ITC Grand Chola, Chennai, which was unveiled in September this year, has already attracted a lot of attention owing to its position as the largest LEED Platinum hotel in the world. The property is modern in its feel and reminiscent of the erstwhile Chola dynasty in its look, and seamlessly combines luxury with the responsibility of being green, which in itself is a rare combination in uber-luxury hotels in the world, opined Philippe Charraudeau, Vice President and General Manager, ITC Grand Chola, Chennai. The property, owned and managed by ITC Hotel and built on an investment of around Rs 1,200 crores, will achieve an occupancy level that will be a benchmark for any hotel of its size in the history of this country, he stated.
“The hotel has multiple edifices to accommodate multiple needs of customers and aims to attract revenue streams from various segments – discerning business and leisure travellers for events and conventions. Our offerings in the MICE segment are un-paralleled in the country. Apart from this, the hotel has a separate section of exclusive service residences and a luxury retail arcade that is expected to draw in a whole spectrum of different audiences,” added Charraudeau.
Speaking of Chennai as a location for the hotel, he said, “ITC’s hotels business endeavours to continue to make a meaningful contribution to the overall economic development of the country in multiple ways, while enriching the tourism landscape. The hospitality industry in Chennai features the least number of premium accommodations as compared to other major metros in the country. There is hence a need and an opportunity that we believe existed in the luxury hotel segment in Chennai. The ITC Grand Chola is ITC’s tribute to Tamil Nadu and an iconic asset to the city in which ITC forayed into the hotel business in 1975. The grandeur and unique attributes of the hotel will provide a fillip to the hospitality sector in Chennai in addition to transforming Chennai into India’s convention capital.”
The ITC Grand Chola has a detailed plan on promoting the property in the print media, online and through the official website, along with Starwood’s network to reach a wider segment of audience. The 600-key property also has several ancillary offerings such as a luxury retail arcade, 10 food and beverage outlets, a 23,000 sq. ft. internationally acclaimed spa brand, Kaya Kalp and 100,000 sq. ft. of banqueting and convention space with 30,000 sq. ft. of pillar-less ballroom. The establishment is expecting a sizeable amount of revenue from these streams, concluded Charraudeau.
