As part of the International Brand Descriptor program the new brand “BEST WESTERN PLUS®” will give Best Western India’s member hotels the option to identify their properties as BEST WESTERN® for midscale properties, BEST WESTERN PLUS® for Upper midscale Hotels and BEST WESTERN PREMIER® for the upscale properties.
The positioning of the 3 descriptors is given below:
BEST WESTERN – Midscale hotels with promise of service and great value,
for a clean, comfortable stay
BEST WESTERN PLUS – Upper Midscale hotels with well-appointed rooms and
premium amenities to suit any travel occasion
BEST WESTERN PREMIER – Upscale hotels with a distinct style, offering deluxe
amenities and a refined level of service and comfort
Mr Sudhir Sinha, president and COO, Best Western India explained the rationale behind this launch, saying “Discerning high end travelers, used to staying in 5 star properties, are unable to find suitable accommodation in Tier II cities in India, at the moment. And BEST WESTERN PLUS is our endeavor to fill this gap in the market with properties which are as good as 5 star products, maybe with less grand and spacious Public Areas, but with premium guest amenities and well-appointed rooms.”
The importance of this launch can’t be overstated as it will have tremendous impact in the Indian hospitality industry – both in terms of shaping the guest expectations from international brands as well as shaping hotel owner expectations in terms of Return-on-Investment (ROI).
“BEST WESTERN PLUS will also be much better value proposition for hotel promoters, considering that the Return-on-Investment (ROI) will be substantially higher for such upper midscale properties in comparison with upscale 5 star equivalent properties in the Tier II cities. The investment required per key for such properties will be substantially lower than a 5 star hotel and the ADR (Average Daily Rate) and Occupancies of Tier II cities will be able to support such investments, rather than making the project unviable by investing heavily on 5 star products in Tier II cities and then suffering on account of poor occupancies.” said Mr. Sinha.
Currently Best Western in India has sellable room inventory of around 1091 keys, which is expected to increase to around 2416 keys by the end of 2011 with 29 operational Hotels. Out of this 4 current Hotels will be upgraded to the new BEST WESTERN PLUS descriptor.
“We’ve built 65 years of goodwill with guests worldwide, and we are constantly evolving to better serve our customers. Descriptors enable better navigation of our large and diverse hotel portfolio, making it easier for business and leisure travelers to know which type of Best Western hotel to book,” said David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western International. “This promises a more satisfying experience once they check in.”
BEST WESTERN PLUS hotels are upper midscale hotels that offer a more premium experience,
featuring contemporary furnishings in comfortable and spacious rooms and common areas. They offer all of the amenities of BEST WESTERN hotels, along with updated furnishings, high-quality bedding, upgraded bath amenities and select sundry items. BEST WESTERN PLUS hotels are four -star equivalent hotels.
BEST WESTERN India currently also operates two BEST WESTERN PREMIER hotels – BEST WESTERN PREMIER La Marvella in Bangalore and BEST WESTERN PREMIER Vedic Village Resort & Spa at Kolkata, offering enhanced guest services as well as real luxury at the right price.
BEST WESTERN in India plans to set up 100 Hotel in the country by 2017. Of the 100 hotels, 20 would be in the five-star category under BEST WESTERN PREMIER, 30 would be four-star under BEST WESTERN PLUS and 50 properties will be in the three-star category under the Best Western brand descriptor.
Guests can learn more about each descriptor through virtual tours, extensive photos and enhanced search functionality at www.bestwestern.com.