The more the merrier

New Delhi, Aug. 5: The $36-billion Carlson Hotels Worldwide (Asia Pacific) is planning to set up 20 hotels in India by 2011, including five in Calcutta.

The Carlson family includes brands such as Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts and Country Inns & Suites. Radisson is a five-star brand while Country Inn and Park Plaza are four-star hotel chains.

“The Carlson group plans to open a Radisson and a Country Inn hotel near the Calcutta airport. Another Radisson, a Country Inn and a Park Plaza hotel have been lined up for the city,” K.B. Kachru, executive president (South Asia), Carlson Hotels Worldwide (Asia Pacific), told The Telegraph.

Calcutta-based DS Group will be the promoters of the airport hotels.

The Radisson hotel at the airport will have 250 rooms with a dining cafe, speciality restaurants, a bar, health club, business centre, meeting and convention facilities and a swimming pool. The hotel will cover seven acres and is expected to be operational by June 2010. The Country Inn will be a 172-room hotel and is expected to be complete at around the same time.

“The properties in the city have been decided but we are yet to get the final approval from the government,” Kachru said. He didn’t give further details.

The US-based Carlson Hotels runs on a franchisee model. However, the group is now ready to invest in India, to cash in on the boom in the country’s hospitality and tourism sectors.

“We will look at good opportunities. The group is certainly not averse to making investments. It could be in any of our five brands ... it will all depend on the location and the viability of the project,” said Kachru.

Carlson is also keen to set up a Regent Hotel in Noida.

In June this year, the government approved the group’s proposal to set up a hotel in Noida. According to the agreement, Carlson Hotels will hold a 26 per cent stake in a joint venture company — Elbrus Builders. Unitech, Lavenders and Colossal Builders will be part of the joint venture. Carlson Hotels will invest Rs 2.6 crore in the project.

On the company’s plans to expand in Tier-II cities, Kachru said, “The objective is to be present across the country. Places such as Nagpur, Indore, Ahmedabad, Ranchi, Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar and Varanasi are the focus areas.”

Pakistan foray

The group is also looking at expanding in Pakistan. It plans to set up a Radisson and a Park Plaza hotel in Lahore. The Park Plaza will be ready by early 2008 and the Radisson hotel will be operational by 2010.