LORDS HOTELS & RESORTS CELEBRATES WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Lords Hotels & Resorts Celebrates World Environment Day

Hotel Units Plant Saplings, Organize Cleanliness Drives & Encourage Guest Participation Too

Mumbai: On the occasion of World Environment Day on 5^th June, 2017 Lords Hotels & Resorts celebrated the day with ‘Connecting People to Nature’, United Nations Environment Programmme (UNEP) theme for the year. As part of the theme, its twenty-six hotels across the country organized various activities including planting of saplings, cleanliness drives, organizing competition for guests and their children to create something out of waste, and walk & cycle rallies, among others. The hotel chain not only had its employees participate in the activities arranged for the day but also encouraged its guests to partake in it.

“This year’s theme called for people to connect with nature and while enjoying its beauty, to also understand its importance in our lives. We at Lords Hotels & Resorts did our bit by doing a little of all. Initiating activities that take us out of our daily routines and help bond us with nature is the need of the moment. We are glad that our employees and in many cases our guests too participated in the campaign and also appreciated the initiative. We hope to carry out such activities from time to time and not only on such earmarked occasions for the better of our own future and for that of our children,” says Mr PR Bansal, Chairman & Managing Director, Lords Hotels & Resorts.

About World Environment Day: An initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 5^th June of each year is celebrated as ‘World Environment Day’ for everyone, everywhere. Since it began in 1972, global citizens have organized many thousands of events, from neighbourhood clean-ups, to action against wildlife crime, to replanting forests. The UNEP is an agency of United Nations and coordinates its environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices.

About Lords Hotels & Resorts:

Lords Hotels & Resorts is one of India’s fastest growing hospitality chain in the mid-market segment. Since the company’s inception in 2007, it has grown to be a chain of twenty-six hotels and resorts spread across seven states in India. A chain of distinguished and independently owned star-rated Hotels, Inns and Resorts, Lords is promoted as true value properties offering luxurious accommodations and full services at friendly prices.

For further information, please visit www.lordshotels.com

HOTEL INDUSTRY TO GET PARTIAL RELIEF IN GST

Hotel Industry To Get Partial Relief In GST

HRAWI Welcomes The Revision, But Maintains That The Structure Continues To Be Un-Competitive Vis-à-vis Neighboring Countries

Mumbai: The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has welcomed the revised GST slab on hotel room tariffs that effectively widens the tax slab of 18 per cent to tariffs ranging between Rs.2500 and Rs.7500 instead of the previous upper limit of Rs.5000. With the revision, the highest tax rate of 28 per cent is assigned to tariffs of Rs.7500 and above. Although the hotel industry was hoping for a more competitive and simpler GST, it has welcomed the partial relief. Along with the revision in the slabs for room tariffs, the tax rate for air-conditioned restaurants including restaurants in 5 star hotels will have GST at 18 per cent, effective July 1, 2017.

“This is unarguably a welcome revision. But, if India has to remain competitive as a tourist destination, this may just not cut the ice. While neighboring countries pay 5 to 12% GST or equivalent tax, hotels in India would be levying 18 and 28% GST. This may not augur well with foreign inbound tourists who are lured with significant deals and sops by our neighbors. We should remember that we are living in a very competitive world, and tourists today have a lot of choices,” says Mr Dilip Datwani, President, HRAWI.

It has been HRAWI’s contention that tourism is the one industry that has unlimited potential for job creation and forex earnings. With a more pragmatic taxation policy, the exchequer could stand to earn three times current earnings by increasing the base.

“So while the revision will provide hotels and restaurants some relief, we believe that the GST continues to be nonviable even now. India needs to be not just promoted as a tourism destination but also needs to offer value for money to tourists. With countries around us levying taxes that are effectively half of our GST rates, in the long term the tourist inflow is bound to suffer. We are still hopeful that the Government reconsiders the GST for hospitality after they asses the results on the sector, post the roll out,” he concludes.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 67 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include smaller Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. The bulk of its members like any growth economy are made up of budget hotels. With membership base spread across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa, and is considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr J.R.D. Tata.

SOULFLOWER INTRODUCES ROSEHIP OIL FOR REVIVING AGING SKIN

Soulflower Introduces Rosehip Oil For Reviving Aging Skin

Mumbai: India’s leading personal care brand – Soulflower has launched a cold-pressed oil therapy for skin. Introduced as Rosehip Oil for skin, the product is an effective treatment for reviving aging skin and is suitable for all skin types. The oil also reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and softens the skin making it plumper, firmer and more youthful.

Rosehip Oil is rich in vitamin E, C and D, and in antioxidants that protect and restore damaged skin

and help fight free radicals while vitamin C, A stimulate collagen production and help improve skin tone, texture and lighten pigmentation. The ‘miracle oil’ is the best known solution for aging skin because of its ability to penetrate deeper layers of the skin. This improves the skin’s moisture levels and reduces wrinkles and fine lines. This super light and absolutely non-greasy oil protects the skin from sun damage reducing age spots or discoloration. Soulflower Rosehip Oil softens skin with in-depth moisturizing, revives tired looking skin and adds youthful and fresh glow.

Ingredients:

The product is made using seeds of Rosehip plant. Being made from fresh and handpicked resources, it gives a natural and vibrant feel after each use.

How to Use:

• Apply Soulflower Rosehip Oil directly and massage it gently on the skin.

Quantity: 30 ml

Price: Rs.650/-

Available at: Retail outlets & at www.soulflower.biz. Shipped across India.

About Soulflower: Soulflower, launched in 2001, is India’s leading brand for aroma, skin, hair, wellness and spa products. Having pioneered the ‘Spa@Home’ concept, it created a market for niche lifestyle products in India. Today, it offers a huge range of skin and hair solutions including soaps, bath salts, variety of oils, roll-ons, and aroma diffusers among others. Available at over 150 retail outlets across India in department stores, book stores, lifestyle shops, Soulflower stocks over 250 products derived from essential & carrier oils, herbs, fruits, vegetables and flower extracts. A 100 per cent vegetarian company, Soulflower uses only natural ingredients in its products and are hand made by artisan and craftsmen that are hand poured, hand milled, hand cut and hand wrapped. Besides being available through the brick and mortar stores, it also retails through its experiential e-commerce site www.soulflower.biz and other leading e-tailing sites.

For order related queries, please contact: info@soulflower.biz / Call or WhatsApp 08080356666

RISHI PURI, VP, LORDS HOTELS & RESORTS AWARDED ‘OPERATIONS HEAD OF THE YEAR’

Rishi Puri, VP, Lords Hotels & Resorts Awarded ‘Operations Head Of The Year’

Mumbai: In the recently concluded Hospitality Leaders’ Industry Choice Awards, Mr Rishi Puri, Vice President, Lords Hotels & Resorts was unanimously voted as the ‘Operations Head Of The Year’. The awards platform best known for its unique voting process that empowers leaders from the industry to vote their choice has chosen to vote for Mr Puri for the third year in a row as the best Operations personnel in India. The parameters for the award category gauged the nominations based on leadership, industry acumen, trends forecasting and enterprise growth among others.

Lords Hotels & Resorts is India’s premium brand in the mid-market hospitality segment and within a span of a decade has become the fastest growing chain in its league. With twenty-six properties under its belt, the hospitality chain has been growing at an impressive rate, adding an average of four properties per year to its portfolio.

“Awards are a way of motivation and recognition and I feel glad to have received one, this year too. Lords Hotels & Resorts today is one of the most successful brands in Indian hospitality and we will continue our efforts in providing exhilarating experiences to our guests while creating turnaround stories for our partner hotels,” says Mr Puri.

Lords Hotels & Resorts recently signed up its fourth hotel property in Nepal indicating its hospitality interest in the country.  Simultaneously, it has further entrenched the brand in Gujarat with its recently launched premium resort property in Gir making Lords Hotels & Resorts the biggest hospitality brand in the region.

About Lords Hotels & Resorts:

Lords Hotels & Resorts is one of India’s fastest growing hospitality chain in the mid-market segment. Since the company’s inception in 2007, it has grown to be a chain of twenty-six hotels and resorts spread across seven states in India. A chain of distinguished and independently owned star-rated Hotels, Inns and Resorts, Lords is promoted as true value properties offering luxurious accommodations and full services at friendly prices.

For further information, please visit www.lordshotels.com

HRAWI’S PROJECT PICKLE INITIATIVE RECEIVES APPLAUDS AT CSR LEADERSHIP SUMMIT & AWARDS 2017

HRAWI’s Project Pickle Initiative Receives Accolades At CSR Leadership Summit & Awards 2017

Mumbai: At a recently held forum in India’s Corporate Social Responsibility sector, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) won an award for the initiative ‘Project Pickle’. Initiated in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, the project is aimed at providing employment to over one lac self-help Dalit women groups in rural and urban India by sourcing from them the ubiquitous everyday food item, the pickle. Project Pickle was recognized as an indigenous, one-of-its-kind initiative at India CSR Leadership Summit & Awards 2017.

(L-R) Rusen Kumar, India CSR; Bharat Malkani,
past President HRAWI & Kabir Khan, Film Director

As part of the programme, the association conducts an advocacy programme with both its member and non-member hotels and restaurants to purchase pickles from self-help Dalit women groups. With an estimated Rs.65-70 crore worth of pickles bought by hotels in Maharashtra, the association has aimed at sourcing as much quantity of pickle as possible from these women. A month’s supply of pickles in three to five hotels provides employment to at least ten Women’s Self Help Group (WSHG) community ladies.

While accepting the award on behalf of HRAWI, Mr Bharat Malkani, immediate past President of the association said, “The hotel industry is one of the biggest employment generators in the country employing over one crore people. While eating out at a hotel or a restaurant, the pickle is served gratis on the table. So instead of buying the pickle from large companies, the association decided to encourage purchase from the WSHG community. This makes a marginal difference in cost to the hotel establishment but it helps in providing employment to a lot of women. Besides the social quotient of the initiative the guest or customer too will enjoy the authentic taste of the region from where the pickle is sourced, making this initiative a win-win situation for all.”

The event was inaugurated by Shri Ramdas Athawale, Hon’ble Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India and over 300 eminent corporate leaders, CSR think tanks, NGO leaders, academicians, Government officers, social workers, implementing agencies from across the country were part of it.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 67 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include smaller Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. The bulk of its members like any growth economy are made up of budget hotels. With membership base spread across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa, and is considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr. J.R.D. Tata.