Nestled in the posh hideout of the Garden City is Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel. The property, known for its sophisticated infrastructure and impeccable customer service is going the extra mile to ensure a safe stay for its guests. In an interview with Voyager’s World, Subhankar Bose, General Manager, Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, talks about the preparations for 2021.
We are nearing the end of 2020, the year of lockdowns and social distancing protocols. How does 2021 look for Renaissance Bengaluru? What are your brand-building plans?
We expect a gradual improvement in room occupancies with the opening of International Travel by March 2021. There is an immense opportunity in the month of February, as Aero Show is scheduled to happen in Bengaluru and it is a city-wide mega event. We have decided to look at our sales and marketing strategies in a quarterly basis in order to stay relevant to the changing scenario in the international travel segment and improvement in domestic travel.
The pandemic, which has upended the world, has changed tourism and hospitality this year. What new trends do you foresee in corporate travel?
With the start of international flights, there will be movements happening in the corporate travel sector as well primarily with regards to project movement and relocations. Although usual corporate business movements will still take time to resume and only necessary travel in the corporate sector will be seen until the Covid-19 vaccine is available in the market.
Tell us about your F&B outlets. What innovation can we expect in the days to come?
In the current scenario, we have enhanced our hygiene and safety standards. Our kitchen staff adheres to strict social distancing guidelines; regular hand wash and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (e.g., face coverings, gloves, etc.) at all times in all the F&B Outlets. We have introduced in-room bistro, a sublime private-dining experience for our guests who can enjoy the ambiance of our luxe –suites and devour the moreish 5-course meal curated with an extravagant array of gourmet delicacies, tasteful beverages, and delectable desserts. This has become very successful and much in demand with our guests as they feel safe with the in -room dining experience, which they can book solely for their friends and family to enjoy personalized service.
At our all-day restaurant Lush, we have redefined seating layouts to provide reassured distancing options for our guests so that they can delve in luscious delights from our personalized set menu, crafted to perfection in our interactive show kitchens. Besides, digital menus & payment options further ensure contact-free dining experience.
R Bar- the quintessential bar at the hotel adheres with all safety standards aligned with expert health & hygiene protocols so our patrons can treat themselves with a range of divine concoctions amidst the invigorating ambiance. To ensure the safety of our patrons who are still not comfortable dining out we have introduced Marriott on Wheels (MOW).
With this initiative, we are delivering happiness to the doorsteps of our patrons with handcrafted gastronomical delights with safety checks. MOW has been very popular again because our guests trust our brand and they could order delectable food from the comfort of their home.
Will there be a variation in the room price points next year?
At present, we are trying to understand the travel patterns that will come up in due course of time. We are continuously in touch with our corporate clients to determine the pricing demand that is expected by our clients in 2021 based on their upcoming travel needs. Pricing is going to be one of the most significant factors in 2021 and with the current trend, we can expect a very high sensitivity in pricing from all market segments.
As a hospitality professional with decades of experience, what was your personal learning over the past 10 months?
My personal learning has been immense in this pandemic situation, where, as a leader, my job was to take several decisions, which were perhaps the first time I was taking. I have been working very closely with my team in order to understand the varied emotions that they have been going through. I am managing to sustain our business among the worst odds that we have seen in our lifetime.
