A fast-developing Indian group of hotels, which this year has been celebrating its 20th anniversary, is setting new standards for the industry. Mike Toynbee reports When Capt C.P. Krishnan Nair opened his first hotel 20 years ago, many people no doubt questioned the wisdom of choosing the sprawling marshland area next to his lace factory on the northern outskirts of what was then Bombay. Today, it is in the heart of North Mumbai's Central Business Zone, handy for the airport and has since been joined by a number of the international chain properties. Now with four of arguably the finest hotels in India, and a further five in the pipeline, Leela Palaces and Resorts has helped drive hospitality standards on the sub continent to new heights. And Captain Krishnan, a sprightly 84-year-old with a passion for perfection, has a highly professional management team in place to ensure the hotels that bear his wife's name meet the levels of luxury and excellence he and his discerning guests demand. In partnership with Kempinski, which markets the hotels on a worldwide basis, the group has embarked on a major expansion programme. In addition to its existing properties in Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa and Kerala, new hotels are planned over the next three years in the Gurgaon district of New Delhi, Udaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune. The agreement also incl-udes two additional city hotels, as yet unspecified. The original Mumbai property, currently completing a US$23 million renovation programme, offers some of the best facilities for business travellers, including plasma TVs and DVD players in all 400 rooms, a fact reflected in that the revenue per available room (RevPAR) is the second highest in the city. That, however, pales into insignificance when compared with the Leela Kempinski in Bangalore, which is enjoying the highest RevPAR figure in the country and one of the highest in Asia, with an average room rate of Rs20,000 (US$446) a night, and an occupancy of 80%. The hotel, modelled on the Mysore Palace, is about to open India's first Royal Club Tower, comprising 120 spacious rooms with a lounge and fitness centre on the top floor. The 254-room hotel already has arguably one of the largest and best executive lounges in Asia. The Club concept, launched last winter at the Leela Goa, has been an outstanding success with its stylish decor and a lounge and pool for the exclusive use of Club guests. Here the average room rate has been US$600 and above per night. Opening in April next year is the Leela Kempinski Gurgaon, Delhi, with 319 rooms and suites, plus 90 serviced residences. And a palace hotel at Lake Pichchola, in Udaipur, is scheduled for completion by next winter. It will have around 80 over-sized rooms, an array of restaurants and lounges, a state-of-the-art spa and extensive conference and meeting facilities to meet a growing demand in the area. Similarly, in the harbour city of Chennai, formerly Madras, the new Leela Palace Kempinski will have a purpose-built 1,600m2 convention centre when it opens in 2008. The 15-storey hotel, costing US$73 million, will not only be the largest in the city but the first business property to occupy a waterfront location. It also aims to set new standards for 5-star hotels by catering for the growing number of women business travellers by providing a secure level designed around their specific needs. The Chennai project will coincide with a further investment of US$69 million in a luxury hotel in Hyderabad, strategically located in the Deccan plains. The 325-room property will welcome guests to an upmarket, central location in the Banjara Hills in 2009. Pune, the new IT hub and the fastest growing second-tier city of India, will see the opening, also in 2009, of a 250-room hotel close to the airport. All the new properties will have the hallmarks of 5-star luxury, opulence and service for which the group has become renowned, reflecting Captain Nair's energy and vision to create something that is the very essence of India.
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