Back To The Future

Indian hoteliers are reviving and restoring ancient palaces, mansions and havelis into heritage hotels that offer a blend of nostalgia and romance. The combination helps drive the segment.

- Deepali Nandwani

In 2018, tourism across the world was worth about $1.7tn (£1.3tn), or about 2% of total global GDP. Of this, classic heritage sites, or countries known for their tangible and intangible heritage — palaces and forts, churches and temples — attracted almost 28% of the tourism traffic, a survey published in the British newspaper The Guardian stated.

Travelers, particularly discerning, affluent travelers, often opt to live in heritage hotels. The romance, nostalgia and the elegance of the past are some of the reasons they quote. Many like the idea of waking up in a heritage structure, where time has stood still. Room service could have guards in traditional headgear. This is where adaptive reuse of heritage building comes into play. Heritage hotels, from palaces to mansions, from colonial-era homes to old Kolkata rajbaris, evoke a sense of beauty and elegance and are being restored into beautiful hotels.

Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, chairman, HRH Group Of Hotels and a member of Indian Heritage Hotels Association, is considered a pioneer in the heritage hotel space in India. He has said in an interview, “Heritage represents a major segment in global hospitality. Living in palaces, forts or castles involves the romance of living in a historic past. The lifestyle, F&B, adventures of the past — all contribute to the mystique of spending your vacation in a palace or mansion where royalty once lived or entertained.”