By Neha Kirpal
Located in the heart of the Mussoorie’s Mall Road, right next to its oldest literary landmark, the Library, lies the Fortune Resort Grace. The hotel, which recently underwent some renovation, has been with ITC’s Fortune group since 2009.
It has a total of 74 keys, a multi-cuisine restaurant Orchid, the Nostradamus Bar & Lounge, conference room, gymnasium and spa.
In this exclusive interview, the hotel’s General Manager, Amarnath Bakshi, speaks among other things about the unique experiences curated for guests around the property, how the pandemic affected the hotel and its plans for the future.
Tell us about the hotel’s recent renovations?
The recent renovations were done keeping in mind what guests nowadays want. We went in for a complete refurbishment of all the rooms, adding more colour and vibrancy to the interiors. The renovation of the last few rooms and the conference hall will be completed in about two months’ time.
What are some of the unique experiences you have curated for guests around Mussoorie?
Leisure locations invite all kinds of guests: one-night stays, weekend visitors and longstayers. While business visitors or pilgrims are looking for a relaxing stay, couples and families with children look forward to sightseeing and activities. At a leisure destination, the unique experience that the hotel offers its guests counts more than anything else. If we want to see a growth in tourism, we need to promote Mussoorie as a destination. At a nominal charge, we offer our guests the Mussoorie heritage walk, which covers various historic spots such as the Savoy post office, the Kapurthala Palace and the Radha Bhawan estate.
Further, we promote our property as a complete product. For foodies, we offer a mix of buffet, à la carte, Garhwali thali and a candlelight dinner by the terrace against the backdrop of Mussoorie’s stunning night view. Adventure seekers are attracted to our in-house activities, such as zip lining, Burma Bridge, Commando Net, double rope and cross rope. Children above five years can enjoy classes for art & craft and dance.Apart from this, there is also a pool table, toddler corner, table tennis, air hockey, foosball and carom on site.
How did the pandemic affect the hotel?
The entire hospitality fraternity has been badly affected. Being in the leisure segment, we have been lucky. After the pandemic, the hotel opened in July 2020, and has been running ever since. From September 2020 onwards—when the government restrictions were lifted—business started picking up, and we have witnessed very high occupancies, similar to pre-pandemic levels.
Post Covid, the customers’ mindset has changed considerably. Conscious about hygiene and safety,they do not want to compromise on quality. Instead, they seek value-centric and personalized offerings, which is the USP of the Fortune Brand.This has increased our yield, as a result of which our average room rate and bottom line has improved, even though overall revenues have fallen compared to pre-pandemic levels.
What are some of the Covid safety protocols and parameters you are following to ensure the guests’ safety?
Overall, the pandemic has been an eye opener that has taught us a lot. Our day-to-day operations, approach to the customer and way of serving things have changed drastically. We were one of the first hotel chains to launch Safe Stays, a comprehensive safety and hygiene programme for guests and associates that revolves around a safety and hygiene protocol, from pre-arrival to check-out. Set on ten pillars of safety and hygiene that are diligently followed across the chain,this has set a new benchmark for hotels. I feel they should become the norm, and continue year after year in the future even when the pandemic is over.
What packages have you been offering during this time?
Guests check in on a Continental Plan (bed & breakfast). For lunch and dinner, they have the option of taking a coupon. This gives customers flexibility. During the pandemic, we offered special discounts. Besides the customized stay offerings, we are also actively promoting our leisure stays packages, i.e., Fortune Leisure Escape, Staycation, Senior Citizen and Monsoon Package, which help promote our destination.
What are the hotel’s plans for the future?
The property has a landbank of about 30 acres, which adjoins the boundary of the Indo Tibetan Border Police Academy. The long-term plan is to build new cottages there and add them to the resort inventory in the next few years.
