Hampshire Hotels and Resorts (HHR), owned by the NRI Sant Singh Chatwal, is developing two properties in Kochi, one of which is in a privately owned island in the heart of the city. Sources told FE that the island property would be developed jointly with its owners, a Kochi based architect firm, which had forayed unsuccessfully into real estate business way back in 90s.
Spread over 50 acres, the island also has the distinction of having necessary infrastructure connecting it to the mainland. Sources further said that the island hotel could be in the seven star super luxury categories. HHR sources from Bangalore refused to comment on the development but confirmed that they are looking for more than one property in the city.
Meanwhile, HHR has taken over a completed but not functioning property hardly one kilometer away from the island. The 150-room hotel owned formerly by Middle East Hotels (P) Ltd. will be refurnished before its launch in October, sources said. The hotel project was languishing for many months after its completion because of internal squabbles between its NRI directors, sources said.
"The hotel will be in the five star premium category under the Hampshire Plaza brand with multi-cuisine restraints and other amenities," sources said.
HHR, which owns luxury boutique brands 'Dream' and 'Night' is looking to develop new brands in the Indian market to be introduced worldwide. It had earlier been reported that the company would pump in Rs 4,500 crore by 2009 for setting up a chain of hotels, including super luxury hotels in India. The super luxury brand to be launched would have 300 rooms and the group intends to create convention centers in every hotel.
