HOTELS NEWS  BACK

HOTEL BUSINESS HEADS FOR NORTHERN MUMBAI: The action has shifted from south Mumbai to the north. In north Mumbai alone there are 21 hotels big hotels - seven of them are clustered around Mumbai’s International Airport - with 4,555 rooms. In contrast, south Mumbai has six hotels, including the Taj, the Oberoi and the Intercontinental, with 2,040 rooms.

LEELA HOTELS TO ADD 3 NEW HOTELS: Leela Palace and Resorts, the reputed chain of hotels in the country, has drawn up ambitious plans to set up three hotels in Chennai, Udaipur and Delhi within the next three years. The hotel at Udaipur will have 200 rooms while the ones in Delhi and Chennai will have 300 rooms each. The Leela group has now three hotels in Mumbai, Goa and Bangalore. Besides, the chain plans an International Convention Centre in Mumbai with an investment of Rs 350 crore. Website www.leelahotels.com

ROYAL HOME OF MAHARAJA OF PILIBHIT NOW NAINI RESORT: The old world charm of the Naini Retreat is intact, with all the modern amenities added on. The resort has the 100-year-old Raj Bhawan Golf Course attached. Special cultural evenings feature traditional Kumaoni artists. The resort has recently been restored. In the shadow of the Himalayas the retreat overlooks the Naini Valley. The famous Nainital Lake with the highest sailing club in the world (so it is claimed) is an added attraction especially during the summer when tourists swarm Nainital.

SHREYAS RESORT, BANGALORE OPENS: With a School of lifestyle management set in a 25-acre farm, landscaped into a garden retreat has opened near Bangalore with facilities of a lecture hall for 40 people, yoga hall, amphitheatre jogging track, swimming pool, steam gym complete the picture. Living accommodation is available for up to 25 persons in luxurious cottages and tents. It has been set up by Mr. Pawan Malik who worked as an investment banker.

FERNHILL PALACE, OOTY GETS A FACELIFT: Mysore’s former Maharaja has converted his 120-year-old summer place into a tourist resort. The 50-acre Fernhills Palace set in spacious lawns, gardens and tea plantations has been restored. US$ 8 million (Rs. 350 million were spent to restore the palace to its old world charm. In 1883 the present prince’s grandfather bought it from its British owner and used it as his summer resort. It’s gothic façade is reminiscent of a European Castle. Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wodeyar (the 26th prince of Mysore) has tied up with Welcomheritage to operate this palace as a luxury resort.

TAJ LUXURY APARTMENTS IN BOMBAY: The Taj Group of Hotels will be opening its first luxury apartments in India. Taj Wellington Mews, located in downtown Colaba will be the Indian Hotels Ltd’s fourth property in Bombay other three being Taj Palace and Towers, Taj Land’s End and Hotel President. The circular shaped building is 18 storey high and houses 80 fully furnished apartments.

WELCOMHERITAGE ADDS THREE MORE PROPERTIES: WelcomHeritage India’s largest heritage chain has added three more properties increasing its tally to thirty-six. The three new additions are in the states of Uttaranchal, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Ramgarh Cottage at the writer’s haunt, Ramgarh, Uttaranchal. Ramgarh located just beyond Nainital, has over the years acquired a heritage image with writers and budding authors using it as a base, to write their award-winning publications. Ramgarh Cottage is a mountain lodge poised at a vantage position, offering spectacular view of the Himalayas.

The second, addition to the chain is “Ranjit’s Svaasa” at Amritsar. A heritage haveli with a modern spa and a distinguished history, it dates back to the time of the legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The third addition to the chain is a group of heritage houseboats in the Nagin Lake, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir are the Gurkha Houseboats.  BACK