The erstwhile maharajas of India would have never thought that their summer palaces and forts will be used for the accommodation purpose in the 21st century. But the corporate hotel chains such as Taj, Oberoi and Welcome Heritage have turned this dream into reality by acquiring these heritage properties. The concept of ‘Heritage Hotels in India' has been started after the independence of India. Post 15th August, 1947, various princely states entered into a treaty with the Indian government to become a part of the country and subsequently their homes were transformed into the heritage hotels. In this blog post, I will talk about the key points that need to be taken care of and challenges faced during their conversion of a heritage property in a lavish hotel.
1. The first and the foremost thing that one needs to ensure that the property must retain its old-world charm, without compromising on the modern technology. A balance needs to be maintained between the old and new.
2. Heritage hotels in India are more tourism centric than a regular five star hotel but it entirely depends upon the attractions located in the vicinity of the hotel.
3. The key qualification of a heritage hotel in India is that the property must be built before 1947. Only then you will find the grandeur of history and architecture.
4. Try to include 80% locals in the hotel staff as people from cities especially metropolitan are reluctant to settle in the far-flung areas. Depending on their level of understanding things, the training process of such people is designed and is quite time consuming as compared to the HM graduates.
5. In order to sell as a heritage hotel, it is quite imperative to create attractive locations and travel packages so that tourists can enjoy sightseeing tours, in addition to the modern comforts.
6. The conversion of a heritage property is a tedious task. The task begins with ensuring that the property meets the terms and conditions of conversion in the first place. The next thing is the restoration of these properties, without destructing the heritage appeal. Since these properties were never planned to be converted into hotels, the problems which are generally being faced includes thick walls, poor plumbing system and common bathrooms
7. Budget hotels in heritage destinations are the major competitors of Indian heritage hotels as they offer a more luxurious ambience at a particular price.
The above mentioned points says a lot about the criterion on which a heritage hotels are selected, basic marketing policy, their staff and competition. If all these terms are met, a good heritage hotel can be created.
2. Heritage hotels in India are more tourism centric than a regular five star hotel but it entirely depends upon the attractions located in the vicinity of the hotel.
3. The key qualification of a heritage hotel in India is that the property must be built before 1947. Only then you will find the grandeur of history and architecture.
4. Try to include 80% locals in the hotel staff as people from cities especially metropolitan are reluctant to settle in the far-flung areas. Depending on their level of understanding things, the training process of such people is designed and is quite time consuming as compared to the HM graduates.
5. In order to sell as a heritage hotel, it is quite imperative to create attractive locations and travel packages so that tourists can enjoy sightseeing tours, in addition to the modern comforts.
6. The conversion of a heritage property is a tedious task. The task begins with ensuring that the property meets the terms and conditions of conversion in the first place. The next thing is the restoration of these properties, without destructing the heritage appeal. Since these properties were never planned to be converted into hotels, the problems which are generally being faced includes thick walls, poor plumbing system and common bathrooms
7. Budget hotels in heritage destinations are the major competitors of Indian heritage hotels as they offer a more luxurious ambience at a particular price.
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