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Boutique Hospitality hopes to make 'Anywhere Hospitality' reality

Gayatri Vijaykumar - Bangalore

Taposh Chakraborty

Bangalore-based hospitality consultant, Boutique Hospitality Consulting, has launched the concept of 'Anywhere Hospitality'. Explaining the concept, its CEO, Taposh Chakraborty, says, "If someone has a large tract of land and wants to convert it into a hotel, it could be a money-spinner if positioned well. The concept of 'Anywhere Hospitality' means that vacant land available anywhere can be converted into a potential hospitality product."

According to him, people are not exploring tier II cities and the leisure segments. "You get land at a cheap rate and if you develop it well, you will get a good return on investment," he added. Chakraborty feels that the sector is a very lucrative field to invest in. "In India, there is a shortage of 1,25,000 rooms. Of these, approximately 65,000-70,000 rooms are in different stages of completion that will be totally complete within three years. But by that time, there will be more demand for rooms. This is a continuous process and there will always be a shortage of around 40,000-50,000 rooms in India," he said.

According to him, a consultant would help bridge the gap between the architect and the hotelier. "An architect would not be able think about all areas involved in developing a hotel from conceptualising it to marketing it and then maintaining it. The hotels should be designed in such a way that they appeal to both internal and external customers. I call my staff the internal customers. If the kitchen is built too far away from the serving area, the employee might not be able to deliver food hot. Hence, the hotel's design should be in a way that satisfies both the guests and staff alike. An architect may not be able to think of all these finer points."

Though launched nine years ago, Boutique Hospitality Consulting took a backseat as Chakraborty was involved in the development of The Chancery Hotel. The organisation was revitalised in September after he stepped down as president of Chancery Hotel. At present, the company is working on a few projects in Karnataka which includes a 225-room business resort. Chakraborty adds, "We are also working at developing devotional tourism projects in different parts of the country including wellness projects in Kerala."