Editors Note World View Asia-Pacific Scene Indian Panorama Kerala Traveller Aviation Face to Face 10 Questions Woman of the Month Hospitality Columns Bookshelf Variety Quiz Back Issues asian traveller :: home :: 10 Questions 10 Questions Vini Gupta Vini Gupta started his hoteliering career in US more than three decades ago and worked in different capacities in different parts of the country before moving to India and then to Nepal.Tell us about your hotel and its USPs.Soaltee Crowne Plaza Kathmandu is managed and owned brand part of InterContinental Hotels Group, IHG PLC.  It is an upscale brand with a resort atmosphere offering the high level of comfort, service and amenities.  The hotel is strategically located from the ... read story B. Gopinath B. Gopinath is widely experienced in the hospitality business, especially at the managerial level. He shares his thoughts and experiences.Tell us about your hotel and its USPs.The Residency Coimbatore is a four-star deluxe property with 133 rooms and a part of The Residency Group of Hotels which operates six hotels across Chennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Pondichery and Karur. Located on Avinashi Road and some of it’s facilities include a 24-... read story Shijo N Varghese Shijo N. Varghese who started his career ten years ago has reached the top rungs through dedication and hard work. He speaks about his experience, passion and dreams. Tell us about your hotel and its USPs. Regant Lake Palace is four-star category hotel and has got 41 luxury rooms and 11 cottages situated on the Ashtamudi Lake. It’s the best of its kind in Kollam town. We have planned it in such a way to attract both the busy business travel... read story Rajesh Kumar Madan Rajesh Kumar Madan, who has more than three decades experience in hospitality industry believes that passion, commitment and  self belief are the qualities required to excel in one's chosen field. Tell us about your hotel and its USPsA name synonymous with distinctive European style, fine dining and a respect for local culture, is Le Meridien Cochin. Overlooking the serene backwaters, conveniently located 30 kms off the airport and a mere 10 minutes drive from the city’s commercial centre, the hot... read story Saji Joseph Saji Joseph has over 14 years of expertise in the hospitality industry and is currently the General Manager, Alila Diwa Goa. Goa, IndiaTell us about your hotel and its USPs.Alila Diwa Goa is a lifestyle and destination hotel. It is a personalized lifestyle hotel and part of Asia’s leading luxury boutique hotel and resort operator, Alila Hotels and Resorts. Located in scenic Majorda in South Goa, Alila Diwa Goa is Alila Group’s very first property in India. Created by India’s leading architect Toni Joseph, the int... read story Ramnidhi Wasan Ramnidhi Wasan has more than two decades of experience in the hoteliering industry Tell us about your hotel chain and its USPs.We recently launched Citrus hotels, which is India’s newest chain of full service smart, sophisticated and stylish hotels, for the value conscious. Citrus Hotels is literally a new category altogether. Say a Prêt range of hotels. Citrus Hotels offers an experience that encompasses unrivaled cuisine and an opportunity to savor various cultural affairs related to art, music, film, design and fashion among others. In short, Citrus Hotels provide a global experience with an Indian flavor. Some... read story N C Somaiah N C Somaiah, in his careering spanning over 15 years, has worked in various capacities at Oberoi hotels Oakwood and Radisson before joining The Leela Kempinski Kovalam. Tell us about your hotel and its USP’sThe Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach is top of the line luxury resort in India offering world class hospitality service. We have embarked on fulfilling our honorable chairman, Capt. C.P. Krishnan Nair’s dream – The Leela brand would provide hospitality excellence, with the “Essence of India” to the most discerning guest.The Resort has carved a niche for itself in the global leisure map in the last four years... read story Sharat Dhall Sharat Dhall is an MBA in marketing with a total experience of over 16 years in the FMCG and internet industries. At the moment he is the Managing Director of TripAdvisor India. Tell us about your portal and its USPs.TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel community with more than 30 million honest reviews and opinions from real travellers around the world on over 70,000+ cities,  450,000+ hotels, 90,000+ attractions ,560,000+ restaurants and 2,000,000+ traveller photos.. TripAdvisor provides real advice to real travelers across the globe to help them plan their perfect holiday.  TripAdvisor has hotel, restaurant and att... read story Utkarsh Faujdar Utkarsh Faujdar  has more than two decades' experience in the hospitality industry. He has worked with a number of leading groups in India before moving to Maldives.Tell us about your hotel.Hulhule Island Hotel was officially inaugurated on August 15, 2001 by His Excellency President of Republic of Maldives. The hotel has earned a considerable number of compliments for both its high quality and personalized services since then and achieved the following milestones: Nominee at World Luxury Hotel Awards 2009, winner at World Travel Awards 2009, winner of ‘Luxury Airport Hotel’ Category at World Luxury Hotel Awards 2008 held in October ... read story Sanjay Sharma Sanjay Sharma is a veteran of hospitality industry with years of experience under his belt. After spending successful years at Le Meridien Kochi in Kerala now he is the Complex General Manager for The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon and The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa Gurgaon. He shares his experiences and wisdom.Tell us about your hotel and its USPs.In my current role, I am the General Manager of two properties - The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort & Spa and The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon which is scheduled to soft open in March 2010. The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort & Spa is the first Westin in India and is already setting benchmarks with its range of signature services inc... read story Deepak Ohri Deepak Ohri, has nearly two decades experience in hospitality industry and has handled projects in different countries. He is the CEO of lebua at State Tower in Bangkok now.Tell us about your hotel and its USPs.lebua at State Tower, an all-suite hotel with breathtaking views of Bangkok from every unit, is managed by lebua Hotels & Resorts Co., Ltd.  and a member of Preferred Hotels® & Resorts.  Sitting atop lebua on the 51st - 65thfloors is the multi-award-winning The Dome at lebua, where an extravaganza of culinary destinations convene, namely Sirocco, Mezzaluna, Breeze, and Distil.  Sirocco, Mezzaluna, and Distil were selected under all three entries fro... read story Peter Paul Tell us about your hotel and its USPs?Our resorts are placed in stunningly scenic locations. Our very first beach resort, the Estuary Island is built where a lake and a river meet the Arabian Sea. Similarly our bed and breakfast facility, Tom’s Inn, is just a stone’s throw from the famous Kovalam beach in Thiruvananthapuram. We are now building a new resort Turtle On The Beach which overlooks the Kovalam beach and is skirted by a veritable forest of coconut palms, thus providing our guests with an exquisite panorama as they look out toward the sea. The mixing of colours is mesmerizing as the blue waves wash the golden sand at the foot of green coconut palms. Variety is the spice of life. For those who wish t... read story Suresh Kumar Suresh Kumar who has more than two decades experience in the hospitality industry, is currently the General Manager, Ramada Resort in Kochi Tell us about your hotel and its USPs.Ramada Resort is a luxury resort in Cochin which is less than a year old. The resort has one of the most breathtaking location possible and undoubtedly the best in the city. Every cottage is on stilts and faces the lake. We have a meandering pool which is 98 meter long. We have the unique advantage of being a resort as well as being almost in the city. We have a very vibrant and young staff that are highly motivated and deliv... read story Lemuel Herbert Lemuel Herbert started his career more than a quarter century ago and at present is Associate Vice President & General Manager, The Park Chennai. Tell us about your hotel and its USPs. The Park in Chennai is all about cutting edge design and fresh concepts in décor, the best food in Chennai, Service that is friendly, unconventional, yet efficient. It is vibrant, young and energetic offering a continuing medley of the most talked about events in town. It is situated on a historic landmark- the premises of the erstwhile Gemini Studios and the center of Chennai's business district. An urban haven. How do you position the Hotel ... read story Raja Gopaal Iyer Tell us about your hotel and its USP'sMy USP is ofcourse the location 15meters from the sea, the largest inventory, the best of facilities with combination of services. Now it has been re-branded as a wellness resort with ayurveda, spa and an in-house dental clinic. The branding is 4 star at the moment and I feel the main USP's are value for money, service to the guests are like a home sure, flexible to the clients and to the agents, more domestic-guest-friendly and a view of the  sea from the balcony.How do you position the hotel in the market? Positioning UDS is always a four-star plus hotel with the comfortable pricing.It is a very unique combination; I am popular to the ... read story Thomas Mueller Tell us about your hotel and its USPs.The Sheraton Shanghai Honqiao has been one of the first International hotels in Shanghai and is renowned for its impeccable service delivery and warm interior for 23 years now. We are close to the Hongqiao Airport and about 45 minutes away from the Pudong Airport terminals.Surrounded by numerous consulates and upmarket residential areas as well as excellent shopping and close to the subway line 2, we are ideally located next to the International Exhibition Centre and Shanghai Mart. Cantonese, Japanese and Italian Restaurants are complemented by a Bistro, Lounges and a Pub-style bar.The Ballroom is one of the largest in Shanghai and numerous function rooms offer the bes... read story Dinesh Nachappa Tell us about you Hotel & its USPs?Our Hotel is an oasis of luxury and grandeur for our valued guests where they can lure in the warm and cozy ambience.  We are committed to give the best service available in the industry by providing quality workforce, amenities, ambience and dining maximum hygiene thereby reach the goal of ultimate customer satisfaction. How do you Position your Hotel in the Market? Classic Avenue offers guest with a truly classic and exciting experience. We cater to different clientele with rooms ranging from executive to suites. I rate my hotel as the front runner among the business class category in the city. We always guarantee value for money. Being an i... read story Vincent Hoogewijs Tell us about your hotel and its USPs. Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai opened its doors officially in May 2008, and despite it being a new player, wO feel confident in the success of our hotel. Our product has been build to the highest standards and the genuine and personalised service we provide is truly a unique asset, which will differentiate us from our competitors. How do you position the Hotel in the market? What is your marketing strategy? With the worldwide economic slow down we realise that diversification into different segments is the way forward. Where banking used to be one of our stronger segments, we are clearly moving on and tapping into other segments of the business world... read story Sunil Sikka Tell us about your Hotel Group. We have 61 heritage properties, with each being different and with its own unique USP. For instance, we have a number of properties located at National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, which are famous for their special category of wildlife and foliage. There are Palaces and Forts, built more than a century ago which are famous for their luxury and history. Those on the hills are known for their scenic views of the Himalayas and trekking facilities, while on the plains there are homes and tented camps in deserts and regal mansions set within gardens. Each WelcomHeritage property offers a different experience. How do you position the Hotel in the market? What is your marketing... read story Rainer Stampfer Tell us about your hotel and its USPs. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok is located in the heart of the shopping, entertainment and business district.  With its hand painted silk murals, ceilings, wall panels and carefully selected antiques, the hotel provides a strong sense of place.  Thai, Japanese and Italian restaurants are complemented by an elegant Steak House as well as Aqua, a patio lounge to see and be seen.  The lap pool on the second floor is the largest in the city. How do you position the Hotel in the market? What is your marketing strategy? As any Four Seasons Hotel around the globe, we always emphasize on the service quality over anything else.  Having been operatin... read story Pascal Dupuis How do you position the hotel in the market? Goa is a great leisure destination and Leela has been here for the last eighteen years. We have completely redone about ten years ago and thereby set the tone for Leela to be one of the top hotels in Goa - not only in terms of facilities but the look, services, activities etc. So being at the top we had to face new competitions after new properties sprang up in the place. The competition is not that high as in Delhi and Mumbai. We have set ourselves to be in the niche market in the Goan luxury sector. We market ourselves to be the leader of the market. How important a role does a hotel play in developing a destination?The hotel has an obligation to ... read story Sanjay Sharma How do you position the Hotel in the market? What is your marketing strategy?Le Meridien Cochin has created a niche in the global market as one of the finest resort and MICE destination in South India. We have achieved this distinction through hard work and dedication to the industry we serve.  For this, I have to give credit to my associates, colleagues and to our business partners without which success cannot be celebrated. Relationship building is the key to the future of our business growth and expansion. We have introduced a culture within our organization to inculcate a feeling of 'passion to serve' which has created a sense of loyalty beyond reason with our guests and business partners alike.Keeping in view the forthcom... read story Celestine John Dcruz Tell us about Sindhuri Hotels and ResortsSindhuri Hotels and Resorts is a 20 year old group that comes under the Swagath brand. The hotels cater to the budget segment. The group own 12 properties now and by 2010 three more will be added to it. Our main attraction is the cuisines we offer. How do you position the group in the market? What is your marketing strategy? Our properties are strategically positioned in the market. We have properties at all prominent locations in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Targeting the budget segment, we provide the best facility and service standards to our guests. The USP of the group is always to give our customer the best value for his money, th... read story Sreekumar Kunath Tell us about Orchid Group The Orchid- an Ecotel Hotel is Asia's first certified eco-friendly five-star hotel and worlds only Ecotel to be certified as ISO-14001. It has received more than 54 national and international awards for its commitment to save environment by practicing responsible tourism. The Group is managed by Concept Hospitality. What is this Ecotel Concept all about?The ECOTEL® Collection is an exclusive group of International inns, hotels and resorts that define the concept of environmental responsibility in the hospitality industry. All Ecotel certified hotels must pass a detailed inspection and satisfy stringent criteria set by environmental experts. The Collection began in... read story Unnikrishnan Nair How do you position Kadavu in the market? What is your marketing strategy? We position ourselves as a premium product in the market. Although classified as a Resort, we can cater to all kinds of clientele. Hence rather than targeting a particular segment, we are attacking all up market segments. Domestic segment has the maximum potential for Calicut and we are more focused into that market. However the potential for inbound is there for Ayurveda, which we are aggressively trying to tap.How important is a Hotel in developing a destination? What has Kadavu Resort done in this regard? Hotels play a major role in developing a destination. Tourism being the backbone of our economy, every destination has to be used to its full potential a... read story C urrent Issue O ther Stories Vini Gupta B. Gopinath Shijo N Varghese Rajesh Kumar Madan Saji Joseph Ramnidhi Wasan N C Somaiah Sharat Dhall Utkarsh Faujdar Sanjay Sharma Deepak Ohri Peter Paul Suresh Kumar Lemuel Herbert Raja Gopaal Iyer Thomas Mueller Dinesh Nachappa Vincent Hoogewijs Sunil Sikka Rainer Stampfer Pascal Dupuis Sanjay Sharma Celestine John Dcruz Sreekumar Kunath Unnikrishnan Nair To place your advertisements in this space please contact Marketing, Mediastepsindia home | about us | advertise with us | subscribe | contact us | team support : colorvibes The news items and Advertisements published herein have been collected from various source, which are considered to be reliable. Readers are however requested to verify the facts before making business decisions using the same. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission from the Publisher. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009