Rajasthan, which commands the highest average daily room rates in the country thanks to billionaire weddings, is set to get more luxury properties with several chains set to open high-end hotels.
“Udaipur had about 500 five-star luxury rooms till last year. As many as 650 rooms have been added this year alone through luxury launches by chains such as Accor, Wyndham and IHCL, and about 700 more could come up in the next one and a half years,” said Alka Group MD Rishit Bhandari. The group operates four hotels in the city, including the Lakend Hotel and the Jaisamand Island Resort.
Udaipur recently hosted the no-expenses-spared wedding of Indian-American heiress Netra Mantena with Vamsi Gadiraju, with the guest list ranging from Jennifer Lopez to Donald Trump Jr. “We have signed a letter of intent with a leading international chain for a new luxury brand in the city,” said Bhandari. “We are also in talks with an international brand for a property in Jawai.”
His grandfather had launched Hotel Alka, one of the city’s first, in 1962. It’s been demolished and replaced with a Ginger, part of the Indian Hotels Co stable, and run on a lease and revenue share model. He said state offers substantial subsidies for hoteliers, which explains why more chains are looking at expansion. “There is no sales tax for seven years, and with the subsidies, the registration costs can reduce by up to 75%,” he said. “The tourism policy came out in 2017, but a lot of on ground implementation is happening now.”
Alcohol licences are also getting easier — they used to be given for a minimum 20 rooms; that’s now down to 10.
Increased Global Focus
Wyndham will launch its first luxury hotel in India, the Wyndham Grand, in Udaipur this week. People familiar with the matter said Marriott International, which launched its first luxury hotel in Udaipur this year, is in talks with developers for more such projects in the city. Its key openings for this year and the next include The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa and the JW Marriott Ranthambore Resort & Spa. “With such high-stakes weddings and guest lists, there is certainly more interest in Rajasthan now and increased global focus,” said Atul Dangayach, MD of Dangayach Group. “Roughly 30-40% of our revenues are coming from weddings compared to 20-25% previously.”
Dangayach owns the Marriott hotel in Udaipur and has properties in Jaipur and Jaisalmer. He will also launch the Hilton Group’s first Waldorf Astoria in India in Jaipur and is planning more hotels in that city as well as Udaipur, Ranthambore and Pushkar. The group owns properties run by ITC Hotels, Accor and Radisson Hotel Group. Rajasthan has emerged as one of the most important luxury and “upper upscale” growth corridors for Radisson Hotel Group, said Nikhil Sharma, MD and COO, South Asia. “In the last three years, our footprint has grown from eight hotels to five additional branded properties across Kumbhalgarh, Mount Abu, Udaipur, Jawai and Nathdwara,” he said. The chain’s upcoming openings include the 339-key Mahakavya Udaipur, a Radisson Collection Resort & Spa, the 200-key Radisson Collection Resort & Spa Jaipur and the 234-key Radisson Hotel Nathdwara Stadium.
“Udaipur had about 500 five-star luxury rooms till last year. As many as 650 rooms have been added this year alone through luxury launches by chains such as Accor, Wyndham and IHCL, and about 700 more could come up in the next one and a half years,” said Alka Group MD Rishit Bhandari. The group operates four hotels in the city, including the Lakend Hotel and the Jaisamand Island Resort.
Udaipur recently hosted the no-expenses-spared wedding of Indian-American heiress Netra Mantena with Vamsi Gadiraju, with the guest list ranging from Jennifer Lopez to Donald Trump Jr. “We have signed a letter of intent with a leading international chain for a new luxury brand in the city,” said Bhandari. “We are also in talks with an international brand for a property in Jawai.”
Alcohol licences are also getting easier — they used to be given for a minimum 20 rooms; that’s now down to 10.
Increased Global Focus
Wyndham will launch its first luxury hotel in India, the Wyndham Grand, in Udaipur this week. People familiar with the matter said Marriott International, which launched its first luxury hotel in Udaipur this year, is in talks with developers for more such projects in the city. Its key openings for this year and the next include The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa and the JW Marriott Ranthambore Resort & Spa. “With such high-stakes weddings and guest lists, there is certainly more interest in Rajasthan now and increased global focus,” said Atul Dangayach, MD of Dangayach Group. “Roughly 30-40% of our revenues are coming from weddings compared to 20-25% previously.”
Dangayach owns the Marriott hotel in Udaipur and has properties in Jaipur and Jaisalmer. He will also launch the Hilton Group’s first Waldorf Astoria in India in Jaipur and is planning more hotels in that city as well as Udaipur, Ranthambore and Pushkar. The group owns properties run by ITC Hotels, Accor and Radisson Hotel Group. Rajasthan has emerged as one of the most important luxury and “upper upscale” growth corridors for Radisson Hotel Group, said Nikhil Sharma, MD and COO, South Asia. “In the last three years, our footprint has grown from eight hotels to five additional branded properties across Kumbhalgarh, Mount Abu, Udaipur, Jawai and Nathdwara,” he said. The chain’s upcoming openings include the 339-key Mahakavya Udaipur, a Radisson Collection Resort & Spa, the 200-key Radisson Collection Resort & Spa Jaipur and the 234-key Radisson Hotel Nathdwara Stadium.
