The 36-room property which is owned by Bajaj Hill Resorts Pvt. Ltd. entered into a 10-year renewable agreement with Carnation Hotels for management of the property. Under the agreement, Suryavilas will become part of the Lemon Tree Premier portfolio.
The agreement was signed by Rattan Keswani, Co-Promoter and Managing Director, Carnation Hotels and Anil Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Hill Resorts Pvt. Ltd. It is expected to enhance distribution for both partners. Himachal Pradesh is increasingly becoming the location of choice for high end luxury travelers in the resort and spa category due to its proximity to Chandigarh, cities of Punjab, and Haryana and Delhi. With the commissioning of the new expressway between Panchkula and Parwanoo, the resort can be reached in less than 6 hours from Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, Rattan Keswani, Co-Promoter and Managing Director, Carnation Hotels said, “We are delighted to add Suryavilas to the growing Lemon Tree Premier portfolio. This resort gives us a ready foothold in the lucrative resort and spa market in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh. It enriches the portfolio mix for our brand. We are exploring setting up more Suryavilas resorts with Lemon Tree Premier branding with the Bajaj family.
“Now Lemon Tree has a presence in Goa, Kumarhatti, Aurangabad and Kerala (Lake Vembanad). It gives customers a choice of destinations between the seaside, mountains, a historical site and the backwaters – making us an integrated player across the most popular leisure destinations in India”, he added.
He further added, “Carnation Hotels is currently exploring ten management opportunities across a spectrum of cities and business segments”.
Gayatri Bajaj, Managing Director, Suryavilas Luxury Resort & Spa said, “Apart from the advantage of bringing world class management to the table, this agreement will help Suryavilas gain tremendously in global exposure and access to consumers by being part of this fast growing group.”
Suryavilas is an upscale luxury resort development in Himachal Pradesh and shall expand to 50 rooms from its current 36 rooms. It is situated off the Kumarhatti-Nahan Road in Solan district, which is a 55 km/1 hour drive from Chandigarh. Nestled in a valley, amidst verdant hills and refreshing greenery, the resort has been successful with Indian customers from nearby cities.
The management and operations of the resort will be taken over by the Lemon Tree Group on 1st December 2012 and this resort will be known as a ‘Suryavilas, a Lemon Tree Premier Resort’, effective 1st February 2013, after amalgamation of all systems.