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Coffee Day Hotels & Resorts, which runs the Cafe Coffee Day outlets, is expanding its presence in the hospitality sector with its ‘Serai’ brand. The company plans to have 10 Serai Resorts across India over the next five years. Currently, it operates three hotels in Chikmaglur, Kabini and Bandipur, all of them in Karnataka.
The Serai brand is owned by Coffee Day Hotels & Resorts, which is a fully owned subsidiary of Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company. Inspired by global hospitality brands such as the Six Senses and Singita, the company wants to establish its presence in luxury resort space at “affordable prices”. For instance, a two-night stay in its Chikmaglur property cost around Rs 40,000.
The company is planning to open two hotels by 2015. It has taken over an existing property in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and is constructing another resort property in Mangalore. “We want to go to destinations, which are not hugely popular and run of the mill. Next we want to open in Kerala and more in Karnataka,” said Anand Menon, marketing head, Coffee Day Hotels and Resorts.
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So far, the company has adopted “own and operate” model, which experts say is a good idea for a new brand still establishing its credentials. The company has invested Rs 100 crore in developing its three existing properties and plans to invest another Rs 25 crore till 2015.
The Serai’s strategy is to move forward from being just a regional brand and compete with the bigwigs such as Taj, Four Seasons, etc. With just 73 rooms in its inventory, The Serai has positioned itself as a luxury boutique resort.
The current repertoire of its hotels provides the guests a stay amid 70 acres of coffee estate in its Chikmaglur resort. The properties in Kabini and Bandipur are located near forests. While the Kabini resort is built on the banks of the Kabini river, Bandipur offers travellers a view of the Nilgiris.
