CHAPTER III

HOTEL INDUSTRY: AN OVERVIEW

Indian hotel industry has witnessed marvelous boom in recent years.

It has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth among the services sector

in India. Hotel industry has recorded growth fuelled by robust inflow of

foreign tourists as well as increased tourist flow within the country. The

growing tourism industry has had a cascading effect on the hospitality sector

with an increase in the occupancy ratios and average room rates as well.

There is an emergence of budget hotels in India to cater to the greater part of

the population who seek inexpensive stay. Global companies are

increasingly looking at setting up hotels. Over the last decade, business

opportunities in India intensified and elevated room rates occupancy levels

in India. Hotel industry holds a unique place in the international world of

hospitality. India is culturally the country which would be very well having

the most diverse places in the world. It serves as the vivid kaleidoscope of

landscapes, glorious historical sites and royal cities, foggy mountain retreats,

colorful people, rich cultures, and festivities. Today, the accommodation

options throughout India have become enormously diverse and distinctive

from home stays and tribal huts to stunning heritage mansions and maharaja

palaces. In recent years, the Indian government has taken a number of steps

to make better travel and tourism which have benefited the hotel industry in

the country.
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3.1. Evolution of Indian Hotel Industry

In India, the concept of shelter for travelers is not new. Indeed, it is as

old as its recorded history. The historical records are affluent with mention

of viharas, dharamshalas, sarais, musafirkhanas, etc. These establishments

provided a home to all wayfarers, be they pilgrims, scholars, adventurers or

merchants. The ancient Buddhist monks were perhaps the first to

institutionalize the idea of a shelter in India. The cave temples spread all

over the south-western region of India have both a chaitya for worship and

prayer and a vihara. These monks, though living in their quiet retreats, away

from towns and villages, were however mindful of the needs of travelers and

pilgrims who found shelter and food at these monasteries. These monasteries

are placed on the ancient trade routes between important deities of the

region. The trader travelled with their merchandise and money on these

routes and the viharas were their hotels.

In the medieval period, this ancient institution steadily assumed a

more material character. Although religious centres consistently had

dharamshalas and musafirkhanas attached to them, the caravanserai

appeared as an exclusive traveler’s lodge with a cook attached to it. The

Mughals built such facilities all over their empire. Later kings, rajas, navabs,

rich businessmen and philanthropists built sarais making travel less onerous.

With the expansion of commerce, travelling became profitable and with it

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emerged the business of providing comfortable shelter and good food to the

growing number of travelers. They provided food and shelter to the travelers

and fodder to their horses. With the passage of time the age-old institution of

the sarai adapted itself to the ever-changing and constantly growing needs of

the market and has changed into the modern hotel.

Further, the hotel industry developed with the concurrent

development of transportation systems. It also reflects the standard of living

and the lifestyle of the society in which it operates. The British introduced

hotels in India primarily for their own use or for foreign visitors. Some

seventy years back, baring the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, almost all hotels

in India were owned and operated by the Britishers and the Swiss. There

were Albion Hotels, Victory Hotel and the Hope Hall. Western-style

residential hotels are somewhat of recent origin in India. These hotels were

first started about 160 years ago primarily for princes and aristocrats and

high dignitaries. The Bombay hotel was opened in 1799. The British brought

modern hotels to Calcutta. The oldest was John Spence's Hotel. Spence's, the

first ever hotel in Asia was opened to the public in1830. The credit for

opening the first western style hotel under the name of British Hotel in

Bombay in 1840, goes to Pallonjee Pestonjee was the first hotel to give a la

carte and table de hôte menu. After that the Auckland Hotel by David

Wilson in Calcutta in the year 1840-41 and Connemara Hotel in Madras in

the year 1870 by E. A. Oakshroff. Now, this property belongs to Taj group.
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By the end of the 19th century, there were many western-style hotels

in south, like Imperial, Albany, New Woodland, Elphinstone, Napier,

Pandyan, Bangalore International, West End, Savoy, Ritz, Palm Beach, etc.

In 1904, Jamshedji Tata opened the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. Jamshedji

felt that it was crucial for the development of the country that it should have

an up-to-date hotel to provide facilities and comforts to visitors from all

parts of the world. Today, there are many hotels in this chain including the

President Hotel, the Fort Auada Beach Resort, the Lake Palace, the

Rambagh Palace, Taj Palace, Taj Bengal and many more. Another

entrepreneur who entered the field of hotel industry is Rai Bahadur Mohan

Singh Oberoi who opened a chain of Oberoi Hotels in India and abroad. He

started his career as a clerk but later became a partner in the Clarks Hotels,

Shimla. Mohan Singh Oberoi took Carlton Hotel in Shimla on lease in 1927,

renamed as Clarks Hotel. He took a building in 1933 and built Grand Hotel

in Calcutta. In 1933, Mr. Oberoi took over the Grand Hotel, Calcutta on

lease and gave it a new look and new life. He built a hotel on Gopalpur on

sea, in Orissa, Mount Everest in Darjeeling, the Mount View in Chandigarh

and the Palace in Srinagar to his chain of hotels. In 1973, Oberoi

commissioned the 500-room luxury hotel, the Oberoi Sheraton, Mumbai. It

is a product of Indo-American joint venture. Other hotels of Oberoi chain

are Oberoi in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Sudan, Zambia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia,

Fiji, Mauritius, Indonesia, Zanzibar and Colombo. Charle Ritz, son of the

Swiss Caesar Ritz started Ritz hotels in India. The Ritzs are situated in

Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

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The India Tourism Development Corporation was set up in 1966 as a

corporation under the Indian Companies Act of 1956, with the merger of

Janpath Hotel India Limited. Three Welcome Group Hotels were

commissioned between 1975 and 1977. These were non-franchised hotels,

enthused by the slogan "Be Indian, Buy Indian” and using Indian expertise.

Eventually, these hotels adopted the Sheraton system in 1978 and used the

services of expatriates for the purposes of upgrading staff training and

installing Sheraton operating systems.

When India agreed to host the 1982 Asian Games, the Government of

India granted licenses for building hotels to the Taj Palace, Asian Hotels

Hyatt Regency, India Tourism Development Corporation, Lodhi Hotel,

Samrat Hotel, Kanishka, Le Meridien, and Surya Sofitel, with the condition

that their new hotels had to be completed in time for the games. The 20th

century can be called the turning point in the record of the Indian hotel

industry. During this period many big business owners entered into the field.

Indian tourism and hospitality industry contributed foreign exchange

earnings during the month of December 2014 were ` 12875 crore. Foreign

tourist arrivals, in India, during 2014 were 7.46 million. International tourist

arrivals, worldwide, have grown to 1.14 billion in 2014. According to ICRA

Report, the domestic hotel industry is anticipated to touch $1.80 billion by

2016. An estimated 8.40 million Indians are likely to book hotels online by

2016, up from 3.50 million in 2014. The ‘Incredible India’ destination

campaign and the recently launched ‘Atithi Devo Bhavah’ campaign have

helped in the development of the hotel industry.

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3.2. Classification of Star Hotels

Hotels provide accommodation, along with services like food and

beverages, and facilities like recreation, conference, and training

arrangements, and organization of official or private parties. Every hotel has

unique features associated with it. The features may be its location, number

of guest rooms, special services such as concierge, travel assistance, and

valet parking, facilities such as specialty restaurants bars, business meeting

venues, swimming pool, and so on. The variety of services and facilities

provided by each hotel makes it quite difficult to have any single basis of

classification of hotels, and if they are classified on different criteria there

will be some hotels which will fall into more than one group. The

classification of star hotels is as follows:

One Star Hotels: These hotels offer a limited range of amenities and

services, but stick on to a high standard of facility-wide cleanliness. For

example, lunch may not be served or some bedroom may not have an en

suite bath or shower. These hotels are normally small and independently

owned with a family atmosphere. The maintenance, cleanliness, and comfort

would be of an adequate standard.

Two Star Hotels: These hotels make available good accommodation

and better equipped bedrooms, each with a telephone and attached private

bathroom. In this class, hotels will normally be small to medium-sized, and

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offer more extensive facilities than one star hotels. Guests can expect

comfortable, well-equipped overnight accommodation, generally with an en

suite bath or shower. Reception and other staff will aim for a more

professional presentation than at the one star level.

Three Star Hotels: These hotels having more spacious rooms and

add high class decoration and furnishing and color TV. They offer one or

more bars or lounges. At this level, hotels are generally of a size to support

higher staffing levels as well as a significantly higher quality and range of

facilities than at the lower star classifications. Reception and public areas

will be more spacious, and the restaurant will normally cater to non-

residents. All bedrooms will have an en suite bath and shower, and will offer

a good standard of comfort and equipment, such as a direct-dial telephone

and toiletries in the bathroom. Moreover, room service and some provisions

for business travelers can be expected.

Four Star Hotels: These hotels provide outstanding cuisine room

service, and other amenities. Expectations at this level include a degree of

luxury as well as quality in the furnishings, décor, and equipment in every

area of the hotel. Bedrooms will usually offer more space than at the lower

star levels. They will be well-designed with coordinated furnishings and

décor. The en suite bathrooms will have both a bath and shower. There will

be a high staff to guest ratio, with provisions of porter service, twenty-four

hour room service, and laundry and dry-cleaning services.

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Five Star Hotels: These hotels generally offer most luxurious

premises, widest range of guest services, as well as swimming pool and

sport and exercise facilities. Five star hotels offer spacious and luxurious

accommodations throughout the hotel, matching the best international

standards. The interior design impresses with its quality and attention to

detail, comfort, and elegance. The furnishings are clean and tidy. The service

is formal, well supervised and flawless in its attention to guests’ needs,

without being intrusive. The restaurant demonstrates a high level of

technical skill. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and well versed in all

aspects of customer care, combining efficiency with courtesy.

3.3. Services Offered by the Select Star Hotels

A brief account of the services offered by the select star hotels is

detailed below.

3.3.1. Le Meridien

The Le Méridien brand was established in 1972 by Air France to

provide on a home away from home for its customers. The first Le Méridien

property was a 1000 room hotel in Paris called Le Méridien Etoile. Within

two years of operation, the group had 10 hotels in Europe and Africa. Within

the first six years, the number of hotels had risen to 21 hotels in Europe,

Africa, France, the West Indies, Canada, South America, the Middle East

and Mauritius. By 1991, the total number of Le Méridien properties had

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risen to 58. In late 1994, Le Méridien was acquired by UK hotel

company Forte Group, which in turn was acquired by Granada Plc in 1996.

In May 2001, Nomura Group announced the acquisition of Le Méridien

Hotels & Resorts from Compass Group Plc for £1.90 billion and Le

Méridien was merged with Principal Hotels, which was acquired in February

2001. On November 24, 2005, the Le Méridien brand and management fee

business was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. The leased and owned

real estate assets were acquired in a separate deal by a joint venture formed

by Lehman Brothers and Starwood Capital. In 2011, Le Méridien opened up

its 100th hotel in Coimbatore, India. In 2012, Le Méridien celebrates 40

years of excellence in travel. In 2013, with a mission to engage guests in the

most unexpected experiences their destination has to offer, Le Méridien

repositions itself, and refreshes its brand identity. In the same year,

Starwood invests one billion dollars in the brand, opening 11 new hotels and

nearly tripling its global footprint. In 2015, Le Méridien continues to grow

and bring its guests inspired experiences in over 100 hotels and resorts in 35

countries around the world. Featuring 5 dining options, an outdoor

swimming pool and a fitness centre, Le Meridien, Coimbatore offers the

following services to the customers.

i. Currency exchange

ii. Childcare service

iii. Sprinklers
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iv. 24 hour security

v. Elevators

vi. Luggage storage

vii. Dry cleaning service

viii. Smoke detectors

ix. Medical services available

x. 24 hour concierge service

xi. Travel services

xii. Laundry/valet service

xiii. Outdoor pool

xiv. Fitness facility

xv. Spa facilities

xvi. Golf course nearby

xvii. Parking facilities

xviii. Car rental service

Guest Rooms

Le Méridien offers a truly unique experience in every one of its

stylish guest rooms and suites. Warm earth tones in addition to the luxurious

sitting and work areas create an inviting feel for customers to experience and

enjoy. It has 254 rooms including 35 suites with the following facilities:
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i. Bathrobes

ii. Cribs

iii. Signature bed

iv. Mini bar

v. 24 hour in-room dining

vi. Coffee and tea amenities

vii. Éclair

viii. Bottled water

ix. Signature breakfast + eye openers

x. 42-inch LCD television

xi. DVD player

xii. Cordless telephone

xiii. In-room electronic safe

xiv. Free daily newspaper

xv. Sprinklers in room

xvi. Le Méridien sparkling

xvii. Floor-to-ceiling windows

xviii. Internet access

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3.3.2. The Residency Towers

The Residency Group of Hotels is a hotel chain in southern India. The

groups’ parent company is the Chennai based Appaswamy Real Estates

founded in 1960. The group operates six hotels in five locations with a total

of 520 rooms. The hotels are strategically priced and cater to the needs of the

business traveler. The distinguishing factor of the chain is its food and

beverage operations, and its restaurants are popular in the respective cities.

The Residency Towers is a 4 star luxury hotel in Chennai, the Residency

Coimbatore is a 4 star luxury hotel, and the Richmond Bangalore is a

boutique hotel. The Residency Karur and the Richmond Pondicherry are

boutique hotels. Situated close to Coimbatore’s business hub and the main

shopping area, the Residency Towers offers a business hospitality

experience in the heart of the city, with all the conveniences the global

traveler is used to. Equipped with leisure facilities and 135 comfortable

rooms and luxury suites, the Residency Towers hosts a fine variety of

delightful food and beverage outlets that have become a destination by itself

in Coimbatore. It offers the following services to the customers.

i. 24 hours check-in and check-out facilities

ii. Complimentary Wi-Fi

iii. Complimentary buffer breakfast

iv. Body work shop and Spa facilities

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v. Swimming pool

vi. i-home

vii. 24 hours chauffeur service

viii. In-room mini bar

ix. Hair dryers in all rooms

x. Tea/coffee maker

xi. In-room safety locker

xii. 40 inch LED TV in all rooms

xiii. Laundry services

xiv. Money changing facility

xv. Chin Chin, Chinese restaurant

xvi. 24 hours taxi service

xvii. Bike & Barrel, English pub experience

xviii. The Afghan Grill, north east frontier cuisine restaurant

xix. Meeting/conference room facilities

3.3.3. Mount Hotel

The Mount Hotel is a popular budget accommodation located near

Coimbatore railway junction. It is a unit of Mount Housing and

Infrastructure Limited. Mount Housing is developing and promoting

construction business in Coimbatore since last 2 decade. Mount Hotel has 20

well furnished air conditioned rooms and it has come up with unique
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concept of sharing basis accommodation. The hotel has executive suite,

presidential suite, deluxe single, deluxe double, executive single and

executive double rooms. Every room has 24 hour room service, direct

dialing with STD and ISD facility, satellite TV connection, well furnished

air conditioned rooms, safe deposit locker facility, doctor on call, hot & cold

water and attached bath, Wi-Fi enabled and 24/7 security. The hotel has 4

restaurants namely Eden Garden, Dynasty, Kayal Oram and Fast Track Bar.

Mount Hotel offers the following services to the customers.

i. In house laundry

ii. Safety deposit locker

iii. Travel desk and foreign exchange

iv. Health club, swimming pool

v. Bake shop

vi. Art gallery

vii. Library

viii. Ayurvedic massage

ix. Beauty parlour

x. Doctor on call

xi. Shuttle, squash and billiards

xii. Table tennis, carom and chess

xiii. Children’s park

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3.3.4. Grand Plazza

Grand Plazza is a unit of Velmurugan group of companies which is

having 36 years of experience in the hotel industry. It has served lakhs of

people with 100 per cent satisfaction. Commitment, quality and hospitality

are Grand Plazza’s strengths. Customer friendliness, listening to their

requirements, and service mindedness, make them have home experience.

Hotel Grand Plazza is situated in the prestigious posh locality which calms

surroundings 10 km from the airport and opposite to railway station, nearby

shopping malls, business centre and surrounded by multi-specialty hospitals

in Coimbatore. It has 41 centrally air conditioned rooms and executive floor

7 lounges. It has standard and deluxe rooms. The standard rooms are air

conditioned and elegantly furnished with all modern amenities. These rooms

are centrally air-conditioned. Deluxe rooms are air-conditioned double

bedded rooms with modern amenities. The hotel offers the following

services to the customers:

i. Soundproofed rooms

ii. Direct dialing facilities

iii. Satellite TV channels

iv. Fax/modem connections and copy service

v. Iron and a large mini-safe

vi. Non-smoking rooms

vii. Hotpot, a multi cuisine restaurant

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viii. Meeting rooms

ix. 24 hours front desk service

x. Currency exchange

xi. Luggage storage

xii. Tour desk

xiii. Wakeup service

xiv. Acceptance of credit cards

xv. Nightly turn down service

xvi. Early morning coffee

xvii. Doctor on call

xviii. Car parking

xix. Auto shoe shine facilities

xx. “Jungle Bar” for relaxing customer mind

3.3.5. Metro Park Inn

Metro Park Inn is a new 3 star hotel located right at the heart of

Coimbatore city. Metro Park Inn is entrusted to match customer

expectation in relation to quality standards and service. Its slogan is

“Perfect stay for the perfect people.” The close nearness to well-known

corporate and business houses, shopping malls, etc. provides a unique

advantage to the guests. Metro Park Inn provides some of the best
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facilities and an array of food and beverage outlets. With 22 standard

rooms, 15 club rooms and 9 suites, the Metro Park Inn offers both

business and leisure traveler a comfortable and harmonious combination

of modern conveniences with traditional hospitality. Metro Park Inn

offers classified accommodation to suit customers’ unique requirements.

Metro Park Inn takes special care in ensuring the well-being of its guests.

There is a special wing for lady executives, non-smoking zone and rooms

specially designed for physically challenged persons. With 24 hours

check in/out facility, customers can check in and checkout any time of

the day. It offers the following services to the customers:

i. Well furnished air conditioned rooms

ii. Satellite TV channels

iii. Direct dialing facility

iv. Grill & Chill, round the clock coffee shop

v. Rooftop restaurant with delicious food

vi. Well-stocked bar

vii. Confectionery

viii. Conference hall

ix. Travel desk

x. Ayurvedic Spa

xi. Fitness centre

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xii. Safe deposit lockers

xiii. Doctor on call

xiv. Complimentary pick up/drop facility

xv. Complimentary breakfast/evening Tiffin

3.3.6. Clarion

Clarion Hotel is located 4 km from international airport, 14 km

from railway station and 6 km from CODISSA trade centre. It is

perfectly positioned for both business and leisure travelers. This hotel

has 107 rooms and suites elegantly designed and amenities with modern

amenities that include wireless internet access. Dining outlets include: a

rooftop restaurant, a 24 hours interactive eatery, a trendy lounge and a

pastry shop, offering global buffets along with la carte menu. Guests can

relax with a swim in the pool or relax and unwind in the tranquil Spa. It

offers the following services to the customers:

i. TV with multi channels

ii. Hot & cold running water

iii. Direct dialing phone

iv. Internet access

v. Room service

vi. Car rental

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vii. 24×7 Bytes restaurant

viii. Currency exchange

ix. Valet car parking

x. Business centre

xi. Babysitting service

xii. Zero Degree Bar

xiii. Gymnasium

xiv. Swimming pool

xv. Multi cuisine restaurant

xvi. Orchid Bali Spa

Clarion Hotel is located 4 km from international airport, 14 km from

railway station and 6 km from CODISSIA trade centre. It is perfectly

positioned for both business and leisure travelers. This hotel has 107 rooms

and suites elegantly designed and maintained with modern amenities that

include wireless internet access. Dining outlets includes: a rooftop

restaurant, a 24 hours interactive eatery, a trendy lounge and a pastry shop,

offering global buffets along with la carte menu. Guests can relax with a

swim in the pool or relax and unwind in the tranquil Spa. It offers the

following services to the customers:

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i. TV with multi channels

ii. Hot & cold running water

iii. Direct dialing phone

iv. Internet access

v. Room service

vi. Car rental

vii. 24x7 Bytes restaurant

viii. Currency exchange

ix. Valet car parking

x. Business centre

xi. Babysitting service

xii. Zero Degree Bar

xiii. Gymnasium

xiv. Swimming pool

xv. Multi cuisine restaurant

xvi. Orchid Bali Spa

3.3.7. Hotel Alankar Grande

Hotel Alankar Grande is the perfect place for the person in search of a

luxurious hotel in Coimbatore city with 3 star ratings. Set right in the

Gandhipuram area which is the heart of the cosmopolitan city of

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Coimbatore, just 2 km from the railway station and 10 km from the airport,

Hotel Alankar Grande is one of the best hotels in Coimbatore city. Also it is

one of the most popular food destinations in Coimbatore city. Be it

spectacular buffets, fun and frolic with friends, wine and dine or just a

casual coffee. The hotel has standard and deluxe rooms, and suites and grand

suites. Its restaurant offers four types of services namely southeast, gossip,

topaz and tiffinys. It offers the following services to the customers:

i. 24 hours check in

ii. 24 hours room service

iii. 24 hours AC backup

iv. 24 hours generator backup

v. 24 hours corridor music

vi. Direct dialing STD/ISD

vii. Cordless telephones

viii. Complimentary broadband wireless internet

ix. Satellite TV channels

x. LCD television

xi. Laundry services

xii. Safe deposit lockers in rooms

xiii. Smoke sensors

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xiv. Fire alarm supreme

xv. Car parking facility

xvi. Accommodation for drivers

xvii. International power socket

xviii. Uninterrupted power supply

xix. Desktops, print, scan, copy and fax facilities

3.3.8. Hotel Vishnu Priya

Hotel Vishnu Priya is a premier business class hotel located at the

heart of the prestigious Coimbatore city. It has the highest degree of

convenience and comfort with a host of facilities. The hotel has wonderfully

furnished rooms with in-house restaurant, permit room, 24 hours room

service. It is located near central bus stand, 2 km away from the railway

station and the airport 20 minutes drive away. It has standard single,

standard double, deluxe double and executive triple rooms. It offers the

following services to the customers.

i. Complimentary breakfast

ii. 24 hours check-out time

iii. Car parking in a secured environment

iv. Laundry service

v. Doctor on call
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vi. 39 rooms with uninterrupted power supply

vii. Wi-Fi enabled rooms

viii. Pick up and drop facility

ix. Courteous staff

x. Rice 'N' Spice, a multi cuisine restaurant

3.3.9. Rathna Residency

Rathna Residency is located at a stone through distance from

Coimbatore railway station, 12 km from airport and walking distance to city

shopping center.

Vision: At Rathna Residency, we pride ourselves on our unique

service culture. Redefining hospitality is our service philosophy, which

promises that each guest will be treated with a positive service attitude at

every point of contact. We will achieve high performance and provide

world-class service by putting people first.

Mission: We provide business and leisure travelers with a choice of

excellent hospitality products that offer good value for money while assuring a

good return to owners and inspiration to employees; we work for everything in

business class comforts. It offers the following services to the customers.

i. Well equipped all air-conditioned rooms

ii. Concierge

iii. Complimentary breakfast

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iv. 24 hours room service

v. Welcome drink on arrival

vi. Business center

vii. Color televisions and satellite TV in all the rooms

viii. Travel desk

ix. Specialty restaurant, multi-cuisine restaurant and roof garden

restaurant

x. Forex

xi. 3 well equipped conference halls

xii. Direct dial facility

xiii. 24 hours checkout

xiv. Doctor on request

xv. Ample car parking

xvi. First aid

xvii. Guest laundry facilities

xviii. Safety locker in each room

xix. Tea/coffee making facility in each room

xx. Wi-Fi connectivity

xxi. Outdoor catering for bulk booking

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3.3.10. CAG Pride

Commitment to quality and transparency to the customers has been

the core values of the CAG group. These values continue to drive the

inspiration at hotel CAG Pride. They listen to guests closely and constantly

and are always upgrading its services, facilities and infrastructure to keep

pace with their changing needs. As a proof of a commitment to their guests

in providing world class service and quality, they have been and still are the

only hotel in Coimbatore for the past 6 years to hold the coveted ISO

9001:2000 international certification for quality, accredited by the Dutch

Council for Certification. The CAG Pride has 71 centrally air-conditioned,

full service rooms, located in the heart of the Coimbatore city. The

innovative "state of the art" hotel exudes sophisticated elegance, while

reflecting the surroundings of Coimbatore district. Hotel CAG Pride offers a

wide variety and type of rooms to choose from deluxe room, executive

room, studio room and suite room. It provides a choice of 4 conference and

banquet halls namely Galleria, Pride Lounge 1 & 2 and Board Room A

delivering an elegant and a classy venue to cover the various banqueting

needs of the guests ranging from 10 to 200 persons. The hotel offers the

following services to the customers.

i. Electronic door locks

ii. Electronic safe deposits with swipe card facility

iii. Tea/coffee kettle

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iv. Speaker phone

v. Complimentary Wi-Fi connectivity

vi. Complimentary mineral water bottle

vii. LCD TV

viii. Exclusive and ample parking space

ix. In-house laundry equipment

x. Full fledged money changers, authorized by the RBI

xi. Travel desk facilities for ticketing and travel arrangements

xii. Pickup or drop facility

xiii. Exclusive multi-cuisine restaurant

xiv. Lounge bar

xv. Banquet hall facility

3.3.11. Heritage Inn

Heritage Inn is located 10 km from airport, 2 km from railway station

in Coimbatore. The shopping malls are just around the corner. For a

wonderful dinner under the cool, starry night sky, dine at “Apex Garden”,

the rooftop restaurant. The hotel has deluxe and comfort rooms. Besides, the

hotel has banquets and conference halls. Moreover, the hotel has

3 restaurants namely Paruvaa multi cuisine restaurant, Apex Garden roof-top

restaurant and Rafters. Heritage Inn offers the following services to the

customers.
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i. 24 hours check in and check out

ii. Travel desk

iii. Foreign currency exchange

iv. Doctor on call

v. Television with satellite channels

vi. Internet browsing centre

vii. DTP centre for desktop works

viii. Mini bars in all rooms

ix. Hair dryers

x. Wooden flooring

xi. Safe deposit lockers

xii. 24 hours room services

xiii. Direct dial

xiv. Free Wi-Fi access

xv. Complimentary buffet breakfast

xvi. Iron and iron board

xvii. Dental kit, shaving kit and talcum powder on request

xviii. Shampoo, soap and coconut oil

xix. Moisturizer

xx. Shower cap

xxi. Bubble bath

xxii. Comb

xxiii. Shoe shine and cleaner

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3.3.12. The Arcadia

The Arcadia is located on Avinashi Road within a short distance from

KMCH and a 2 minute drive from Tidel Park. The Arcadia features 35 well

designed guest rooms including 3 suites, a rooftop restaurant, meeting and

convention halls, Spa, permit room and a pub. There is a ballroom that can

accommodate 150 guests with an exclusive dining room. The hotel offers the

following services to the customers.

i. 24 hours check in and check out

ii. Travel desk

iii. Foreign currency exchange

iv. Doctor on call

v. Television with satellite channels

vi. Internet browsing centre

vii. Wooden flooring

viii. 24 hours room services

ix. Direct dial

x. Free Wi-Fi access

xi. Complimentary buffet breakfast

xii. Shower cap

xiii. Parking facility

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3.3.13. Hotel City Tower

In the heart of textile city Coimbatore, Hotel City Tower, stands and

shines high above the rest. Its 27 years of service with absolute dedication,

courtesy, choicest food varieties with aroma and taste. Cozy accommodation

of great comfort, decor and aesthetics, etc. have earned for a good reputation

and pride. The hotel with its majestic and towering structure of 9 storeys has

been keeping its head high above the rest as it always believed in and

practices for 100 per cent customer satisfaction. It offers customers a high

degree of convenience, comfort and providing comprehensive business

services. It caters to many sight-seers who are on their way to tourist spots

like Kodaikanal, Ooty, Black Thunder Water Theme Park and Malampuzha

to take a break and get ready for all the fun and excitement that's in store for

them. All air conditioned and non air conditioned rooms are well furnished

with elegant antique furniture while providing all the modern amenities that

are essential to make customers comfortable during their stay. Hotel City

Tower offers the following services to the customers.

i. Reception

ii. Classical suite

iii. Deluxe suite

iv. Could 9, multi cuisine restaurant

v. Orchard vegetarian restaurant

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vi. City Fried Chicken, drive in restaurant

vii. Shanghaai, Chinese restaurant

viii. City Mahal

ix. Board room

x. Parking

Hospitality industry is one of the foremost sectors that have been

driving the growth of Indian economy. The industry covers extensive

services that include food service, hotels and tourism. The role of the entire

hospitality sector in India in relation to gross domestic product is expected to

rise to 9 per cent by 2020. The Indian hotel industry revenues are likely to

improve by 9-10 per cent in 2016-17, largely aided by improved occupancy.

The emergence of budget hotels in India to cater to the majority of the

population who seek affordable accommodation has materialized into an

effective driver for growth. This sector will benefit due to certain

government regulations that will guide this sector towards further

development. Moreover, an attempt has been made in this chapter to review

the services offered by the select star hotels in Coimbatore.