During the exclusive 'owners-only' meet at the recently concluded HICSA in Mumbai, there was an interesting discussion on the type of branded hotels entering the market today across positioning. Everyone agreed that too much of the same thing is being churned out and except for the logo and the hotel name, there is really very little of the ambience and decor that sets one mainstream brand's property apart from the other - which begs the question, does standardization need to be so obvious? While I am not here to promote any brand, most owners in the room agreed that what the Andaz has done both in Delhi and Singapore with their public spaces, stands out from the pack - they are seamless, simplistic and have a distinct local influence; there is a story being told and the guest literally lives it during his/her stay.
