CALCUTTA The 29th property in the Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts portfolio has opened in Calcutta. Swissôtel Kolkata is the brand’s first foray into India, with at least two more to come.
Swissôtel Gurgaon and the Swissôtel Whitefield, Bangalore, are both under development by The Xander Group Inc., a United States-based international private equity firm. Both are slated to open in 2013.
“India is the world’s second-largest nation; the numbers are on a gigantic scale,” says Swissôtel President Meinhard Huck. “India is set to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2020. Consumer demand is growing steadily, particularly in the cities, and the middle class, which is also growing rapidly, has ever increasing consumption needs. Against this background, we see great potential for our hotel chain and are delighted to have found well-known partners that appreciates our Swiss values.”
Swissôtel Gurgaon, outside New Delhi, will house 240 guestrooms and 25,000 sq. ft. of conference space. It will be part of a mixed-use development featuring upscale office space, restaurants and retail.
The 151-key Swissôtel Whitefield, positioned about 15 km northeast of Bangalore city center in the city’s Whitefield district, will have exclusive dining outlets and a luxury rooftop pool. It too will be the focal point of a large mixed-use project, including restaurants, entertainment facilities and leisure options.
“These two exciting projects enable us to push ahead with our expansion in the promising and strategic Indian market,” Huck says. “We are delighted to have found a professional partner in The Xander Group Inc., who is entrusting us with the management of these two deluxe hotels and values our Swiss hospitality and our high quality standards.”
The newly opened 147-key Swissôtel Kolkata features four restaurants and bars and 1,561 sq. m of meeting and banquet space.