The year may not have started on a great note, but there is a silver lining! When you’re ready to pack your bags again, there will be many more new destinations and stays to choose from.
A number of hotels have opened in the last few months of 2021, and many interesting ones will open this year. From a boutique art hotel in Kochi, some beautiful new properties in Sikkim, the first Hyatt Regency hotels in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand to a one-of-a-kind hotel made out of shipping containers, there will be plenty of variety.
Hotel Openings in India We’re Looking Forward to!
When you check into The Postcard Hotel’s quaint boutique art hotel, housed in a building more than two centuries old, you enter a “gallery” rather than a room. Because each of the five rooms shows works of art and installations by different artists.
Kapil Chopra, Founder and CEO of The Postcard Hotel says, “Each area is carefully designed to tell its own unique story, be it the rooms, the historic jewelry store, or even the pristine exterior walls.” The experimental fine-dining restaurant, Aah, serves local specialties with a modern touch. The hotel group is on an expansion course; They opened The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali in Goa and have hotels in Mashobra, Amritsar, Tirupati, Ranthambore, Uttarakhand and Maravanthe Coast in Karnataka.
Image: Courtesy of Postcard Mandalay Hall
One of its kind in Agra, this hotel is made from shipping containers with the idea that recycling keeps the world green. It starts with four units – a space of approximately 320 square meters remodeled from the container and a much larger private garden with outdoor seating that will overlook expansive green fields. There’s no restaurant, it’s all about casual dining here, with meals served in your garden and fresh delights on the menu that match the hotel’s focus on sustainability. This unique property, set to expand to more than a dozen containers, will focus on the outdoor areas. It is scheduled to open at the end of February.
Image: Courtesy of Tree of Life Ecotainers
Say hello to Ramada, the first international hotel brand in Sikkim’s capital Gangtok, which opened its doors in the last month of 2021. The hotel has 57 rooms in eight different categories, and those who love beautiful views can check into those facing the mighty Kanchenjunga. Your stay here can be action-packed! It houses the largest casino in the country, spread over two floors with 32 live gaming tables and slot machines. There’s a temperature-controlled rooftop infinity pool, a spa, and two restaurants, including a rooftop bar and poolside restaurant.
Image: Courtesy of Ramada by Wyndham Gangtok Deorali Hotel & Casino
Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited has set foot in Madhya Pradesh with this 99 room luxury hotel in Indore. There are six room categories to choose from, including the Presidential Suite. The hotel group is bringing some of its popular and well-known brands here, like Aura — the spa that offers a range of treatments, and Aqua, the al fresco poolside bar with patio seating and cabanas. The island bar is an ideal place for a sundowner and serves cocktails and barbecues, as well as Lebanese, Italian and Asian grill dishes. Some Place Else is the indoor bar that offers finger food. When it comes to main meals, head to the all-day dining Epicenter restaurant, which serves a variety of dishes.
Image: Courtesy of the park
The city’s first premium hotel, famous for its hot chilies, is the Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, about an hour from Vijayawada Airport. The hotel rooms are decorated with local arts and crafts and there are three restaurants including the bar called Swizzle. The hotel’s Northwest Frontier restaurant, Peshawari, offers all of its famous delicacies, including the popular Dal Bukhara. If you want to enjoy local cuisine, order WelcomSthalika Thali at the all-day dining restaurant WelcomCafe, which serves all the delicacies of Andhra on one platter. The hotel has a spa ‘K By Kaya Kalp’, a 24-hour gym and a pool with beautiful views of the city.
Image: Courtesy of Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, Guntur
Very soon, the Pink City will host another beautiful luxury hotel. The Hyatt Group is opening a 245-room hotel this year that will be the first Hyatt Regency in Rajasthan. The hotel will have 34 suites, including a royal presidential suite. When hunger strikes there are two options to choose from – Shrot – featuring local delights and The North Club, taking you back to colonial India. Both restaurants will also offer wellness and vegan dishes. In addition to a bar and deli, the hotel will have a gym, pool and spa.
Image: Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Jaipur Mansarovar
If you want to enjoy the magnificent views of the Himalayas, then this stunning new hotel of the Taj Group, built on a mountainside about an hour from Gangtok, is for you, as each of its 50 rooms overlooks the Himalayas.
There is a zen garden and streams running through the property as it literally absorbs nature. There’s a heated swimming pool where you can cool off even when it’s freezing and you can pamper yourself with a range of treatments at the unique Jiva Spa. The in-house Mynt Restaurant serves local Sikkimese dishes as well as Indian, Continental and Pan-Asian dishes and cocktails at the Wink Bar include those made with Sikkimese liquor. For those who enjoy exploring the mountains, there are a number of hikes around the hotel.
Image: Courtesy of Vivanta Sikkim, Pakyong
The country’s first Radisson RED hotel is bold and stylish. There are red accents throughout the hotel — from the lobby, the rooms, the fitness center, to the bathrooms, which make it look really chic. Each room is equipped with selfie spots, digital screens and king-size beds. Redhaba is the signature multi-cuisine restaurant with a private dining area. The Jigger Bar offers live music at weekends and conjures up good cocktails, while you can enjoy a coffee and a quick bite at Lavo&Go. This 154 room hotel is a 12 minute drive from Chandigarh Airport.
Image: Courtesy of Radisson RED Chandigarh Mohali
Surrounded by the Malsi Forest and nestled in the foothills of Mussoorie, this 263-room luxury resort will open in the first half of this year, making it the first Hyatt Regency hotel in Uttarakhand. The hotel has 24 suites, including a presidential suite, and four very interesting F&B options, including a rooftop lounge that serves Tibetan willow platters and North Indian cuisine. The spa offers a range of treatments, and there’s also a rooftop infinity pool, exercise studio, and salon. Little ones are thought of with the Camp Hyatt program, where there is personalized check-in for them and a range of activities such as crafts, pottery, kite flying and scavenger hunts.
Image: Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Dehradun
If you want to experience true Bengali culture, then check into this 33-room boutique hotel, designed like a Bengali “raajbari” and built around a courtyard. There are Bengali touches and ancient artifacts throughout this property, from a Durga idol, horse-drawn carriage, Bengali School of Art paintings to Bengali food and music. Living up to its name, The East India Room restaurant serves British Colonial and Zamindari cuisine. When it’s time for tea, head to Loafer’s Cafe for a traditional Victorian-style high tea. The Swig Bar & Lounge offers vintage single malts and cigars. The Outhouse features a spa, gym and pool that is open 14 hours a day.
Image: Courtesy of Raajkutir, Kolkata – IHCL SeleQtions
Following the launch of ibis Mumbai Vikhroli, the largest ibis in India last year, the hotel group will open another in Thane. The 186-room hotel, set to open in the second half of this year, will feature Maharashtrian-themed artwork in both the rooms and lively and cheerful public areas. The hotel will have a gym, a restaurant, a banquet hall, and also an automated parking tower.
Image: Courtesy of ibis Thane
This sprawling new 224-room hotel nestles in the foothills of the Pandav Caves in a city better known as the “Wine Capital of India.” All 18 suites have private balconies. They take food pretty seriously and have four restaurants that will cover whatever you desire. The Smoked Vine serves Asian, Robatayaki and Western cuisine, The Tuscan Room is the Italian restaurant, The Orient House is the Chinese and Le Bistro is the Indian-Parisian restaurant. At Atman Spa, you can choose from Western, Oriental, and Ayurvedic treatments, while a 24-hour gym, salon, Pilates room, squash court, and temperature-controlled outdoor pool ensure fitness enthusiasts have plenty of options.
Image: Courtesy of Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik
