Orchid hotels in Nagpur, Coimbatore, Raipur, Konark, Konkan planned

Kamat Hotels India Ltd (KHIL) plans to add 600 additional rooms under its brand ‘The Orchid’ all over India.Vishal Kamat, Director, KHIL to Hospitality Biz said, “The Orchid brand will continue to grow through tier I and II locations across India. For KHIL’s premium brand, we plan to tap emerging markets for potential locations.”

KHIL has already started developing properties in Nagpur, Coimbatore, Raipur and Konark. The properties that the company further plans to develop will be set up at greenfield locations. Currently, a 30 room all-suite hotel is being developed in Konark, and a 100-room hotel in Nagpur.

Properties at Coimbatore and Raipur will have 200 and 120 rooms, respectively.

Kamat further spoke about the hotel’s plans to expand nationally, “KHIL has always positioned The Orchid as a business hotel and we are keen that we develop and manage hotels under this brand to maintain its exclusivity in the market.”

He said that KHIL will not operate as just a hotel management entity unlike Concept Hospitality Ltd (CHL), which presently manages a few Orchid hotels in New Delhi, Kollam and Jalandhar.

Reports say that, in the coming days, KHIL may get into a branding agreement with CHL.

“However, no concrete decisions have been taken yet. Apart from existing Orchid hotels operating under CHL’s management, KHIL will exclusively take care of all upcoming hotels,” Kamat clarified.

The Orchid, Mumbai will also witness an addition of 120 rooms. The development work in Nagpur, Coimbatore and Raipur will be completed by 2012.

KHIL will also extend its Orchid brand in the Konkan region of Maharasthra.

Vishal Kamat said that the company had plans to open resorts in the Konkan region but it delayed its plans due to the lack of tourism oportunities in the region.

“The Konkan region has remained largely untapped and underdeveloped (for tourism purposes) due to the tourism authorities’ negligence,” he said.

He said that the Konkan region has been overshadowed by Goa as a tourist destination.

Kamat added that KHIL would remain focused on extending its brand in the Konkan, largely due an absence of branded hotel players in the area.

KHIL also has incomplete structures of The Orchid hotel in Pune ( expected to have 400 rooms) which will soon be completed.