Ramada Chennai woos younger generation

Chennai:

In a bid to target the younger generation and ‘intelligent’ travelers, the city’s first operational Ramada property from the globally renowned Wyndham Hotel Group The Ramada Chennai was launched here.

Addressing reporters here on Friday, Wyndham Hotel Group executive vice-president and managing director Duane Elledge said that opening of Ramada Chennai Egmore is an important step in expanding the group’s footprint in South India and will strengthen its existing portfolio of 17 properties.

Ramada Chennai Egmore is Ramada’s first operational hotel in Chennai and is owned by Ansari Estate Private Limited. “The hotel is a franchisee of Wyndham Hotel group and the partnership deal is worth 20 years,” says Elledge.

Although the new hotel comes up at a time when the hotel sector in the city is grappling with recession and many star hotels are struggling and focusing on providing five star ambience at three-star rates to woo tourists and customers.

But Elledge feels they won’t be compromising on the cost or quality. “We are looking at long term investment. We won’t be changing our model,” he says.

Interestingly, the hotel plans to target the youth in the age group of 20 to 30 with wide array of entertainment and leisure besides the city’s elite looking for entertainment venue.

These include all day dining restaurant Symphony, roof-top restaurant Boardwalk, bar cum lounge Waves, Dining Café Café Stop and inhouse spa Eternum. The Boardwalk is a unique open styled terrace restaurant, with both indoor and outdoor seating. One could have a glimpse of Chennai city while dining near a poolside. The furniture is exclusively crafted from wood of old boats that gives the guests an impression of sitting on the deck of a ship.

Adding to the ambience is a giant 16X8 feet LED screen specially installed for guests to enjoy their favourite game or movie in style. The hotel also has Waves bar cum lounge. The interiors have bluish hue and gives one a feeling of being in the sea. Adding to the effect are the special liquid tiles that jiggle and move when the guests walk over them giving an impression of walking on water. The hotel also has a salon and an exquisite spa Eternum.

Elledge says the prices are affordable. The rooms are priced in the range of $100 and offers guests a complete array of choices including 113 elegant and spacious rooms including suites, executive, deluxe and classic rooms besides state-of-the art pool, world class restaurants, bar cum lounge, a fitness center, conference rooms, business center and a spa.

As Chennai is emerging as India’s bustling business destination with the auto majors and services sector, Elledge says city like Chennai requires 58,000n rooms. “It has only 7,000 and we believe there is immense scope for Ramada Chennai Egmore,” he adds.

The advantage of the hotel is it lies in central business district which houses various government departments, head offices of major companies, high-end residential as well as retail space. The city currently has more than 30 hotels with an inventory of nearly 5,000 rooms.