1. How has your hospitality journey been at The Claridges?
The Claridges is like my second home where I have spent more than a decade. The entire Claridges team is like a family to me and as a Hotel Manager, it gives me immense joy and pleasure to be able to witness the growth and the journey Claridges and its team have been through.
2. What is your take on the Opportunity for heritage hotels in the revolutionizing tourism sector? (Advantages and disadvantages) Do you think people prefer a modern hotel over a heritage one?
Heritage hotels have indeed got a bright future. The architecture, artifacts even the people working in the heritage hotels have stories to them. People are always looking for interesting experiences, stories warmth, and heritage hotels have all of this lot to give.
If one has to set aside pros and cons about modern or heritage properties, it is needless to say that the old world has its charm and will always be in demand for the leisure segment. Amalgamating the heritage with modern amenities gives a unique product that also caters to modern or business travelers. Maintenance plays a key role in heritage property but that is equally required in modern facilities too.
3. Can you tell us a bit about Manpower management, hiring policies, and HR policies of the hotel?
Our hotel takes pride in providing all our employees a happy and healthy working environment and we implant the same in our employee policies.
Some of the best policies for employees comprise:
- Mediclaim, what makes our Mediclaim policy different is that we offer 1+5 where the medical insurance is covered for the employee and 5 of its family members instead of offering insurance to the employee and only 2 family members.
- We offer multiple benefits in terms of in-house services to all our employees.
- We make sure all our employees have a good work-life balance, we provide off days so that our employees can rest and come back to work happy and healthy.
- We make sure our employees experience a safe and secure working environment; in case they face any issues we have employee grievances where the HR thoroughly takes care of the case.
- Through diverse platforms such as LinkedIn, where we are always looking for new talents to be part of our family.
4. Talking about green initiatives, what are the Sustainable concepts in hotels followed at the hotel? (eco-friendly construction, energy saving, and waste management as priorities)
– Our hotel strictly follows the No plastic initiative, from the necessary amenities in the rooms to water bottles, we make sure that there is minimal use of plastic. We aim to go plastic free to contribute to a greener planet.
– We also strongly follow the 3 R’s – Reduce wastage, Reuse & Recycle. Weencourage employees to dispose of all paper waste in secure bins which can be 100% recycled.
– The hotel has an organic waste converter that helps convert food waste into Khaad (manure) that we use in our plants.
– We have switched to LED usage in the property in the maximum areas which have resulted in humungous savings on electricity.
5. How do the hotel blends classic architecture and modern amenities?
Keeping in mind the traditional as well as the modern requirements of travelers, our hotel interiors exude a combination of modern luxury and old Indian glamour. One can experience the timeless elegance, opulence, and regal-themed architecture of The Claridges New Delhi situated in the heart of the capital city.
6. Can you talk about the design details and aspects of the hotels? (With its historical factors)
The Claridges since its inception has been a major landmark in the history of the Indian hotel industry. The property offers an unconventional blend of the elegant style architecture that characterizes early 19th century Britain and the contemporary modern styles. The lush lawns are a fully functional F&B outlet, it is a well-used venue for our legendary Sunday winter brunches. It is also a great venue for social and corporate get together. The grand staircases and our long corridors are a treat to the eye.
We are right now on a journey from good to great and creating stylishly iconic experiences for our patrons. We are renovating our property in many aspects by keeping the old-world charm with modern capabilities
7. Speaking about F&B, is history a part of your cuisine as well?
Yes, one of the oldest Bakery in Delhi – Ye Old Bakery is best known for its legendary corn pudding. And it fills my heart with joy to share that we still have the same chef who invented the iconic corn pudding 30 years ago.
We wanted to make sure that our guests enjoy the original taste of the corn pudding.
Our new bakers are learning and perfecting the skill of creating the iconic corn pudding every day by the chef who has created such an iconic dessert.
8. How do you redefine ‘luxury’ at The Claridges?
We offer personalized services and recognition to our loyal patrons. We always try and make sure that every guest of ours gets the best of what the hotel has to offer. Our effort currently is to make this beautiful heritage property the first choice of any traveler visiting Delhi, be it for leisure or business.
9. Where do you see yourself taking The Claridges in the next 3-5 years?
The journey from good to great has already commenced. For now, our aim in the future is to make The Claridges Delhi’s favorite hotel for locals and foreign travelers. We aim to make generate ARR twice from the present, with 1.5 times revenue generation from the F&B.
