Priyanka Saxena Ray
Onora Hospitality has quickly made a mark in the industry with its unique approach. What was the inspiration behind founding the company, and how has the journey been so far?
When I entered the hospitality industry, it was not for a better lifestyle but to make a career and earn a livelihood. Hence, I always paid extra attention to the why’s and how’s of every aspect of my work. This inquisitiveness helped me learn the ropes of the business, which proved useful when I had to move from Delhi to Bangalore due to personal reasons. I was at a senior position at The Oberoi when I relocated and appropriate jobs corresponding to my work experience were not easily available. So, it was a matter of survival for me to seek new avenues for earning a living. Due to my circumstances, I connected the dots, saw an opportunity, took the entrepreneurial plunge and started Onora Hospitality.
To be honest, it has been a topsy-turvy journey, full of ups and downs. The market also played a major role in making it an interesting journey. None of us had anticipated the 2008 Lehman crisis or the 26/11 attack or the COVID-19 pandemic, all of which had a huge impact on businesses, especially travel and hospitality. However, we used the pandemic as an opportunity to revamp and rejuvenate our business with an aim of turning it into a boutique luxury hospitality brand. In August 2020, when people were still grappling with the reality of the pandemic, we signed our first luxury ‘jüSTa’ resort in the hills, which we opened in October 2020. Then, between the first and the second wave, we opened 10 luxury resorts and retreats across North India under the ‘jüSTa’ brand.
Last year, we entered the wellbeing resorts space under the brand ‘Bookmark Resorts’. Through this brand, we aim to bring a luxury, target-oriented, holistic wellness offering to a larger audience. Our vision is to offer transformative getaways at inspiring locations that lend themselves to discovery experiences. The first Bookmark Resort was launched in Manali in May 2023 and we launched the second one in Ranthambore in December 2023.
In an increasingly competitive market, what strategies does Onora Hospitality employ to differentiate itself from other boutique hospitality brands?
For the jüSTa brand, the biggest differentiator is our focus on art. We firmly believe that art is the ultimate expression of India’s culture. Currently, almost 1000 original artworks by emerging artists of India are displayed across jüSTa hotels. All artworks at our hotels are original and signed by the artist. Moreover, we host Chitrashaala annually, where around 50 artists from across India and the world come together for a week-long art residency. This year, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of Chitrashaala. This event is our attempt to build a credible cultural dialog among artists from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds through an enriching reciprocation of artistic ideas.
As far as Bookmark Resorts are concerned, the emphasis is on the overall well-being of the guests. It’s not just about yoga and meditation, but also the other aspects of well-being, which include being close to nature, enjoying simpler things, getting a digital detox as well as a food detox and much more.
The NUO brand is very unique. It’s a community-focused, modern, cutting-edge concept. The whole vibe of the brand is very young and modern.
Sustainability and responsible tourism are key trends in hospitality today. How is Onora Hospitality incorporating these principles into its operations and guest offerings?
We avoid single-use plastic as much as possible, dispose of the garbage responsibly, procure most of our food ingredients locally and hire most of the staff from the local community. Last year, we did a massive tree plantation drive wherein we planted around 2,000 trees at five of our properties in Rajasthan.
With the rapid growth of the brand, how do you maintain consistency in service quality across different properties while also ensuring each location offers a distinct experience?
The locations that we choose for our properties are very exclusive, which allow us to offer a distinct guest experience. For example, our resort in Ranthambore, despite being close to the gate of the National Park, is in a quiet area due to which the guests have a peaceful holiday away from the crowded areas of Ranthambore.
As far as maintaining consistency in service quality is concerned, we have made proper systems and processes that are to be followed at all levels across the board. Moreover, we have good managers at property and cluster levels who ensure that their teams follow those processes diligently.
Looking ahead, what are your future plans for Onora Hospitality? Are there any new markets or innovations you are particularly excited about?
We are working on building a diversified portfolio where we have some hotels in the mountains and hills while some are in the plains, some in the cities and some others are in places like Varanasi and Jawai.
One area that I have been closely observing and am excited about is village tourism. Considering the thrust being given by the Government in that area, I think there is a huge opportunity for farm owners with regards to farm stays.
Another thing I am looking forward to is the enhanced and more flexible local workforce that we can soon look forward to due to the literacy goals of the Government. As a country, India is known for its warm hospitality. So, with a little education, people from the local community can be hired for various roles at hotels. Even if they are unable to speak perfect English, their warm smiles, hospitality and knowledge of and love for their region will go a long way to win the hearts of the guests.
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