Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has inked an agreement that will catapult its mid market Ginger brand forward, across northern India.
A framework agreement with a trading partner will cover an initial seven new hotels, to be delivered over the coming years and bringing the brand to key northern cities. Rajdarbar Group has committed to developing a mix of both greenfield and brownfield projects, in destinations including Jaipur, Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan, Hisar and Karnal.
Working to Deliver Fully Fitted Out Hotels
The developer will deliver fully fitted out hotels, ready for IHCL to lease and operate as a Ginger property. Numa Venkatesh, the vice president for real estate and development at IHCL noted the brand is in a good place: “The midscale segment in India continues to witness strong demand driven by the country’s sustained economic growth across manufacturing and service sectors, coupled with rising aspirational travellers.”
For Rajdarbar, development in tier 2 cities in the north of the country has fundamental attractions. Director Vasudev Rakesh Garg pointed to the “immense potential” of such conurbations, adding: “IHCL has been a pioneer in India’s mid-scale hospitality segment. We are pleased to partner with the re-imagined Ginger across these high potential markets.”
A long established brand in the Indian Hotels portfolio, Ginger was positioned as a budget offering to travellers. But in 2019, the company decided to redesign key elements of the hotels, and their offering, looking to take the brand upmarket and position it instead as a lean luxury and lifestyle brand. At the same time, there was a commitment to grow its presence across India.
Recent openings have included Ginger Gurugram, a 59 room property developed by the Rajdarbar Group that forms the first concrete step in the strategic partnership. Part of the Global Foyer Mall in Palam, it features facilities such as an infinity pool and boardrooms for company meetings, a clear statement of how Ginger has moved up a step.
Among additions to the pipeline in the last few months is Ginger Tuticorin, in Tamil Nadu. A greenfield project with 100 rooms, the hotel will sit strategically along the Tirunelveli-Tuticorin highway, and will be the group’s 28th hotel in Tamil Nadu.
The latest additions mean IHCL now counts its total of hotels open or in development at 615, with the pipeline at a substantial 255 properties. The group recently acquired a majority stake in Indian company Brij, adding another boutique lifestyle brand to the group’s portfolio, further broadening guest choice.
Building a Presence at Airports
Underlining the brand’s strength as a place for travellers to start, finish or break their journeys, there are two Ginger hotels under development at airports. At Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, a 325 room Ginger hotel is in development, for opening in the first half of 2027. Part of the Airport City project, it will sit alongside another IHCL hotel, under the group’s Vivanta brand.
Also in the pipeline is a 200 room Ginger hotel at Mumbai airport. This will be part of a mixed-use development alongside the airport’s terminal two.
