InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, today announced the graduation of the inaugural class of the IHG Academy hospitality training programme with IL&FS Skills. The three-month programme in New Delhi saw eight participants graduate and full-time employment opportunities offered to five students at IHG hotels across India.
FCS Computer Systems (FCS), a leading comprehensive hospitality solutions and services provider, has opened the doors to its newest office location in Mumbai, India, a regional center now tasked with overseeing all FCS activity throughout India. After identifying increasing interest from the nation's growing hospitality market, FCS made a decision to establish the new facility in Mumbai, which is expected to provide enhanced operations and customer service to all clients throughout the Indian region.
Raymond Bickson will step down as the managing director and chief executive officer of Tata group controlled Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), which operates the Taj Group of hotels. In its filing on Bombay Stock Exchange, IHCL informed, " Mr. Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO of the Company has expressed a desire to resign from the services of the Company and pursue his professional interests elsewhere."
With over 26 years of experience, Nijhof has worked with renowned hospitality group - Marriott across various countries like Germany, Turkey and the Netherlands. Nijhof joins Renaissance Mumbai from the Amsterdam Marriott Hotel, Netherlands where he had been the General Manager for three years. Nijhof began his education from Hotelschool Heerlen in Netherlands and went on to receive the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Florida International University, Miami, USA. Nijhof is fluent in English, Dutch and German. In his leisure time he loves to travel and discover new places with his wife and daughter.
Prior to Sofitel Mumbai BKC, Chakraborty has played the role of a General Manager for over a decade. The two Iconic Hotels the Yak and Yeti in Nepal, The Leela Kempinski Kovalam and Mumbai as well as the grand Mövenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore are a few luxury hotels in India with whom he has led. Under his reign, Mövenpick Hotels & Spa Bangalore was the first five star hotel to be certified as the first Green Globe Hotel in India. He has also been awarded the ‘General Manager of the Year’ by Hotelier India in 2009 amongst many other honors. He held key positions in Sales and Marketing as DSM in Oberoi Hotels Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai, as well as served the Taj Group. Chakraborty will join Sofitel Mumbai BKC with effect from February 1, 2014.
Prior to joining The Leela Mumbai, Rai was the General Manager of Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur. In his new role, Rai will oversee the general operations and management of the 392-room property, The Leela Mumbai. Rai began his career with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts as a management trainee in 1998 and went on to lead the Front Office Department at The Leela Palace Bangalore and thereafter at various luxury hotels as Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, Taj Bengal, Kolkata, Taj Land’s End, Mumbai and most recently as General Manager at Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur.
Berggruen Hotels, the parent company of Keys Hotels, has appointed Vijay Sethi as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer. In a career spanning 28 years, Sethi has worked in all four verticals of hospitality — hotels, airlines, travel and tourism and healthcare.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide, today announced the opening of Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa, its first leisure property in India. Operated by Hilton Worldwide and owned by Writer Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd., the retreat is nestled in the serene and unspoiled landscape of the Sahyadri mountain range in the Western Ghats. Located approximately a 2.5-hour drive (100km) and 30-minute helicopter ride from Mumbai and 1.5-hour drive (80km) from Pune, the property is spread across 320 acres within the 3,500-acre private Shillim Estate. Offering a sanctuary for the body, mind and spirit, the retreat features ecologically designed all-villa accommodation with butler service, extensive dining options, one of the largest wine cellars in India and among the largest and most comprehensive spa facilities in Asia that encompasses 70 acres and offers more than 150 treatments. The retreat is designed, built and operated with sustainability as its core commitment. With the opening of Hilton Shilim Estate Retreat & Spa, Hilton Worldwide extends its Hilton Resorts portfolio to 80 resorts across 29 countries."Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa is an exceptional addition to our fast growing portfolio in India. Given the facilities and services on offer, we expect the property to become the favorite gateway for guests travelling on leisure in the region. We now operate 11 hotels in the country and, at the current pace of rapid growth, we hope to increase our portfolio to 50 hotels in the next five years", said Martin Rinck, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide.All-Villa AccommodationThe 99 villas at the retreat, set amidst rice fields, bamboo plantations and virgin forests, feature private decks or balconies, dedicated treatment areas and valley or forest views. The interior of the villas combines simple, contemporary elegance with up-to-date technology to offer private relaxation havens. The Spa Pool Villas and Presidential Pool Villas additionally include private gardens and swimming pools.Extensive Dining OptionsThe retreat offers extensive dining options that include the best of spa cuisine in addition to Mediterranean, Asian and local delicacies. The six exciting on-site restaurant, bar and lounge venues primarily utilise organic and locally sourced ingredients providing guests the opportunity to enjoy fine dining whilst maintaining a regime of good nutrition. Special dining experiences include the Chef's Table, a private dinner with the chef at a unique location on the banks of a seasonal waterfall overlooking the valley; Dining by Design, whereby guests can dine at a venue of their choice on the retreat's extensive grounds, and Dining Prive that allows guests to enjoy a set dinner menu specially crafted by the chef in an intimate setting. Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat and Spa also offers a unique culinary experience, wherein celebrity chefs from across the world are invited to present their culinary magic. A detailed culinary calendar is displayed on the website of the retreat.Shillim SpaWhile Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa's mission "to conserve, to preserve, to heal, to celebrate" permeates every experience at the property, it is at the Shillim Spa that it is reinforced. This unique spa integrates the ancient philosophic, spiritual and artistic wisdom of South Asia with contemporary international practices and therapies to offer complete rest and rejuvenation. The extensive facilities include dedicated spa villas, treatment suites, consultation rooms, relaxation terraces, a Yoga Pavilion, Meditation Cave, a spa restaurant, an outdoor heated spa pool, conventional and infrared saunas, steam, outdoor hot tubs and hydrotherapy tubs. The services range from Acupressure, Naturopathy and Acupuncture to Ayurveda, Reiki, Shamanism Therapy, Fire Healing, Tai Chi, Watsu, Meditation and Yoga.Exciting Recreational Facilities & ServicesRecreational opportunities include yoga, meditation, and cooking, dance, music and pottery classes as well as treks, picnics, mountain-biking, horse-riding, fishing and excursions to the nearby Maratha forts of Tungi, Tikona, Lohgad and Visapur and ancient Buddhist rock caves of Karla and Bhaja.Shillim InstituteGuests can also participate in discourses, workshops and courses at the Shillim Institute. The primary focus of the Institute is to conserve the natural and cultural heritage of the Western Ghats and engage the region in global discussions on sustainability; involve the local inhabitants in mutually beneficial initiatives with the objective of enhancing their lives and offer guests the opportunity of gaining insight into indigenous art, music, dance, poetry, healing, botany, hydrology and much more. The Institute also offers week-long exchange programmes, conducted by visiting masters or Institute facilitators, in an endeavour to facilitate the coming together of the arts, culture, policy and practices from across the world.Intimate Business & Social EventsThe retreat also presents an exclusive location for intimate corporate meetings, business events, social gatherings and private receptions, with a provision to accommodate up to 100 people in a range of settings. Up-to-date technology and the full range of business services are available including high speed internet access, video conferencing, audiovisual equipment rental and secretarial support."The opening of Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa is a significant milestone in our expansion. Not only is it our first leisure property in India, it is a very unique addition to the brand's global portfolio. With this launch, we now operate five hotels in India. The other brand hotels in the country include Hilton New Delhi/Janakpuri, Hilton Mumbai International Airport, Hilton Chennai and Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar", said Rob Palleschi, senior vice president and global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts.Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa is located at Pawana Nagar Taluka Maval, Pune - 410401, Maharashtra, India. For more information or to make reservations, dial +91-21-14712 468 or visit shillimretreatandspa.hilton.com.Media can access additional information about Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa at http://news.hilton.com/shillim. View more news about Hilton Hotels & Resorts openings and a development map at http://news.hilton.com/openings.
The exclusive management group last week unveiled plans for The Aayu Mumbai, a 42-suite luxury hotel and setting for India's first restaurants by the world's most decorated chef Joël Robuchon, and culinary star Hide Yamamoto. The property is scheduled to open in Dec. 2013. The Aayu Mumbai will claim the top five floors of Kohinoor Square's Central Tower, the tallest commercial building in the city. The all-suite hotel overlooks historic Shivaji Park and offers views of the Arabian Sea to the west, and the island mainland to the east.
Jumeirah Group, the global hospitality company and a member of Dubai Holding, has signed a management agreement to operate a luxury hotel in central Mumbai, India. The hotel is part of a major new development in the Lower Parel district of the city and is expected to open in 2017.
HVS, the world's leading hospitality consulting firm is pleased to announce the 9th Hotel Investment Conference − South Asia (HICSA) 2013 at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, April 3 -4, 2013. HICSA, a two-day conference dedicated to the hospitality sector, has earned the reputation as the best hotel conference in the South Asian region and is one of most well recognized names in the arena of global hotel investment conferences and discussion forums.
Accor Hotels is pleased to announce the opening of two new ibis hotels in India – ibis Navi Mumbai and ibis Nashik. Having opened in Q2 of this year, the new hotels predominantly cater to business travellers in the upcoming commercial regions of Mumbai and Nashik. Guests will receive special opening rates as well as experience the high-quality service that is standard across all Accor Hotels.
Vijay comes from Holiday Inn Mumbai where he spent the last year and a half as Resident Manager. Prior to this, he had stints with Le Royal Meridien, The Leela Resort and The Oberoi hotels in various parts of India. Vijay’s career spans 18 years. For his education, Vijay received a Diploma in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management Jaipur. He also had a brief stint in Food and Beverage at the start of his career and later moved on to Rooms Division. Oakwood Premier Mumbai boasts of 62 fully furnished and fully equipped serviced residences that evoke the glamour of a private European mansion. A five-minute walk to fashionable Juhu Beach, it features a unique combination of hotel-like facilities, highly-personalized service and the privacy of home with all its comforts and conveniences.
Having successfully opened its first hotel in India – Swissôtel Kolkata – in July 2010, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, the international hotel group of Swiss origin signed a management contract for a flagship project in India: Swissôtel Grand Mumbai. This is in addition to one more hotel under development for the brand in Bangalore.
Harvard Business School (HBS) today announced the launch of the new amphitheater-style classroom, built and owned by the Taj Lands End in Mumbai. Unlike the temporary spaces in Hyderabad and Mumbai where the School previously offered programs, the new space replicates the classrooms on the School's Boston campus, giving participants and students a true Harvard Business School case method learning experience, for the first time in India. The launch of the classroom kicks off with a series of activities including research conferences and executive education programs. This is the latest milestone in the School's deepening engagement in India that over the last decade has produced a growing body of research on Indian companies and management practices.
Designed by renowned Franco-Spanish designer Isabelle Miaja, Sofitel Mumbai BKC features 302 rooms, including 31 luxury suites. When designing the hotel, Miaja drew upon references from Indian art, including temples, sculptures, and emblematic monuments, while adding a contemporary flair. Together, the architecture and design have created one of the city's most modern projects.
On January 17, the 175 attendees of the first Cornell International Hospitality Summit India had the unique opportunity to hear from India's leading hospitality executives as they discussed the most important issues facing the country's travel and tourism industry. The summit was SHA's first major industry event in Asia and was co-presented by the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR). Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces was title sponsor of the summit, which was held at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.
India's leading hospitality executives will examine current issues and trends in the country's hospitality industry during the first Cornell International Hospitality Summit India, presented by the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration (SHA). The summit, which will be held Tuesday, January 17 in Mumbai, India, will be co-presented by the school's Center for Hospitality Research (CHR). Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is title sponsor of the summit, and all summit sessions will be held at the Taj Mahal Palace.
"We are excited and honored to have so many hospitality leaders participating in our first Cornell International Hospitality Summit in India," said Jon Denison, associate dean for external affairs at SHA. "Our panelists lead some of the most important brands in India, and their insights are relevant to the global hospitality industry."