India's Hottest Hospitality Trends

From apartments attached to hotels, sustainable F&B, staycation packages and influencer-generated content, Indian hotels are reinventing themselves. Here are this year's biggest hotel trends

- Riaan Jacob George, Nisha Shroff & Sanchita Nambiar

01 BLEISURE

While the business travel segment amounts for a significant chunk of the revenue pie for city hotels, there is an emerging segment called “Bleisure”. As its name suggests, the lines between the business and leisure segment are now being blurred, as many luxury hotels are marketing themselves to both segments, tapping into a larger client pool. Another way of interpreting Bleisure travel is when business travelers extend their stay over a weekend or indulge in leisure activities after work. A case in point is The Oberoi, New Delhi, where guests often combine breaks with business trips, reflecting a change in the very nature of corporate travel. “Corporates are now proactively seeking new experiences while on a business trip and finding hotels that are located close to work, which gives them more leisure time. Therefore, this new mixed segment has emerged,” says Jay Rathore, senior vice president, and general manager, The Oberoi, New Delhi, whose location also works in favor of this segment.

What’s more, hotels are striving to offer curated experiences, targeting business travelers. For instance, The Leela Palace New Delhi that offers a guided art walk around the hotel and experiences suggested by the Les Clefs d’Or concierges, a cooking session and personalized spa therapies.

As a result of this growing trend, hotels are incorporating lifestyle and leisure elements into business travel like redesigned pool spaces, dining experiences, wellness programs and even visits to the nearby tourist attractions.

02 DIGITAL CONCIERGE