ODYSSEY OF THE HERITAGE HOTEL

The heritage hotel space may be a sacred one, but with technological advancements bleeding into our everyday, it may be that time we start altering buildings of our past to match our present.

- SWAROOPINI NAIR

The era of the traveller has re-set upon us, and the hospitality industry has been experiencing a boom because of it. Freshly exiting the pandemic and entering an era of financial instability, many people—mostly of the younger generation—have taken to travelling and experiencing life outside of their 9-to-5, and who could blame them? If you were to ask me, between choosing to save my yearly bonus for a rainy day or searching for affordable flights and a lush hotel to a country whose attractions I’ve seen only on TikTok, I’d heartily choose the latter.

As all things do, the modern traveller has evolved, and in correlation so too has the hospitality industry that welcomes them. Stunning five-star hotels and gorgeous villas which have always remained the king pin in their game have still not lost their lustre, but more people are looking towards other forms of accommodation. From the Airbnb bookings that offer comfortable lodging for large groups of people to niche boutique hotels located in cool neighbourhoods slightly away from the city, modern nomads are spoilt for choice. However, there is a growing interest in a specific type of hotel that has recently seen a resurgence in popularity—that is the heritage hotel, but with a twist of innovation.

THE LOCAL TOUCH