Carlson Set to Open 19 New Hotels in India in 2011

MUMBAI, India, Jan. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Carlson, a privately held, global hospitality and travel company, today announced its plans to open 19 additional hotels in India by the end of 2011 across its four brands: Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson(SM), Park Inn® and Park Plaza®. This was announced by Hubert Joly, Carlson president and chief executive officer, at the Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) in Mumbai.

"This will be another record year for Carlson. Our momentum is in line with our plans to have more than 100 hotels across India by 2015," said Hubert Joly.

Carlson's India expansion is part of the company's Ambition 2015 strategy to grow its global portfolio by at least 50 percent to more than 1,500 hotels by 2015.

"We are pleased to grow our leading brands across India's key regions and cities, including secondary cities where we are expanding our foothold. Our success in this fast-growing and dynamic country is a key priority for Carlson," said Simon Barlow, president, Carlson Hotels, Asia Pacific.

"We continue to secure projects in India as an established hotel operator with a long standing commitment to the country. The development community has a strong confidence in our four brands: Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson(SM), Park Inn® and Park Plaza®," said K.B. Kachru, executive vice president, Carlson Hotels, South Asia.

Carlson had 33 hotels in operation in India at the end of 2010. With the addition of 19 new properties, the number of hotel operations will exceed 50 at the end of 2011. The new openings span across Carlson's four hotel brands.

Radisson

Radisson is Carlson's contemporary, vibrant and engaging first class brand. There were 15 properties in operation in India at the end of 2010 and a contracted pipeline of 25, leading to a total portfolio of 40 Radisson properties in the country. There are 11 properties set to open in 2011, including:

• The Radisson Blu Hotel Rudrapur which is the first India hotel to open this year. The 124-room property is a 15-minute drive from the Pantnagar Airport. It features nine suites and 115 contemporary rooms, and a 5,000 square foot meeting and conference facility that can accommodate up to 500 people.
• The Radisson Hotel Agra Taj East Gate Road. Located in the city of Uttar Pradesh and in close proximity to the Taj Mahal, the 140-room hotel will comprise an all-day dining and specialty restaurant, a bar and tea lounge, more than 10,000 square feet of banquet and meeting facilities and a spa.
• The Radisson Hotel Ahmedabad. Located in the economic capital of Western India, Gujarat city, the 116-room Radisson Hotel Ahmedabad will be within seven kilometers of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and close to tourist attractions such as the Sardar Patel Stadium and the Camp Hanuman Temple.
• The Radisson Hotel Amritsar. The 186-room Radisson Hotel Amritsar is located adjacent to the Raja Sansi International Airport and near tourist attractions such as the Golden Temple. It will offer 24 suites and 162 stylish rooms.
• The Radisson Hotel Chennai City Center. Located in the city's central business district, the 161-room Radisson Hotel Chennai City Center will feature 16 suites and 145 rooms, as well as three restaurants, a bar and a nightclub.
• The Radisson Hotel Ghaziabad. This property is located in one of the fastest growing commercial centers of India. The 142-room hotel will feature a fully-equipped business center, a health club, a spa, a swimming pool and a bar and lounge.
• The Radisson Resort Goa Cavelossim Beach. The 132-room Radisson Resort Goa Cavelossim Beach is inspired by Goan-Portuguese architecture. Spread over acres of lush green gardens and coconut groves, it is located near the famous Cavelossim beach in South Goa.
• The Radisson Blu Hotel Greater Noida. This 175-room hotel will provide guests an array of facilities such as an all-day dining restaurant, two specialty restaurants, a bar, a tea lounge, a fitness center, and a 7,000 square foot banquet and meeting facility.
• The Radisson Hotel Haridwar. Located in the holy city of Haridwar, this 129-room hotel will comprise 16 suites and 113 rooms with a variety of upscale facilities, including an all-day dining restaurant, specialty restaurant, bar, club lounge and tea lounge.
• The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills. The 157-room Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills is situated in the west of Hyderabad city, better known as one of India's fastest growing information technology and biotechnology hubs. The hotel will be in close proximity to the Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and will feature an all-day dining restaurant, two specialty restaurants, a lobby bar and a plaza lounge.
• The Radisson Hotel Ranchi. Located five kilometers from the airport, the 116-room hotel with eight suites and 108 rooms will showcase a host of facilities including a fully-equipped business center, a health club and spa, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a bar and a club lounge.

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson is a leading mid-market brand known for providing a caring, consistent and comfortable hospitality experience. There were 10 properties in operation in India at the end of 2010 and a contracted pipeline of 13, leading to a total portfolio of 23 Country Inns & Suites By Carlson properties in the country. There are two properties set to open in 2011, including:

• The Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Gurgaon New Highway 8. Located in the city of Gurgaon and 30 kilometers south of New Delhi, this 200-room hotel will have a multi-cuisine restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a health club and spa, an outdoor swimming pool and banquet facilities.
• The Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Mussoorie. The 50-room hotel is situated in the scenic Southern Himalayas, a popular holiday getaway destination. It will feature Revive, a spa facility, and Mosaic, an all-day dining coffee shop.

Park Plaza

With smart, spirited service, Park Plaza hotels' trend-setting designs capture the energy and style of each individual location. There were six properties in operation in India at the end of 2010 and a contracted pipeline of 13, leading to a total portfolio of 19 Park Plaza properties in the country. There are five properties set to open in 2011, including:

• The Park Plaza Bangalore. The 234-room hotel is strategically located in the heart of the city and close to major business districts. The hotel will have extensive dining options ranging from an all-day diner, Thai Chinese restaurant to an Indian Lebanese specialty restaurant.
• The Park Plaza Chandigarh. Located in the heart of the city and within a short drive from the business district, the Park Plaza Chandigarh will offer 138 lavish rooms fitted with the best business and leisure amenities. The hotel will comprise three restaurants, a pub and a large banquet hall that can accommodate up to 500 guests.
• The Park Plaza Coimbatore. Only four kilometers away from the Coimbatore International Airport, the 110-room hotel will feature four suites, 14 deluxe and 92 executive rooms. Food and beverage options will include a restaurant, coffee shop, rooftop restaurant and bar. There will also be two banquet halls that can accommodate up to 500 guests each, as well as two boardrooms seating up to 40 people.
• The Park Plaza New Delhi Dwarka. The 209-room Park Plaza New Delhi Dwarka will be within easy reach of the city's entertainment and commercial hubs. It will be near tourist attractions such as the Lotus Temple and the Red Fort. The hotel will offer three restaurants, a bar lounge, a tea lounge, a nightclub, a health club, a spa, a swimming pool, a business center and 9,500 square feet of pillar-free banquet space.
• The Park Plaza New Delhi Hari Nagar. Located in the country's national capital city, the hotel will have 57 well-appointed suites and rooms with plush interiors. The hotel facilities will include a gym, a roof top swimming pool and two food and beverage outlets; Mosaic, an all-day dining coffee house, and Big Shot, a pub.

Park Inn

Park Inn is Carlson's bright, bold and fresh midscale brand. There were three properties in operation in India at the end of 2010 and a contracted pipeline of three, leading to a total portfolio of six Park Inn properties in the country. There is one property set to open in 2011:

• The Park Inn Delhi CBD Shahdara. Located in the city's central business district, the hotel will feature 94 suites and guest rooms, a multi-cuisine food and beverage outlet, a bar lounge, banquet facilities, a business center and a swimming pool.

About Carlson

Carlson is a privately held, global hospitality and travel company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. Carlson encompasses more than 1,085 hotels, including Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson(SM), Park Inn® and Park Plaza®; more than 900 T.G.I. Friday's® restaurants; and a majority stake in Carlson Wagonlit Travel®, the global leader in business travel management. Carlson operates in more than 150 countries and its brands employ about 150,000 people.  http://www.carlson.com

SOURCE Carlson