NOVOTEL Pune opened its doors earlier this week, becoming the latest property to debut under Accor’s Novotel brand in 4Q2013 after Novotel Goa Shrem Resort and Novotel Ahmedabad.
Jean-Michel Cassé, senior vice president, operations, Accor India, said: “Accor is focused on India as a core growth market and the expansion of the Novotel brand in 2013 has been positive with three significant openings during the year. Novotel Pune is the eighth Accor property in Maharashtra.”
Novotel Pune offers 223 guest rooms including 14 suites, five F&B outlets, and flexible banquet offerings with a divisible ballroom and six additional meeting rooms across 1,022m2of indoor and outdoor space. An interactive virtual concierge service allows guests to browse information of the hotel and the neighbourhood via a touch screen panel.
The hotel’s general manager, Bandish Mehta, said: “Initially, we are looking at ARRs of around US$81.12 and an average occupancy of 50 per cent. We expect 70 per cent of our business will come from corporate and MICE segments and the rest from the leisure segment.”
In 2014, the French hospitality group will keep up its expansion plans in India, with 10 new properties in the pipeline.
Cassé said: “We are entering new markets like Kolkata and Chennai. We have five hotels under construction in Chennai, and the first two hotels opening will be a Novotel and Ibis. We are opening a Novotel property in Kolkata early next year.
“Even though we are present in Gurgaon, we have no property in Delhi. Next year will also see the opening of first Pullman, Novotel and Ibis at the Aerocity, (where) we have 1,100 rooms under development,” he added.
