It is undoubtedly one of its kinds with not just a unique name but also a plethora of out of the box offerings that have been unheard of in the hospitality industry. I mean how many hotels in India can boast of having an in-house movie theatre, zumba classes for staff and guests or complimentary laundry service for single lady travellers? Not many I am sure and certainly not the big multi-national chains, which necessarily have to follow a conduct protocol. The Roseate New Delhi offers all this and more under the able leadership of Mr. Kush Kapoor, Area General Manager, Roseate Hotels and Resorts. We at BOTT are delighted to kick-start our GM Special Series with our exhaustive interview of this dynamic and enterprising GM.
Priyanka Saxena Ray
Roseate as a hotel has always intrigued me, first because of its name, second given the fact that it is one of the few ‘independent” hotels that is giving multi-national hospitality chains a run for their money. So who better than the General Manager, the man who has been involved with the project since its pre-opening stage to tell us how they are surviving or rather thriving in this zone dotted with international hotel chains…
Born and brought up in a small-town (Nilokheri) in Haryana, Kush Kapoor was lucky to have a set of extremely encouraging parents who never pushed him to become a doctor or an engineer. He did three years diploma from IHM Hyderabad before getting his first job at The Trident Udaipur. “I pride in the fact that I have grown from the grass root level – I have mopped floors and tried my hand at all measly jobs at the beginning of my career. I moved to Trident Kochi where I worked for some 8 months before joining Manor Hotels in their F&B department and learned quite a lot during my tenure with them. Moving on to the Taj Group of Hotels I worked at the Front Office of Taj Mansingh for about 7 years before working at The Taj Coromandel and Taj Aurangabad,” reminisces Kush.
Incidentally, almost all the profiles in his career has seen his involvement in the pre-opening stage, which is said to be the most exciting but also the most-challenging phase of any hotel opening. His stint at The Leela Gurgaon was also no different wherein holding a team together of some 450 pax, as the hospitality industry world-wide went through a lull period post 9/11, was a tough task. “I was born to be disciplinarian. My expertise lies in motivating my team and keeping them geared to perform their best at all times. During tough times – when salaries are delayed or management is undergoing change, it is most important to keep your staff inspired as only a happy team can keep your guests happy,” shares the dynamic GM.
Kush Kapoor joined The Roseate in 2015, when the hotel was in its pre-opening stage and just 2 months before opening its doors, the management decided to take the reins in its own hands and brand the property as Bird Group’s entry in to the hotels’ industry. To open a new name hotel in Aerocity, which was brimming with popular hotel chains was no easy task, but they knew they would make it, such was the life in the product and the service they would offer to the client. Three years later, they are proud of running 3 hotels in India (2 in Delhi NCR and one in Rishikesh called The Roseate Ganges) and more coming in other parts of the country (Goa and more).
“There is a reason why The Roseate is doing the kind of business it is (90% plus occupancy) and that is our service. At our hotel you will be treated to best personalised service in addition to a plethora of attractions. For example, the breakfast at The Roseate is not a rushed affair as our breakfast is available 24×7 – if not buffet then from the menu. The laundry service is complimentary for all single lady travellers and we are a non-smoking hotel – yes, not just some rooms but a non-smoking hotel completely. There is an aerobics session every Friday and a one-hour Yoga session every Saturday morning – open for both staff and guests. We have flexible working hours and my team is allowed to choose their off days. I push my people to make mistakes and always tell them – it is only through your mistakes that you will learn to grow in life,” shares a proud Kush, who is the man behind introducing such amazing initiatives at the hotel, which not only keeps the team motivated but also the guests coming back for more. No wonder, almost 24% of their total business comes from repeat clientele. They are also pioneers in introducing the concept of “buy-out” wherein a party can “buy” the complete hotel for the duration of his function and grant seamless movability to his guests throughout the hotel giving them the freedom to do whatever they wish to. Unique, isn’t it?
A GM who doesn’t have an office – no cabin, no printer, no PA, nothing (!), Kush keeps moving around the hotel, keeping a check on the pulse of the property and being extremely accessible to both – his staff as well as his guests. Well, meeting him truly reinforced our belief in the fact that the General Manager is indeed the heart of the hospitality business and the force that drives any hotel to success. Kush Kapoor definitely falls in this category.
