Hilton-DLF alliance will march on

All speculation around The Hilton’s joint venture with DLF, India’s biggest realtor by market capitalisaton, have been put to rest. According to a senior source at Hilton Worldwide Management, who did not wish to be named, the venture “is very much on” and is “seriously exploring engagement to more hotels albeit at a slower pace than before. The venture’s first hotel is already operational in the National Capital Region near Delhi under the Hilton Garden Inn brand. Here are some more snippets from the Hotel Investment Conference - South Asia (HICSA) 2010:

Rendezvous date
Singapore-based Rendezvous Hospitality Group, a subsidiary of The Straits Trading Co Ltd, has finalised plans for an India entry. The hotel company operates two brands — ‘Rendezvous Hotels & Resorts’ and ‘The Marque Collection of Hotels managed by Rendezvous’ — across 11 locations in Asia Pacific. In India, it is understood to have already acquired two sites on lease in Bangalore and Hyderabad. The hotels will likely be launched under the Rendezvous Hotels & Resorts banner in about two years from now.

Marriott spreading out
Marriott Hotels India Pvt Ltd will launch an additional 1,700 hotel rooms in India by December, taking the total number of hotels it will manage in the country to 17. “We currently operate 11 hotels in India, aggregating to 2,800 rooms, and 23 (hotels) more are at various stages of development,” Rajeev Menon, area vice president, India, Malaysia, Maldives & Pakistan, said. By 2013, the company intends to have 10,000 rooms in India across 40 hotels spanning its five major brands, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Marriott, Courtyard, and Marriott Luxury Apartments.

Starwood Element
Global hospitality chain Starwood Hotels & Resorts will be introducing a new brand of hotels in the Indian market. Called ‘Element’ the hotel chain’s development team is currently scouting for possible realty partners to roll-out this brand in the country.

Louvre, Golden Tulip ally
Louvre Hotels has entered a strategic alliance with Golden Tulip Hospitality, which was acquired by Starwood Capital Group in 2005. Thus Golden Tulip’s 20-odd hotel developments in the pipeline will be part of the combine’s banner of Louvre Hotels & Golden Tulip Hospitality. Targeting the budget and mid-market accommodations segment, the company will introduce two brands — Premiere Classe Hotels and Campanile — in addition to existing ones.

Citrus & Mangi Ferra
Mumbai-based Citrus Hotels has acquired a significant minority stake in a food and beverage chain promoted by one of the partners of Mangi Ferra restaurants in Mumbai. With this investment in place, Citrus will add another food and beverage outlet viz Cafe  Mangii to the host of brands including Falafel, Khandani Rajdhani etc.
(The Marriott byte was contributed by Manuja Pandey/NW18)