Environmental Awareness and Renewal atTaj Hotels) initiative; a project whichreiterates the conscious effort of Taj HotelsResorts and Palaces to commit to energyconservation and environmentalmanagement. EARTH has receivedcertification from EarthCheck.

The TWE describes its environmentalpolicy as a way of life, based on tenets likereduce, reuse, recycle and rethink. Whilethe old world charm of the hotel is keptintact, the hotel has been reinventing itselfto keep pace with energy efficientmeasures. Eco measures have beenseamlessly introduced at The TWE

By Kavitha Srinivasa

43Sept-Oct ’12

Environment HOTEL Business Review

without compromising on the historicappeal of the property. A case in the pointis the tree canopies that soar over 100 feetover the heritage property. “In our effortto reuse and recycle, we have usedcarpenter saw dust as manure forplantation, among other such measures,”Sood added. The reduce factor isaddressed by a reduction in pollution atground level through a new chimney forDG and boiler separately. As far as itsrethink strategy goes, the hotel gives awaythe used cooking oil to the state authorisedagent for recycling and conversion to biodiesel.

The hotel’s garbage disposal measuresalso calls for praise. “Garbage is segregatedinto bio-degradable and non bio-degradable and are disposed accordingly.The wet garbage is collected and stored inthe freezer and the same is being given tothe piggeries,” explained Sood, whileadding that this year a new biogas plant isbeing finalised to reduce the LPGconsumption. However, the bio gas plantfinalisation work is still in the process. Itmay finalise by the next month end.

Being a historic property withabundant green space, The TWE scoreswell for its strategically positioned waterbodies. One can experience 3-5 degreesdrop in temperature in the hotel premisescompared with the outside ambienttemperature, perhaps largely because ofthe abundant greenery of the 125-year-old property. The cool surroundings arereinforced through rainwater harvesting.This facilitates aeration to the roots of theplants and trees and this in turn helps inpreservation of heritage trees and theirrejuvenation. Many trees at the hotel areover 160 years old. An energy efficientaudit was conducted after which energyefficient motors or pumps wereintroduced at the hotel. All these eco-friendly measures are juxtaposed withbattery operated buggies which transportguests to their quaint cottages.

The Accor Group is among the earlyentrants to set out on a green campaign.Even as early as two decades ago, the hotelchain realised that it was worthwhile tomap out energy efficient initiatives forsustainable development. “Many solutionswere adopted to contribute to thedevelopment of local communities,optimise water and energy consumptionand reduce the hotels’ environmentalfootprint,” explained Gopal Paranthaman,

Director Engineering, ibis BengaluruTechpark, and Novotel BengaluruTechpark, which are under the ambit ofAccor Hotels.

A recent move in this direction is theadoption of a new sustainabledevelopment strategy titled PLANET 21by Accor Group. Simply put, it outlines21 commitments and goals, many ofwhich will be fulfilled in 2015. It includesencouraging guests and employees tocontribute towards reinventing Accorhotel properties, sustainably.

ibis Bengaluru Techpark, and NovotelBengaluru Techpark are part of Accor’sPLANET 21 campaign. At its best,PLANET 21 is Accor’s way of saying Savethe Planet, and this happens in the formof educational messages through bookings,room stays and restaurant service. A surveyconducted in this regard revealed that 67

percent of leisure guests take sustainabledevelopment actions into account whenchoosing a hotel.

The eco-friendly measures adopted atibis Bengaluru Techpark and NovotelBengaluru Techpark have clocked in anoverall savings of 30 percent to 40 percenton electricity. The water conservationmeasures adopted at the propertiesensured that the average dailyconsumption of water per room is notmore than 300-350 liters, which wouldotherwise have been more than 500 liters.Fuel energy efficiency has been recordedat an average of 500 liters per day at thetwin properties and this consumptioncertainly would have been 10 percent to20 percent more than the currentconsumption levels without the greeninitiatives being implemented.

“We have already incorporated the

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EnvironmentHOTEL Business Review

latest in green design for our properties inBangalore. Minimising glass exteriors, andperfectly sealing the building from allpoints reduces heat transfer and emissionsfrom the air-conditioning plant,”Paranthaman explained. Clever spaceplanning has helped reduce the publicareas in the hotels, in turn decreasing thequantity of waste material.

The ibis Bengaluru Techpark andNovotel Bengaluru Techpark haveintegrated innovative measures in theireffort to do their bit for the blue planet.For instance, from the technology point ofview, the hotels have IP integration thathelp combine back of office systems andprevent duplication of cost and resourcewastage in the build. Innovativetechnology helps optimise energy, waterand fuel consumption. Automatic usage ofthe building management systems (BMS)through an IT-enabled plant helps informing a perfect integration to optimisesavings of energy and reduction of waste,hence leading to reduced costs.

The long-term plans for these Accorproperties in Bangalore include proposingnew initiatives like solar hot water system,solar lighting, heat recovery from dieselgenerators, heat recovery from laundryETP plant, and garden wastemanagement.

If you are not green you are notsustainable. The message is clear and thatis why right from the word ‘Go,’ the two-year-old Suryagarh hotel, launched by theMRS Hospitality Group in Jaisalmer,Rajasthan, has made every effort to be eco-friendly. “Ours is an eco- friendly hotel.We have used PPC (Portland PozzalanaCement) instead of OPC (Ordinary

Portland Cement),” asserted ManvendraSingh Shekhawat, Managing Director,Suryagarh, throwing light on the designscheme of this luxurious boutique hotel.Fly ash that is used to make PPC, comesfrom the waste of thermal power plants.This way, the waste product which couldhave become a serious environmentalhazard, now becomes a sought-after rawmaterial. “Hence, PPC has certain distinctenvironmental advantages like effectivewaste utilisation, which makes it moreenvironmental friendly than OPC,”explained Shekhawat. The property ismade of Jaisalmer stone which reduces therecurring costs of painting it from time totime.

Being in the sandy dunes of Jaisalmer,Suryagarh with its 62 rooms and publicareas facing the exteriors or courtyards aredesigned to attract optimum natural light.The design scheme has made sure that theprotrusions in the facade play animportant role since majority of the dead

walls remain under shadow therebydecreasing surface radiation.

Of course, as you have expected, theproperty has adopted water conservationmeasures in line with its eco-friendlyprofile. “Jaisalmer has survived on a singlemanmade lake called the Gadisagar.Drawing inspiration from this, we haveemployed carefully planned techniques.All taps contain aerators, which increasethe water’s force and reduces outflow,thereby saving water. Using these aeratorssaves up to 50 percent of water,” revealedShekhawat. All plants are on drip irrigationand wastewater is treated and reused forhorticulture.

Eventually, the hotel has decided to

acquire an area in the vicinity to build ahuge rain harvesting structure. “Thepresence of non permeable layer ofbentonite in our soil is responsible forgenerating massive runoffs from rainwater,even with a small amount of rainfall,”Shekhawat said logistically, while adding,“Through this structure, the hotel intendsto capture the water which wouldotherwise get wasted.” The area is naturallylow lying one with a huge catchment areaand is close to the hotel. And ifShekhawat is to be believed, through thehelp of this rain harvesting structure,transporting water from outside will bereduced, thereby lowering the dependenceon diesel, and also the overall carbonfootprint.

No doubt, seeing the current trend, itwould not be far-fetched to say that manyhotel chains operating in India haveresponded to the green call with verve.Take the case of Lemon Tree Hotels, a 10-year-old upscale hotel chain with a

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Environment HOTEL Business Review

presence in 14 cities. In its design andconceptualisation, Lemon Tree Hotels hasused glazed sound proof windows.

Alternate sources of energy are beingtapped by the hotel chain. Wind power isbeing harnessed in a phased mannerbecause the wind power initiative saveslots of money per hotel. A wind powerproject is coming up at the Chennaiproperty of Lemon Tree Hotels, within thenext 18 months. “We have beenexperimenting with new ideas like windpower, using BEE certified equipmentand solar panels, among others. Since2004, all these are being implementedacross all the 18 hotels under the LemonTree Premier, Lemon Tree Hotels, and RedFox Hotels brands in 14 cities,” explainedJK Chawla, Executive Vice President —Projects & Engineering Services, LemonTree Hotels. Overall, it is a cost cuttingeffort, but the challenge lies inimplementing measures withouttampering with the physical layout of thehotels. “Our energy saving initiatives andother conservation initiatives are an in-built part of our business model and

project design,” reasoned Chawla.All these are being planned strategically

and with a purpose. For instance, solarpanel for hot water saves Rs.1200 perhotel per day which amounts to Rs.7 lakhper annum for the group. An estimatedcalculation has indicated that insulationfrom heat leads to reduction in AC loadby 5 percent. CFL lighting in place oftraditional incandescent lighting saves 60 -65 percent power, and LED lighting savesa further 50 percent.

At Aditya Park, Hyderabad, roomguests are gently urged to save water, as savewater cards are placed in the rooms. Watersaving taps have been installed. This is part

of the hotel’s green team effort to reduceconsumption by at least 10-30 percent inthe areas of solid waste, chemicals, energy,water, fuel and emissions. “In our greenteam we implement measures for optimallyutilising the natural sources. For example,while cleaning the rooms, hotel staffswitches off the air-conditioning and openwindows to bring sunlight in to the room,”added Pankaj Saxena, the General Manager,Aditya Park Hyderabad, a Sarovar Porticohotel, which is a premium mid-markethotel from the Sarovar Group.

One green effort at Aditya Park,Hyderabad is to offer a comfortable forumwhere employees can learn aboutenvironmental issues, meet new peopleand exchange ideas. The hotel felt it was areturn-on-investment (ROI) to install a150 KVA Power Saver for the chiller plantapart from investing on a 150 KVA PowerSaver for the lighting panel. It has provedto be a wise proposition. The chiller plantis being maintained and monitored as perthe standard set point according to theambient temperatures. That is a greenthought, well executed. ■

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HOTEL Business Review F&B

when beginning a hospitality renovationis why the renovation is needed in thefirst place. This question has severalquestions in its ambit. Are you renovatingto update the look and feel of theambience, or are you renovating toimprove the function of the spaceavailable or are you renovating to changethe use of the space needed to be clarifiedspecifically and then answeredsatisfactorily.

Moreover, what is the budget of arenovation of a hospitality property, whois your clientele, and whether are youserving your clientele to the best of yourability also need to be answered beforeundertaking a hospitality renovation.

There is no denying the fact thatbudget is the key differentiator to decideon the scale of renovation. Everyrenovation project should begin with afixed budget and one should establishthe parameters of the project within that

By Sharmila Chand

Challenges of Renovating

HospitalityIt is true that restaurants and

discotheques/nightclubs areeventually judged by their food &

beverage options, and fun factors.Nevertheless, the decor and ambience toomake for a big impression on the guests.Planning the renovation of a restaurant ora discotheque/nightclub in a hotel is nodoubt, a daunting task. But bymethodical planning, one can execute aseamless renovation strategy.

However, it is essential to cross check afew crucial points while beginning therenovation process in a hotel’s restaurant ora nightclub/discotheque. The experts inthe field have pointed out some importantquestions, which must be answered at thetime of planning their renovation. In fact,these factors can be applicable for a host ofhospitality renovations.

Questions Needing AnswersThe most important question to analyse

budget.“Keeping within the budget is

important, and based upon the budgetyou need to decide on the extent ofrenovation,” pointed out Tarun Bhatia,F&B Manager, Eros - Managed byHilton New Delhi Nehru Place.

Knowing your clientele and what typeof experience are they looking for is alsovery much important. Considering thosedécor and ambience ideas that can helpyou serve your clientele better andexploring how your staff can successfullyservice your clientele better are questionsworth exploring.

Expert AdviceExperts say that these questions may varydepending upon the scale and nature ofthe hospitality business. But if youconsider them as the checklist, they willhelp you to start in the right direction.

There is a consensus that a professional

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should be consulted for renovation in thehospitality sector. Professionals can helpsave resources by taking advantage oftheir planning, design and constructionexperience.”Consulting an architect or an interiordesigner helps you prioritise yourrenovation and helps you decide on alayout and choose finishing materials.One should look for a designer whoseportfolio includes several previous hotelrenovation projects,” opined a seniorhospitality professional.

Challenges to TackleNo doubt, there are several challengesinvolved in renovation of a restaurant or adiscotheque/nightclub or any othersegment of a hospitality property.According to Sameer Sharma, AssistantF&B Manager, Hilton New Delhi NoidaMayur Vihar, the challenges ofrenovating a restaurant in a hotel include,“Deciding on the theme and décor,scheduling the re-opening, deciding onthe menu and the USP, and staffengagement.”

Renovations in hotelshave to be well planned inadvance so that guests donot go through anyinconvenience.

— Vivin Kuriakose, Director, F&B,

JW Marriott Hotel Chandigarh

Bhatia believes that while renovating arestaurant in a hotel it is very importantto ensure that the loyal guests stay withyou. “Proper information should bepassed to the restaurant regulars to avoidany disappointing situation for the guestswhen they walk-in to the renovatedrestaurant,” he proffered.

He also added that, “A detailed studymust be conducted before renovating thehospitality space. Choosing the trendwhich has a longer shelf life and yet notsimulates the existing trend is a challenge.Renovation is an opportunity tointroduce something new to the market.”

The seasoned F&B Manager alsopointed out that one of the challenges ofrenovation of a hospitality property isthat “The renovation work in one part ofthe hotel should not affect other parts ofthe hotel. The management needs toensure that the movement of the workforce is very discreet,” aired Bhatia.“Disturbance to guests during renovationstage may affect the guest experience,”cautioned Vivin Kuriakose, Director,F&B at JW Marriott Hotel Chandigarh.

“

”

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S p aHOTEL Business Review F&B

Limited space poses another challengetowards hospitality renovation. “Forexample, the new concept that is decidedfor the restaurant renovation of a hotelhas to be adjusted around the previousspace available,” asserted Kuriakose.

Of course, renovation entailschallenges involved in budgeting,especially for the managed hotels.

By Sameer Sharma, Assistant F&B Manager, Hilton

New Delhi Noida Mayur Vihar

• Ask for the guests’ opinion before deciding on the

theme.

• Keep the guests updated about the renovation

process, create hype.

• Do not change the whole concept.

• If possible, build on the prime theme to retain the old

guests.

• Consider retaining the star menu items as part of the

new menu.

By Tarun Bhatia, F&B Manager, Eros - Managed by Hilton New Delhi

Nehru Place

• Study the local trends.

• Do a feasibility study of your renovation concept.

• Plan your renovation as per the budget.

• Innovate.

• Keep in touch with the restaurant’s regular guests.

• Don’t try to replicate a successful concept, take ideas but don’t copy.

Repetition is boring.

• Don’t try to be too radically original as well; you might not be accepted at

all.

• Don’t undertake renovation without planning.

• Don’t waste an opportunity to offer something new/ exciting to your guests

and potential guests.

• Don’t initiate renovation without professional help.

By Vivin Kuriakose, Director, F&B, JW Marriott Hotel Chandigarh

• Conduct a market survey on what concept may work; make a budget for

planned expenses; chalk a plan on how to ensure that the guests don’t get

negatively influenced by the renovation work.

• Don’t rush into renovating of restaurants without conducting a feasibility

exercise.

Dos and Don’ts of Renovating a RestaurantDos and Don’ts of Renovating a Restaurant

“Managed hotels need approvals fromowners that may be lengthy and timeconsuming. Owners need to buy thenew concept for renovation, but alsoneed to agree on the capital

While undertakingrenovation of restaurants,adherence to the timelineis very important. This notonly helps themanagement to remainwithin the set budget butalso helps in setting up theguest’s faith in the newproduct.

— Tarun Bhatia, F&B Manager, Eros

- Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru

Place

expenditure involved, in order to makethe idea of the given renovation areality,” confirmed Kuriakose.

“Moreover, adhering to the time lineis a big challenge,” Bhatia said, whilementioning that various factors couldnegatively influence the timeline. Theycan be funding problems, movement inother parts of the hotel, the lack ofcoordination with various vendors, etc.

Renovation of hospitality propertymay also include inclusion of newpersonnel, which may pose anotherchallenge, especially for the Indianhospitality industry, which is facedwith a perpetual human resourceshortage. “For example, the renovationof a restaurant in a hotel may alsoinvolve bringing in a new specialtyChef, which can take time to find,”pointed out Kuriakose. �

“

”

49Sept-Oct ’12

Design HOTEL Business Review

Hotels are traffic-intensive properties catering todifferent types and profiles of guests, which can bebroadly classified under business and leisure. Each ofthese broad categories entails several sub-divisions.

Irrespective of their category, the guests expect the best inambience and service. However, maintenance of the hotel’sfacilities is a challenge for the owner and as well as for theoperator of the facilities. Wall coverings are an effective meanstowards maintenance of facilities in hotels.

Wall coverings for the hospitality industry are very vital, asaesthetically, they provide a rich, timeless, warm and texturedappearance to walls, which is not otherwise possible throughroutine paints. They are low on maintenance, besides carryingsafety features for fire and flame retardency. Wallpapers areproducts which can beautify any hotel interior with theirdesign, concept, colour and textures. As compared to a blandpaint, it provides a huge variety, thereby, completely changingthe look and feel of the interiors. Modern wall coveringsconsist of aesthetic appeal unmatched by painted surfaces.

Plain and paper-backed wall coverings have limitations asthe impact resistance is poor, whereas fabric-backed vinyl wallcoverings are long lasting and are easy to clean. Specially-coated wall coverings do not absorb material, as a result thesewall coverings do not get stained with permanent markers,betel leaf, tobacco marks, etc. A hotel fitted with a goodquality fabric-backed vinyl wall covering will havemaintenance-free surfaces for at least 7-10 years. In case arepair has to be carried out, then the turnaround time isminimal with little or minimal damage to carpets, etc.

Wallpapers and wall coverings offer increased functionality.Whiteboard wall covering allows the use of special dry erase

markers for presentations or notes. Though predominatelyused in commercial settings, this type of wall covering wouldalso be excellently suited for a board room for projectionpurposes.

Acoustic wall covering, though traditionally associated withcommercial applications, are more commonly utilised in AHUrooms and generator rooms to reduce the noise level. Thesewall coverings are specifically engineered to absorb soundenergy. Cork wall covering are useful as either a bulletin board,a natural sound deadening material, a natural wall covering, atextured wall covering, or a combination of its many functions.Metallic or organic wall covering have the impact of realcopper or mica flakes as a wall covering. Leather wall coveringprovides great warmth.

According to the latest Hite Report, developed for The BellSystems by Jim Hite, lifecycle analysis shows that wall coveringsnow last five times longer than paint, under normal usageconditions. Most vinyl wall coverings can maintain their originalbeauty and performance characteristics for at least 15 years,

By Kanishka Gupta

Not Just PaperNot Just Paper

Sept-Oct ’1250

DesignHOTEL Business Review

whereas a painted surface must besubjected to more frequentcleaning to maintain itsappearance, and generally requiresrepainting after approximatelyevery three years. While the initialinvestment is higher, choosingvinyl wall covering over paint canresult in a savings of 30 percent ormore over time.

Creating an ExoticEnvironment“Several types of wallpapers are

available in the market, depending on your budget. You caneasily have a tailor-made look through your wallpaper. It givesmore freedom to the designer to have the wall perfectly doneand then work on the upholstery. As wall papers have auniform flow, it creates a wow effect with the right kind oflighting,” said Himanshu Drawid, the Executive Housekeeper,Hotel Royal Orchid Central, Pune.

Wallpapers can transform a hotel room or an outlet in ahotel from staid or boring to spectacular in a way that paint

and other decorating techniqueswould find it difficult to attain.Wallpapers can create an illusionof making a room appear biggeror smaller, thus changing itsfunctionality. “Different kinds ofwallpapers can give differenteffects. To make a small roomlook larger, we should pick awallpaper that has small designsor prints on it. For instance,small pansies can make a smallroom seem much larger than itactually is. Another technique is

to use lighter colours rather than dark colours,” averredZulfiqar Ali – Executive Housekeeper, The Westin PuneKoregaon Park.

To make a room seem smaller and much more cosy, oneshould use large designs and prints in the wallpaper. Darkcolours will make a space seem smaller than it is. For example,if we are choosing wallpaper for a room that has a low ceilingand you want to create the opposite illusion then we should

choose a wallpaper that haseither stripes or pattern thatflows in vertical lines from topto bottom. Colours greatlyinfluence atmosphere. If wewould like a room to seemwarmer, we should choosewallpapers with warm colourslike amber, gold, brick, and softreds. “While selectingwallpapers, we should considerthe area and the design wherewe will be placing thewallpaper. Keeping the

furniture in mind, in one of the hotels we placed printedwallpapers above the head board, thus giving the room a verycosy look,” asserted Drawid.

Types of WallpapersThere are different types of wall coverings. Paper-backedprinted wall coverings are called wallpapers in commonparlance. In paper-backed vinyl wallpapers the surface designis achieved in vinyl on paper; in fabric-backed vinyl wallpapersthe surface is vinyl and the backing is cotton fabric; in silkpaper-backed wallpapers, different types of silks are treatedwith a paper lining; PVC fabrics are woven with differenttypes of backings; in non-woven wallpapers normally woodpulp and polyester are used where the percentage varies frommanufacturer to manufacturer.

“Vescom manufactures fabric-backed vinyl, silk and non-wovens. We have supplied silks, fabric-backed vinyls toNovotel and Crowne Plaza properties among others. OurIndian operations is very recent but worldwide; we are one ofthe largest suppliers of wall coverings,” informed Anil Mahale,Managing Director, Vescom Wallcoverings (India).

Generally, hotels use wallpapers which have a PVC frontand backing of either fabric or non-woven paper due to itsexcellent scratch and impact resistance, which is a must inpublic places. “For certain specific places like suites andrestaurants, the hotels may go in for more exclusive wallpaperslike silk, jute, mica chips, glass beads, etc. Our clients includeShangri-La, Four Seasons, JW Marriott, Taj Lands’ End,Intercontinental and many more. Around 10 percent of oursales come from hotel clients,” elaborated Karan Sharma,Director, Marshalls Enterprise (India).

“For hotels essentially, heavy vinyl wall coverings which arescrubbable, fire/flame resistant, sunlight fast, and low onmaintenance have become the norm worldwide and in Indiatoo. These being constant, a design theme and aestheticrequirements need to be matched with wall coverings,”explained Archana Gaggar, Director, Ego Group ofCompanies. “All interior products in any hotel are specified byarchitects and hence it is very important to be in regular touchwith them as they specify the right product for the hotel.Purchase orders are generally issued by the purchase head ofany hotel,” pointed out Sharma.

Anil Mahale

Karan Sharma

Archana Gaggar

51Sept-Oct ’12

Design HOTEL Business Review

Himanshu Drawid

Zulfiqar Ali

Sujata Hoon Belwal

While ordering wall papers for hotel one should keep inmind the desired look and feel of the space. Selecting wallpaper is tougher than picking paint, because one has to decideon both colour and pattern. Simply painting your wall islimiting. Yes, it can add colour, but it leaves out importantelements of interior designing like texture, shape, concept, etc.“Durability of the product and its tentative cost are alsoimportant factors as the retail cost of a wallpaper can rangefrom Rs.10 per sq. ft to Rs 800 per sq. ft. But wallpaper pricedoesn’t necessarily indicate the product’s level of durability. Infact, some of the most expensive wallpapers are delicate andmust be treated with circumspection to avoid damage,” saidSujata Hoon Belwal and Alankrita Soni , who are renownedinterior design consultants.

Installation ProcessPlacing wallpapers in rooms can save a lot time that wouldotherwise be spent in plastering the walls. However,wallpapers require even walls. The best thing to do would beto place gypsum board or create a wall with gypsum board;placing thermocol between two sheets of gypsum boards tomake it sound proof. “While selecting the wallpaper oneshould check the thickness of the top sheet

(printed/ prime layer) and the base. If using in room, werequire thick wallpaper so that we can keep it clean, and canscrub with nylon scrubber. Patch work should be immaculate,for if it becomes apparent it can spoil the effect. Excess glueshould be cleaned immediately,” proffered Drawid.

Technological Factors“Vescom’s perspective has alwaysbeen that in wallpaper, aproperty owner should get themaximum possible life withenhanced ambience. Vescomworks very closely with designersacross the world and designs arecreated in accordance with thepresent and future needs,”averred Mahale. “Some of thetechnological factors that aredriving the manufacture ofwallpapers are the nature ofprinting technique needed for a particular print effect, theextent of recyled or green-certified content required amongothers,” informed Archana.

For hotels it is important to have a technically soundproduct and hence the manufacturer always concentrates onproviding the supplier a strong product with technical featureslike fire retardant, washability, impact and scratch resistance. Inaddition, manufacturers are trying to innovate and come upwith new concepts and designs so as to enhance the beauty ofthe interiors through wallpapers.This includes experimentingwith various materials like glassbeads, crystals, mica chips, silk,etc. “An evident trend is also toget wallpapers designed byworld famous fashion designersand architects. We at Marshallshave a seperate range from suchcelebrated designers,” affirmedSharma.

Evolution of theIndustry“Growth in the wallpaper industry has been good, althoughthe maximum growth was seen in paper-backed vinyls due tolower costs. However, property owners/operators have learnedfrom failures. So far, the mainstay of the business has beenwith importers/traders. Some exceptional, committed playersare in the field and are focussing on brand building,”concurred Mahale.

“Over the last two decades, the wallpapers have scientificallyevolved into more resilient,washable, sunlight fast andgreener options. Theseadvancements have increasedacceptance of these products inIndia, as they are now easier tomaintain, and above all they comewith some aesthetic options,”opined Archana. “Nowadays, weget wallpapers made with thelatest technology and futuristictrends thereby giving theconsumers a huge variety to choosefrom,” concluded Sharma. ■

Sept-Oct ’1252

HOTEL Business Review S p a

By Sharmila Chand

Citrus Backwaters Spa Retreat,Alleppey is a property of CitrusHotels & Resorts, a venture of

Mirah Hospitality.The retreat is located by the national

waterways, on the banks of the Pallathuruthyriver. The property is surrounded with lushgreen paddy fields overlooking the river, andis well connected through all modes oftransport to major parts of Kerala.

Spread over six acres of land, the retreatoffers rooms with spectacular views of thelake and verdant paddy fields. In fact, thelocation of the property is its USP as theproperty is located in the midst of paddyfields, lake and canals. A specialty floatingrestaurant, coffee shop, conference rooms,business centre, spa, fitness centre,swimming pool, boat rides, kids’ play zonecomplete the holistic holiday experience atthe retreat.

Accessible only by water, the singularfeature of this retreat is that it provides

transfers by houseboat. The propertycomes across as a perfect blend of time-honoured Kerala tradition of hospitalityand modern amenities.

The Man and the SpaSanthosh Nair, the General Manager atCitrus Backwaters Spa Retreat, Alleppey,has over 23 years of experience in thehospitality industry. He has worked withthe renowned hospitality chains like theTaj Group of Hotels, The Oberoi Group,and the Jaypee Hotels. His last assignmentwas with the Lemon Tree Hotels as HotelManager.

Nair is armed with expertise inhospitality’s various departments likeprojects & operations management, pre-opening of hotels & resorts, strategicplanning, sales & marketing, budget &revenue analysis, food & beverage, trainingand spa. The excerpts of the interviewfollow:

How long have you been in thespa industry? What are the kind ofchanges you have witnessed inKerala’s spa industry, during thelast five-six years?

I have been managing spa resorts sincethe last six years. In today’s globalised times,guests are more aware and are particularabout their expectations. The spa industryin Kerala is now no longer limited to theAyurvedic treatments as in the previousyears; today the customers are experimentalenough to try out international therapies aswell. Hence, spa resorts in Kerala now offerThai, Balinese, and Swedish therapies, whichare equally appreciated and accepted by thetravellers.

What are the current top trendsin the Indian wellness industry?

One prominent trend is the emergenceof spas as havens of medical tourism. Manyspa resorts recognise the new opportunities

Wellness with NatureWellness with Nature

53Sept-Oct ’12

S p a HOTEL Business Review

that medical tourism presents and marketthemselves as ideal locations for pre and postmedical treatment hubs.

With the demand for effective wellnesssolutions in the society showing a sharp rise,spas are now in a unique position to helppeople make the kind of lifestyle changesthat can lead to their long-term health andwell-being.

The intensity and the frequency withwhich people are now getting tuned towellness solutions are exploding worldwide,and India is no exception to this trend. Spasare playing a major role in catering to thistrend.

How are you promoting CitrusBackwaters Spa Retreat, Alleppeyhotel as a spa hotel?

Special packages are introduced for theguests, which includes stay at the retreat andthe availing of spa facilities. The packagesstart with one night onwards and go up tothree nights.

Each package includes various spatherapies for body, skin, face, etc. for two.These packages are available on our website,on all online channels, at our centralreservation office. They are being promotedthrough our regional sales offices and bymailers to our regular patrons.

What are the top three traitsor skills every Spa Head musthave to manage the spasuccessfully?

She/he should have excel lentcommunication skills, must have soundproduct knowledge in terms of boththeory & practical, and must have apositive attitude.

Is your job challenging? Canyou point out five challenges?

Of course, my job is very muchchallenging, due to the market dynamics,pricing, innovation involved in specialspa packages, web promotions, and forproviding personalised services withbenchmark. Even employee retention inthe current market becomes a challengefor the Spa Manager.

What direction do you see theIndian spa industry taking in thenext ten years?

Indian spa industry has seen someunique growth in the recent years. Thecountry has graduated in to a hot

destination for spa tourism and most spasin India now include a number of differenttherapies such as meditation, reflexology,skin treatments, aromatherapy, etc.

People are coming especially to Indiafor treatments. In this context, theIndian spa industry offers hugeopportunity in the future; it has thepotential of becoming an independent smallscale industry.

Could you tell us the USP of yourspa? What distinguishes it fromothers?

As far as our spa’s USP is concerned, weare the only spa in the Alleppey belt thatoffers fusion of international wellness andAyurvedic therapies. All the treatment roomsare attached with the modern shower cubiclewith hydro shower, steamer and Jacuzzi.

How many treatment rooms doyou have, and how big is the spaat the retreat?

The spa and fitness center comprises anarea of 4000 sq. m with five treatmentrooms, which includes one couple suite.Each therapy room has its own uniquecharm with modern steam chamber attachedwith Jacuzzi and hydro shower.

Do you offer a signaturetreatment?

Yes, we do offer a signature therapy, whichis called ‘Citrus Romance.’

Kindly throw some light on thisThe spas of Citrus Hotels & Resorts have

a special treatment targeted towards thehoneymooners and for the couple, which iscalled as ‘Citrus Romance.’ This therapyincludes body wrapping/exfoliation and afacial. It gives completeness to your mind,body and soul.

Do you have some specialmassages?

Citrus Resort spas are created whilekeeping the profile of the resort/retreat usersin mind. The list of spa therapies has beentailored to suit a variety of guestrequirements. Such therapies includeSwedish, aromatherapy, Balinese, Thai, deeptissue, fusion Ayurveda, Hot-stone Therapy,foot reflexology, and Citrus Signature.

What is your favouritetreatment and why?

I greatly enjoy Balinese therapy as itincorporates dry and oil massage; it enhancesthe energy and completely relaxes the body.It focuses on both joints and muscles, whichgives it another wellness edge.

Any other point you wish tomake?

Consistency in service is our brandpromise. Our endeavour is to exceed guests’expectations by time- bound deliveries andthrough optimum combination of prices andproducts.

Sept-Oct ’1254

F o c u s

Six Senses is a name whichautomatically endows a spa withassumption of international quality. Six

Senses is a resort and spa management anddevelopment company, which managesresorts under the brand names Six Senses,Evason, and Six Senses Spas. Over 15 years,Six Senses Spas have developed a reputationfor creating harmonious wellness spaceswhich blend seamlessly with local cultureand surroundings and deliver memorablespa experiences.

These same values are reflected in the veryfirst spa in India having the brand of SixSenses Spas, which was opened in the veryrecent past at Jaypee Greens Golf & SpaResort in Greater Noida. The spa presents awonderful and holistic wellness conceptacross 90,000 sq.ft., which is expected toimpress the discerning spa goers in Delhi-NCR and beyond.

The demand for spas is increasing inurban India, especially metropolitan India,largely due to our hectic lifestyles filled withtensions, due to the prevalence of manychronic ailments into our largely sedentarylives, and also because of increased disposableincomes in select sections of Indian society.According to Manju Sharma, Director —Operations, Jaypee Hotels, “Wellness is going

to be a necessity of our tension-filled times,and it is about time we start providingwellness solutions of international standardsin our spas.”

In the backdrop of the growing demandfor spas across urban India, the introductionof Six Senses Spas in India assumes greatimportance for the wellness business of India.

Designed in the style of a traditionalIndian house, the spa features beautiful innercourtyards, water features and varioustherapy and relaxation areas. Locally sourcedwood and stone are used throughout theopulent spa, whose inviting ambience isdotted with traditional artifacts includingantique bronzed pots, vases and urns.

The spa at Jaypee Greens Golf & SpaResort, embodying the brand of Six SensesSpas, occupies a three-storied building andis a true testament to the company’sphilosophy on sustainability, that is reflectedfrom the choice of materials and designfeatures to the organic garden, which isproviding a rich collection of herbs and fruitsas ingredients for locally inspired treatmentsand spa experiences.

The basement of the building where thespa is housed has a state-of-the-art fitnesscentre, changing rooms, a juice bar, yogastudio and aerobics pool surrounded by anindigenous herbal garden. The spa reception,another juice bar and the Six Senses Galleryare located on the ground floor together withconsultation rooms, four single treatmentrooms, changing facilities with steam, sauna,experience shower, ice fountain and privatepools, a private nap room and relaxationareas. Specialist treatment rooms forAyurveda, Thai, colonic hydrotherapy andWatsu therapy are also situated on this level.

Facilities at the first floor include male andfemale hammams, a meditation cave, singleand double treatment rooms, a ladies cluband golfer’s treatment area. The ladies club isan ideal location for hosting private spa parties.

It can serve as a haven for beauty and wellnessfor ‘brides to be’ and provides services suchas luxurious hair spa treatments, hair styling,blow dry and colouring. The spacious ladies’only beauty area also has a private make-upstudio for special events, and personalisedmake-up lessons.

Overall, the spa menu at the spa featuresnurturing and soothing treatments, whichare complemented by result-orientedtherapies and personalised programmes. Ahallmark for the luxurious spa at JaypeeGreens Golf & Spa Resort is a selection oflocally-inspired treatments using indigenousingredients such as golden marigold, castor,jasmine, tamarind, thyme, and pomegranateamong others.

The spa offers many wonderful healingand rejuvenating experiences. Those lookingfor a gentler way of relieving tensions canexperience the healing and rejuvenating effectof Watsu in the spa’s dedicated Watsu pool.This therapy combines the benefits of warmwater with massage, shiatsu and stretching toimprove flexibility, relax muscles and bringabout a general sense of well-being.

One can also get pampered with SixSenses’ signature massages, facials, scrubs andwraps. For example, the signature OrientalMassage is a truly individual journey,combining acupressure and stretching toun-knot muscles, de-stress and restoreenergy. It affords a singular experience aftera busy brainstorming meeting, or after abusy day of shopping.

However, the holistic wellness experienceat the spa at Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resortgoes much beyond pampering andrejuvenation. Ready-made packages focusingon detox and slimming as well as longer-stayAyurvedic programmes have been conceivedto facilitate guests achieve their personalhealth and wellness goals. These arecomplemented by a variety of group andprivate classes of yoga, meditation and pilates.Manju Sharma

The Sixth Sense of Wellness Sense of Wellness

Sept-Oct ’1254

HOTEL Business Review

55Sept-Oct ’12

Product Preview HOTEL Business Review

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does

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Adver t i se r ’s IndexHOTEL Business Review

Sept-Oct ’1260

What is the USP of your property?What makes the property unique?

Our location is our main USP. We havethe prime location in the city, at BanjaraHills, which is the most posh, up marketresidential and commercial area ofHyderabad. The property is set amidst theelite residential area of Banjara Hills and offersa tranquil ambience, away from the hustle-bustle of the city, and at the same time withclose proximity to the commercial centre.

Secondly, the hotel rooms with 44 sq. mroom size, along with 24 hr. complimentaryWi-Fi facility and a 6 pm late check-outservices offers unparalleled value to our guests.

An important strength of this hotel is itspeople. At our hotel human resource isnurtured on a continual basis.

We are a brand new hotel with a veryyoung and vivacious team to serve the guests.Average age of our employees is 27 years.This also sets us apart from our competitors.

What is the marketing strategyyou have adopted to promote yourproperty?

Our brand positioning is all aboutproviding ‘Vibrant, Contemporary andEngaging Hospitality.’ Our association withfour elements of Hyderabad — art, music,fashion and lifestyle sports — have made usliving our brand positioning of being avibrant, contemporary and engaginghospitality property.

Hyderabad is a corporate city with mostof the hotel business coming from corporate

transit guests and/or conferences &meetings. Therefore, we have reached outto these segments to generate business forour hotel.

Targeting the MICE business is a priorityto us and we are very well designed to hostsmall to medium sized groups and meetings.Our service concepts are unique to ourbrand; similarly our guests’ programs like‘Club Carlson’ are highly rewarding and addgreat value to the guests.

Moreover, our strategic partnerships withsome leading airlines within India andinternationally has facilitated us in reachingout to a vast database of our potentialcustomers.

Social media marketing is also our keyfocus to reach modern travellers and younggeneration tech-savvy guests.

What would you say is thedifferentiating factor of your F&Boutlets?

We pay special attention to F&B. OurExecutive Chef is the only Indian who wasthe semi-finalist of MasterChef UK,Professional Series, 2011.

Moreover, our recently launched SundayBrunch has become the talk of the townwhere the guests can relish 300 choices withone price.

Furthermore, in our efforts to deliverinnovative packages we have launched ‘GetStylish,’ an exclusive kitty party program forthe ladies. It is a program by which we arerecognising the clubs who use our hotel more

often, by rewarding them and providingthem with some exclusive benefits.

Also, we have the exclusive ‘Dilmah TBar,’ which will soon be introducing a wholenew tea experience for the tea lovers of thiscity, and also the tourists.

Could you reflect on the futureplans and new initiatives that youwish to undertake in this property?

We have tied up with the Serena Spawhich will soon be launched at the hotel.We also plan to open the first Asian tapas bar—Movida Tapas Bar & Lounge — by theend of 2012.

What is your work philosophy?I believe and promote work-life balance.

I religiously believe in open communicationas it is the way forward to have anintegrated, motivated and a healthiergrowing happy team.

What are your professionalstrengths?

I think my ability to adapt quickly tovarious situations is my strength. I have beenin the industry for more than 22 years andhave worked in seven countries. This globalexposure also contributes to my professionalstrength.

I have spent a lot of time in operations. Ihave also been fortunate to undergo intensiveprograms in revenue generation. Acombination of both is important these daysto run a successful hotel business.

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Exuding ExcellenceExuding Excellence

Sept-Oct ’1260

With an extensive background in the hospitality industry spanning 22 years, NishanSilva brings impeccable managerial experience and a range of other hospitality-related skills to the table, as the General Manager of Radisson Blu Plaza HotelHyderabad Banjara Hills, located at the posh Banjara Hills of the high-tech city,embodying historical legacy.Prior to joining Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills, he has heldmanagement positions with the Hilton properties in India, Sri Lanka, China, thePhilippines, Malaysia, Maldives and Switzerland.Speaking on his appointment and responsibilities he said, “As a General Mangermy responsibility is to enable efficient and effective operations in all areas of theproperty, maintenance of high quality of service standards and delivering strong

business dividends for the property.”Besides being an accomplished management professional, Silva is an exceptional trainer and mentor with skills toinduce peak individual performance from team members, while driving sustained growth. He is also well-versed inhotel strategy and has an avid interest in food & beverage concepts & trends. The excerpts of the interview follow:

By Sharmila Chand

HOTEL Business Review Interview

hotel business review

Documents

behalf of hammer publishers

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spaassociation of india

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e d i t o r

india arenow earnest