Room for the day tripper

Delhi's eco-friendly hotel Uppal's Orchid has some good news for frequent fliers who make day-long business trips to the city.

It recently launched a new rest room service called the "shower suite" , at the hotel run by Concept Hospitality Ltd.

Targeted at the corporate traveller, the four compact shower suites have been launched at the Business Convention Centre. The suites are tiny rooms equipped with a shower cubicle and a single, berth-size bed.

For Rs 1,750 (plus tax), a customer can use the place for a nap, take a shower, get a complimentary welcome drink and avail of the buffet lunch at the coffee shop.

The package also allows ironing service of one business suit and includes free pick up and drop from the domestic airport.

"An in-house study shows that during a day-long trip, a business executive wants optimum utilisation of time. He barely has the time for a quick wash before getting down to business," says Pushpinder Kumar, vice president, Uppal's Orchid.

Kumar expects the new service to do well. He is looking at corporate clients with offices in Gurgaon, Chanakyapuri and Vasant Vihar area.

In the past one month, the company claims it has already seen 220 corporate clients, including companies like Nestle, American Express, Aviva and Max New York, walking in and out of its "shower suites".

Those who have time to kill before their next flight, can also head for the pool or swing at the hotel's nine-hole putting green for a few hundred rupees more. From shower suites, the hotel expects to generate business worth Rs 30 lakh in the first year itself.

Consequently, Concept Hospitality Ltd wants to add eight more shower suites at its two new properties Chennai and Kolkata. Several other five star hotels, however, say that the demand for day-use packages, is still negligible compared to overnight bookings.