From specialised private dining to a taste of local and seasonal cuisines and chef’s unusual preparations—in-room dining has emerged as the perfect marketing and revenue generating tool to upsell the F&B offerings, garnering loyalty and helping hotels ace the art of hosting
Of the many charms of checking into Hyatt Regency Lucknow is the in-room Lucknow Gazette. This tiny 1980-styled newspaper, which offers a road map of Lucknow and chalks out the famous places to eat at, comes with an assortment of goodies in a welcome kit. The kit holds a note on the culinary experiences that the chef can curate with a little ‘advance notice’. The bonus add-ons: some ‘unhotel-like’ dishes such as Tokri Chaat and Malai Makhan (a closer cousin to Daulat ki Chaat) as little treats.
The idea, says Executive Chef Subhash Jana, “was to create this little treat box that not just showcases the city but also the culinary team (and their capabilities) to guests. While we nudge them to explore the city in their free time, this little welcome kit is a gentle reminder that we can create the same experience for them, while they relax in their rooms.”
This clever move by Chef Jana has, in the past few months, attracted guests who come purely to experience the little Lucknow the hotel’s culinary team helps create (and even customise) in their room.
Chef Jana is representative of a group of chefs who have introduced similar initiatives at their hotels as part of the In-room Dining (IRD) experience. Increasingly, an upscale IRD experience puts a hotel in a completely different F&B league.
IN-ROOM DINING AS A REVENUE GENERATOR
Krishan Aggarwal, VP–Hotel Openings, IHCL terms IRD as not just a “value addition tool but a revenue generation concept as well.” In fact, adds Aggarwal, “As a concept, it is central to [the experiences offered by] great luxury properties. At the recently opened Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, Udaipur, we use IRD or the Villa Dining concept to benchmark indulgence for our guests and associates. It is a great tool to market not just the surroundings but also our restaurants.”
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Big Fat Indian Wedding
With a slew of initiatives, hotels are ensuring that the wedding day is special for the couple as well as for the hotel's bottom line.
An Organization Of Rainmakers!!!
Rainmakers are revered for their ability to generate income (rain) for an organization by cracking deals, attracting clients/guests and holding on to them; often, for a lifetime... Revenue generation (rainmaking) is the job of everyone on the team.
Hospitality: A Rewarding Career Awaits
Delving into the roles and responsibilities that professionals in the field of hospitality can undertake in carving a rewarding career.
"India is my first baby!"
Bader Ali Habib, Regional Head of Proximity Markets, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, gets candid.
The Essence of Landscape Architecture
Innovative landscaping can enhance the luxury hospitality experience by enriching guest interaction with the natural world.
Teaching the Art of Tea
The first global tea artist from India, teaching the art of making and drinking fine tea, Susmita Das Gupta talks about her mission to make Indian specialty tea reach a global audience.
Feeding Profits
Food and beverage is driving revenues in hospitality in novel ways as hotels innovate with new-age experiences.
Acing the Revenue Game
Hotels are looking at new avenues to generate revenues that go beyond rooms and food.
The Power of Predictive Maintenance
A strategic approach to enable Indian hotels to become leaders in sustainable hospitality.
Shaping a Sustainable FUTURE
To mark the occasion of World Environment Day this month, we find out how the hospitality industry is paving the way for a greener, healthier tomorrow...