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Heritage Hotels as a
concept born in India as much from necessity
as from spotting an opportunity. The prime
necessity was to present the past grandeur
of India to the tourists who are interested.
Another important aspect of the initiation
of this concept was the saving an important
part of Indian heritage. The owners of the
great havelis and palaces were not wealthy
enough to maintain these huge buildings and
these palaces were now falling prey to
disuse and neglect.
Here then was the opportunity to kill two,
nay three, birds with one stone. If some of
these fascinating palaces, forts and
havelies could be converted into hotels
offering the ambience of medieval Indian
décor and lifestyle, they could serve as an
added incentive to visit India. In the
process, the properties, with their new
found commercial angle, could be restored to
their past glory by careful restoration; and
the erstwhile royalty could bask in the
sunshine of a regular income source which
dried up when their principalities were
dissolved.
'Heritage Hotels' - a term commonly used to
include all hotels that are being run in
such restored royal properties-were thus a
foregone conclusion in the history of the
Indian Hospitality Industry. And so they
were born. Reborn, rather! |
