Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Hotels and Hyatt
Hotels Corp. this week each detailed plans to develop properties in India during
the next several years.
Starwood, which currently operates 33 hotels in India, said
it would open about 20 additional hotels by 2015. These include Starwood's
first W and St. Regis hotels in India, in Mumbai and Delhi respectively, and
midscale properties under its Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft flags.
Wyndham, meanwhile, announced an agreement with Indian real
estate developer Unique Mercantile India Private Limited to develop a 120-room
Ramada resort in Udaipur and to introduce this year its Howard Johnson brand to
India, opening a total of 35 properties by 2017. Executives from Wyndham, which
currently operates 14 hotels in India and has 15 under development, are
traveling throughout the country this month to look for additional development
opportunities.
Hyatt also signed a management agreement with an affiliate
to develop seven full-service and 14 select-service hotels in India during the
next several years, giving it a total of 53 hotels under development there. The
agreement includes the introduction of its extended-stay Hyatt House brand to
India with a property in Mumbai.
Best Western, meanwhile, last week announced plans to develop 66 hotels in India within the next five years, tripling its presence in
the country.