Hospitality boom in Saurashtra

The real estate sector in the Saurashtra-Kutch region is experiencing a boom time with industrial development in the pipeline and corporate majors foraying into tier-II and tier-III cities.

In its wake, the region is also likely to see a similar boom in the leisure and lifestyle hospitality infrastructure.

Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Diu are all set to have hospitality destinations, wherein estimated investments of Rs 80 crore to Rs 90 crore are likely to be pumped in.

A majority of the erstwhile rulers across Kathiawaad, Zalawad, Gohilwaad, Halar, Sorath provinces, etc, have converted their palaces into leisure and lifestyle destinations.

The trend obviously has been influenced by their counterparts in Rajasthan where forts and palaces have been converted into swanky hotels.

While speaking to Business Standard, Dilipsinh Rana, Rajkot-based entrepreneur, who has purchased the Khirasara Palace and is all set to start a lifestyle and leisure heritage hotel, broadly throws light on the trend from which Saurashtra has also not been spared and presently there are five such heritage hotels across the region.

"Bhavnagar's Neelambaug Palace, Wankaner Palace and Gondal's Riverside Palace have been converted into heritage hotels and so the thought of creating such a luxury hotel out of Khirasara Palace, a 500-year-old heritage building."

"One fine day in the early 90s, we saw an advertisement in a newspaper for demolition of Khirasara Palace put up by its owner Sursinhji Jadeja, of the Jadeja family, and we responded to it and brought this property sometime in 1994," adds Rana.

The estimated market value of the property falls in the range of Rs 9 crore to Rs 10 crore. But the heritage value and sentiments associated with Khirasara Palace are absolutely priceless.

Therefore, putting the value of the property at market price is not proper, says an eminent real estate broker from the city.

Another such enterprise to service the niche category audience has been witnessed at the Chanch, port village of Bhavnagar district, where the fort built by the erstwhile ruler of Bhavnagar Maharaja Shri Krishnakumarsinhji Gohil in 1921 with the help of an Italian architecture was sold a year ago to Komalkant Sharma, one of the Bhavnagar-based entrepreneurs.

Sharma who has presence in various verticals including shipping, logistics, media etc, said, "We have bought this property to service the niche class audience and not to entertain walk-in customers. Because our property is going to have absolute paid-up membership and is going to be a seven-star hotel."

Sharma who dodged the question on the financials of the property, had been in serious negotiations with renowned hospitality brands, including Oberois, Park Plaza Hotels, etc to develop it as a golf destination, but now is looking to convert it into a corporate resort, which will have its own private air-stripe, health spa etc, and all other amenities unlike any seven-star hospitality hotels.

"Not only that, we are also planning to have our own captive jetty at Chanch with our own yatch and air-conditioned boats, as we would like our visitors to sail through the waters and reach the nearest airport located at the Union Territory of Diu, rather than letting them drive through the road," claims Sharma.

As majority of corporate leaders own aircraft, we have plans to build private airstrip. We would like them to use this leisure and lifestyle destination as their brainstorming spot too, added Sharma.

The real estate boom in the city of Rajkot has even compelled some entrepreneurs to create a world-class hospitality facility to service the corporate clients, high net worth individuals, NRIs, and of course non-resident Gujaratis.

Vejabhai Ravalia, native of Junagadh and now settled in Rajkot, is the man who has given it a very novel concept of luxury club by setting up- Avadh Club, far away from city with all amenities.

Vejabhai's son Ketan after arming himself with business management degree from London is aiming higher than his father and is now all set to create a new benchmark by creating a five-star club house, which he claims to be matchless, at least in Gujarat.

On the USP of his club and resort venture 'Season's', Ketan said, "It is spread across 36,000 square yards, with all facilities available in any five-star resort or hotel. Of course, Gujarat does not have such a five-star club and we happen to be the first entrepreneur in this league."

Season's is based on the concept of space with all five-star amenities including spa, health club, three banquet halls, with in-built theatre, swimming pool, outdoor sports facility sprawling across 5,000 square yards to facilitate cricket, football, tennis, etc, and 60 rooms is all set to service walk-ins and member customers, says Ketan.

Ketan, however, refuses to reveal the price tag of the property. But market sources put the value of the property at Rs 18-20 crore, keeping in view the cost of land and the developments in the nearby areas.

When development is spreading across Saurashtra, how can the very nearby Union Territory of Diu falling geographically on the coastal belt of the region be far behind. A world-class spa resort is already in the pipeline in this little island, claimed an entrepreneur from the hotel industry of Diu.