Deepthi SreenivasanThiruvananthapuram: Over the years, Kochi has grown into a quaint little beauty, holding within its palm the old-world charm as it waltz steadily into a growing metropolis. To witness the city in all her glory, one must walk by the breezy waterside on a lazy evening. A month ago, the Queen of the Arabian Sea received the brightest jewels on her crown – The Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty and the LuLu Bolgatty International Convention Centre.
Positioned strategically, it would be no overstatement to say that all roads lead to this towering, iconic architectural marvel. Overlooking the backwaters and the islands, the property stands close to the famed Bolgatty Palace. Launched in the presence of a large gathering of eminent national and international guests, both the Convention Centre and Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty aim to offer what they call ‘A Destination within a Destination’.
Girish Bhagat, General Manager, Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty, says “We have already started signing up for destination weddings and national and international-level conferences. While some potential business deals have been inked for the latter half of 2019, we already have a few medical conferences scheduled for the first half of 2019. We even have bookings coming in for 2020-21. But our strong focus is on ushering in large-scale conferences and events that will benefit the entire city.”
Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty, just over a month old, has already evoked interest among many within the city and across the country, with confirmed bookings being made for 2020-21
What makes the property all the more unique is the rather generous space that it has to offer those who are planning to organise big events. The property has over 10,000 sq. m. of flexible event area, all pillar-less spaces and one of South India’s largest convention centres – the LuLu Bolgatty International Convention Centre.
The property, just over two weeks old, has already evoked interest among many within the city and across the country. “The restaurants, all three of them, have been well received. We are very happy to see how well things have moved so far. No other convention centre has been designed as luxuriously and as meticulously as ours. We are ready to handle anything over 5000-plus people at any given point of time now.”
Of the many luxurious meeting and event venues, it is the ‘Living Room’ that makes one feel at home the most. This relaxed residential-style space, can accommodate around 30 guests. The space is ideal for working lunches, coffee breaks or breakout sessions from larger events.
Elaborating on their plans for the coming months, Girish says, “The Grand Hyatt brand basically is all about iconic experiences. When you look at this hotel, there are two parts, one is the convention centre and other is the hotel. The hotel is primarily destined to cater to leisure and business travellers. Kochi traditionally is a transit city, so, for the hotel segment our focus is on how to make a customer stay in the city for more than one night. For this, we offer a unique experience both inside and outside the hotel.”
Besides the key feeder markets driving business into Kochi like New Delhi and Mumbai, the GCC is a very big market as well. “Grand Hyatt has a very strong brand presence in the Gulf countries, so that will definitely help us. Medical tourism could be a very viable option as well. Kochi has been seeing year-on-year growth on occupancies. It is a seasonal market, so that trend needs to change. This hotel can change that trend if it is able to bring in conferences during off seasons that will ensure business for everyone. The vibes are positive and flight connectivity is excellent,” explains Girish.
The three state-of-the-art restaurants add to its beauty: The Colony Clubhouse & Grill, which is a reimagined Old-world grill and rooftop bar with a jaw-dropping view of Vembanad Lake, the Malabar Café, which offers sumptuous and authentic flavours from various parts of Kerala, and Thai Soul, a poolside restaurant inspired by the streets of Bangkok.
“Our food and beverage offerings are something which the city has never seen. Out motto is ‘thoughtfully sourced, carefully served’. We ensure that we engage with the domestic market and the local vendors. We have large sales team, which is divided into corporate sales, leisure sales and event sales. Besides, we have satellite offices and permanent sales forces in New Delhi and Mumbai. We also have support from our Hyatt Global sales office and our India sales office. For the first year of operations, it is all about visibility and doing events that will get us a lot of traction in the media.”
For those who wish to pamper themselves, the hotel has a calming Spa, Śāntata, an uber cool fitness centre, complete with an indoor pool overlooking the lush gardens. Dotted with hybrid palm and coconut trees, the island gardens stand pretty with cabanas, outdoor pool, children’s play area and jetties. The private two and three-bedroom villas complete with kitchen, housekeeper’s room, study and a private plunge pool are among the highlights of the property.
Girish and his team have their hopes set high for Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty. “It’s a lot about discovering experiences for the customer. I have a leadership team of 10 department heads who make sure that our vision is materialised. So my key focus is people management to ensure that we are all in sync with our inherent values. We are also very much focused on giving back to the micro environment that we are in.”
Girish Bhagat – The Man on a Mission
Hailing from New Delhi, Girish Bhagat, who did his hotel management from Australia, has been working with Hyatt for over 15 years. He started his career with Grand Hyatt Dubai, which was opened in early 2003. He worked there till 2009 before moving to Grand Hyatt Muscat, where his stint lasted for four years. Bhagat moved back to India in 2013 to rebrand one of Hyatt’s hotels in Hyderabad and finally to Kerala in March 2017.
Architectural Marvel
For any guest who has a taste for aesthetics, it would be hard to miss the fine details of the interior decor of the property. The hotel is a vision in gold and brown. A warm welcoming golden glow envelops the interiors, right from the lobby to the rooms. Elegantly designed, keeping in mind local elements with a bold touch of Arabic and British Colonial styles, the rooms are airy, well balanced out and oozes sophistication – an ideal luxury getaway amidst a bustling city.
