B y Sriya Ray Chaudhuri
The world is indeed a global village for today’s dynamic entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. They are always on the move and require something extra from the hotels they stay in — to connect, conduct business meetings or events. Luxury, upscale and pure business hotels, all offer a host of special services and facilities to ensure that the business traveller has a smooth stay. The business centre, meeting rooms, banquet options, variety of cuisine are some of the parameters that make a hotel the preferred destination for the professionals.
We take a close look at what makes 25 such hotels stand out as the first choice to do business in. To avoid getting into the numbers game, since we are not rating individual hotels, the list is in alphabetical order of the names of the cities they are located in.
Fortune Landmark, Ahmedabad
This hotel is located in the heart of Ahmedabad, on Ashram Road.There are a number of hotels in the vicinity, but Fortune Landmark scores highly thanks to its reputation of being a good business hotel. The hotel’s 205 sq-ft boardroom can accommodate up to 16 people, making it popular among small business owners. It also has three other meeting and conference rooms that can accommodate up to 150 people, lending versatility to the property.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 95
Facilities: The rooms are equipped with an exclusive work area, keeping in mind the needs of the modern business traveler. The hotel has Wi-Fi connectivity in public areas and special security measures for single lady travellers. There are a host of 24-hour services that include travel desk, laundry service, currency exchange and doctor on call.
Business centre: Trained personnel work closely with catering and conferences services. State-of-theart AV equipment, dedicated telephone lines, motion picture slide, overhead projectors, mono stereo & multi-track tape recorders, video cameras, video projectors & players, personal computers, hi-speed internet access in meeting rooms can be provided on request.
Boardroom: Senata, the boardroom, can accommodate 16 people and is 205 sq-ft in size. There are three other meeting rooms/conference halls that can accommodate between 20 to 150 people. The largest, South Court, is 1,851 sq-ft in size.
The Pride Hotel, Ahmedabad
Located the elite business area of Satellite, just off the SG Highway, Hotel Pride is a five-star luxury hotel with a 342 sq-ft boardroom on the first floor that can accommodate up to 20 people. The Imperial banquet hall is 6,900 sq-ft in size and can accommodate 1,000 people.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 164
Facilities: The hotel has high-speed internet connectivity and workstations in each room, to facilitate your business meetings. There is a fine-dining restaurant called Casablanca, a 24-hour coffee shop Café Treat, and an exclusive lounge bar, Zing.
Business centre: This comes equipped with all the regular feature. The 342 sq-ft boardroom is situated on the first floor and is an ideal place for board meetings, discussions and corporate conferences accommodating 15-20 guests.
Banquets: The Imperial, Royal, Majestic, Chancery, Presidential, Senate and boardroom are the halls with diverse sizes and ambience to suit any commercial or business event. Each banquet hall offers exclusive layouts, various styles and complete customisation. The Imperial is 6,900 sq-ft in size and can accommodate 1,000 people.
The LaLiT Ashok, Bangalore
The sprawling property is located amidst 10 acres of landscaped lawns that is the top draw for business travellers to the property, though it is 32 km from the airport. It has seven banquet halls and conference rooms, totalling 33,500 sq-ft, making it one of the largest banqueting spaces in the tech city. The 525 sq-ft boardroom can accommodate 20 people.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 184
Facilities: The Lalit is a popular MICE destination in the city, thanks to its proximity to BIEC and Palace ground. It is a
40-minute drive from the airport and boasts high-tech rooms with all provisions for the business traveller. The banqueting
capacity ranges from 15 to 1,200 persons theatre-style, or 15 to 3,000 persons for cocktails/receptions.
Business centre: This has three fully-dedicated meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 10 people. It is open
24 hours and provides facilities such as wireless internet access/HSIA, in-house video-conferencing facility, laptop/
computers on hire, workstations, mobile phones on hire, portable printers on hire, secretarial services and translation/interpretation services.
Conference centres: The conference centers — Kalinga (10,800 sq-ft), Lalit Gardens (15,000 sq-ft) and Siddarth (3,724 sq-ft) — are ideal as display area for launches, exhibitions and conferences; and can accommodate up to 2,000 people. In addition to an exhibition management facility, the hotel also has a complete range of support and services for exhibitors as well as visitors. It has a cosy pre-function area that opens into the Grand Ballroom, which is 3,656 sq-ft in size, and can accommodate 400 people.
The ParK Bangalore
The hotel is located on Mahatma Gandhi Road and has three main meeting spaces. the Oak Room 1, Oak Room II and a special Screening Room. The last, a flexible 375 sq-ft meeting space, can double up as the boardroom. Its back wall is built out as a projection facility and there is a screen opposite, which can be retracted into the ceiling. It can accommodate between 10 to 30 people.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 109
Facilities: Apart from rooms that have dedicated workstations to help you prepare for your business meeting, the hotel is also well-located in the hub of Bengaluru’s commercial district. Monsoon, the all-day restaurant is ideal for quick meetings, and serves Pan-Indian and international cuisine. Aqua, the poolside lounge, is also a great place to unwind after the day’s work.
Business centre: The Oak Room has integrated high-end technology for business meetings. Rich and elegant panels clad in oyster-coloured bamboo fabric with discreet shuttering along the window wall contribute to the style element. The Blue Box serves as a multi-purpose venue — from boardroom meetings, formal movie-screenings to an informal gathering.
The place can be illuminated for business meetings or dimmed for a party. It also has a retractable screen, projection facility and comfortable seating for up to 20 people.
Meeting rooms: The meeting rooms can accommodate between 25 to 60 people. Services offered include conference kit with the company logo embossed, special effects for product launch like live size models of the product, display boards, facilities to make banners and backdrops and personalised stationery. The Oak Room I is 850 sq-ft and can accommodate up to 70 people. Oak Room II is 1,250 sq-ft and can host 90; while the Blue Box is a screening room that can accommodate 30 people.
Le Royal Meridien, Chennai
This hotel is located close to the airport, thus free from the traffic snarls of the ever-bustling Chennai. It is also near the Chennai Trade Centre, a popular venue for major conventions and exhibitions, and is also close to city’s industrial conurbation. The Grand Madras Ballroom is a 10,000 sq-ft pillar-less convention hall. It can accommodate a maximum attendance of 1,500 on a regular set up.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 240
Facilities: The hotel has high-speed wireless internet connectivity (Wi-Fi Internet) from rooms and public areas, satellite television as well as airport-hotel-airport transfers.
Business centre: The hotel’s state-of-the-art business centre has private meeting rooms that can accommodate between 8 to 1,500 people. It offers ISDN/Internet access, video conferencing and comprehensive AV facilities.
Banquets: The convention hall is called the Grand Madras Ballroom, a large pillar-less hall. With its 10,000 sq-ft of pure banqueting space, the hall can hold a maximum attendance of 1,500 on a regular set up. The Madras Foyer, a large 6,000 sq-ft pre-function area, supplements the hall. There are nine banqueting chambers and a host of services on offer. Dharani, a hall situated in the lobby level, is attached to the business centre and is a favourite among corporates of the city; so are Lotus and Jasmine known for their board meetings. The hotel also has exclusive tie-ups with the event management companies.
The Leela Palace, Chennai
On the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Adyar river, the beauty of Chennai’s first and only seafront hotel, draws business travellers to it. It has large and spread-out meeting and banquetting facilities. There are seven boardrooms, ranging in size from 167 sq-ft to 798 sq-ft. The 11,600 sq-ft Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 1500 people.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 326
Facilities: Set on 4.8 acres of land, the 11-storeyed hotel is equipped with world-class amenities. Its close proximity to the central business district and local attractions and having a spectacular sea view on offer is sure to make the experience of our guests a very memorable one.
Meeting and business facilities:
The hotel has a 11,600 sq-ft Grand Ballroom with an exclusive large pre-function area. There are two meeting rooms (1,092 sq-ft each) and seven boardrooms. The convention facilities cater from 10 persons to 1,500 persons, depending on the kind of event. The hotel offers all the regular technological services and equipment such as Wi-Fi connectivity, secretarial services and others.
ITC Kakatiya, Hyderabad
This is a great business hotel for the discerning business traveller, located in the city’s commercial Begumpet area. The meeting space, termed cabinet, can accommodate intimate groups of 12 people, making it the perfect venue for smaller meetings, conferences and gatherings.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 188
Facilities: The hotel offers a selection of Indian and international cuisines ranging from the most indulgent kebabs and curried dishes from across India, to the delectable flavours of ‘Dakshin’ from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on to a wide range of international favourites .
Business centre: The 24-hour business centre has audio-visual equipment, video conferencing services — screenings on TV sets, videoscope (VHS/ Betacam/ U-Matic on request), synchronised multiprojector and printing, stationary and delegate kits. The boardroom can host up to 18 people, and includes basic conference stationery, business kits and a range of services including the option of gourmet refreshments. The facilities include projector, video conferencing services, synchronised multi-projector, hand-held slide presentations, public address systems, lectern, table and lapel microphones.
Banquets: The hotel has seven state-of-the-art meeting, banquet and conference spaces including Hyder Mahal — the spacious ballroom that can accommodate up to 500 guests and the poolside function area – a stunning outdoor venue for theme events, corporate functions, celebrations and parties; plus its bouquet of fine services, a dedicated team of event management associates and access to gourmet catering facilities. Equipped with facilities like Wi-Fi/high speed broadband internet, extensive audio-visual support, offsite gourmet catering services and assistance of hotel associates, Hyder Mahal is ideal for business meetings.
Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre
The hotel is located in Hyderabad’s IT and business district and is connected to the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), offering state of the art exhibition, meeting and convention services. It is a 45-minute drive from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and is spread over 15 acres. The 2,552 sq-ft ballroom can accommodate 200 people.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 287
Facilities: The hotel has been designed to provide a comfortable and business-friendly environment for the business traveller. Key CHECKLIST include high-speed internet, Wi-Fi enabled rooms, international restaurant, contemporary bar, and a 24-hour gym with massage facilities. The hotel also offers complimentary shuttle service for most offices in the area.
Meeting spaces: The hotel is connected to Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). HICC has been conceived, designed and created to handle small meetings of six people to large scale events for 6,000 people.
Additional to HICC’s facilities, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre offers three banquet halls and pool-side lawns which can cater to small luncheon meetings, training sessions and large conferences for eight to 350 guests. The meeting rooms range in size from 326 sq-ft to 2552 sqft (ballroom). The 25725 sq-ft lawn area is also popular for bigger events.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Indore
Indore is fast becoming an entrepreneurial hub and this hotel is among the most preferred ones for business travellers. It is located at a 20-minute drive from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport, in the city’s business hub. The hotel offers almost 8,000 sq-ft of meeting space, making it the choice of business travellers.
Rooms: 200
Facilities: The hotel provides proximity to local companies for business travellers. In addition to spacious rooms and suites with free high-speed, wireless Internet, two Business Class floors are available and include access to a lounge. It is located at a 20-minute drive from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport, in the city’s business hub. Able to accommodate 600 event and meeting attendees, the event facilities at this hotel in Indore are ideal for important gatherings.
Business centre: This offers full services, including secretarial and translation services.
Conference centre: From boardrooms with space for 18 to event halls with room for 600, the hotel can host board meetings, sales conferences, training days, management programs and international or local conferences.
There is a total of 8000 sq-ft of meeting space in the dedicated conference centre which also has advanced AV and projection equipment. There are four boardrooms. Summit I and II have a total of 3,605 sq-ft area, while Summit III and IV total is 2,500 sq-ft in size. These all have separate prefunction areas.
Jaipur Marriott Hotel
The capital city of Rajasthan is popular for MICE tours, business travellers apart from the heavy demand from Indian and foreign tourists. The Marriott is a seven-storeyed hotel, and its location is ideal for commute to the city’s business district, near the Jawahar Circle, also making it less than 2 km from the airport. It has 43,056 sq-ft of total meeting space, with a maximum of nine breakout meeting rooms.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 350
Facilities: The guest rooms provide business travellers with a spacious work desk, ergonomic chair and high-speed Internet access. There are inspiring event menus that complement the impressive conference space for successful events. There are a number of restaurants that provide tasty and varied cuisine for business dining.
Meeting rooms: The hotel has seven meeting rooms, with 43,056 sq ft of total meeting space. The meeting space with highest maximum capacity is Ball Room 2 (8396 sq-ft) – Ruby, with a capacity of 1,500 people. There are a maximum of nine breakout meeting rooms. The conference hall is supported by dedicated event management teams to assist with every detail. The 560 sq-ft Topaz meeting room can accommodate about 30 people.
Vivanta by Taj – Hari Mahal, Jodhpur
Located 3.5 km from the railway terminus and 4 km from the airport, this hotel is close to Jodhpur’s business area. The lobby has Moghul-inspired domes, enamelled murals, slender columns, and grand interiors. It has over 28,000 sq-ft of banquetting space spread over six types of conference rooms. The opulence of its architecture, coupled with great location and amenities, makes it popular among business travellers.
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Rooms: 93
Facilities: The six-acre hotel has a lush garden. It has over 28,000 sq-ft of contemporary spaces for meetings, brand launches and events. The meeting venues are high-tech, highenergy rooms comfortably designed for the long hours that delegates put in. The hotel also offers services of appropriate staff. There are a host of entertainment options too, including a spa and swimming pool.
Business Centre: Open 24 hours, this offers facilities such as high-speed Internet access, Wi-Fi access, a boardroom that
accommodates 12 delegates, facsimile, photocopying, laptop computers and printers on hire, translation/interpretation
services with advance notification, video-conferencing and webcasting facilities with advance notification and workstations.
Banquets: There are over 28,000 sq-ft of banquetting space spread over six types of conference rooms — Amar Hall; Analysis Mahal; Meherangarh Hall; the 20,177 sq-ft Meherangarh Terrace, which can accommodate 1,200 guests for a cocktail dinner; the Debate and Strategy meeting spaces having seating capacities for up to 120 delegates in boardroom-style and 600 for theatre-style receptions.
Vivanta by Taj – Malabar, kochi
Situated on Willingdon Island with a magnificent view of Cochin harbour, Vivanta by Taj — Malabar is popular for MICE tours, conferences and other business meets. The relaxed atmosphere of the location combines well with the over 2,700 sq-ft of conference space spread over three conference rooms and the 5,000 sq-ft of outdoor lawns, that can accommodate 300 guests for a cocktail dinner, making this hotel a popular destination for business travellers.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 96
Facilities: The hotel has an enviable location on the waterfront and the architecture, backed by the latest in technology, makes the stay a comfortable one. There are a number of restaurants, so you can have your pick of cuisine here. A spa, option of beach games help you unwind. The rooms are all geared for business travellers — with state-of-the-art workstations, including special work chairs.
Business Centre: Oval, the business centre, is open 24 hours. It offers high speed Wi-Fi access, a boardroom that accommodates 15 delegates, services such as photocopying, laptops on hire, video conferencing and webcasting.
Banquets: The boardroom can accommodate 10-12 guests in high-tech, take-charge space with all the right technological advantages. Geared with a 32-inch LCD screen with laptop connectivity, the boardroom is fully equipped for high-powered meetings and videoconferences. There are three banquet halls —Raja Varma Hall (1,029 sq-ft), Bristow Hall (650 sq-ft) & Willingdon Hall (936 sq-ft) with seating capacity for up to 120 in class roomstyle and 225 for theatre-style receptions. The banquet halls are separated by collapsible partitions. The hotel has a private island — Gundu — a 10-minute boat ride away where you can host gala dinners and parties.
Swissotel,Kolkata
This hotel is one of the newbies in Kolkata’s five-star luxury hotels market, but its proximity to the airport and the IT hub of Rajarhat has made it popular for business travellers. The two boardrooms — the 305 sq-ft Lugano and 200 sq-ft Arosa — can accommodate 12 and eight persons respectively. The pillarless ballroom is the largest in the city and popular with business travellers.
CHECKLIST
Rooms: 147
Facilities: Its award-winning rooftop Sky Lounge is the jewel of the hotel’s three restaurants and bar, offering views over the city.
Business centre: Over 1,000 guests can be accommodated in cocktail/reception style in Bern, the pillar-free banqueting facility.
Ballroom and boardroom: Swissotel Kolkata has six halls and the 3659 sq-ft grand ballroom — the largest pillarless ballroom in Kolkata, two luxurious boardrooms, and one business centre with a separate meeting space. There are also breakout rooms on the same floor, along with separate pre-function and smoking areas. Facilities include the best in audiovisual equipment, lighting and decor, with a full meeting planner & concierge service and an in-house meeting & event catering team to make sure your function is a resounding success. Lugano (305 sq-ft), the main boardroom featuring connectivity for laptops, a giant projection screen accompanied by IT and catering support. Lugano is in the same floor as the business centre. It can host 12 people. Arosa (200 sq-ft) is the smaller boardroom, with a capacity of eight people.
Taj Bengal, Kolkata
Taj Bengal is the old favourite, when it comes to business travel. It is located 3km from the city’s commercial centre and is 60 minutes away. The hotel’s terrace gardens (7,242 sq-ft) and the 5,040 sq-ft banquet lawns are used by many business travellers for their meetings. The 5,400 sq-ft Crystal Hall, 908 sq-ft Mandarin, 658 sq-ft Oriental and 805 sq-ft Portico are the varied meeting spaces that make this hotel score over others that enjoy better proximity to the Kolkata airport or CBD. Taj Club members also enjoy special privileges that bring return clientele to the hotel.
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Rooms: 229
Facilities: The rooms have thick Posturepedic mattress, broadband wireless Internet connectivity, dual line telephones with voicemail and data capabilities. The 5th floor Taj Club rooms offer guests exclusive access to the Taj Club Lounge and services, 24-hour butler service, complimentary breakfast, tea and coffee and cocktails in the Taj Club lounge and use of the meeting room at the Business Centre for two hours.
Business centre: There is a fully operational 24-hour Business Centre with state-of-the-art facilities and technology back-up.
Banquets: The Crystal Hall (5,400 sq-ft) can host up to 550 people theatre-style and up to 800 for dinner. The outdoor venues can accommodate up to 1,000 attendees for a reception. The hotel can also accommodate smaller events in its three boardrooms that hold anywhere between four and eight people. There are two boardrooms exclusively for Taj Club members that can accommodate between eight to 14 people. The technological facilities include video projection systems, Bose sound system, broadband wireless Internet access and multimedia computers.
Grand Hyatt Mumbai
Located close to the airport and CBD — the Bandra Kurla Complex — the hotel also has 111 apartments for long stay guests, which makes it popular with business travellers. It has 30,000 sq-ft of conference and meeting space, with the 11,480 sq ft Grand Ballroom and pre-function area are used for a variety of conferences, MICE and other events. The main lobby of the hotel is also a meeting ground for small and medium entrepreneurs.
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Rooms: 547
Facilities: Grand Hyatt Mumbai is a premier destination for MICE and business travellers. It has over 30,000 sq-ft of indoor banqueting space and 30,000 sq-ft of usable exhibition space. The Grand Ballroom is 11,480 sq-ft, pillar-less and can be partitioned into three sound-proof sections. The other indoor banqueting facilities include seven additional meeting rooms and boardrooms that can be used as breakout rooms for smaller events. The ballroom also has a drive-in ability for cars and is ideal for launches.
Business centre: It has state-of-the-art facilities like spacious meeting rooms, fully-equipped workstations, secretarial services, computers and e-mail access. Business centre personnel also provide assistance with laptop, mobile phone and conference equipment rentals.
Meeting rooms: There are five private meeting rooms that can seat eight to 16 guests, three individual, fully-equipped workstations with colour printers and broadband Internet connectivity, complimentary one round of tea and coffee service with cookies (for four-hour meetings) and two rounds of tea and coffee service with cookies (for eight-hour meetings), arrangement of AV equipment on a chargeable basis and secretarial services. The 8,600 sq-ft foyer area can also be used to host pre-function events and is ideal for networking in between presentations at one of the meeting rooms. The banquets of the hotel can accommodate between 30 to 1,300 guests, making it versatile and popular.
ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
The British Colonial architecture of this hotel has made it a landmark in the city’s business and recreational centre of Parel. The hotel also has floors for single women travellers — Eva floors — with sophisticated security and building management system.
In a city dotted with a number of popular business and luxury hotels, this one stands out thanks to its special features such as the 30th floor boardroom and meeting room.
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Rooms: 242
Facilities: Located close to the city’s south district, ITC Grand Central is popular for meetings and events. All rooms have high-speed internet and other tech equipment. There are a number of restaurants, offering varied cuisine, while the hotel spa is also popular among business travellers to relax after the work day.
Business centre: This has a state-of-the-art boardroom, suitable for global business travellers, with a range of facilities and services that include in-built video conferencing and webcasting facilities, basic conference stationery, business kits and an in-built speaker system with LCD screen.
Ballroom, boardroom: The pillar-free ballroom is perfect for events and has a separate entrance lobby, pre-function area, and large wooden doors. It can accommodate up to 750 guests. It can also be divided into three separate parts for smaller gatherings and business meetings. The 5,381 sq-ft garden terrace and CJ’s, the meeting rooms that range in size from 800 sq-ft to 1,722 sq-ft, are popular for various meetings. A highlight of this hotel is the Point of View boardroom, the 30th floor rooftop luxury lounge. The facilities here include restricted access via access key card from the lobby reception, drop-down screen facility and in-built speaker facility for audio presentations at the boardroom, making it a special privilege for the guests here.
JW Marriott, Mumbai
JW Marriott Mumbai is on the Juhu beach and is 7km from the airport and though not in the CBD, remains popular with business travellers. One of the reasons is the 6,400 sq-ft Grand Sangam Ballroom, and the other meetings rooms that range in size from 288 sq-ft to 2,415 sq-ft.
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Rooms: 355
Facilities: JW Marriott has three outdoor pools, the Quan Spa and eight restaurants, including a bakery. Guest rooms have both cable and satellite TV, state-of-the-art workstations and wonderful views of the Arabian Sea.
Business centre: This is operational 24 hours. There are 12 meeting rooms with 14,000 sq-ft of total meeting space. The maximum capacity is at the Grand Sangam Ballroom which can accommodate 1,000 people. There are a maximum of eight breakout meeting rooms.
Meeting rooms: The meeting rooms have wired and wireless Internet access and the latest A/V equipment. The ballroom and the pre-function foyer have private entrances.
All conferences and business meetings are provided such as AV equipment, stationery and drop-screen facility. The 2,415 sq-ft Kaveri I and II meeting rooms are popular among business travellers.
Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel
The Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre is one of the largest convention centres in Mumbai and gains popularity through its sheer size. It is located in Powai, a relatively new business hub of the city.
The hotel’s 2,30,000 sq-ft space can accommodate business meetings of all sizes and requirements. The Executive lounge on the 36th floor is the largest in India offering 12,5000 sq-ft space.
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Rooms: 583
Facilities: The well-appointed, ergonomically designed guest rooms, suites and duplexes are ideal for business travellers. It has 2,30,000 sq-ft of indoor and outdoor convention space.
The Renaissance Terrace and Garden make for great outdoor venues with serene views of the Powai Lake.
Business centre: There are 17 meeting rooms that can host events of any size, apart from larger conventions and MICE tours. The convention centre is complemented with stateof-the art conference facilities including Wi-Fi and a fully-equipped business centre.
Executive Lounge: The hotel also boasts a 12,500 sq-ft Executive Lounge, the largest in the country, features a sun deck terrace, foot reflexology, library, boardrooms and a central bar, with splendid views of the Powai lake.
Sofitel mumbai BKC
Sofitel Mumbai BKC is located in the new CBD of Mumbai — The Bandra Kurla Complex — with easy access to the National Stock Exchange, embassies, consulates, banks, major corporations and the Bharat Diamond Bourse, the world’s largest diamond bourse. The Grand Salon Ballroom of the hotel is a flexible area, with full-wall soundproof dividers and can accommodate up to 250 people. The Club Millesime is the business lounge that is located on the top floor of the hotel. Sofitel has recently launched Hriday, a 30,000 sq-ft outdoor area, that serves as the venue for different events.
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Rooms: 302
Facilities: All rooms and suites feature flat-screen LCD TVs, broadband internet access, 24 hour room service, international newspapers, nightly turndown service and French bathroom amenities.
Business centre: InspiredMeetings, Sofitel’s trademark meetings concept, is designed on the philosophy ‘Inspired by you. Staged by us’. You can avail services of an experienced meeting planner and concierge to a dedicated chef. There is a fullsize and full-service business centre at the hotel.
Meeting rooms: The dedicated second floor of meeting space with eight meeting rooms is designed to allow a wide range of event styles.
There are innovative cocktails and coffee breaks around an interactive kitchen. All meeting rooms are equipped with the latest AV equipment and wireless Internet access. The Grand Salon Ballroom has a flexible floor plan, with full-wall soundproof dividers and can accommodate up to 250 people.
The business lounge, Club Millesime, is located on the top floor of the hotel and is preferred by regular patrons.
Trident nariman point, Mumbai
The Nariman Point location is perfect — in the heart of south Mumbai, close to the commercial heart of the city. Little wonder, then, that the Trident scores a perfect hit with business travellers from all over the world on their Indian trip. The 35th floor business centre of the hotel is a big draw for business travellers. This 3,600 sq-ft space can accommodate up to 200 people while the 540 sq-ft Sunset boardroom can accommodate 16 people.
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Rooms: 555
Facilities: Wired and wireless Internet access, AV equipment, photocopying service, currency exchange, rooms for the physically challenged, and babysitter on call
Business centre: This is located on the 35th floor of the hotel and is the highest meeting space in India at a height of 350 feet from ground level.
Meeting rooms: Nine; spread over two levels
Meeting rooms, banquets: There are two 14-seater, one eight-seater and one six-seater room at the upper level; and two 14-seater, one eight-seater, one seven-seater and one six-seater meeting room at the lower level.
While there is a common foyer and waiting lounge for these rooms, there is a separate foyer for the lower level meeting rooms. The 8,955 sq-ft Regal room can accommodate up to 700 people, while the Gulmohar banquet space can fit in 100 people. There are a number of other meeting spaces, ranging in size from 1102 sq-ft to the 2556 sq-ft Sunset lounge. This variety of banquetting options makes the hotel popular.
The Imperial, New Delhi
The impressive hotel is one of Asia’s finest luxury properties. The location of the hotel, close to the city’s business hub, makes it a popular choice for business travellers. Its special standalone business centre, One Imperial Place, makes it a popular choice for entrepreneurs, being one of a kind in the city. The 4,995 sq-ft Royal Ballroom is also a popular choice for larger conferences.
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Rooms: 235
Facilities: Women guests are allocated rooms in the Single Lady Corridor equipped with CCTV cameras and are provided in-room check-in facility. Each room of this third floor has a separate room door camera installed as an additional security feature. All-female staff assistance is provided and all telephone calls go through a screening process before being connected.
Eliza also offers a special airport pick up facility wherein a woman associate escorts the guest. All these privileges are attached with no extra cost.
Business centre: Equipped with state-of–the-art technology and contemporary luxury, One Imperial Place makes an exclusive business environment. The services offered include video-conferencing, secretarial pool, a library with a plush reading lounge, teleconferencing facilities, electronically-equipped tables, interactive panels directly connected to TV screens for making presentations, expandable rooms with large TV screens, scanning, faxing, printing, copying, comb binding, CD/DVD writing as well as long-term office rental spaces with business centre support.
Ballroom, meeting rooms: Emily Eden and Hodges rooms offer conference options for 20 to 50 guests. Blomfield is also well-known as a conference venue and can accommodate 30 to 40 people. The Royal Ballroom is spread over 4,995 sq-ft with a wooden spring floor. It serves as a venue for conferences, elite corporate events and theme parties, accommodating up to 500 people.
Le Meridien, New Delhi
The hotel is centrally located on Janpath, close to the business district of India’s capital city. Guests can also unwind with some retail therapy after the day’s work, thanks to its proximity to the entertainment and shopping areas too. Offering approximately 20,200 sq-ft of total conferencing area, the meeting space includes two ballrooms (Sovereign 1 and Sovereign 2) and six meeting rooms for a total of eight meeting spaces.
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Rooms: 358
Facilities: The hotel provides airport transportation, which is especially important for single women entrepreneurs travelling to New Delhi. The rooms are equipped with workstations and internet options.
Business centre: This comprises 11 meeting rooms in which you can hold social and professional events. It is equipped with stateof-the-art facilities to avoid any hustle and bustle during the event. These amenities are microphones, cameras, high speed internet access, projector, audio visual equipment, latest sound equipment.
Meeting spaces: The largest meeting space is 11,390 sq ft. The total conferencing area is 20,200 sq-ft. The meeting space includes two ballrooms (Sovereign 1 and Sovereign 2) and six meeting rooms for a total of eight meeting spaces. The halls are equipped with state-of-the-art AMX remote control units.
Vivanta by taj, surajkund, NCR
This hotel has an eye-catching facade that is both pleasing and soothing. It looks like a stepwell, and the fact that it is located in a green area makes it a peaceful setting for meetings or conferences. The hotel also has 22,000 sq-ft of banquet, business and conference facilities, thus making it a popular MICE and conference venue in a green location.
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Rooms: 287
Facilities: The hotel is 26km from the IGI airport. Each room has ergonomically designed mobile work desks. The central courtyard with its synchronised water fountain is a great place to unwind after a hard day’s work. The 18,500 sq-ft Jiva Grande Spa is popular among hotel guests.
Business centre: Though the entire hotel is wired for connectivity, the business centre is open 24/7. The boardroom can accommodate 20 guests. It has a 63” LED screen with laptop connectivity and built-in whiteboards.
Meeting spaces: The hotel has 22,000 sq-ft of meeting space. Tango, the pillarless ballroom has 7,500 sq-ft banqueting, conferencing space with a pre-function area of 4,750 sq-ft. It is reportedly the only hall in the city that has a three-sided prefunction area. It can be further partitioned into three halls, accommodating 40-800 people and up to 250 in the pre-function area. The meeting rooms Fennel, Nucleus, Debate and Agenda are located at the mezzanine level. These can accommodate 35 to 90 guests. Strategy 1 and Strategy 2, the two boardrooms, have a common prefunction area of 2,500 sq-ft.
Hyatt Regency Pune
This five-star luxury hotel is located in Viman Nagar. The area hosts Giga space and Weikfield IT Park, and is 2.5 km from Pune’s Lohegaon International Airport and the city’s entertainment areas of Koregaon Park and Kalyani Nagar. The Regency Ballroom is a 6,888 sq-ft pillar-free ballroom, divisible into three soundproof sections; there are seven additional meeting rooms on the same level.
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Rooms: 222
Facilities: The hotel has a wide range of rooms, extensive underground parking facilities, and inhouse dining, spa and fitness centre facilities. It also has 81 fully serviced luxury apartments. An impressive open-style bridge overlooking the hotel’s façade and water CHECKLIST serves as a dedicated entry to the meeting rooms, creating a dramatic sense of arrival into the pre-function area.
Banquets: Hyatt Regency Pune has 20,450 sq-ft of meeting space, dedicated entrance, convenient location and unmatched services for meetings, conferences, trade shows and corporate events. The Regency Ballroom is a 6,888 sq-ft pillar-free ballroom, divisible into three soundproof sections.
It opens onto a terrace and can accommodate up to 900 people. Seven other meeting rooms are located on the same level. Ebony, Anigre and Mahogany are sized between 600 sq-ft and 750 sq-ft. These are ideal for small conferences. Oak and Wenge are 2,150 sq-ft in size, and are divisible into two soundproof sections. Rosewood and Sycamore (375 sq-ft and 700 sq-ft) can accommodate board meetings for six to 12 people. The Regency Club Terrace (5,381 sq-ft) is popular for hosting post-work parties.
JW Marriott Hotel, Pune
This LEED Gold certified 5-star hotel in Pune has a massive lobby at the ground level that also doubles up as its most favoured business meeting ground. It was earlier known as a convention centre, and has 18,955 sq ft of total meeting space, making it the preferred business hotel for bigger conferences and such events.
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Rooms: 416
Facilities: The rooms have wireless connectivity, large desks with ergonomic chairs, in-room vaults for laptops. The 15,000 sq ft Quan Spa is also popular for business travellers to this hotel in Pune.
Business centre: The full-service staffed business centre offers facilities such as network/Internet printing, overnight delivery/pickup of post/parcel etc.
Meeting rooms: There are 12 meeting rooms and a total of 18,955 sq ft meeting space. The meeting space with maximum capacity is Sabha (13,000 sq-ft) with a capacity of 2,000. There are eight breakout meeting rooms. The hotel offers an exhibition space on-site. The 422 sq-ft Executive boardroom I can accommodate 12 people, while the 1,000 sq-ft Meeting Room I can accommodate 100 people in banquet style. The 679 sq-ft Chairman’s boardroom can accommodate 18 people.
