St Laurn plans 30 hotels, global foray

St Laurn Hotels has chalked out an ambitious plan to build as many as 30 hotels in the country. Besides, the company has planned an entry in the global hospitality scene by opening hotels in Europe and West Asia.

Managing director of St Laurn Hotels Limited Lakshman Kariyaa told the media on Thursday that the company would set up six hotels in Pune and its surroundings itself in the next three years.

"We will create four brands within the St Laurn umbrella, including St Laurn Business Hotels, St Laurn Suites, St Laurn Courtyard and St Laurn Towers," Kariyaa said.

All these would be four-star category and above, he said, adding that the Towers category would come up in Pune subject to modifications of development rules governing the height of structures. St Laurn Business Hotel, the first to roll out from the company, will formally open its doors next month, Kariyaa said.

The property, built with an investment of Rs 45 crore has 63 rooms and facilities such as coffee shop, multi-cuisine restaurant, business centre and conference rooms.

Kariya said the company would build St Laurn Courtyard at Mundhwa, which will have 110 rooms, and St Laurn Suites in Hinjavdi - an apartment hotel with 88 suites. Both these properties would be operational by 2008 and require an investment of Rs 220 crore, he said.

A 16- room four-star hotel has also been planned at Talegaon, near Pune, to address the needs of multinationals such as General Motors, JCB or Volkswagon, Kariyaa said.

He said the company was looking at opportunity to set up hotels in tier two towns in India and has planned 30 hotels in the next six years.

First among these would be in Surat and Indore where the company will float joint ventures with local partners who will pool in their land for the hotels.