The Indian Hotels Company started 2026 with a clear indication of its intent to substantially grow the group’s presence in both its Indian home market, as well as internationally.
In the first few weeks of January 2026, IHCL kicked off with the announcement of a new partnership with Brij Hospitality, an Indian business that has already built a leading business in the boutique hotel niche. The deal, which will see IHCL acquire a 51% stake in the Brij business, will add another dimension to the Indian hospitality leader’s business.
Adding a Boutique Brand to the Portfolio
Brij has developed a nationwide collection of boutique hotels and resorts under its brand. As of early 2026, the brand has developed to cover a portfolio of 22 operating properties, with a further 11 signed for opening in the coming months and years. The additions mean IHCL can now count 610 properties under its brands, around the globe, with a further 253 committed for future openings.
Brij hotels have already garnered a reputation for providing guests with distinctive, immersive experiences via hotels in destinations including Dalhousie, Jaipur, Jawai and Varanasi. Brij was launched out of the group’s first hotel, BrijRama Palace in Varanasi, which set the stage with its distinctive architecture, responding to the city’s rich cultural history.
“With this acquisition, IHCL through its diverse brandscape consolidates its position as a frontrunner in India’s leisure tourism with market leadership in key cultural, spiritual and wildlife destinations,” said IHCL CEO Puneet Chhatwal. “Brij’s presence in offbeat locations offers heterogeneity to IHCL’s portfolio.”
The deal with Brij is another step for IHCL towards its publicly stated goal of growing to at least 700 hotels by the end of the decade, under the group’s Accelerate 2030 commitment. The group has, during the last several quarters, delivered record revenues with strong profits, providing a solid platform from which to advance.
Alongside its continued strong rate of signings, Indian Hotels continues to launch new properties from its strong pipeline. Among upcoming openings for its Taj luxury brand are new hotels in Gangtey and Paro, both in Bhutan. While the Paro resort is a new build surrounded by forests, the Taj Gangtey Resort & Spa is a conversion with an intimate room count of just 34.
Expansion Pace Across the Group’s Brands
Also opening, in the first half of 2026, will be SeleQtions Hotel Kanpur, a 104 room property in Baikunthpur. Meanwhile, the Vivanta brand has sites under construction that will deliver new hotels in Bengaluru, at Kempegowda international airport, in Nashik and Vrindavan. The airport development, with 450 rooms, will be part of a dual hotel project that will also deliver a 325 room hotel for IHCL’s two star Ginger brand – with both properties scheduled to open for guests in 2027.
International expansion is a key part of the the group’s growth plans. In December 2025, IHCL signed a deal in Egypt that will see it brand a Cairo landmark, the Grand Continental Hotel, as part of its Taj luxury portfolio. The 300 room hotel will relaunch following a refurbishment to ensure it meets the brand’s exacting standards.
