Hotel firm scouts for properties

Indian Hotels and Health Resorts (IHHR) is scouting for properties in cities like Chennai, Kolkata, and Chandigarh. The firm is a promoter of the luxury destination Spa Ananda in the Himalayas, and the business hotel "Ista".

With the opening of the first business hotel under the brand name "Ista" in Bangalore this year and work on properties in Amritsar, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad having started, Ashok Khanna, managing director, Indian Hotels and Health Resorts Pvt Ltd, has major plans across the country.

Speaking to Business Standard, he said, "We are looking at many places and Trivandrum, Mussorie, Chandigarh, Chennai and Kolkata are among those. Plans are afoot to set up business hotels and we are studying all other options and will finalise the matter soon."

The rooms and suites, varying between 150-200, feature exotic cityscape views and would have facilities like conference halls, state of the art business centre ,specialty restaurants, interactive all-day dining, lounge bar, temperature-controlled swimming pool and state of the art fitness centre and spa.

Though Khanna declined to disclose the amount they will be investing in the project saying it was too soon to say on that, he said that investment in each property depending on the region and location would be between Rs 100-Rs 150 crore.

Going global with the launch of its second destination spa resort, Shanti Ananda Maurice, in Mauritius by the year end, IHHR is also eyeing other foreign destination,as part of its expansion strategy.

"We are looking at properties in Middle East either in Dubai or Muscat. Also, Moscow is another location for which we have plans," said Khanna.

Starting an institute in Hyderabad to train people to give various spa treatments which would be a diploma course Khanna said that the future need for the institute was foreign collaboration to streamline the curriculum and provide certification.