IHCL and Ambuja Neotia expand West Bengal hotel partnership to 20 properties
Ambuja Neotia Group has increased its investment allocation for the joint projects to Rs 2,700 crore.
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) and Ambuja Neotia Group have expanded their partnership to develop and operate 20 properties in West Bengal. Of these 20 properties, 11 are currently operational and nine are in the pipeline at various stages of development.
The properties will be located across Kolkata, Raichak, Digha, Siliguri, Lataguri, Kalimpong and Darjeeling over the next two to five years. The expansion includes the newly launched AltAir House hotels under the IHCL SeleQtions brand in Kolkata and Siliguri.
The partnership also involves a Rs 100 crore expansion of Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa in Darjeeling, which will add 28 keys and 15,000 sq ft of banqueting facilities. The nine properties in the pipeline will add 739 keys, 354 apartments at Taj Uvanta signature residences in Kolkata and 10 villas at Taj Himaya Kutir in Darjeeling.
IHCL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Puneet Chhatwal said the partnership strengthens with the opening of AltAir House. He added that the company is expanding into Agartala and Kaziranga with capital-heavy investments.
Ambuja Neotia Group Chairman Harshvardhan Neotia said the group is consolidating companies in its hospitality business ahead of a proposed IPO for the division. He described AltAir as a luxurious, boutique brand with an art-deco design.