| Stay, Explore and Discover Chandigarh with Hyatt Centric |

Hyatt Centric Chandigarh is a lifestyle hotel situated in the centre of India’s vibrant city of Chandigarh. This great location, coupled with modern amenities, makes it an ideal choice for both leisure and business travelers. With a selection of tastefully decorated rooms and suites equipped with the latest facilities, guests can enjoy a hassle-free trip. Being conveniently placed close to numerous sites including Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake as well as shopping and entertainment hotspots, you can experience everything that Chandigarh has to offer while staying at Hyatt Centric.

Ms. Maulina Gupta, an energetic General Manager of Hyatt Centric Chandigarh is at the helm of affairs. With her dynamic leadership quality and hands-on experience, she sailed through the pre-opening challenges of the hotel with flying colours. Now that the hotel is running successfully, maintaining the high service standard is what keeps her at the top. Mr. Neeraj Narain, Managing Editor of Perfect Media interviewed her on various aspects of the hotel. Excerpts:

Please tell about your preopening experience of this hotel?
Preopening a hotel is an exciting journey that comes with its own set of challenges. For me, it was especially rewarding as I had the opportunity to be part of the process from the very beginning. From deciding on the concept and design, to hiring staff and setting up processes from scratch.

The mindset of opening a hotel is different than operating one. It requires immense planning and attention to detail in order for it to be successful. With this in mind, I worked closely with my team to ensure that all aspects were taken care of before launch day.

When it comes to existing properties, conversion projects can be a difficult challenge. This is because the existing structure and design must be taken into account, which can limit creativity and innovation. Furthermore, managing what already exists requires careful attention to detail in order to ensure that the project is successful. Conversion projects can also be more time consuming than greenfield projects due to the need for more detailed planning and execution.

Chandigarh, the Beautiful City, is a unique blend of modernity and history. From its vibrant colours to its rich cultural heritage, Chandigarh has something for everyone. With the recent opening of this hotel in the city, we have been able to bring together a diverse community from all over Punjab and beyond. The hotel’s unique design and colour palette perfectly capture the spirit & historical roots of Chandigarh, inspired by the French architect Le Corbusier. We are proud to be part of this vibrant and exciting city and look forward to welcoming guests from around the world!

From the colour lights that illuminate the exterior of the building to the intricate details in every nook and corner, each space has its own story to tell. With thoughtful design elements, these stories come alive in a way that can be appreciated by all who enter.

How has Chandigarh taken second Hyatt brand in a city?
Chandigarh is one of the few cities that has been able to rebound quickly from the impact of Covid. This city boasts a great blend of business and leisure travel due to its proximity to Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, so there is no shortage of family trips from overseas. Furthermore, PSU’s and Government agencies use Chandigarh for their business trips and getaways, demonstrating the perfect mix of business and leisure occurring in the city. As such, when Hyatt opened its second property here, enough demand was generated without having to worry about over-saturation or cannibalisation. Additionally, the local community enjoys dining in the hotel very much. The guests from local community have now become friends of the hotel.

How are you using dining to pull customers?
Chandigarh market has a very discerning clientele, so offering only the best is paramount. To this end we have Corby’s, a multicuisine restaurant which is much more than an all-day dining. Food is divided into various sectors, similar to how Chandigarh is divided sector-wise. We will soon be opening an Asian restaurant with Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Korean dishes which guests seem to really look forward. Also, we are in the process of setting up an organic food garden on the roof. As part of our food items, organic produce will be used as an ingredient. These are the ways in which we distinguish ourselves from any other hotel coffee shop that simply serves just another club sandwiches.

How do you cater to the different needs of Leisure & Business traveller?
The needs of leisure and business travellers differ, so our hotel staff must be able to tune themselves accordingly. Even within business guests, an entrepreneur will act differently than an IT executive, requiring sensitivity from the check-in process right up until check-out. Speed, attention to detail and conversation are all elements that hold importance when dealing with guests; with leisure travellers likely to take the time to chat with members of staff. At times speaking with them for hours. We strongly believe that our staff aren’t just ambassadors for the hotel, but for Chandigarh city itself.

How are the conference and banquet market changing?
The way we book and hold banquets has changed dramatically. Where parents would typically source them in the past, we now have a huge influx of wedding planners doing that job. This change made it necessary to handle this type of client differently and reformat our business model. Recently, we had two weddings back-to-back where the bride and groom managed everything on their own. One special groom even told me he’d been tracking the hotel on my personal Instagram account before deciding to meet and finalise for his wedding! It’s crazy how things are evolving, so we must do our best to accommodate that shift.

Retaining and training of manpower in hotel industry in challenging. What are your views on this?
The current shortage of trained personnel in the hotel industry is a definite cause for concern. We are all doing our best to retain, train, and develop existing staff in this regard. Another important aspect is to create enthusiasm among younger generations about hospitality as a career. It’s not the same as years ago when people examined the brands they wanted to join before committing. They had determined paths with the aim of becoming a general manager or following other specialist roles. The approach today is very different; this long-term plan has been replaced with short term goals and opportunities that provide experience and exposure in major hotels, followed by a move on to an unconventional place where they can pursue their interests at their own pace.

Someone interested in beverages doesn’t have to work in a bar or become a GM. They might just be happy following their passion and experimenting with beverages. It’s time to promote hospitality as a profession and make changes at the educational level. We need to build up the basics and gradually move forward. As for the industry, there are so many conversations about how to manage interns, teach skills, provide mentoring and so on.