Sita Lekshmi, general manager, Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course HotelHaving recently taken over as general manager of the Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel—one of three Renaissance properties in India, by Marriott International, Sita Lekshmi spoke with Sourceabout what she wanted to do with her new charge.Lekshmi, who was the general manager of the Aloft Bengaluru Outer Ring Road just before she took over her current assignment, spoke about the difference not only of the market in the centrally located property, but also the fact that it was a substantially larger property with 276 rooms. “The type of clientele we have here and the segment mix is very different—this hotel also hosts a variety of new segments which we didn’t have at Aloft,” Lekshmi said. “I am trying to preserve the brand essence of Renaissance because it is a beautiful concept. The core value of this brand is indigenous, independent, and intriguing—it has elements of mystery, and the brand generates curiosity. We call our concierge ‘navigators’ as we encourage our guests to embrace the local essence of the surroundings. Renaissance is a brand that takes up a local essence from around the hotel,” she added. The DS Group when they acquired the hotel in 2023, shared a vision to make Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel an iconic property befitting its strategic location in the city just like they have done with their five other properties.Hence, the hotel is scheduled to go through a significant revamp with not only the rooms but also banqueting spaces, Lekshmi said, adding that the new brand look for Renaissance had some exciting themes and colours. “I think we need to have more visibility from the marketing perspective, and food and beverage activation has to be enhanced,” she said. Having really pushed the envelope when it came to her hiring practices and the high number of women on her staff while she was leading her team at Aloft, Lekshmi was equally enthusiastic to speak about what she wanted to do with the people aspect of the Renaissance. “At Aloft, we not only did soft touch up on the behavioural aspect with the staff, but also established a new recreation centre, gym, and a lot of engagement activities. That is something we can replicate here because I also see a lot of potential for that,” she said, adding that the staff strength at her new hotel was almost 75 percent more than before. The future holds both challenges but also opportunities, and Lekshmi spoke about the need to concentrate on right pricing alongside the brand leveraging. “It’s a market share game—the permutations and combinations you can pick and choose as you go on. So if this year a hotel goes the occupancy way for market share, the next year, it can go the ADR way. Ultimately, you have to make your business decisions wisely,” she said.While corporate still drove the volume business at the Renaissance, it was a mix of various other segments, including retail, as well as a fair share of groups. The hotel will continue to be a popular wedding venue as well, she added.
Published On Oct 30, 2024 at 10:00 AM IST
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