BW HOTELIER SMART HOTELS 2021 ISSUE

TECHNOLOGY

from their personal device; Contactless Digital Payments that information through mobile apps. Resort brochures and
can be done online via QR codes and Digital Valet wherein marketing collateral are all digital.
the valet requests guests to step out of the vehicle and guide
them to self-pick their printed tag from the entry point. Vinay Deshpande

PANDEMIC SPEEDING As health concerns dominated the global atmosphere,
UP TECHNOLOGICAL customer requirements and trends changed rapidly, all of
ADVANCEMENTS which made technology the front-runner.

Sudeep Jain Nilesh Patel

The immediate need to find solutions for social distancing We launched Cloud migration initiative with the focus
and minimising physical contact has led to fast deployment now on opening new hotels with Cloud technologies and
of technology enabled solutions. progressively migrating the existing hotels to the Cloud.

Nikhil Sharma Suman Sur

The health safety and well-being of our guests, team We brought a new revenue model, online food ordering
members and partners continues to be our top priority since and delivering service using technology in operations and
the beginning of the pandemic and adopting contactless, increasing customer interaction.
digital solutions play a key part in supporting our partners
with providing guests memorable and safe experiences. Mansur Baig

Souvagya Mohapatra Working with new norms focussing on guest safety across
all hotel touch points, we took multiple initiatives to go
We have replaced physical menus with scannable QR codes. contactless, working closely with our technology partners
Instead of physical compendiums in the villas, we share in building solutions and fine-tuning them to meet our
standards of safety while ensuring there was no compromise
in the overall guest experience.n

NICHE BRAND

LEISURE SEGMENT
TO BE DOMINATED BY
DOMESTIC TOURISTS

TRAVELLERS FROM TIER 2 AND 3 CITIES HAVE
B E E N I N C R E AS I N G E V E RY DAY, SAYS P O O JA R AY,
MANAGING DIRECTOR, MAYFAIR HOTELS & RESORTS

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52

MAYFAIR

BY BWH BUREAU

WITH A chain of 11 luxury boutique hotels and resorts, introducing them to an island resort at Raipur with a golf

the Mayfair Group has been catering to the requirements course to the first tea resort in Siliguri to the casino resort

of to d ay’s b u s in es s a n d l e i s u re t r a v e l l e r s wi t h it s pa n- in G a ngt ok or t he be a c h re sor t s in Pur i and Gopal pur, we

India network of signature hotels and resorts in scenic want the potential traveller to get spoilt for choice, and

sea sides, misty hills and vibrant urban settings. The this helps us fill the void left by the inbound traveller,”

Group forayed into the hospitality industry in 1982 with shares Ray.

a small hotel at Rourkela. Subsequently, 11 boutique and At Mayfair, the MICE segment has always contributed

one state-of-the art convention properties were set up at in a major way, informs Ray, adding, “However, the leisure

Puri, Darjeeling, Bhubaneswar, Gangtok, Goa, Gopalpur, segment will now be dominated by the domestic tourists

Kalimpong and Raipur. And today, Mayfair is synonymous who are discovering places within the country. In short,

with ultimate luxury in the lap of Nature. The motto: it will be a 60:40 ratio in terms of segment contribution.”

Stay with Us, Stay with Nature is The major learning

the Grou p ’s c om m i t m e n t t o e c o - TOP USPs experience from the pandemic
friendly practices at its properties for the Managing Director,

in the form of rainwater harvesting, OF MAYFAIR HOTELS Mayfair Hotels & Resorts has
organic farming, recycling and been the reorientation in thinking
reusing of products. 1. Its unique architectural imprints and operations of traditional

With the present focus of and aesthetically appealing hospitality methods. “Multiskilling

operations concentrated on the interiors, resulting in huge rooms with optimum staff strength,
markets in eastern India, does the and washrooms which are beyond introduction of immune building

Group have expansion plans in other normal hotel standards while and healthy menus, ensuring least

regions? “We are in the process of ensuring value for money. personal contact services while not
expanding more in the Northeast in 2. An excellent staff that exudes compromising traditional warmth

Tier 1 cities like Guwahati. This is genuine warmth and refuse to and stress on hygiene are the new

recast in a format where we get into say ‘no’ to most guest requests thought processes that have been
management contracts for the first unless it is impossible. the post-pandemic fallouts in a

time. In this format, the boundaries 3. Resorts that are theme bound, positive way at the properties,”

of operating hotels across the be it an island resort for a dream says Ray.
country have no limits and gradually wedding or the venue for a Ta lking a bout technol ogy

a pan-Indian presence is likely to fairy tale wedding, a casino and playing a vital role in changing

be established,” shares Pooja Ray, spa resort, exclusive boutique the face of hospitality industry,
Managing Director, Mayfair Hotels & heritage R a y opine s, “Technol ogy has

Resorts Pvt Ltd. hotels with a history or beach made communication faster,

On tapping the potential resorts that offer limitless easier, and more personalised.
of Tier 2 cities with special focus options in terms of surfing, Online reservation systems, review

on eastern India, Ray says that seafood, and blissful solitude. platforms, hotel information and

over the last few years, travellers details of in-house facilities are

from Tier 2 and 3 cities have been all accessible instantly to the

high spending customers and are customer. Social media has played

increasing in numbers every day. “As Bhagalpur, Malda, up to the hilt and marketing a good product is now both

Kathiar and Purnea have immense tourism potential, we easy and informal. In food, world products through online

are seriously exploring the possibilities of tapping the ordering has been made really feasible while techniques

market there,” says Ray. like hydroponics has ensured herbs earlier restricted to

In the absence of inbound international travel as temperate climate can now grow in a created environment

well as the drop in outbound travel, the Group is planning where season is no longer a criteria for production of

to attract more domestic travellers to the Mayfair fold exotic herbs.”

by offering them the same or better experience at their The G roup’s fut ure pla ns inc lude a fi ve-s tar del ux e

resorts. “The serious outbound tourist who is frustrated metro hotel, a resort and a heritage hotel at Guwahati,

at long days of confinement seeks to break free and that a large convention centre at Bhubaneswar and potential

potential segment is easily available to be tapped. By collaboration on management contracts pan-India.n

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NICHE BRAND

EXPLORING RAJASTHAN
WITH RAAS

NIKHILENDRA SINGH, FOUNDER AND MANAGING
DIRECTOR, R A AS HOTELS SAYS ALL R A AS

PROPERTIES ARE A CONFLUENCE OF HISTORY
AND MODERN AESTHETICS

BY PRERNA LAMBA

AS A boy, Nikhilendra Singh had dreamt of owning a conservation as fundamental guiding values across all
boutique hotel in his hometown, Jodhpur. To convert this properties, RAAS Devigarh renovates and maintains
dream into reality, his brother Dhananjaya Singh found gover nment-run schools in its vicinity. Each hotel has its
an ideal piece of land at the foot of Mehrangarh Fort in organic herb and vegetable garden that yields seasonal
2007 and with a vision to preserve the Rajput heritage produce. In 2016, RAAS stopped the use of single-use
by combining it with contemporary aesthetics and vibes, plastic across all its properties.
RAAS Jodhpur came to life in 2009, marking the brand’s
debut. A contrast to RAAS Jodhpur and RAAS Devigarh,
the next milestone for Singh was to
All RAAS properties are take over the Chhatrasagar camps
more of icons of modern design that have been an important part
and contemporary aesthetics than of Rajput lifestyle. In earlier days,
just being symbols of heritage and people use to go for expeditions to far
legacy. A perfect confluence of off places where tents were the only
yesterday and today, looking towards option for them for accommodation.
tomorrow, the designs are a blend of Soon after these places started
contemporary and old-school Rajput turning into mini-palaces and RAAS
architecture. “RAAS focusses on Chhatrasagar captures the essence
delivering consistently high standard of this romance.
of luxury and services to our guests,” Sticking to its roots,
says Nikhilendra Singh, Founder and Nikhilendra Singh added another gem
Managing Director, RAAS Hotels. to its portfolio this year, Rajmahal
Palace which is located at the heart
Singh hosted events at Devigarh of UNESCO World Heritage Site, also
Palace nestled in the Aravalli Hills, known as the ‘Pink City’ and capital
less than an hour away from Udaipur. of Rajasthan — Jaipur.The 19th
The property holds a commanding century palace is an opulent heritage
position with views out across the residence turned luxury hotel that
valley and the village of Delwara and provides some of Jaipur’s most
the founder of RAAS had fallen in love
with that palace. So, in 2015, he took over the iconic 18th luxurious experiences.
century palace which now breathes an array of decorative Talking about his jour ney since the inception of first
styles and tranquil landscaped gardens.
boutique hotel, Singh says, “We started as a solo hotel
W ith sustainability, community investment and with RAAS Jodhpur and didn’t precisely conceptualise

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54

RAAS

a brand, and then before we understood it, RAAS had were hurdles on the way but we have adapted effectively.
become a brand. The last decade has been an amalgam
of good and challenging years. The most exciting aspects Hygiene and safety levels were always high at all our
have been design and construction. Our growth has been
organic, and we aim to keep it that way.” properties, but we have added more protocols on top of

those to adhere to the Covid-19 safety guidelines,” he

says.

Focussing on

CAPITALISING Baradari Restaurant, the role of technology
RAAS Chhatrasagar
THROUGH DOMESTIC ruling the hotel sector
Durbar Bar,
TOURISM RAAS Devigarh nowadays, Singh feels

It has been no secret that businesses have

that inbound tourism had to innovate and

is a major revenue develop more efficient

generator for these approaches. “Now guests

palaces-turned-hotels. can remotely check-in

Now that international and out of the property,

travel is on halt, the eliminating the need

brands have been to queue and deplete

banking on domestic time at the reception.

tourism to stay afloat. Restaurants have

To i n c re a s e e n g a g e m e n t replaced menus with

with domestic scannable QR codes,” he

audience, RAAS has continues.

been partaking in more He believes that

partnerships, taking ever-changing technology

a deep dive into PR in hotel operations has

and is actively working aided in the creation

on designing more of seamless guest

attractive products to experience as well as

suit them. increased the productivity

“We, at RAAS, of the hotel and its

have always believed in staff. “Social media has

promoting sustainable completely changed the

tourism and understand relationship hospitality

t h a t t o d a y ’s t r a v e l l e r s businesses share with

are increasingly gue st s. Technol ogy does

conscious of the offer numerous benefits to

environmental impact the industry. Nevertheless,

of their travel and are technology for us will

associating with brands remain in the backdrop.

that engage in such It will never replace the

practices,” he says. human element that

comes with customer

INNOVATIONS service,” he puts in.
DURING THE PANDEMIC
These unprecedented times has impacted the hospitality NEXT IN PIPELINE
industry in a way that is beyond our imagination but it has Singh has placed all of its properties in mesmerising and
also given us an opportunity to pause and restructure. stunning views that offer efficient services and boasts of
Singh claims the pandemic has been a testing period but fresh designs that calls to any generation. Shedding light
has also been an opportunity to innovate. on the future plans of RAAS, Singh says, “As they say, it’s a
world of endless possibilities and endless experimentation.
“The biggest challenge was the fear of the virus, Next, we are looking to expand in Goa and South India, so
but that got better as we learned more about it and what stay with us as we RAASHop across the country.”n
steps we needed to stay safe. It was tough and there

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55

OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE

‘PANDEMIC FORCED
US TO ADOPT
TECHNOLOGY’

HARSHAVARDHAN NEOTIA, AltAir Boutique Hotel,
CHAIRMAN, AMBUJA Salt Lake City, Kolkata

NEOTIA GROUP, SAYS THAT
TOUCHLESS SOLUTIONS

BASED ON AI TECHNOLOGY
ARE LIKELY TO BE THE
NEW NORMAL

BY BWH BUREAU

THE NEOTIAS have always been an integral part of the
business circle in Kolkata. Though the family originally hails
from Rajasthan, the City of Joy has been their home since
the 1890s. At the helm of affairs of the family’s cement
business at present is Harshavardhan Neotia who, as the
Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group, ensures the ethics,
work culture and principles of business laid down by their
forefathers are followed till date at all costs.

The family’s foray into the hospitality sector happened
quite organically, shares Harshavardhan Neotia. “Back in the
late 80s, The Conclave was my first entrepreneurial venture
in the hospitality space and was the first-of-its-kind business
club. The Ffort at Raichak-on-Ganges, our maiden stride into
the hotel business, started as a luxury riverside resort with
112 tastefully appointed rooms and suites, having extensive
conferencing and banqueting facilities. Ganga Kutir, also at

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56

HARSHAVARDHAN NEOTIA

offering is Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa, developed in

Makaibari Tea Estate in Darjeeling,” puts in Neotia,

adding that in the F&B space, there are restaurant

brands like Sonar Tori which focusses on Bengali

food, The Orient on Oriental delicacies and Afraa

on international cuisines. “We recently introduced

the American casual dining brand, UNO Chicago

Bar & Grill, in Kolkata,” he says.

Neotia says that as he had grown up in a joint

family with many house guests and was surrounded

by food, art and culture, he likes these influences

to be a part of his work culture. “Hospitality and

restaurants allow me to engage with a range of

creative pursuits. Within restaurants, you are

designing experiences too,” he says.

On his association with IHCL, Neotia says

that they chose the hospitality company as their

new partner due to the Group’s strong presence in

both domestic and international markets. “Since

IHCL’s ‘Taj’ brand is globally renowned and was

looking to strengthen their footprint in some of

the most commercially and culturally important

cities in the East, we entered into a partnership

with them to bring their legendary hospitality to

all our hotels. Additionally, the two organisations’

business philosophy, ethics and principles

complement each other too,” shares Neotia.

To begin with, they had a management

contract with IHCL for two other hotels in the East

Operational Hotels with keys per property – Taj Chia Kutir, Darjeeling (West Bengal) and Taj
Guras Kutir in Gangtok (Sikkim). The partnership

Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa, Darjeeling 72 keys was then extended by bringing in three more hotels
under the ‘Taj’ brand. “Our partnership, I feel, will

Ganga Kutir & Ffort Raichak 144 keys give a fillip to tourism in eastern India,” he feels.
Raajkutir 33 keys Last year, when the hospitality sector was

struggling to stay afloat, the Neotias partnered

Altair 23 keys with the Taj Group to launch more hotels. “We
Montana Vista 39 keys launched five new hotels. IHCL will operate
Ambuja City Centre II as well as Eco Park in

Kolkata and Ambuja City Centre at Patna. One in

Makaibari Tea Estate, Darjeeling and another in

Raichak, is an idyllic getaway designed in a more luxurious Gangtok, Sikkim. All our businesses were impacted and

manner. Today, Raichak-on-Ganges is one of eastern India’s there was a lot of pressure but that is not unique only to

most versatile leisure destinations,” says Neotia proudly. us. The lockdown and the consequent fear made it difficult

The hospitality vertical has added hotels and resorts, for workers to restart because of logistical reasons. We

country homes, clubs, fine-dining, QSR and banquets to should have opened Taj Chia Kutir, Darjeeling, in April 2020

the portfolio. “Recently, we added Altair in Salt Lake City, but it happened in December. It became expensive but we

Kolkata, Group’s four-star boutique hotel and Raajkutir managed to finish it. I hope business would come back

in Swabhumi, a luxury boutique hotel. The Group’s latest over time as there would always be the urge to meet people

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57

OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE

Projects in pipeline elevators through face scan), are likely to be the
new normal for the hospitality sector,” he says.
Taj Taalkutir 79 keys Convention part opening:
Sep 2021, Room part PERSONAL INTEREST IN ART AND
opening: Q1, 2023 HOW IT INFLUENCES HOSPITALITY
PROJECTS
Taj City 147 keys. Erstwhile Expected opening Each member of my family is an art aficionado.
Centre, Swissotel, being Q4, 2021 I had artists, scholars and musicians walking
New Town, thoroughly in and out of my house as I grew up. The
Kolkata renovated symbiotic assimilation of all these influences
came to me involuntarily. Considering my
Taj Guras Kutir, 74 keys Expected Opening growing up years, design comes naturally to
Pangthang, 126 keys Q4, 2022 me. I am a proponent of arts in all its forms
Sikkim Expected Opening and try to incorporate it in the projects I build.
Q1, 2023
Taj Patna Expected Opening Hospitality projects give me an opportunity
Q2, 2023 to create more spaces that would celebrate
Digha 60 keys the rich diversity of Indian heritage and culture
Ganga Kutir while showcasing some of the most modern
nuances of architecture. “I try to use unique
and aesthetically appealing architecture and
designs to add value and for better urbanism.
Our hospitality projects pay obeisance to

Ghoom, Under planning
Darjeeling stage
Ravangla,
Sikkim Under planning
Sunderbans stage

Lataguri, Under planning
Dooars stage

Under planning
stage

socially. Vaccination rollout will play an important role in Nature. If you look at the Taj properties we have constructed
revival of the market,” Neotia tells us. in Sikkim and Darjeeling, you will see the effort to make the
projects compatible to their surroundings,” shares Neotia.
Talking about the role of smart technology in the
future of hospitality and F&B business, the Chairman of Neotia’s father, Vinod Kumar Neotia and his uncles,
Ambuja Neotia Group says, “The pandemic has undeniably Suresh Neotia and Narottam Sekhsaria, had nurtured
forced the hospitality and F&B sector to innovate, accelerate the family’s cement business before he took over. “I was
the adoption of technology and challenge the hotels and a part of the team and led the operations in the eastern
restaurants to be creative in getting their products out region. However, after we divested our stake to Holcim in
amidst quarantine restrictions.” While these temporary 2006, I began focussing my efforts on building the Ambuja
modifications may not have started out as a choice, Neotia Neotia Group. I wanted to try my hand at building homes
says that moulding the implementations into a profitable as it excited me because it requires design-related creative
long-term strategy is. “Touchless solutions based on artificial skills. The strong influence and guidance of my family
intelligence technology including facial recognition (which helped me learn business principles and practices and
enables guests to self-check-in, unlock rooms and activate develop leadership competencies,” puts in Neotia.n

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58



OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE

SMART BUILDINGS
HELP ACHIEVE
SUSTAINABILITY

HOSPITALIT Y INDUSTRY’S NEED TO BRING IN
SUSTAINABLE TECH INTERVENTIONS HAS NEVER BEEN

GREATER, SAYS JB SINGH, PRESIDENT AND CEO,
INTERGLOBE HOTELS. EXCERPTS FROM AN INTERVIEW

BY BWH BUREAU

T

ibis Gurgaon

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JB SINGH

our industry’s ability to not only keep pace but also find its way to
be one of the cornerstones of India’s growth story.

It is, therefore, imperative that lessons learnt in the recent
past drive a resolve within the industry and the Government to
rework policies and institutions to make the industry significantly
more efficient and make-up for the lost time.

THE COURAGE and resilience displayed by the hospitality CHALLENGES AND IGH BUSINESS
industry in 2020-21 has been remarkable. Demand compression GOP, occupancy, ARR and the other thumb indices and
and liquidity management have been the central themes over the measurables are critical for a turnaround and bounce back.
last 18 months. Now, it is fair to say that the industry is better Uncertainty, demand compression, liquidity, health and safety,
prepared which is reflective in its performance in recent months. have been some of the key challenges. As we were well-prepared
While the recovery graph appears wavy, it is on the way up. The with most of the planned interventions by February-March 2020,
bounce back after the second wave was sharper, making the it allowed us to strike the right balance between employee and
forward outlook very positive with the upcoming peak season customer safety and security, asset maintenance, revenue and
being a catalyst to the pent up demand. One of the largest cost discipline, development in our ongoing projects and working
vaccination drives in the world is also bringing back renewed with various agencies to provide support to social causes.
confidence in India.
We worked alongside the governments of different states
The positive trend that the Indian economy witnessed for the Vande Bharat repatriation groups and quarantined guests
after the second wave has triggered forecasts of 10 per cent for months. We ensured that we deepened our engagement with
GDP growth by five major agencies. Global institutions predict all our stakeholders especially during the first lockdown and
India to be the third largest economy by 2030 which will demand continued the discipline once the country started to reopen. This
accelerated growth by the hospitality sector as well. India’s ensured we were well prepared along with our stakeholders to
unique economy built on an intra-India framework will put to test drive a confident revival. This time has been well used by us
to create some structural changes which will continue to drive
efficiencies going forward. As an organisation, we are, therefore,
empowered and committed to expeditiously navigate these
difficult times. This has allowed us to create an arbitrage for the
future as we rebuild our balance sheets.

Throughout, we diligently ran three forecasts which were
updated initially on a weekly basis and then monthly. We have
seen in the last quarter that our revenue forecasts for the year
almost doubled. Aggressive trends like this will pull the industry
out of this vortex in the short and medium term. Intra-India
demand will continue to hold centre-stage which will grow over
time as the rest of the world resets its travel policies. We are
forecasting a significantly improved FY 2022. Should that happen
on plan and uninterrupted, it would give a clean run to get to a
pre-Covid level in and around FY 2023.

RELATIONSHIP WITH ACCOR AS AN OWNER
Our relationship with Accor thrives on mutual trust and a shared
vision to transform the hospitality sector through an efficient
development model backed by a sound financial structure. This
has enabled us to be market leaders as a hotel owning and
development company in India and together, we have achieved
a domestic edge over all our competitors in the mid-market
segment. We worked together to realign our operating structures
to ensure we met the challenges head-on and prepared ourselves
for the future. At the same time, we supported the Government
initiatives and were frontrunners with quarantined travellers,
Vande Bharat repatriation and several other efforts across the
country with frontline workers. The partnership is committed to

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61

OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE

ibis Jaipur Spice It Restaurant

run compliant hotels and we were among the first ones to launch soon and others are under a test environment. These bring in
our All-Safe certification with Bureau Veritas and committed significant efficiencies. For example, our project management
vaccination programmes. Our performance this past year has tools help us plan, coordinate and schedule and bring down build
been a testament to the success of this relationship, and we will time significantly. Energy management systems that work on IoT
continue to work together as we continue to grow the portfolio. can bring energy costs down by 8-10 per cent.

DIVERSIFICATION PLANS Smart buildings help us achieve our sustainability vision
The diversity that InterGlobe and Accor bring together is unique with initiatives such as wheeling in wind and hydel power,
and the cornerstone of our success. We have a very deeply retrofitting existing hotels enhancing solar power generation,
engaged joint venture with Accor where we work closely with enhanced air filtration systems. Also, we have been working to
them towards growing the ‘ibis’ brand in India. This joint venture deliver special offerings of visual and experiential value in F&B,
is unique and one where our association has been for over guest services and in-room entertainment to meet the demands
15 years. We today have 17 operating hotels with six under of varied demographics.
development, totalling 4,100 keys. We are committed to continue
developing and raising the benchmarks of the smart economy PROJECTS IN PIPELINE
segment with high quality buildings with state-of-the-art design, We are planning to launch six hotels with over 1,083 keys in the
efficient operations, all of which are totally focused on the new next three years. First up is ibis Vikhroli which is opening its doors
emerging Indian traveller. in October this year with 249 keys. This would be followed by two
more ibis at Thane and Hebbal, along with ibis Styles at Vagator,
BUILDING NEW SMART HOTELS Goa next year. In 2023, we would be in the process of launching
The industry’s need to bring in sustainable tech interventions has our first hotel outside the ibis brand with the 149 keys Novotel
never been greater. We have been working on several technology City Centre in Bengaluru, our fourth property in Bengaluru with
interventions for several years now and evaluating newer systems a new gen look and feel. To further strengthen our presence in
in the areas of revenue management, e-audits, energy, central Mumbai, we are initiating a new hotel, ibis Kalina with 207 keys
procurement, centralised finance, property management, to open by 2024. India will continue to grow and offer ample
dynamic pricing, and sales channels. Some of these will go live opportunities to build supply to match this growth which is going
to keep us busy for coming few years.n

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62

IT'S THE LITTLE
THINGS THAT MAKE

THE BIG THINGS
POSSIBLE. ONLY
CLOSE ATTENTION TO
THE FINE DETAILS OF
ANY OPERATION
MAKES THE OPERATION

FIRST CLASS.

J WILLARD
MARRIOTT

MEET THE GM

FOCUS ON PEOPLE,
PRODUCTS & PROFIT

SHARAD PURI, CLUSTER
GENERAL MANAGER

OF SHERATON GRAND
BENGALURU WHITEFIELD

HOTEL & CONVENTION
CENTER AND ALOFT
BENGALURU CESSNA

BUSINESS PARK TALKS
ABOUT THE HOTELS’ MOVE
TOWARD TECHNOLOGICAL

ADVANCEMENTS

BY PRERNA LAMBA

LOCATED NEAR major corporations, IT parks, temples,
gardens, tourist spots like Bangalore Palace and malls like
Forum Shantiniketan and Phoenix Mall, Sheraton Grand
Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center (Sheraton
Grand Bengaluru) is the 100th hotel by Marriott International
in India. Offering seamless blend of thoughtful services and a
wide range of venues, the property is an ideal location to host
conferences, reconnect with business associates, friends
and family or plan a perfect fairy tale wedding.

The Convention Center at Sheraton Grand Bengaluru
has state-of-the-art facilities to host events and celebrations.
The hotel, though built as a city convention hotel, is a perfect
getaway destination with open spaces and gardens for

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64

SHARAD PURI

families to spend weekends. Guests can also get a tip or two Aloft Bengaluru
from the experienced horticulturists here. Cessna Business Park

Another gem by Marriott that is located conveniently we continue to carry out health drives for our food handlers.
in a high-tech campus on Marathahalli-Sarjapur Outer It is our endeavour to make every Marriott International
Ring Road is Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park (Aloft guest and associate feel confident that each aspect of our
Bengaluru). With an eclectic design, open and vibrant social commitment is designed with safety and well-being in mind.”
spaces to plug and play, it is a hotel where music, design and
technology are deployed to enhance the guest experience. Not only have the guests’ stay preferences matured,
The property has been able to position itself successfully their taste buds and concern for hygiene have developed
as an approachable hotel for staycations and has served too. This has led the hotels to think out-of-the-box and
as a successful destination for small weddings with several come up with ideas to meet these expectations as they seek
options of event spaces, both indoor and outdoor. personalisation along with safety and hygiene. “I’m proud of
my teams at Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel &
Sharad Puri, Cluster General Manager of both the Convention Center and Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park
properties, informs that the two hotels are unique and have on Outer Ring Road who came up with innovative ideas for
immense individual characters to attract guests. Shedding opening up new segments and curating unique experiences.
light on his strategy for Sheraton Grand Bengaluru and Aloft
Bengaluru, Puri says, “Both the hotels are very different and
have a strong character and timeless design. My focus is to
ensure that the hotels deliver profits and enhance reputation.
This can only be achieved with a team of passionate
associates.”

NECESSITY, THE MOTHER OF INVENTION
The ongoing pandemic has stirred the standard operating
procedures of the hospitality industry and given a push to
the sector to innovate. Both these hotels have taken several
initiatives to introduce new technology. The teams have been
a part of several pilot projects that have been introduced
within Marriott International for embracing technology. “Both
the hotels have gone digital: instant mobile check-ins, QR
codes at high touch points, digitised menus, contactless
payments and more. The last 18 months gave us the time to
introduce more technology in the heart of the house functions
as well. Several activities have been clustered between the
two hotels, getting cost-effectiveness and made processes
faster,” says Puri, adding, “The good part is that our guests
and associates have adapted well to the newly introduced
t e c h n o l o g y. ”

Guest requirements and expectations too have changed
over time and will continue to evolve. Puri believes that a
hotel where the guest’s needs are identified well before the
reservation stage will always stand out. “Our focus on guest
service is to have an emotional impact on them,” he puts in.

Elaborating on keeping pace with these fast-changing
demands, Puri says, “Our teams are clear on the difference
between service and hospitality. Service is what happens to
you and hospitality is what happens for you. The one big
difference in guest expectation in the last few years has been
sustainability. This is a good sign and we have taken several
steps to improve our sustainability quotient. As the country
slowly unlocks, there has been a surge in the business. I’m
happy the associates of both our hotels are vaccinated and

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65

MEET THE GM

Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield
Hotel & Convention Center

We believe that all this can be done with contactless service has helped me personally and professionally,” he puts in.
and following detailed protocols of the Commitment to Clean, According to Puri, the key is to get all associates
a programme rolled by Marriott International,” says Puri.
aligned towards a common purpose. “It is critical in current
Exploring new customer engagement avenues and times to keep focus on every aspect of the business –
expanding their services, both the hotels have adapted to a people, guests, products and profit. Ignoring any of these
new model regarding home delivery service through Marriott even in the short term can have a long term negative impact
Bonvoy on Wheels. This initiative has helped the hotel in on the hotel,” he adds.
delivering curated culinary offerings such as brunch in a box,
festive hampers and more to guests at their doorstep. “Our Over the years, Puri has had the opportunity to work
culinary maestros elevate the experience with their personal in large and small hotels that has given him a lot more insight
touch that has contributed to our reputation,” the Cluster GM and allowed him to experience different business cycles
adds. . This, in turn, has helped him manage costs effectively
without cutting corners. “I’m a learner and try to find a new
Sharing the plans for the year ahead, Puri says, “Our learning from everything. I’m often told by my wife that I find
focus is to generate and increase the revenue from our overall critique in everything. I guess this habit helps me in making
F&B offerings including Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels as well the hotel a better place for our guests and associates. I feel
as from the corporate and leisure packages. At the same a leader needs to be humble, adaptable and a good listener.
time, we showcase our Convention Center as a world-class I put in my best effort every day to improve myself on my
offering for corporate meetings or social events.” adaptability and my listening skills,” he says.

LEVERAGING EXPERIENCE As a leader, he feels that his biggest responsibility is
An industry veteran with over 25 years of experience, Puri to cultivate a culture of learning and growth. “I also believe
terms ‘passion’ as one of the most common qualities among in talent development. As the head of both the hotels, it’s
all to be successful. He believes it is important to look beyond important to understand the significance of each function.
the balance scorecard. “I have always taken decisions based (I refrain from using the word department in a hotel). Each
on what is good for the future of the hotel and its people. This function is important. Very few businesses involve team
work and coordination that a hotel demands,” he adds.n

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66

YES

TBORGEEATKHETRHEWCEHACIANN

WEMAARSFKACE

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

SAHNAITNDIZSE

MEET THE GM

‘CONTINUED INNOVATION
IN F&B SPACE WILL BE

OUR FOCUS AREA’

TO BE THE MARKET
LEADER, ONE NEEDS
TO HAVE A FANTASTIC
TEAM WITH A FABULOUS
HOTEL, SAYS SUR AJ
KUMAR JHA, GENERAL
MANAGER, CROWNE
PLAZA AHMEDABAD

BY BWH BUREAU

WITH OVER two decades of experience in operations
and business development in the hospitality industry,
Suraj Kumar Jha believes in reaching out to the guests
and bookers. The General Manager at Crowne Plaza
Ahmedabad feels excited to be a part of the property.
“As Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad enjoys a strong reputation
in the market, our efforts will always be focussed on
further enhancing the standards with continued innovative
offering in F&B. Strategic positioning reflects the choices
made about the value it will create in the mind of our
guests,” he says.

Feeling overwhelmed with the response received
post the easing of the restrictions and the steady drop in
Covid-19 cases with recent weeks witnessing unexpected
hotel occupancy levels, Jha opines that one can get
complacent in such a situation. “But we, at Crowne Plaze,

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68

SURAJ KUMAR JHA

Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad City Centre

are extremely careful about following safety protocols technology in our day-to-day operations has been ever-
and maintaining IHG Clean promise. With certain new growing. We have been working on several innovative
segments, it is absolutely critical to engage with them to ideas including the keyless entry,” he avers.
retain them and we have seen them returning back to the
hotel,” he says. MANAGEMENT MANTRAS
Times may change but with perseverance, positive
Safety and cleanliness remain the top priority at the approach and teamwork, challenging times can be dealt
property. “Due to inter national travel restrictions, certain with, feels Jha. “The secret of success is planning and
segments have reduced demand. Incidentally, domestic execution with a positive approach. As a leader, I believe in
travel is on the rise and remains the focus area even for adding personal and business goals in a way which benefits
the city hotels. Wedding segment has been contributing a mutually. A happy employee is an asset who reduces
significant share. While we have started to see business efforts by taking responsibilities. So any organisation who
demand from the corporates, we would continue to have takes care of its employees will have them taking care
a fine balance between the domestic demand and the of the vision and mission of the organisation. Good for
corporate bookings,” informs Jha, adding that in the food business. No personal goals,” he puts in.
delivery space, the property has seen tremendous growth
besides guests visiting the hotel for dining. “Continued USP AND FUTURE PLANS
innovations in F&B space will be our focus area,” he says. “We’re not just limited to offering comfortable stay,
ambience, great food and having friendly staff. We would
INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY like to be seen as ‘Great Hotel Guests Love’,” shares
“I t is t h e k e y elem e n t i n t o d a y ’s b u si n e s s e nv ironme nt , Jha . Ta lking a bout t he fut ure , he sa y s, “We have s een the
from contactless check-ins to contactless check-outs. supplies coming in Ahmedabad market and would like to
The QR code-based dining choice and payment collections remain the most preferred hotel in the city.” n
have made guest touch points comfortable. The use of

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69

MEET THE GM

FOLLOW YOUR
PASSION, THINK BIG

AND DREAM

K ANIK A HASR AT, ARE A DIRECTOR OF UT TAR PRADESH,
MADHYA PRADESH AND UT TARAKHAND AT IHCL AND GM OF

TAJ L AKEFRONT BHOPAL TALKS ABOUT SMART CHOICES
THAT HAVE TAKEN HER TO GRE ATER HEIGHTS

BY PRERNA LAMBA

WITH AN illustrious career spanning nearly 25 years, the
Area Director of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and
Uttarakhand at IHCL, Kanika Hasrat has been instrumental
in transforming the overall operations of the hotels and
positioning them as market leaders. Hasrat’s portfolio
spans from the heights of the Himalayas in the north to
the City of Lakes, Bhopal in central India. With hotels like
the Taj Rishikesh Resort and Spa, the Taj Nadesar Palace,
the newly opened Pilibhit House, Haridwar – an IHCL
SeleQtions hotel and the regions she is responsible for,
has hotels covering all key aspects of travel – wellness,
spirituality, heritage, luxury and Nature.

Her key role is to support these hotels and the
General Managers in each of these properties to achieve
the goals of the respetive property while staying authentic
to the brand and its values. With experts in each hotel,
Hasrat plays the role of a mentor to build a stimulating and
supportive environment so that each team excels in their
own unique ways. “The three states have immense potential,
especially Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh where many
a hotel chains are yet to make a mark and establish their
presence. The region offers myriad opportunities for the
growth of amã Stays & Trails, an IHCL offering. The brand
comprises untouched experiential escapes, ranging from
charming residences to mesmerising trails at unique
locations. Combining elegance with homely comfort and

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70

KANIKA HASRAT

Taj Lake Front Bhopal

warm service, amã Stays & Trails offer immersive and am excited to be opening the doors of this stunning hotel
authentic local experiences to guests,” she says. in Bhopal,” she shares.

The diverse portfolio that she has taken charge ENHANCING GUEST EXPERIENCE
of in February 2021 came with the challenge of the W ith well-informed guests nowadays, the hotelier’s task
pandemic. Every state had different rules and its own of elevating their experience further has changed. Hasrat
spate of challenges with changing government guidelines. believes that, as hoteliers, they need to be continuously
“However, it gave us an opportunity to lear n from each engaged and be aware of what’s new and of interest in
other, build synergies across geographies and ensure their cities and surroundings while offering the services.
hotels got the support as and when required,” she puts in. “At IHCL, our people are our true strength and continue
to be our brand ambassadors – be it the trail of unique
Hasrat also spearheads the Taj Lakefront Bhopal as experiences recommended by the hotel concierge, the
its General Manager. Located on the banks of the Upper associate serving breakfast or the gardener in the lawns.
Lake, the hotel offers mesmerising views of the lake from Each one of us constantly endeavours to offer a memorable
its rooms and suites and is home to two of IHCL’s signature experience to the guests,” she says.
restaurants – the fabled Machan and the legendary House
of Ming, clubbed with the rooftop Infinity Lounge that pays Hasrat informs us that she has received “Thank You”
homage to the setting sun, offering a sumptuous selection notes from guests who have written back to say: “How
of cocktails. “With a rich culinary repertoire of legendary an observant doorman, or durban as they call him, got
restaurants overlooking the calming lake, the largest them a bottle of holy Gangaajal when he heard that they
banquet space in a luxury hotel in Madhya Pradesh, the had forgotten to pick-up some before their departure from
award winning Jiva Spa and a club with a tennis court, I

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71

MEET THE GM

Rishikesh, or a guest who parent hotel. This will help

got a bowl of jamun after a the hotels to not only give

jungle drive in Corbett or a flexibility to its teams,

chef at Taj Mahal Lucknow build capabilities and

who has been serving synergising effectively but

a family from the times offer 24x7 access to the

when the child was 12 and guests as well.

is now a father himself.

These experiences are WOMEN IN

timeless indeed.” HOSPITALITY

The hospitality industry

SMART has been through a

INVESTMENTS difficult year and whilst

As technology plays a the future remains

crucial role in today’s times, uncertain, Hasrat believes

Hasrat shares on how the industry continues to

the Group is capitalising be a place where women

on these technological have an equal opportunity

advancements. With to shine. “Building an

IZest implementation emotional connect with

across hotels, they the guests is the key

offer zero-touch check- to success. Women

ins and check-outs, have always had strong

digital invoicing, online emotional intelligence,

payment options and tend to multitask more

QR codes for digital effectively and are more

menus at the restaurants. open to taking feedbacks

“Technological features and learnings. We live

like facial recognition at a time where more

attendance systems, organisations are looking

chatbots and daily at women taking on larger

reports based on artificial Above: Taj Usha Kiran Palace, Gwalior roles and growing so a

intelligence have become a Below: Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa, Uttarakhand message to all women in

way of life,” she says. the hospitality business:

Being in-charge of Believe in yourself, follow

three different regions is challenging for Hasrat but with the your passion, think big and dream to lead,” she adds.

help of group calling platforms, she keeps a tab on each Hasrat enjoys the opportunities her job brings with

property. “Platforms like MS Teams and other group calling it – from meeting people from all walks of life, travelling to

options aid the hybrid work culture. With a geographically amazing places, innovating and building experiences the

diverse portfolio, these have enabled me to stay connected, world treasures. “I enjoy interacting with my colleagues,

have face-to-face meetings and share a laugh while being being creative and empowering teams to achieve goals.

miles apart. It is this same technology that has helped us Each day brings something new to the table – that’s what

consolidate resources. We recently launched a Learning I love the most,” she says.

and Development Hub for the area based out of Agra. With

a team of three managers, we conduct virtual trainings WORDS OF WISDOM

and workshops for all the hotels in the region. This has Being a hotelier, like any profession has its own set of

helped build teamwork, share best practices, enhance challenges but is a highly rewarding experience, shares

team engagement and build camaraderie while helping us Hasrat “My personal belief has been to be enthusiastic, have

increase productivity,” she informs. an eye for detail and a passion to learn and improve every

Hasrat plans to consolidate the reservations set up day. Always be curious and lear n from the experiences and

to enable all teams to work together and facilitate all the people around, add your unique streak to whatever you do

hotels in the region while working out of their home or and never stop believing in yourself,” Hasrat concludes.n

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72

RICARDO D’LIMA

UPTAKE IN
BIZCATIONS AND
WORKCATIONS

FORTUNE MIRAMAR GOA’S GENERAL MANAGER
RICARDO D’LIMA SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT THAT THE

ARR WILL RE TURN TO PRE-COVID DAYS SOON

BY BWH BUREAU

IN THE heart of Panaji city, the capital of Goa, Fortune Miramar
is an ideal destination for the modern-day traveller, offering
guests a place to unwind in absolute comfort. With 45 beautifully
furnished rooms, a fully equipped boardroom and a selection
of dining outlets, the property is located just 200 m from the
Miramar Beach and stands close to casinos and churches.
The hotel offers excellent connectivity to the airport as well
as railway station and provides easy access to other popular
tourist attractions. One of the big advantages is the hotel’s
close proximity to the Central Business District in Panjim. With
an impressive glass facade, Fortune Miramar is a contemporary
hotel that offers a wide range of guest services and facilities to
the new-age traveller.

At the helm of affairs at Miramar Goa is Ricardo D’lima
who as the General Manager ensured during the pandemic
that the guests and hotel employees remained safe. “When the
guests travel to stay with us, they do so because of the trust they
have in the hotel, more specifically the brand. As an attentive
team, we have to forever stay conscious and be receptive to
their needs, stringently following our round-the-clock safety and
hygiene protocols to be able to deliver that perfect experience
that meets their expectations. On the employee front, only a
happy, healthy and motivated staff member can deliver guest
delight and that’s something I have to forever ensure as the
captain of the ship,” says D’lima.

Talking about what drives guests to Fortune Miramar,
D’lima says, “Goa customer base typically comprises corporate

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73

MEET THE GM

WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT
THE AVERAGE ROOM RENT

WILL GO BACK TO THE
PRE-COVID DAYS BY THE

FINANCIAL YEAR END

Fortune Mirarmar Goa

guests, long stayers, leisure and MICE travellers. With work Swimming pool
from home and study at home increasing as an outcome of
the pandemic, we have seen a shift in our business mix with “With the addition of our new state-of-the-art Banquet Enclave,
more long stayers and leisure guests arriving on the weekdays. we offer a season-agnostic solution to a customer’s MICE needs.
Project-related stays from manufacturing and pharma industries He adds that MICE will be a new market segment for Fortune
and government driven infrastructure development is also Miramar Goa as Banquet Enclave spreads over 4,300 sq ft,
growing in the state.” comprises two modern conference halls and a boardroom with
integrated wifi systems, two Ultra HD TVs and a large alfresco
The Fortune Miramar General Manager tells us that the area with retracting rooftop. “We have started marketing it to
biggest USPs of the hotel are the F&B initiatives that have been our source markets and local clientele. Needless to say, we are
redesigned, keeping the pandemic in mind. “Being a leisure getting a great response,” he puts in.
destination, we have extended breakfast hours so that our
guests do not get hassled to rush down from their room for an “As the Goa Government has allowed social, cultural,
early bite. We have customisable meal plans and picnic hampers wedding, meetings and events for up to 50 per cent hall capacity,
that the guests can choose from. As the state opens for tourism, with the approval of the District Magistrate, we are all eager to
the guests can choose from heritage walks and experience a rich capitalise on this benefit. In fact, we are getting routine queries
Goan Portuguese cuisine in a heritage home,” he shares. for remote work stays, holidays, weddings and small social

Last year when Goa opened up for tourism, Fortune
Miramar witnessed occupancy levels go back to the pre-Covid
days with a healthy ADR that helped the hotel deliver a positive
bottom line. “The current occupancy is as per the current industry
trends. We are, however, confident that the ARR will go back to
the pre-Covid days by the financial year end,” says D’lima.

With the number of Covid-19 cases reducing in Goa, there
has been an uptake in staycations, bizcations and workcations.
The Government of Goa has stated that the tourism activities
will be considered after 100 per cent population receives the
first vaccination. “This is a step in the right direction and we are
confident that it will encourage customers to choose Goa as
their preferred destination for remote work stays and holidays.

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RICARDO D’LIMA

WE WILL BE CELEBRATING
OUR FIFTH ANNIVERSARY AND
HAVE A LINE-UP OF FESTIVITIES

PLANNED STARTING
DECEMBER 2021

Orchid, Al-Fresco

Theatre from a one day, weekly, fortnightly or monthly plan offering
set up breakfast, lunch, dinner and healthy menus. We offer free and
in the safe delivery by utilising the hotel valet, vehicles and digital
banquet payments. On weekends, we offer a specially curated meal for
two.”
events ever since we reopened,” says D’lima.
When questioned as to how the pandemic has changed The Fortune Miramar General Manager is confident that
the new banqueting facilities at the hotel will increase its F&B
the revenue equation of rooms, F&B, MICE and weddings at contribution. “Our yearly food promotions are the talk of the town
Miramar Goa, he shares that the 45-room contemporary hotel and will surely drive non-resident customers to our fold. As we
offers a wide range of services to the new-age traveller. “Post- will be soon celebrating our fifth anniversary, we have a line-up
pandemic, we have adapted to take care of the needs of our of festivities planned beginning December 2021,” informs D’lima.
guests with more work space in rooms, increase in internet
bandwidth, laundry services, gourmet in-room dining and a On how he sees the future of the hospitality market in Goa,
space for children to attend class and exams,” he puts in. the General Manager of Fortune Miramar says that domestic
tourism has been driving recovery in India post-pandemic, be
On the F&B front, Miramar Goa’s new initiative, FO.O.D – it revenge travel, long due family vacays WFHs or short breaks.
Fortune on Demand has been well-received, he says, adding, “It “The domestic customer that’s helping business bounce back.
offers guests subscription meal plans with choices of Workout Goa has been one of the most favoured places to drive away
Mornings, Midday Madness, Twilight Indulgences, Morn to Nite, Covid-19 blues and thus has been able to almost maintain
One day Trial and WFH – Work from Home. Guests can choose performance similar to that in the pre-pandemic times. The state
maintains a positive outlook for the months ahead. The key to
this will be to portray Goa as a safe and responsible destination
and the measures taken by the Government of Goa to achieve
this,” he expresses.

Historically, the market has seen healthy foreign tourists
arrivals in most months, with in-bound numbers close to
negligible. The future of tourism in Goa depends on how
international travel opens up. However, for now, domestic leisure
tourism’s attention to Goa is likely to help it bounce back faster
than most leisure destinations.n

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BEYOND BORDERS

‘OVER 30 PER CENT
GUESTS WITH US
ARE INDIANS’

OPTIMISTIC ABOUT
THE FUTURE OF THE
H OS PI TA L I T Y I N D UST RY,
RAJESH RAMDAS,
GENERAL MANAGER,

HYAT T REGENCY
K ATHMANDU, SAYS THERE

HAS BEEN A SURGE IN
THE BOOKINGS AND

RESTAUR ANT BUSINESS IS
FAST PICKING UP TOO

BY BWH BUREAU

WITH THE ease in lockdown, the hospitality industry in
Kathmandu has been picking up slowly though steadily.
Staycations have been on the rise with the guests
preferring to step out and stay at hotels in and around
the valley.

One of the foremost choices for most of them is
Hyatt Regency Kathmandu, an urban resort spread over
37 acres and a tranquil oasis of well-manicured gardens.
Over the past few weeks, there has been a surge in
the booking pattern and the restaurant business is fast
picking up at the property, given the fact that families

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76

HYATT REGENCY KATHMANDU

Presidential Suite Hyatt Regency Kathmandu

and friends were unable to socialise during the period
o f l o c k d o w n . T h e p ro p e r t y ’s o p e n - a i r d i n i n g e x p e r i e n c e
is equally popular among the locals and expat guests.
“We are optimistic about the future and look forward to
the movement from India, especially in the leisure and
corporate segments,” says Rajesh Ramdas, General
Manager, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu.

“The guests love this property for its large expanse
of landscaped garden and the tranquility that surrounds
it. Our patrons also come back for the warm hospitality
which is reflective of the culture in Nepal,” he says.

MAJOR SOURCE MARKETS AND SEGMENTS
“Our major source markets are India, China, the US
and Europe. Movement from these countries are spread
through the year. Leisure, corporate, weddings, MICE and
airline crew form the bulk of our business. We have a lot

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77

BEYOND BORDERS

The Living Room Restaurant Temple Court - Reception

GUESTS LOVE THE our brand website and leverage the Hyatt Hotels in India
PROPERTY FOR ITS to cross promote with the existing sales and marketing
LARGE EXPANSE OF teams. We are also active on online platforms to be visible
LANDSCAPED GARDEN in the digital space for the markets that we service,” he
AND THE TRANQUILITY explains.
THAT SURROUNDS IT
ROLE OF SMART TECHNOLOGY IN REVIVAL
of guests who have been connected to Nepal culturally, OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
spiritually or on the adventure front. Over the years, “ Te c h n o l o g y i s p i v o t a l i n t o d a y ’s t i m e a n d a g e , t h e re b y
many of these guests have been our frequent visitors,” its influence is bound to shape and change our day-to-
shares Ramdas. day experience, even in the hotel industry. Contactless
IMPORTANCE OF INDIA AS A MARKET experiences are being sought to give guest comfort in
“India is a huge market for us in terms of leisure, weddings, their dealings when in a hotel environment. My belief is
MICE and corporate. More than 30 per cent guests come that smart technology will keep evolving with time but it
to us from India and we promote the property through necessarily would not be substantial in helping revive the
industry for now at least,” avers Ramdas.

TOP USPs OF THE PROPERTY
“Unlike other properties, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu
is almost something out of a fairy tale and is difficult
to explain in a few words. Some USPs of the property
include 37 acres of landscaped gardens; largest guest
rooms in the city; The Living Room – The Lounge situated
beside the Chaitya Court in the lobby with indoor and
outdoor seating spaces overlooking the swimming pool
and large expanse of the garden, Rox Restaurant, an all-
day dining restaurant with seating overlooking gardens on
three different levels; 280 rooms and suites with 33,000
sq ft of covered and banqueting spaces, 1.6 km jogging
track around the gardens; the largest pool in the city;
three large tennis courts with seating spaces; organic
f a r m i n g f o r g u e s t c o n s u m p t i o n ; Ta r a g a o n C u l t u r a l C e n t re
& Museum and an amphitheatre,” shares the General
Manager, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu.n

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78

LE MERIDIEN DHAKA

FOCUS ON DOMESTIC
CUSTOMER LOOKING
FOR A STAYCATION

LE MERIDIEN DHAK A’S GENERAL MANAGER
CONSTANTINOS S GAVRIEL SAYS THE HOTEL IS
EXPERIENCING A GROWING DEMAND FOR SOCIAL

GATHERINGS AND GE T-TOGE THERS

Le Meridien Dhaka

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BEYOND BORDERS

BY BWH BUREAU Clockwise from top:
The pool at Le Meridien
IT WAS in the decade of 1980s that the hospitality industry in Dhaka; General
Bangladesh started looking up, with two international hotels Manager Constantinos
– Sonargaon and Hotel Sheraton – entering the Asian nation. S Gavriel; Olea, the
Close to four decades later, till the pandemic wreaked havoc in Mediterranean, Middle
the lives of millions across the world, the hospitality industry in Eastern and Arabic
Bangladesh had witnessed an upward trend, majorly due to the restaurant and Favola,
country having the second largest share of readymade garments the Italian restaurant
in the world. To cater to the international business travellers
landing on Bangladesh soil, global hotel chains forayed into the
country with Le Meridien being one of the most famous names.

Located near the international airport, Le Meridien Dhaka
has benefitted from the increase in the number of business
travellers who entered the country before Covid-19, since
the nation opened its doors in mid-2015. Talking about the
challenges he has faced in managing Le Meridien Dhaka during
these times of uncertainty, General Manager Constantinos
S Gavriel says, “Our business, like the entire hospitality and
travel industry across the world, has been facing challenging
times due to the pandemic. This situation is new to us. Despite
accepting the new normal, we are constantly learning to live
with the new norms. Unfortunately, like many other properties
across the globe, we had to close our hotel for almost six
months last year due to Covid-19. On September 1, 2020,
we resumed operations with new hope and new norms. These
include the latest and most up to date Covid-19 guidelines and
protocols from both Marriott International and the World Health
Organisation.”

But it has been a task to reassure guests about their
safety in the present times? “We want to make sure our guests
and associates feel safe and comfortable when entering
the hotel, by ensuring all safety and cleanliness protocols,
collaborating with the reputed chemical company such as
‘Diversey’ for sanitisation and hygiene measures, limiting the
sitting arrangements in the restaurants, lobby and banquets.
We have strategically placed signages for social distancing,
wearing of masks and other precautionary directions around the
hotel and we make certain everyone is masked at all times,” he
shares.

With over two decades of experience in the hotel industry
and the track record of being a successful General Manager
across Marriott’s various leading properties, how does he set
Le Meridien Dhaka differently as compared to certain competing
brands, Gavriel says that the property has a special place in his
heart. “On the global platform, the Le Meridien brand embraces
diversification through ‘art and culture’ and in our hotel, we have
the same aspiration to mirror local culture and traditions. From
the beginning of my stay in Dhaka, I have been always amazed
to see the acquiescence of the culture from this community. I
believe no other brand has promoted its local culture as much
as we do,” he avers, adding the capital city of Bangladesh is

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80

LE MERIDIEN DHAKA

still in a position of market growth and his commitment to the
property is to ensure excellence in service and offer authentic
curated experience from the moment the guests they enter the
property.

On what drives the Le Méridien Dhaka’s revenue, Gavriel
shares, “During the pre-Covid times, our main target guests
were business travellers and local corporates but the demand
has totally shifted since the beginning of the pandemic. We are
experiencing a growing demand for social gatherings, families
and friends wanting to get together and enjoy those postponed
celebrations. Our guests are also showing more enthusiasm
for smaller wedding arrangements and dine-in at five-star
luxury hotels due to our high compliance of health and safety
protocols. Our Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels delivery services has
been a great success since the start of the pandemic, especially
during the long lockdown periods in Dhaka. When we analyse
the revenue stream today, 60 per cent comes from local F&B
and local events.” This year, the property has witnessed over 40
per cent of occupancy and almost 70 per cent for ARR recovery
versus 2019, he informs.

Exploring technology is one of the most important
emerging trends and extremely relevant in today’s day and age
as it not only helps enhance and ease the guest experience, it is
required from a safety standpoint too, given contactless service
being the norm in the new normal. “In terms of technological
advancement, we are currently using QR codes across all our
restaurant menus, mobile check-ins, and the latest GPNS modern
equipment for wi-fi access, touch-free disinfected appliances
that support and ensure seamless guest experience,” informs
Gavriel. As the borders have closed across many countries and
Covid-19 travel restrictions and international flight suspension
have come into force, Le Meridien Dhaka too witnessed a major
loss of their international corporate business. “Our focus now is
the domestic Bangladeshi customer who is looking for a short
staycation within the city, until international travel resumes. In
addition, we have extensively promoted Marriott Bonvoy on
Wheels Takeaway and Home Delivery services. Apart from that,
we have launched exclusive staycation packages and creatively
arranged dine-in facilities to meet the market demand,” he
shares.

India, says Gavriel, is by far the number one feeder
market for the property across the globe excluding Europe.
“We are happy to host visitors from India in terms of hospitality.
Our two cultures are very similar, and we have so many things
in common thus we reflect that in our hotel’s services. During
the pre-Covid times, we welcomed over 10 per cent guests
from India and made regular sales trips to India to promote our
five-star luxury hotel and services to the corporate and MICE
clients,” he says, adding that during the pandemic the sales
team in Dhaka worked closely with its sales colleagues in India
through the Marriott NSO team to promote Marriott properties
to the entire Indian market. n

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FUTURE IS
SMART HOTELS

BY NAVEEN JAIN THE CONCEPT of luxury has been overturned in the
present times. Till sometime back, we were used to old-
style luxury – chandeliers and butlers, luxurious public
areas and red carpets, servility instead of service and a
lot more. But times have changed rapidly, especially with
the millennials having high levels of “digital expectations”.
For most millennials, luxury is all about creating meaningful
experiences. They look to discover and explore newer
options every hour, minute and second and directly from
their mobile phones. In fact, they reach out for their phones
the first thing in the morning and retire with it later in the
night. And all this while, they use it for everything: from
entertainment to ordering food.

Importance on authenticity, service quality and
personalisation are as sacrosanct as the value and
uniqueness offered on a digital platform, say by a hotel.
Today, “Smart” hotels do not just mean “connected hotels”
as most of them are high on technology, use IoT and AI as
base platforms, and try to showcase that minimalism in
being “smart” is a wrong notion.

HOSPITALITY IS CONNECTED
The current trends in the hotels go beyond free wi-fi and
USB chargers. Guests expect everything to be automated
and voice-controlled. Though the human element is most
essential in the business of hospitality, guests now expect
app-controlled check-ins and check-outs as well as the
room keys. The feel-good factor of guest relations remains
but then the front desks are becoming redundant faster
than one had expected. In the coming years, robotic room
service, interactive maps and way finding devices are likely
to become the new normal.

HOSPITALITY IS INNOVATIVE DESIGN
Over the last few decades, synergies in operations have
been one of the most talked-about subjects. The future
is about identifying “what my business is today”? It
makes no sense to run certain operations – say laundry,

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NAVEEN JAIN

Photograph by Shutterstock However, using natural light, air and other atmospheric
elements; dovetailing heat and air-conditioning, utilising
butchery, bakery, workshops and carpentry as modern stack emissions, zero discharge units and many more
hotels are most likely to have leaner business models such concepts are being worked upon to look at a
without diluting the luxury quotient. The kitchens are situation where we become carbon neutral or even
expected to subsume into one or two levels with most carbon positive. This should not be treated as a CSR
raw materials in processed form and public areas turning activity but as a process which helps us manage our
into showcases for products and services. However, costs better and utilise resources optimally, thus helping
this does not take away the elegance of a restaurant or the stakeholders with higher profitability and becoming
finesse of fine dining at the Michelin Star offerings that viable business units.
make some hotels iconic.
HOSPITALITY IS SAFETY AND SECURITY
HOSPITALITY IS INVENTIVE HUMAN CAPITAL I remember one of the hotel group’s mentioning: “Safety
The most interesting challenge thrown by the ever- and security is our DNA” and it is not without a reason.
evolving times is managing human capital. There are In today’s world, when the stakes are high and the
learnings from every situation – be it hyper-growth threats omnipresent virtually, we, as hoteliers, have to
or The Great Depression. The current scenario has be extra-cautious as we are in the business of giving a
challenged the hoteliers to wade through the existential reassurance to our guests that they are in a safe zone.
crisis. Manpower, one of the three big costs in hospitality We have to graduate from fire drills and guarding to
industrym has to be managed in a much better manner movement-controlled sensors, lockdown protocols, facial
for the future. We have to work towards making the teams recognition profiling, electronic surveillance and much
dynamically crisper. The hierarchies have to flatten, and more. These are capital intensive but result-orientated
shop floor culture has to be engrained. Enhancing the essential expenditures. Thus, the future of hospitality
skill sets to supplement the core team with variable lies in finding a fine balance in old world hospitality and
manpower is the writing on the wall. Productivity driven incorporating technological advancements in this ever-
payroll, gig jobs and relaxing the non-compete clauses evolving world. The hotels have to be super-efficient
are the futuristic thoughts to brood on. whereas the operators have to keep a very strong eye
on the owner’s interests and generate relevant ROI’s with
HOSPITALITY IS CARBON NEUTRAL flexible cost structures.n
With focus on “Saving the Planet”, we witness that
evolved businesses are already talking about the Triple AUTHOR BIO: Naveen Jain, Managing Director,
Bottom-line concept. Being energy efficient, using Nouvelle Knowledge Services
green energy and single use plastic, recycling water
and harvesting and efficient HVAC is the norm today.

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INDIAN HOTEL SECTOR:

FROM RESILIENCE TO
RESURRECTION

BY MANDEEP LAMBA THE INDIAN hotel sector is upbeat, with renewed
prospects of a speedy recovery thanks to the improving
traveller confidence in the last couple of months.
Domestic travel has picked up once again due to fewer
Covid-19 cases, lesser travel-related restrictions across
states, and improving immunisation rate in the country.
People are travelling again to escape the lockdown
blues and work-from-home weariness. Leisure travel is
leading the rebound as weekend getaways to motorable
leisure destinations and ‘staycations’ at luxury properties
in cities have become popular travel options. Business
travel is also regaining ground in some markets. As a
result, hotel occupancy has been increasing month-
over-month in all the major markets since June 2021,
with nationwide occupancy approaching 50 per cent by
end-July 2021.

AN EPITOME OF RESILIENCE
Much has been said and written about the unprecedented
disruption caused by Covid-19 on the Indian hotel
sector. However, as a silver lining, the pandemic also
accelerated certain much-needed changes that will
help the sector to prosper in the future. Hoteliers have
modified their strategies to survive these challenging
times, focussing on cost optimisation, rapid technology
adoption, creating new revenue streams and expanding
into new markets and customer segments. As a result,
following a tumultuous 2020, the year 2021 began on a
positive note, with the Indian hotel sector beginning to
recover gradually.

Just as the sector was beginning to recover, the
second wave of the pandemic wreaked havoc as new
restrictions and lockdowns in numerous states resulted
in weaker demand between March 2021 and May
2021. Nonetheless, the Indian hotel industry has often

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MANDEEP LAMBA

demonstrated resilience, navigating through crises and options to guests. Some hotels, mostly in commercial
turning them into opportunities. centres, partnered with hospitals to provide isolation and
quarantine facilities, which have improved occupancy
Unlike the previous year, when most hotels were but influenced the average room rates in the market.
closed or relied solely on quarantine business, the
hoteliers this time proactively focussed on alternative Unlike the previous lockdown, hoteliers did not
customer segments and ancillary revenue streams to adopt a wait-and-see policy. Instead continued with
weather the storm. Hotels have been curating various their expansion plans, signing smaller properties with
staycations, weekends, workcations, wellness and F&B increased focus on Tier 3 and 4 cities, resulting in a
packages to appeal to a variety of customer segments marginal increase in brand openings and signings by
– frontline workers, couples, multigenerational families, properties as compared to the last year.
couples with young children, groups of friends, corporate
travellers and so on – with some even introducing pet- TIME TO RESURRECT
friendly policies to appeal to pet parents. Hotels are also The sector’s agility in operations has shifted the scales
offering private dining areas with personalised menu in its favour, allowing it to quickly tap into the pent-
up demand once the second wave started ebbing and
restrictions were eased. With the impending festive
season, domestic leisure travel demand, at both popular
and offbeat destinations, is likely to rise significantly in
the next few months.

Recent media reports indicate that tour operators
and hotels are witnessing a 50-70 per cent spike in
bookings for the upcoming festive period as compared
to the previous year. Corporate demand is also improving
gradually as most industries return to a full or hybrid
‘work-from-office’ model and resume their business
travel plans. As a result, we expect the sector to bounce
back to pre-pandemic levels on occupancy by 2022 and
ADR by 2023, provided the next wave, if any, is not as
devastating as the previous one.

OCCUPANCY TO HIT 70 PER CENT IN 2024?
While adapting to the constantly evolving situation has
become the need of the hour, here are some elements
that will help the sector rise and thrive in the post-Covid
world.

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1. Keeping the upbeat travel sentiment alive and in guest rooms — simple aesthetics, use of easy-to-
maintaining traveller confidence are the primary steps in clean/ sanitise, anti-germ materials and floors, and so
the path to revival. The hotel sector has all the required on. Overbuilding and overspending on hotels have long
tools and practices in place for Covid safety. It is about been a concern in the industry, but we now expect that
ensuring that the safety standards are followed by the to change.
employees and guests alike, even when the business 4. Hoteliers who can think out-of-the-box and
is excellent. Safety, cleanliness, and hygiene are here implement unconventional business ideas will stand out.
to stay and even one instance of neglect can threaten For instance, to emerge out of the current crises, some
the entire sector’s reputation and growth. Indian hotel owners may seek long-term repurposing or
2. Embracing technology to elevate hospitality to adaptive reuse for their hotel property which is a growing
the next level, since technology is no longer just an trend globally. Hotel chains may also try diversifying into
enabler. In the last year-and-a-half, technology driven other segments such as vacation rentals and branded
innovations have become a fundamental component homestays.
of hotel operations. Check-in and check-out with 5. Hoteliers should make sustainable practices a
contactless technology, digital menus and contactless primary focus in future since eco-friendly measures
payments are just the beginning. In future, the hotels are now more vital than ever to the travellers. In the
will be designed with smart IoT-enabled guest rooms long run, adopting sustainable practises will help save
to increase guest comfort and experience, with facial money and increase profitability. As we steadily emerge
recognition and biometrics being utilised extensively out from the current crisis, it is vital that all stakeholders
for authentication. Hoteliers will be able to reduce work together to strengthen the sector’s focus on
costs, improve profitability, streamline processes, and sustainability by introducing greener practises.
increase employee productivity through technological In a nutshell, Covid-19 has thrown the sector a few
advancements, while enhancing guest experience and curveballs while also assisting it in reassessing and
personalisation. transforming its operations to face the new reality and
3. Flexible design with increased efficiency is the way shape future growth. The question now is whether we, as
forward for hotels in the post-Covid era as the hoteliers stakeholders, are willing to adapt and make the required
invest in best practices and adopt the necessary changes to help the sector achieve its full potential?n
changes to bounce back stronger post the pandemic.
As hoteliers lift their cleanliness game for the post- AUTHOR BIO: Mandeep S Lamba,
pandemic traveller, we foresee fundamental changes President (South Asia), HVS ANAROCK

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THE KEY IS TO SET
REALISTIC CUSTOMER

EXPECTATIONS AND
THEN NOT TO JUST

MEET THEM, BUT
TO EXCEED THEM —

PREFERABLY IN
UNEXPECTED AND

HELPFUL WAYS.

SIR
RICHARD
BRANSON

GLOBAL VACCINATIONS
PROVIDE A RAY OF HOPE

BY FARHAT JAMAL I BEGIN WITH two stories about the way Covid-19 has
impacted the world. First is my own experience and relates
to my younger daughter who got married in Rhode Island,
USA recently. Our family could not be together physically due
to Covid-19 restrictions on travel, but we logged on for the
celebrations online and raised a toast on the occasion. The
second instance was when a friend in Washington DC, USA,
informed me that he had shifted his office to the Mandarin
Oriental which has converted its standard rooms to a
functional office space. The hotel brand offers a membership
programme and my friend now enjoys an ergonomic chair,
office supplies including a printer and access to the hotel’s
business centre for meetings or Zoom calls. The membership
also includes unlimited use of the hotel’s pool, fitness centre,
spa, storage, and dining. A super-hygienic and safe working
environment. Welcome to the strange new world that we
have all getting accustomed to.

Renting rooms as office space is already in place at
many hotels in India but the shift today for more individuals
and smaller teams to name a few that are ready to avail of
such facilities if priced and marketed attractively must be the
focus. This will fill in the gaps that have arisen from reduced
foreign and local business travellers. Remote working seems
to be here to stay and a shift in strategy to offer corporations
a secure, aesthetically designed and comfortable address to
live and work is a new business opportunity.

Door-delivery businesses like QMin offered by the Taj
is a breakthrough concept which has propped up the top
line for its hotels. It has also created a new customer base
that is seeking quality and choice but is happy to dine in
home comforts. I am sure the same holds true with other
restaurants that are busy with food delivery and suddenly
find their popularity going through the roof. Would it replace
dine-in? I don’t think so but this alternate revenue stream is
here to stay and grow.

Through the last year, we witnessed hotels offering
rooms that were being used to house asymptomatic
Covid-19 patients, either for quarantine or treatment. A
chat with some medical professionals made it evident that
future and existing hotels should look at options of quick
conversion of a hotel room to a hospital room in case of a

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FARHAT JAMAL

severe pandemic and large-scale health emergency. luxury public hotel, as quoted by Samantha Conti in WWD,
Dr Ahmad Mecklai, founder of Mumbai-based AAA says, “There is no longer the need to make small talk or sit
and have a glass of champagne while being checked-in or
Healthcare, is one of its strong proponents. “If newly built checked-out. People don’t want that anymore. They want
hotels could have medical oxygen pipelines built in, the to get up to their room as fast as possible and not stop by
corridors and room floors adopt new flooring materials, the front desk.” The technology, he explains, needs to add
the elevators and room doors stretcher-friendly and the to the experience. I agree with Ian as the new-age guest
housekeeping pantries on floors be designed in a way wishes to spend minimal time in public areas and more time
that can be switched to nursing staff stations overnight, in his room or in open spaces if available at the property.
it would be a successful business model. The key is to
keep the intrinsic character of a comfortable hotel room However, the world is still in a wait and watch mode
rather than a hospital. Situations like the current health and the situation is still dynamic. So, it is hard to predict
emergency created globally by Covid-19 has forced us to when cross-border travel will return to normal and what
think more creatively in order to deal with crises. It’s an kind of regulations will be enforced for travellers to have a
idea worth pondering on,” he said. pleasurable experience.

According to hotel designer Jean-Michel Gathy, According to UNWTO, about 100 to 120 million jobs
“Post-pandemic, hotel rooms will have less bling, less are at risk and a loss of 1.3 trillion in tourism export revenues
fanfare and will opt for a more minimal and sanitary in 2021 over previous year. The redeeming factor is the
experience. For some hotels, expect that to be reflected in nations having realised that vaccinating a large percentage
their room design, including antimicrobial surfaces, even of the population at breakneck speed will play a major role
special resins used on the floors and walls (which prevent in global tourism recovery. We have to draw hope and
viruses from sticking) as well as auto-cleaning metals in optimism from the images of full stadia during Euro 2020.
bathrooms,” as quoted by Phil Butler in his recent piece
in Argophilia. Even Tokyo Olympics, though without spectators,
will go down in history as one of the most spectacular
Much has been written about technology and its games ever held in very trying conditions, both at home
use in hotel businesses, whether it is contactless check-in and globally. Not all is lost and the road to recovery does
and check-out or digital room keys where the guests can not look as long and bumpy as it seemed at the beginning
completely skip the hotel reception and use his phone as of this year.n
a digital key. The growing trend is being noticed globally
and in India too, most guests want minimum contact with AUTHOR BIO: Farhat Jamal, Chairman – Travel,
hotel staff through their stay. Tourism and Hospitality Committee, IMC Chamber of

Studio 54’s Ian Schrager, founder of New York City’s Commerce & Industry

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HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN
BECOME A TRUE ENABLER

BY SABY FERNANDES THE UNPRECEDENTED onset of the Covid-19 pandemic
has had widespread and severe impact on the hospitality
industry. According to UNWTO, the pandemic is the biggest
crisis in the history of tourism and has led to an 85 per cent
drop in international tourist arrivals compared to 2019.
Despite the unexpected downfall, the Hospitality Global
Market Report 2021: Covid-19 Impact and Recovery to
2030 predicts the hospitality market to grow to $4,132.5
billion in 2021. Incorporating technologies that transform a
customer’s journey into a safe and memorable experience
while achieving operational improvements and cost savings
will be the catalyst for this growth.

GOING CONTACTLESS
Contactless technology was on the rise even before the
pandemic, given the increase in mobile technologies.
Covid-19 accelerated this adoption rate, making it mandatory
for hospitality organisations to incorporate it. By late 2020,
71 per cent travellers preferred hotels offering self-service
technology that minimised contact with the staff.

Providing a pre-arrival experience with a contact-
free check-in and check-out is now the new standard since
a physical front desk is a converging point for all guests and
hence a high-risk point of contamination. Integrating mobile
and web-based platforms allows hospitality organisations
to manage bookings and create guest profiles remotely.
Mobile room keys provide guests an assurance of safety,
with 46 per cent travellers stating that a mobile key solution
is an important on-property feature.

Simple contactless technologies like QR code
scans and mobile payments can play a significant role in
re-establishing guest confidence. According to McKinsey,
‘mobile commerce’ is expected to reach 70 per cent by
2022, hinting that mobile payment facilities will inevitably
become a common guest expectation. This will be further
accelerated by the risks that exchanging physical cards
and cash pose in a pandemic era. In addition to facilitating
easy check-in and payments, incorporating QR codes
can allow the hospitality organisations to further reduce
physical touchpoints. From room service catalogues to
restaurant menus, placing QR code tent cards that guests
can scan or dynamic QR codes to scan from tablets,
dynamic e-menu links at check-in to guest phones can

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SABY FERNANDES

provide both safety and convenience. more important than ever.
Digital e-menu options offer a simple and effective ROBUST B2C CRM
A reliable B2C CRM system will surely enable hospitality
alternative to eliminate the need to sanitise physical organisations to manage personalised connections with
catalogues and menus before and after each use. Digital guests, building the brand loyalty essential for the pandemic
engagements that started off as a concentration of era. A CRM solution can be used to create comprehensive
customer service to ensure the new norms of touchless guest profiles from the information collected through the
was seen being extended to hotel associates ensuring contactless tech and also assist hotels analyse guest
the hotel environment is safe for both the guests and staff feedback. It can keep track of guest preferences not only
with the use of technology. Converting existing normal or while they are in their room but throughout the property,
biometric smart attendance terminals can be adapted to from bars to gift shops.
accommodate face recognition and temperature sensing
without any touch. This gives the staff as well guests a These insights are invaluable when creating a
sense of comfort that they are in a safer environment. personalised experience, and Deloitte found that guests who
receive personalised attention are 29 per cent more likely to
POWERFUL ONLINE PRESENCE share positive reviews. In an era where physical interactions
In today’s digitally driven world, having strong online are reduced, such personalisation is crucial in building guest
presence is crucial when attracting guests. A research by
Trivago, prior to the pandemic, found that the hotels with engagement. Many CRMs can connect emails with social
optimised online profiles received up to 2.4 times more media profiles, allowing seamless management of online
attention and led to a 171 per cent increase in bookings. reputation. Given the importance of a positive reputation,
As lockdowns kept people confined to their homes, social incorporating a CRM solution that can integrate with third-
media saw an unprecedented surge. More and more party reputation management software will allow hospitality
travellers began researching destination facts as well as organisations to create better presence in the pandemic era.
hotel details before booking. Social media presence, hotel
website and online review all play a key role in attracting The hospitality sector saw a massive change in
guests post-pandemic. Social media is an excellent tool guest sentiments, and in the pandemic era, they must
for the hotel to share visual content, be it photos or videos. be ready to accommodate hygiene-concerned guests
Travellers can get an idea about the ambience of the hotel hinging on mobile interaction. Hence, incorporating the
and maybe even communicate with the hotel staff prior to right technology will be invaluable in enabling hospitality
booking to ensure a perfect stay. Since the past months organisations to navigate through the pandemic era.n
were an avalanche of nasty surprises, post-pandemic
guests would prefer to be better informed and be able to AUTHOR BIO: Saby Fernandes, Hospitality
fine-tune their experiences. Industry Expert in IT

Researching online reviews is the next step for
travellers when determining the value of a hotel since it offers
real-experience perspectives of a location. Operating in the
pandemic era, it is important for hospitality organisations
to set clear KPIs and turn customer feedbacks into action
points. The hotel’s website and mobile apps are the best
places to inform potential guests of the health and safety
measures undertaken by the hotel.

A total of 18 per cent customers feel comfortable
to travel to a destination and stay at a hotel when that
destination has fewer Covid-19 cases and can test, trace
and isolate them. Since studies show that traveller’s
emotions such as worry impact their perception of risk,
hotels can make accurate and up-to-date information
available through their websites. Such measures will not
only boost overall traveller confidence but positively affect
the brand confidence. Given that direct sales through hotel
websites increased by 300 per cent within the past year,
maintaining an attractive and updated website is now

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F&B WORLD

I DO some eavesdropping sometimes, FOOD denatured, artificially flavoured and
more so when the keywords from the devoid of vital food values. Nutrients
conversations fall on my ears, and even left post-processing, storage and

more when it is Gen Z, the generation FOR transportation are poor substitutes for
of future chefs, that’s talking. Can’t HEALTHY natural ‘wholesomeness’. Good nutrition
help sharing what I recently heard. is vital for maintaining good health,
particularly in this Covid-era when the
“I’m using hibiscus because it is body is combating infection and one
rich in vitamins and promotes weight loss needs more energy and fluids. Hence,
and rose because it is the queen of flowers. it is pivotal to fuel the system with the
It also improves menstrual health.” right amount of nutrients more than one
usually needs. Always eat a diet high in
“I’m making an ashwagandha
marinara sauce. Ashwagandha is the most

important herb in Ayurveda and helps LIVING immune-boosting nutrients which help in
increase strength and manages stress.” maintaining health and wellness.

“I’m planning to use ingredients FOODS TO BOOST IMMUNITY
like whole wheat flour, extra virgin olive

oil, homemade rose extract, dried rose Citrus fruits and greens, nuts, seeds

powder, naturally extracted beetroot and greens, green tea, fish and eggs,

colour, basil, brown sugar, Himalayan probiotics, garlic, walnut, shellfish

pink salt, turmeric, tomatoes and fresh and poultry products boost the

mozzarella for my dish.” immune system. We also can’t ignore

This makes me ponder, wonder, ashwagandha, turmeric, tulsi, triphala,

and introspect. Are the chefs of today chyawanprash, gulkand, amla, kadhas

at par with the budding professionals? and lehyams, traditionally from India,

Are we consciously thinking about becoming household names all over

menus and what we put on the plate? the world due to their immunity

Are we there or do we need to take the boosting qualities.

first step towards making that change?

Should the dishes appeal only to the AYURVEDIC CUISINE

senses or is there more to it? Ayurveda believes in the teachings of

Dhanwantari, the Lord of Medicine and

YOU ARE ‘WHAT YOU EAT AND Ayurveda, that connects the mind and

WHAT YOU DON’T EAT!’ body with what we eat. Food is said

Foods harm and foods heal! “Your to nourish, nurture and heal the soul

food shall be your medicine,” said and uplift it for the wellbeing of a living

Hippocrates II, Greek physician and being. In Ayurvedic cuisine, food is

the Father of Medicine. This maxim is prepared on the principles of Ayurveda,

relevant even today. Over the years, man which is, in turn, based on the balance

got divorced from Nature and its rich, of Nature. More importantly, Ayurveda

beautiful bounty. Preserved, treated, is a comprehensive system of healing

refrigerated, embalmed, processed, and wellness that arises from the

loaded with chemicals, and pasteurised universal wisdom embodied.

food items are being promoted, making BY CHEF DAVINDER KUMAR In cooking, Ayurvedic wisdom

them commercialised. Such foods comes home when Nature, in her great

can never substitute wholesome and generosity, offers herself most fully to

natural food. us, letting us touch, taste and smell

Undoubtedly, this distance from Nature has deprived the while converting every day meals into delights of nourishing

present generation of farm-fresh food to meet man’s nutritional balance and healing. The aim is to ensure equilibrium or

needs. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, regular homeostasis that we usually refer to as balance that makes it

exercise and positive attitude are essential for the overall important for us to eat food sensibly and with lot of jurisdiction

health and wellness. and right preferences.

Most food, especially popular convenience foods, are Ayurveda categorises food into three main parts: Sattvic,

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CHEF DK

Rajasik and Tamasic which decide the type of food one must
intake to upkeep their health. Food also, in turn, affects the
mind and behaviour of the people consuming it, leading to them
being classified into three gunas or qualities that they possess:
Sattoguni (goodness, calmness, harmonious), Rajoguni
(passion, activity, movement) and Tamoguni (ignorance, inertia
and laziness).

AYURVEDIC DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR
PRESERVING HEALTH
It is believed that Ayurvedic concepts of nutrition and the
dietary guidelines worked out according to individual prakritis
or doshas which is the natural constitution of the body ie vata,
the naturally slim ones; kapha, the ones with slow metabolism
and pitta, the ones with fast metabolism, offer a scientifically
searched and practical schedule for promoting or preserving
a healthy lifestyle. This healthy lifestyle helps us balance
professional as well as personal life and preserves our health
to fight against diseases.

Ayurvedic cooking is all about guiding principles of
basic food combinations rather than rules.
• Enjoy Nature and live with it
• Live by the seasons as you benefit from Nature’s healing
balance
• Opposites attract and heal. In other words, the doshas like
their qualities that perpetuate them
• Ayurveda helps cultivate one’s vital essence
• Food needs to be light, easily digestible and based on the
season
• Spices help create a balance among the doshas
• Cooked food is considered easier to digest and has more
flavour than raw food

PLANT-BASED FOOD, THE NEW FACE OF HEALTHY
LIVING
Plant-based diet not only includes fruits and vegetables but
nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans which provide all the
essential carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals
for optimal health. Proper nutrition and hydration are vital. You
should eat a variety of fruits and unprocessed food every day to
get vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, proteins and antioxidants
for your body needs. Drink enough water, eat moderate amount
of fats and oils and eat less salt and sugar.

A caveat for the fraternity of chefs. Now is the time for
revival, now is the time to go back to our roots and browse through
our scriptures and bring those findings to our kitchens and apply
them to all that we cook. It is time to reinvent menus and cook
sensibly. It is time to cook for health, nutrition and sustainability.n

AUTHOR BIO: Davinder Kumar, Vice President –
F&B (Production), Hotel Le Meridien New Delhi and

President, Indian Culinary Forum

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ON A JOURNEY OF
TRANSFORMATION

DEV AMRITESH, MANAGING DIRECTOR, COMPASS
INDIA, SAYS TECH SOLUTIONS THAT DELIVER

SEAMLESS, ENHANCED EXPERIENCES HAVE BECOME
AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FOOD E XPERIENCE

BY BWH BUREAU Earlier this year, Compass India acquired a majority
stake in SmartQ, a B2B food-tech and aggregator
ONE OF the world’s largest catering conglomerates serving platform, that provides transformative digital technologies
healthcare, education, sports, entertainment, restaurants, to create engaging cafe experiences. Compass India will
refreshment services, offshore and remote sites along use SmartQ’s technology solutions such as mobile app for
with other business and industries, Compass Group PLC’s food ordering at workplace, self-ordering kiosks, cashier-
India wing, Compass India has been servicing the Indian less cafeteria, Point-of-Sale (PoS) solutions and Cloud-
workplace, healthcare and education market since 2008 with controlled Intelligent Menu Display Systems to transform
operations across 450-plus client locations in the country. the way people interact at on-site restaurants, enabling
employees to browse menus, pay and collect more flexibly
“We, at Compass India, are on a journey of and enhance their food at work experience.
transformation, building operational capability, product
leadership, technology, and a culture based on the values “As India prepares to return to office, we have
of collaboration, outperformance and problem-solving. We introduced the SafeSphere programme to address the
focus on innovation and development to design relevant heightened focus and need on personal and food safety,
foodservice concepts and solutions to nourish workplaces hygienic office environment and sensitised service staff.
and aid the transition to better workplace food habits and The programme has been built to support organisations in
choices,” says Dev Amritesh, Managing Director, Compass taking care of the health and wellbeing of their employees
India. He adds that the company’s sector-focussed business through an adaptable and customisable programme of food,
verticals give its clients access to differentiated food, safety and hygiene solutions,” says he.
technology and service solutions, leveraging global best
practices and India-specific innovations. SafeSphere brings disruptive models of working and
innovation around serving meals across the company’s client
ADOPTING SMART BUSINESS TECHNIQUES locations. The innovations include app-based innovations
“The workforce in India today is increasingly made up of that help decongest cafeterias by allowing employees to
people who have either grown up or are deeply accustomed book their seats in the café with Compass India’s Café-
to personal technology. They are our core consumers and are Pass feature. Other features such as pre-order click and
driving a change in the way we operate contract food services collect later that helps in decongesting queues at cafes.
to meet their needs. Tech solutions that deliver seamless and “Employees can get desk delivery and several other similar
enhanced experiences like menu discovery, pre-ordering, features that have been developed to provide convenience
payment and post-order support have become an increasingly and safety. The programme enables Reimagining Workplace
important part of the food experience at workplace,” shares Food Services – what’s next scalability, quality of food,
Amritesh. contactless food delivery mechanisms amidst the changing
consumer behaviour,” adds Amritesh.

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COMPASS INDIA

COMPASS INDIA BELIEVES IN ADAPTING TO NEWER
MODELS OF WORKING, EMBRACING DIGITAL,
CONTACTLESS ORDERING AND INNOVATION

SafeSphere also encompasses enhanced safety more mainstream post-Covid and leaders will see them
standards and protocols, multi-channel employee hygiene more as sites for promoting shared human experiences and
communications, employee readiness through Covid-19 har nessing collective human energy. For this to happen,
training modules, employee personal protective equipment, office spaces may need to become more flexible and social.
and enhanced employee health checks. “We want to be at The role of the office cafeteria will perhaps be far more
the forefront of this change, continually leading innovation important than ever before. “From being a place where
and reinventing our service and experience model with deep one went for lunch during a break, the cafeteria is now an
understanding of our consumer and client needs and using opportunity to become a collaboration hub and from being
technology to solve problems that have not been solved a fixed-day part space to an all-day part space,” he says,
before,” Amritesh has us know. adding he also sees an evolution in workplace food and a
faster move towards health and wellness.
Amritesh is of the belief that the offices will become
“We can now notice an enhanced focus on
personal safety, food, and hygiene – from the way it is
served, sourced, and prepared. Food today is getting
more functional and interesting and less about simple
indulgence. Being at the forefront of this change, Compass
India believes in adapting to newer models of working,
embracing digital, contactless ordering, and innovation
around the food itself including creative and smart choice
of ingredients that promote wellness and well-being of
each employee,” he puts in.

COVID-19 IMPACTING BUSINESS
It goes without saying that the pandemic has been
unfortunate for everyone. With offices being shut, the
corporate food services sector has been impacted.
Compass India has focussed on an amplified business
model to provide enhanced solutions in this altered
environment as well as focus on new and emergent
sectors and solutions to broaden our addressable market.
“It was important to explore ways to address fears and
win back trust. Our commitment towards quality and
hygiene standards in kitchens and service offerings
stands tall, allowing more visibility and guarantee to our
clients and consumers, as they begin to move back to
their workplaces,” shares Amritesh.

MANAGEMENT MANTRA
“Focus on solving problems through technology and
building a performance culture that drives transformation
and growth has been a focus area. I’m a believer in the
need for imagination and innovation in business and am
passionate about people,” he shares.n

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F&B WORLD

FSIRHEEAPNLDAYJSUGWGITLHES
WITH BOTTLES

NOT JUST MIXING UP DRINKS TO SATISF Y YOUR TASTE
BUDS, AMI SHROFF HAS A LOT OF TRICKS STACKED UP

IN H ER SL EE V ES TO IM PR ESS YOU V ISUA L LY

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AMI SHROFF

BY PRERNA LAMBA a fair bartender, a mixologist and a performing artiste.
“When I’m visiting new places as a freelancer, the bar is
THE ART of juggling objects against gravity is what stirred different every time and that is one of the most exciting
Ami Shroff ’s interest towards flair bartending. During her parts of this field,” she puts in.
undergraduate years, she first developed an inclination
towards performing arts with objects through Karate WALKING IN AMI SHROFF’S SHOES
Nunchaku (sticks) and later, during her graduation years, Shroff lists out the three qualities to hone the art of flair
while working as a hostess at an event to earn extra pocket bartending: balance, multitasking and experimenting.
money, she met a bartender who was flair bartending “Understanding balance is most important because you
which Shroff found fascinating. “I asked him if I could are balancing multiple objects and are in a performance
assist him behind the bar and showed the moves I had yourself. Balance in mixology is extremely important. It is
picked up from a movie where Tom Cruise had indulged also about balance of flavours and ingredients and finding
in the act. This was back in 2003 when there were only a the right proportions,” she explains.
few women bartenders but none of them was into into flair
bartending,” shares Shroff. The next key quality of a flair bartender is multitasking.
“It improves your hand-eye coordination, dexterity, being
She started her journey by assisting flair bartenders
which paved the way for her to become the first woman flair
bartender in the country. T ill now, Shroff has performed at
over 20 destinations across the world.

But back in early 2000s, it wasn’t easy for Shroff
to make a place for herself and get successful in a male-
dominated domain. But with supportive parents and friends
around, she proved that a profession has no gender. “In
2009, there were a handful of women who visited bars
and my parents were forever concer ned about my safety.
Initially, I hid the fact that I was working behind the bar
but once they saw me live in action, they supported me
because they realised I was good at what I was doing,”
she says, adding, “But my dad would keep a check on
who I was working for and sometimes did background
check to ensure I was safe. He has played a major role in
looking after me and making me comfortable to start my
jour ney.”

Shroff believes one should be given the freedom
to experiment in life. “It can either turn into a career or
it can be a fun learning experience. Freedom opens up
opportunities for individuals,” she feels.

Getting inspired from Nature, music and arts, Shroff
gets hooked on to trying new things and challenging herself
to inculcate it into her profession. Looking up to Nicholas
St John and Alexander Stefano, she says, “Watching
John’s flare style and Stefano creating new things every
other day as also other flair bartenders is what ignites my
c r e a t i v i t y. ”

Talking about what she loves the most about her job,
Shroff says, “Being in control behind the bar and my space
where I’m the person in charge. That barrier is what the bar
is known for. It’s a barrier between me and the rest.” She
also points out other things like meeting people, playing
with ingredients and flavours, experimenting, creativity,
performance.

Attention is what Shroff enjoys the most about being

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F&B WORLD

THE KEY AGENDA SHOULD BE making a simple pour, add a little trick to make your work
TO VISUALLY IMPRESS YOUR more fun as well,” she puts in.

GUESTS AND AUDIENCE. For aspiring bartenders and mixologists, she says
EVEN IF YOU ARE MAKING that there are bartending schools across India where
A SIMPLE POUR A LITTLE one can pursue a course to to become a mixologist or a
TRICKIER THAN THAT SIMPLE bartender. There are courses specialising in wines or spirits
PART, THAT MAKES YOUR or beer and brewing. One can analyse what their calling is
WORK MORE FUN AS WELL and go with the flow, she advises. But Shroff learned it the
hard way, before work, after work and during work while
alert, being out there, being in the moment and being in on the job behind the bar but for young aspirants she says,
the now. That is something which I think flair bartenders “The simplest approach is to learn it from a school and
need to inculcate and develop,” says Shroff. then master the art on the job because there’s so much to
lear n practically on the job and from the inter net. There’s
The third quality is creativity or ways to experiment so much creativity out there on the inter net and it’s best
and try something new. “The key agenda should be to to observe something you like and then try it out yourself.”
visually impress guests and audiences. Even if you are
IF NOT A FLAIR BARTENDER…
As a curious child, Shroff had many other things she
aspired to be in her early ages that she thinks can still be
accomplished. “There was a phase when I was interested in
mountaineering and trekking. I wanted to surf, skateboard
and highline. I still want to do those things. Maybe I would
be a person building tree houses and mud homes. I want
to incorporate these little things in my life even while I’m a
flair bartending,” says Shroff.

THE FUTURE
In the coming years, Shroff sees herself alive, happy,
healthy, exploring new places and practicing in a more
sustainable way. “If I do have a cafe or bar space, I will
make it as sustainable as possible. It will be a zero waste
bar and that’s a concept I’m working on. I hope to get
more refined in it in the next five years,” she concludes.n

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STUDIO HBA

CELEBRATING CULTURE
AND CRAFTSMANSHIP

Port Muziris BY ABHISHEK MATHUR
Kochi, a Tribute
Portfolio Hotel THE USE of the term ‘smart’ hotels seems to be
synonymous with the rise of the IoT (Internet of Things)
innovation in the hospitality industry. While there are clear
advantages of adapting these technologies towards the
operational aspect of the hospitality industry, its impact
from a design-led guest experience remains largely
unexplored. We explore this issue through the lens of our
hospitality design experience at Studio HBA and attempt
to offer an alternative interpretation of a ‘smart’ hotel
within this context.

WHAT IS A ‘SMART’ HOTEL?
A ‘smart’ hotel generally refers to a hotel which makes
use of connected devices that can communicate or interact
with one another. This allows guests to control multiple
devices from a single control point which can be a remote
control, a smart phone, a tablet or a smart speaker. These
devices are often also able to find and relay information
from the internet, allowing them to interact with guests and
respond to requests.

Customised IoT solutions for hotels include devices
such as smart lighting which guests can control with an
app on their phones or a smart thermostat that guests can
programme for maximum comfort during night or daytime.
Automated smart door lock is a significant security feature
possible in an IoT hotel room. Instead of using a key that
could be lost or stolen, the guests staying in a smart room
with IoT-enabled door locks can use a secure app on their
phone to unlock the door.

From operational perspective, hotel owners and
operators benefit greatly from the data collection possible
with IoT hotel rooms. For example, IoT-enabled sensors
can provide real-time data about individual rooms —
data such as occupancy information, lighting and energy
consumption, plumbing systems and water usage which
can help them optimise operations.

ROLE OF DESIGN IN A ‘SMART’ HOTEL
Along with the change in technology, there has been a rapid
change in guest behaviour and their expectations from a

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ARCHITECT & DESIGN

Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik Abhishek Mathur

hotel. Travellers today are looking to explore and discover
authentic expressions of local culture to enrich themselves
and foster a deeper relationship with the spaces around
them. At the same time, the pandemic has forced people
to rethink their views on hygiene, ecology and carbon-
laden habits. In the above context, one of the strategies
that we, at Studio HBA, use is to think about the guest
experience in a holistic manner. This means that we work
with all stakeholders to rethink the guest experience at the
pre-check-in, check-in and post check-in stages through
a design-led narrative. By working with the ownership to
develop a Brand DNA for the property, we help establish
the core ethos of the hotel property and work cohesively
with the graphics team to communicate it clearly with the
target demographic.

A great example of this approach is the Port Muziris
Hotel in Kochi which is the first Tribute Portfolio Hotel by
Marriott in Asia. We worked with the owners and operators
to create a meaningful design narrative through our designs
to celebrate the local culture, history, materiality and
craftsmanship. During check-in, guests can relax in a living
room style seating while the hotel staff check them in with

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