Category: Hospitality

IRCTC has partnered with Ixigo to power hotel bookings the IRCTC’s users. Through this partnership, ixigo’s wide range of accommodation offerings from its domestic and international hotel partners and OTAs will be available on IRCTC’s web and mobile platforms. Railway travellers can now go to IRCTC Hotels and compare budget and luxury hotels across prices, ratings, reviews and amenities through this new hotel search and booking platform. ixigo searches and compares over 40,000 hotels from all leading travel websites and allows travellers to filter by offerings such as ‘pay at hotel’ and ‘free cancellation’. “Our partnership with ixigo is a part ... Read more

The implementation of value-added tax (VAT) doesn’t seem to trouble UAE’s hospitality and travel sector, as reports suggest the sturdy tourism sector is growing. Within few month of the tax implementation, the number of tourists rose to 4.7 million recording a growth of 2 per cent, while the accommodation rate reached up to 87 per cent indicating a growth by 0.7 per cent. The experts of hospital and travels industry mark the impact of tax as insignificant. The first year of tax introduction is expected to create a revenue of Dh12 billion and may rise up to Dh20 billion in ... Read more

Leisure Experiences has announced the launch of their new luxury property in Kodaikanal. The inauguration was held in Chennai with members of Tamara Lesiure Experiences in attendance. Nestled in the hills, Tamara Kodai provides world-class accommodation within a colonial building, La Providence, which is considered to be the first one in Kodaikanal. The property features 53 suites which boasts French provincial design. “It is our great privilege to be here today. It is really an honour to be in Chennai, and one of our greatest privileges as an organisation as we get to join hands with Tamil Nadu. Our main ... Read more

Lords Hotels & Resorts has announced its plans to launch its fifth hotel in Nepal at Nepalgunj. The new hotel, Kalptaru Lords Inn, is a seven-storied premium property, which has seventy-seven rooms including five premium suites and one presidential suite. Kalptaru Lords Inn will commence operations under the Lords Hotels & Resorts brand by the end of May 2018. Lords Hotels & Resorts presently operates Mirage Lords Inn in Kathmandu and is scheduled to launch a resort in Budhanilkantha and two other hotel properties in Birjung and in Bhaktapur. “It is with pleasure that we inform about our new sign up of ... Read more

Radisson Hotel Group, which has about 90 operational hotels in India, is eyeing religious destinations in the country and aims to reach 200 properties by 2020 in this market. “One of our core strategies is to grow in religious destinations. We are finding these destinations stable for us, such as Haridwar, Varanasi, Katra, Tirupati and we will plan in more destinations,” said Raj Rana, CEO, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group. In the India market, the group currently has a total of 140 hotels with 90 operational. This year, the group is set to launch the first Radisson Red property in India ... Read more

Rajesh Ramdas has joined Hyatt Regency Kathmandu as its general manager effective May 2. Rajesh has over 20-years of experience in the hospitality industry and have worked across various functions within rooms division. His most recent assignment was as general manager with Hyatt Regency Ludhiana. A hotel management graduate from Mangalore University, Rajesh commenced his career with The Leela Group as a management trainee in 1995, during which time he did an understudy in housekeeping. He was promoted to assistant manager of reservations and then transferred to the front office as lobby manager. Rajesh then joined the pre-opening team of ... Read more

The Fern Hotels & Resorts has opened UK 27 The Fern – an Ecotel Hotel at Belagavi (Belgaum) in Karnataka. With its new hotel, the group now have a portfolio of 53 hotels. UK 27 The Fern is an upscale 90-room hotel situated in the heart of the city with different categories of rooms such as Winter Green, Winter Green Premium, Fern Club Studio, Fern Club Premium Studio, Hazel Suite, and Fern Club Suite. All the rooms are equipped with modern amenities suiting the requirements of a business traveller. The hotel offers dining and entertaining options including Mélange – the ... Read more

Spanish Hotel Group, Palladium Hotel Group has appointed Mumbai-based Blue Square Consultants (BSC) as its representative in India. As the hotel group’s representative in India, Blue Square Consultants will conceptualise, implement, and promote PR and sales strategies for three of their Spanish properties in India – Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza, Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife, and Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel in Spain. “India is turning into a strong outbound market in the world and is ranked among our top 20. Ibiza is among the popular places visited by Indians which is also known for its vibrant music scene and eagerly-awaited concerts ... Read more

Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd announced it will be investing Rs 850 crore in the next three years for expanding its footprint in the country. The company has earmarked a total of Rs 1,700 crore for adding 1,500 rooms, which are currently under construction and expected to be completed by financial year 2021 and spent half of the total budget. “The total capital that will be deployed in these 1,500 rooms will about Rs 1,700 crore. Of this roughly half of it has already been deployed and another half of it will be deployed near completion by FY21. All the 1500 rooms ... Read more

The first ibis Styles will be opened at Sultanate of Oman as AccorHotels has signed agreement with the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran). The hotel which will be opening by 2020 will have 280 standard rooms with design and facilities that symbolize ibis Styles. This will be the first internationally branded economy hotel in the OCEC master development (Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre), giving a strong foothold for AccorHotels in Oman. OCEC is Oman’s largest and only dedicated meeting, conference, incentive and exhibition destination with superior design and state of the art convention infrastructure. The ibis Styles all-inclusive breakfast package ... Read more

Renaissance Hotels, part of Marriott International, has announced its debut in Indonesia, with the opening of the brand’s first hotel in Bali. The 207-key Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa is thoughtfully-designed to reinterpret the destination’s rocky cliff coastlines through contrasting materials, such as raw concrete and refined rattan. “The spectacular new Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa sets the stage for discovering the beautiful island of Bali. With its artful design, vibrant authentic dining scene and engaging experiences around every corner, the hotel joins the current global portfolio of more than 160 hotels, with 15 new hotels scheduled to open in ... Read more

If you are a family vacationing in Goa and is planning to check-in to the Park Hotel Goa Baga River, your kids may not get a room there, as it is an adults hotel. The boutique hotel is for adults-only, and guests below the age of 18 are not welcome. The hotel caters exclusively to couples and the just-married. TripAdvisor says that there is only one other hotel in the country with entry restrictions and that is ‘Ananda – In the Himalayas’, in Rishikesh. The hotel doesn’t allow children below 14 “in order to maintain its tranquillity”. The 28-room luxury hotel’s ... Read more

Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah, the luxurious resort owned by Oman Tourism Development Company has won “Oman’s Leading Resort 2018” at the 25th edition of the World Travel Awards. The Middle East Gala Ceremony was recently held in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. “We are proud & honoured to have been recognised again by the World Travel Awards 2018 and we are delighted that our resort is appreciated by the travel industry. This confirms that we continue to deliver excellent service and a reflection of the hotel’s exceptional team in extending true hospitality with an intuitive touch to our guests,” ... Read more

Marriott International has opened the first Element-branded hotel in Dubai. The 168-room property features studios and one-bedroom suites. “A recognised industry leader in the eco-space, Element promotes a life in balance with its emphasis on wellness and sustainability and we are excited to debut the brand in a city like Dubai where sustainability remains a key focus across all sectors,” said Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. Marriott International appointed Stuart Birkwood as cluster general manager for its properties in Dubai: Aloft Me’aisem, Element Me’aisem, and Aloft Dubai South. Located in Dubai Production City, ... Read more

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has opened the Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty, the third Grand Hyatt branded hotel in India. “Once the Lulu Convention centre is completed, it will be an employment opportunity to atleast 4000 people. Altogether, Lulu employs around 25000 Keralites across its various units,” said Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala while inaugurating the project. Whereas Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, who presided over the inaugural function said he would like to see atleast 100 such convention centres across the country. “I want more roads in Kerala, especially to Kannur and Malappuram ... Read more