Kahini Chakraborty – Mumbai
Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels has launched a new brand ‘Zone by The Park’. This mid-segment ‘design-conscious, price-conscious’ brand and the first property has been launched in Coimbatore. The second property of ‘Zone by The Park’ is slated to launch in Jaipur (Rajasthan) in February 2015. Another four will open in Mahabalipuram, Old Mahaballipuram Road (OMR), Chennai and Raipur (Chattisgarh) this year. In addition to this, The Park Collection will get two new properties at Wayanad and the Chettinad region. Under the parent brand ‘The Park Hotels’, new properties are under development in Kolkata, Pune and Jaipur.
Speaking to exclusively to Food & Hospitality World about the brand, Priya Paul, chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels said, “‘Zone by The Park’ will be managed properties with approximately 80-100 rooms in each property. The property at Coimbatore has 56 rooms, while the The Old Mahaballipuram Road will have 50 rooms; Mahabalipuram will have 43 rooms and Raipur will have 72 rooms along with a nightclub. Our investment is in the designing and marketing of the brand. Since, ‘Zone by The Park’ are managed properties, The Park hotels will be responsible for the operation and overall development of the brand with the help of its expert team of senior management. ‘Zone by The Park’ will be the starting point to enjoy the city and become a hub of social interactivity for modern business and leisure travellers.”With an occupancy rate of 70 per cent across all The Park properties, when asked about the growth potential of Tier II and Tier III cities, Paul opined, “The Tier II and Tier III cities are rapidly emerging as business hubs with substantial development in connectivity, better infrastructure, advent of MNCs and rising lifestyle of middle class. And we see it as a great opportunity for a new kind of a hotel for a new kind of traveller, someone who is moving up the ladder and is at ease with themselves.”