October 12, 2025

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Premium

CHECKING INTO LUXURY

WHEN THE FAIRMONT Udaipur Palace opened its doors this April, it did not slip quietly into Rajasthan's backdrop of havelis, becoming another palace hotel. The sprawling 327-room Rajput-style structure built into the Aravallis and spread across ballrooms, gardens and terraces, launched with a spectacle: a 700-guest wedding. The hotel was sold out on Day 1Over the next few weeks, it hosted 19 more weddings through the summer months (considered off season), each generating `5-6 crore. Starting October and all the way to March, when the high season begins, the property is booked for seven-eight weddings a month, with bills exceeding `10-11 crore per wedding. In India, the peak wedding season is between November and February, when business is brisk"What Udaipur lacked was scale," says Somesh Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of ROCKWOOD Hotels & Keystone Hotels that owns the property. "Most luxury hotels here are in the 80- to 130-room range. We brought in scale, which is

Where Hotels Meet Homes

IN REAL ESTATE, what comes after luxury? Developers, investors, and affluent homebuyers, as if answering this very question, are shaping a new category in India--Branded Residences. Here, hotel operators lend their names, management, and design ethos to high-end apartments. These are now popping up across India's wealthiest cities and leisure destinations. The `Landscape of Branded Residences Report 2024' by hospitality focused research and advisory firm NOESIS Capital Advisors defines the segment as mixed-use developments where residential apartments are sold alongside a hotel with both jointly branded and managed. These residences are designed with hotel-like service standards, while still retaining layouts expected in a home-- kitchens, multiple bathrooms, and living spaces adapted to Indian preferences. The promise? A blend of exclusivity and prestige, attributes that resonate with India's expanding class of high-net-worth individuals (HNIs).