Meet Roop Pratap Choudhary, Managing Director, Noor Mahal, Incredible Indian Palace Hotel, Jewel Group of Hotels, who is here to re-define the world of hospitality with his instincts that is deeply rooted in his upbringing and balanced with new-age technology, comfort, trend, and need of the hour. In the fragile post-COVID luxury and hospitality market, where hospitality brands have resorted to layoffs, he as a visionary had been planning things in a way that his existing is not disturbed. He tells TMM about his art of functioning and future plans of expansion.
You had a flair for writing, then how did the hospitality career happen to you?
As an individual, hospitality, and service were something I was always inclined towards. I’ve grown in a family and community that have valued tradition, hospitality, and culture immensely. The writing was something I dabbled in during my school and college days. I wrote for a few publications but eventually, my calling for hospitality was much stronger and I walked the extra mile to live it.
As the second-generation hotelier of Jewels Group of Hotels, what changes you have brought in to make Noor Mahal a one-of-its-kind luxury hotel?
After working with various organizations to hone my professional skills for a leadership role, I deeply studied the rising trends in the industry, interacted with a plethora of guests and millennial, travellers and widened my horizons to set new growth benchmarks for Noor Mahal. Since I decided to join the business at a very young age, right from the hotel practices, environment, and culture at Noor Mahal to business strategies, customer retention and challenges, I got deep insights into the future needs to equip myself for the making of a world-class luxury hospitality brand. This was part of the much bigger challenge of ensuring, reinforcing and scaling up the guest and staff loyalty as well as trust that the brand is enjoying since its inception.
Analyzing the millennial hospitality trends and the huge potential for a unique five-star luxurious palatial hotel brand, we worked day and night to create exceptional authentic experiences for staycations, MICE, and destination weddings. We disrupted luxury hospitality by infusing opulence with heritage and royal legacy; set new service benchmarks based on the ingredients of customization, human touch and technology advancements; curated authentic experiences around every expectation; and created a talent pool of disruptors with sound values and ethics in every vertical. Today, Noor Mahal stands for exceptional and authentic experiences and aims to become the royal abode and an ideal getaway option for every millennial traveller of the world.
Tell us a bit about the USP of Noor Mahal.
Noor Mahal has earned a reputation as one of the most preferred leisure, wedding, and MICE destination in the country because of our palatial – royal experience which has been incorporated in every aspect of our hotel, ambiance, and service. People are getting tired of the contemporary hotels and properties, now they wish to enjoy the royalty of traditional design and architecture under the roof of modern amenities, ethnicity and opulence for authentic experiences.
The palace endorses the opulent royalty of the era of Indian maharajas, flaunting an enchanting fusion of elements inspired by traditional Mughal and Rajputana schools of architecture. Set amid the culturally rich land of Karnal, this palace hotel enjoys proximity to Delhi and Chandigarh.
The antiques and old paintings have been re-decored from varied museums and palaces in Rajasthan and other northern regions. The rooms and suites, a natural palette is lifted by subtle gold furnishings and wall frescos. The famed 9th generation artisans of ‘The Janam’ clan from the Mewar region in Rajasthan were called upon to showcase their delicate, intricate paintings and artwork within the entire hotel, turning the hotel into an artisan’s delight.
A gala wedding demands a magnificent venue, the latest state-of-the-art facilities, and warm hospitality. Spread over 10 acres and 3,50,000 square feet of carpet area with 13 beautiful banquet halls, and unmatched facilities, and attentive service, Noor Mahal has gained the repute of hosting the finest weddings in India.
The hotel is using bare minimum artificial powers whether it is in the form of air, light, and water. In most of the rooms, every room is literally lit with natural light. Be it Deewan-e-aam, Deewan-e-khas or any part of the hotel, it is all original sunlight and air. We are also the pioneers of greywater harvesting from the hotel industry in the region. Rain harvesting system is prevalent in Karnal which is being used in many parts of the area in and around the city.
With ample opportunities for meditation and rejuvenation, Noor Mahal is a haven of mystical peace and natural serenity. Environment conservation, rejuvenation, health, and wellness are at the core of Noor Mahal Offerings. Noor Mahal offers a wide variety of recreational facilities for guests to unwind – either by themselves or in the company of their loved ones.
The luxury hotel is known for its tasteful art and architecture. How did it shape up and who are the key people involved in it?
The 126-room five-star luxury property is designed by Himmat Singh Ji, the renowned architect from Delhi, and vetted by Nimish Patel, the famous architect from Gujarat in 2010. My mother, who happens to be an ardent historian and patron of the arts, was instrumental in spending decades and gathering apt pieces of history and culture for this palace. She is most instrumental in what Noor Mahal is today. Her dedication and interest in interiors make Noor Mahal a preferred destination for art lovers.
When it comes to luxury spaces, dining plays a key role? What is so special at Noor Mahal?
We have ensured that we extend the royal experience in our food and beverage offerings as well. Two of our three restaurants, The Frontier Mail and Polo Bar recreate the ambiance and experience of age-old royalty. We also encourage nature walk and farm-to-fork concept to bring our guests closer to Mother Nature. Culinary trials from our award-winning chefs educate guests on healthy, organic recipes and ingredients promoting sustainable cooking at home.
The hotel was always been quite active on social media. How do you see social media marketing as a key tool in the growth of the business?
We are all about keeping up with the trends and making sure we adapt to the upcoming fashions in travel and leisure. Social media I feel has been the biggest innovation for businesses in the past decades. If used correctly, it can drive up your numbers to an unimaginable figure. It’s a product of the future and we make sure we learn and adapt from it every day while keeping our aesthetics alive.
How do you see the business growth in the post-COVID era?
This unprecedented crisis has pushed hotels to analyze their financial planning. At a very early stage, we had anticipated challenges that we might face, hence we started assessing all aspects, especially financial situations. While many hospitality brands resorted to layoffs and temporary layoffs, we wanted to manage things in a way so that we do not have to disturb the existing team. We focussed on other measures to rationalize cost.
What are your future plans for the Jewel Group of Hotels?
We are currently expanding our horizons towards Eastern Europe with a base in London, carrying our proud Indian heritage and its beautiful traditions to destinations like Prague and Berlin.
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