Berggruen Hotels to add 3 'Keys Hotels' in FY18

Berggruen Hotels today said it is looking at adding three properties under its brand 'Keys Hotels' this fiscal as part of its expansion plans in India.
The hospitality company has recently launched two new hotels, one each in Port Blair and Ramgarh, in line with the brands commitment to grow portfolio in India, following a recent add-on commitment of USD 30 million (around Rs 200 crore) by its promoter Berggruen Holdings.
"We are going to launch three hotels, one in Hyderabad, one in Gurgaon and one in Pithampur near Indore in next couple of months in FY'18. That would take our total number of hotels to 25," Berggruen Hotels Pvt Ltd CEO Anshu Sarin told PTI.

The company is also looking at signing two hotels during this fiscal, she added.
Currently the company has 22 hotels in 19 cities with around 2,000 rooms. Out of them, 15 hotels are Keys Select, four are Keys Prima and three are under the Keys Lite category.
The hotel at Pithampur would be a Keys Lite, Hyderabad would be Keys Select and Gurgaon will be Keys Lite, Sarin said.

For the company, while Keys Hotels is the umbrella brand it has three sub-brand categories -- Keys Prima is at the upper end of mid market segment, Keys Select is in mid category segment and Keys Lite is at the economy end of the mid market segment.

When asked about the business model the company will follow going forward, Sarin said: "We follow the asset right model, leaning towards asset light. We will be happy to look at all business models, but mostly it would be management contract."
Right now "out of the 22, seven hotels are owned by us, the rest are managed and franchised", she added.
The company has been investing into furthering its engagement with the guests through its brand promise of "Your happy Stays", Sarin said.