Smaller hotels make hay while the sun shines

While five star hotels report full capacity for the entire week, serviced apartments promise delegates the same experience for much less

Smaller hotels make hay while the sun shines

While five star hotels report full capacity for the entire week, serviced apartments promise delegates the same experience for much less

With the Aero India Show drawing 45 official delegations from countries like Australia, Brazil, Germany and Bangladesh including defence ministers, air chiefs and representatives, top five star hotels hosting the delegates are now booked solid for the week. This has left the spillover of arriving delegates with options like three star serviced apartments, which will also save them a fortune.

At your service: Service appartments are promising best services at
a lower cost than five star hotels. Pic/Ramesh H S

Hoteliers' take
John Peter, supervisor of the Orchard Suites, said, "We have 25 delegates from New Delhi staying here. Of the 28 apartments that we have, six apartments are reserved for them." He added, "Our guests will be provided with the best service like complimentary breakfasts and running hot water at a lower cost than five star hotels."

YS Nagaraj, concierge at Su Casa, said, "We're running full this entire week. We have about six members of the foreign delegation staying with us along with some delegates from New Delhi."u00a0 "Even foreign and national journalists have chosen to stay here. And obviously, this will be much cheaper for them than staying at a fancy hotel," he added.u00a0

Nitya Kumar, manager of Tristar serviced apartments, said, "We are completely booked. It's been that way since Sunday and guests have been arriving everyday. A majority are here for the Aero India Show, and what they would ideally have gotten at a five star hotel they'll get here for a less cost."

Anil Kumar, Lobby Manager at the Basil Ikon Hotel, said, "We are doing what we can to keep the delegates happy. We have moderately increased security personnel and measures to ensure that nothing untoward happens." "Reservations were made a week ago and now we are completely booked for the week ahead," he elaborated further.

Hiked prices
"The average room tariff is anywhere between Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per day, but would increase to Rs 25,000 during February 9 to 13," said a room reservation manager at Hotel Lalit Ashok. Similarly, an executive from the reservations department at The Chancery Pavilion said, "Room tariff will definitely double from the normal Rs 10,000."

Other hotels such as the Oberoi and The Taj West End also reported room reservation queries from overseas delegates. Organisers of Aero India 2011 International Seminar and Air Show have partnered with select hotels and serviced apartments across the city to offer room tariffs at discounted rates.

Bell Hotel and Hotel Pavana Residency said they have a tie-up with the Aero India organisers for the last three years. "We offer rooms at a discount in the range of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 and we expect full occupancy," said Nirmala, a room reservation manager.

The guest relations manager of another budget hotel, Comfort Vijay Residency said that it has a 30 to 40 per cent increase in room reservations during the event, and added, "We are expected to run 90-100 per cent occupancy during the air show period."

75 Per cent of the bookings at the ITC Royal Gardenia are attributed to Aero India delegates

92 Per cent of the Windsor Manor's rooms are booked by foreign delegates.

Guest preference

Briand Jean-Pierre, a member of the French delegation chose to stay at a serviced apartment rather than a five star hotel.
He said, "I don't care much for the big hotels.

There are too many people to begin with. Staying in a smaller place, I get to interact with the local people. Five star hotels in India are far too expensive and cost more than in any other country."

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