Date:25/11/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/11/25/stories/2004112500881900.htm

Back New-look Grand Ashok hotel to be ready by April

Anjali Prayag

Bangalore , Nov. 24

BY April 2005, after three years of phase-by-phase renovation and changes, The Grand Ashok, Bangalore, will have acquired a completely new look.

Mr Jagmohan Misra, Vice-President, The Grand Ashok, says that the entire revamp cost for the Bangalore hotel is about Rs 100 crore. So far, 90 deluxe rooms, 18 suites and 18 club rooms, a coffee shop (24X7) and a specialty restaurant (Baluchi) have got a new look at a cost of Rs 70 crore. "The hotel's bar will be completely transformed. Sutra will be a `coffee-cognac-cigar' kind of bar," says Mr Misra.

The hotel also plans to add a new Spa, to be set up by Champneys, a European company. To cater to Bangalore's inventory shortage, an additional 150 rooms and 60 service apartments will be added soon. Incidentally, the city is short of 1,500 rooms every day. "We are also building a modern conventional centre," according to Mr Misra.

The property, located on 10.5 acres of land, will soon be made into a Grand Intercontinental hotel, he reveals.

The Grand Ashok, Bangalore, currently employs over 400 employees, including more than 200 contract staff. "We are highly HR- and training-oriented and have introduced some unique HR initiatives in the hotel," says Mr Misra.

For instance, employees are given instant recognition when they achieve success. This is in the form of an appreciation letter and a monetary compensation. "All these efforts will get reflected in our hospitality to the guests."

The Grand Group, a unit of Bharat Hotels Ltd, took over three ITDC-owned (Bangalore, Khajuraho and Udaipur) hotels three years ago. The Group has Intercontinental hotels in Mumbai, Delhi, Goa and Srinagar.