Newstrack

Lemon Tree to open 6 properties next year

Initiating talks with Nirula's for Potpourri brand in no-frills Red Fox

Dinkar Farwaha - Mumbai

Upscale hotel chain Lemon Tree is set to launch six properties across metro cities in India. It is also initiating talks with Nirula's for its F&B outlet - Potpourri - for its no-frills brand Red Fox.

The company plans to launch its Lemon Tree brand in Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, South Delhi and Hyderabad by 2008 and one property in East Delhi by the end of this year. Patu Keswani, chairman and managing director of Lemon Tree Hotels, said, "The properties in Hyderabad, Jaipur and East Delhi will be mixed-use developments. The East Delhi property is located above the East Delhi Mall (EDM)."

It plans to take the figure to 14 across 12 cities by 2010. "We are building Lemon Tree Hotels in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Pune," he said. Keswani added that the group will also initiate talks with Nirula's to open its F&B brand in its Delhi Red Fox property, and will consider it for the other properties as well.

Red Fox is expected to open in Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Chandigarh within two years, according to Keswani. The group is also planning to open eight more Red Fox properties in Navi Mumbai, Coimbatore, Kolkata, Ranchi, Raipur, Nagpur, Bangalore and Mysore by 2011. Currently, Lemon Tree Hotels has four operating hotels - two in Gurgaon and one each in Pune and Goa.