IHCL announces new Ginger hotel in Guwahati
November 28, 2006

As part of its expansion strategy for Ginger'- the GenNext 'Smart Basics' chain of hotels, The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) today announced its foray into Assam. Tarun Gogoi, honorable chief minister of Assam, solemnised the foundation stone laying ceremony of Ginger hotel at Upper Hengerabari, VIP Road, opposite Doordardshan Quarters, Barbari, Guwahati in the presence of Prabhat Pani, chief executive officer, Roots Corporation, and other dignitaries.

The 100-room hotel at Guwahati is the latest addition to the growing chain of Ginger hotels across the country, which includes Bangalore, Haridwar, Bhubaneshwar, Mysore, Thiruvananthapuram and Pune. By the end of this current financial year, Ginger hotels will also be unveiled in Nashik and Durgapur.

Ginger hotels characterise freshness. The hotels are simple, unique, reasonable, basic, very different, light-hearted, Indian and innovative. Priced at Rs999 for a single room and Rs1199 for a double room, Ginger hotels have created a new category in the domestic hospitality landscape, while giving a major fillip to Indian tourism and other ancillary industries. The primary objective behind the launch of these hotels is to provide to travellers a superior product offering and consistent experience that goes far beyond the present offerings in the industry.

Speaking on the occasion, Prabhat Pani, chief executive officer, Roots Corporation, said, "We are pleased to announce our foray into Assam with Ginger. The 'Smart Basics' category has today changed the dynamics of the entire hospitality industry and emerged as a compelling business opportunity. We do believe that significant demand exists for Ginger in the metros, secondary and tertiary cities across the country. And we are gearing up for a nationwide launch of these hotels."

The Ginger hotels are modern, modular and scalable, providing guests with a consistent experience. These hotels will have 100 / 200 well-appointed rooms, with a choice of single, twin and queen-sized rooms. The rooms will be individually air-conditioned and provided with electronic locks, comfortable beds, a work area, a 17-inch flat-screen colour television with satellite channels, direct-dial telephone including STD facility, mini-fridge, tea / coffee maker, 24 hours hot / cold water and toiletries. Other guest facilities at these hotels would include a restaurant, meeting room, gymnasium facilities, a cyber café, 24-hour reception, automatic check-in kiosk, digital safe-deposit boxes, 100 per cent power backup, as well as wi-fi connectivity in the public areas and individual rooms.

Indigenously designed and developed by IHCL, the guiding principle behind the design was to create a unique 'space' that is conducive not only for guest comfort and relaxation but also for their work requirements. The design of the hotel, from the rooms to the furniture and lighting systems, have been thoughtfully created to offer users a unique sense of welcome.

Launched in June 2004, the Smart Basics concept created a revolution in the world of Indian hospitality. Smart Basics - a GenNext category of hotels - signifies simplicity, convenience, informality, style, warmth, modernity and affordability. The concept was developed in association with renowned corporate strategy thinker, Dr C K Prahalad. The hotels are built around a unique concept that provides facilities to meet the key needs of today's traveller, at surprisingly affordable rates.

Work on upcoming Ginger hotels has commenced in Goa, Pondicherry and Agartala, and is also planned to commence on hotels in Tirupur, Varanasi, Pantnagar, Baroda and Ahmedabad, amongst other destinations within the next couple of months. These locations have been identified after detailed studies across various parameters such as the potential of the market, clusters of clientele and peak periods, among others.