Luxury hotels thriving on gardens

Swati Anand & Anshul Dhamija / TNN / Jul 17, 2007, 04:31 IST

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When matrimony struck Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, the flower beds at Bangalore's The Leela Palace Kempinski swung into action.

BANGALORE: When matrimony struck Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, the flower beds at Bangalore's The Leela Palace Kempinski swung into action. The Heliconia flower was much in demand at the Bachchan household and the hotel which grows five varieties of lobster-claw had batches arranged to be sent to Juhu.
But that is not The Leela garden's only claim to fame.Nearly 4.5 acres out of its 9-acre area comprises of gardens. And the famed green area houses over 300 rare plants and trees and a herb garden which contributes to their vast pan-Asian, Italian and Indian menu. Maintenance bill: Rs 1.25 lakh per month.
"The seeds are imported and by growing the herbs, we not just ensure authentic taste, but also save around Rs 40,000 per year," says Mahesh V, horticulture manager at The Leela. "We're also creating another 2,400 sq ft herb garden which should save us around Rs 90,000 per annum on herb expenditure."
Luxury hotels in India are investing increasingly in vast open areas - to create lush gardens and often to grow exotic flowers and herbs that not just gives the hotel guests a differentiated feel, but also used for internal purposes.

The Hyderabad Marriott overlooking the Hussain Sagar Lake, which recently opened out their garden convention centre, agrees that it makes business sense to invest in green area.
"It's also an intangible benefit. Vast green spaces create a sense of calm which is an extremely important benefit to our visitors who're frequent travellers and are stressed," says Arun Kumar, director of rooms at the Hyderabad Marriott.

The hotel's signature flower frangipani, which finds its way in bathtubs and restaurant tables, is grown extensively in the garden. Around Rs 30 lakh from the hotel's annual maintenance bill of Rs 3 crore goes to the gardens.
The Renaissance Hotel at the banks of Powai lake counts its green space a boon in the space crunched Mumbai.
"It's an incredible realty challenge to get vast property in strategic locations in cities. While a resort property is easier, the city hotels usually wind up with little green space. But the feeling of tranquillity goes a long way in harbouring customer loyalty," says Prem Thakur, director of engineering at Renaissance Hotel.
The hotel's view and gardens have been featured in various Bollywood films like Bluffmaster, Hum Tum and Baghban.
The Taj West End in Bangalore has 20 acres of green space that adds to the old world charm of the hotel. Hotels are known to go the extra mile to preserve foliage and trees. The entire architecture plan of the Oberoi Hotel in Bangalore's MG Road, which was built 14 years ago, was changed to a V-shape to accommodate a 70-year-old rain tree.
The hotel has dedicated 2.5 acres in its 3-acre property to gardens and water bodies. "So while we're situated in the middle of the city's commercial business district, the 'oasis' feel transports our guests to the Bangalore of yesteryears," says a spokesperson.

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