Satyen Jain

None but the brave venture into unchartered territories, and Satyen Jain has proved his mettle time and again. His Pride Hotels recently ventured into the below-the-radar north-eastern part of India with Pride Terrace Valley Resort Gangtok, the group’s first property in the region. The 45-room luxury resort boasts of elegantly furnished rooms and suites replete with all modern elements. This is Pride’s 16th hotel and Jain says the group has a plan to add about 500 rooms in Goa, Nagpur and Pune. By 2022, he is looking at taking the total to 20 hotels and resorts. 

Currently, Pride Hotels Ltd is operating four brands Pride Plaza, which is an upper-upscale luxury hotel, Pride Hotels which is an upscale hotel, Pride Resorts, the 3-star upscale resort and Pride Biznotel, a mid-market hotel. Jain brings his exacting standards, his eye for details and global hospitality standards to Pride Hotels. He is a hands-on leader but believes in empowering his team. He often delegates responsibilities, ensuring that the general managers of his properties have a large say in how they run a hotel.

Ultimately, Jain’s ambition is to make Pride into a national chain. “I want to position The Pride Hotels as one of the leading Indian hospitality companies in India to manage mid-market and upscale hotels and resorts. The emphasis is on setting up a service culture to impart excellence in all spheres of guest interaction and surpass guest expectations,” he says.

Pride Hotels is focussed on guest experiences and monitor customer reviews to identify strengths and weaknesses in the system. However, it is their ‘Indianness’ that sets them apart, Jain says. “There is traditional Indian instrumental music playing in the lobby and the welcome is always traditional too.” Jain is looking to expand through the management route, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cites.