One of the world’s top hospitality chains, Mandarin Oriental, is in talks with newly-listed Oberoi Realty to set up its first hotel in India. If the deal goes through, the hotel chain will manage the latter’s proposed second luxury hotel at Worli in Mumbai.
The home and commercial property developer’s current partner Starwood Hotels and Resorts , which manages and operates its first hotel The Westin at Goregaon , is also keen on managing the Worli hotel. Now Mandarin Oriental has also entered the fray. Apart from the management contract for the luxury hotel, Mandarin may also be engaged for managing 200 branded residences that will be part of the 3.1 million sq ft mixed-use development.
Under the contract for branded residences, Mandarin will lend its brand Mandarin Oriental Residences and also undertake interiors and provide services. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group confirmed that it is interested in venturing into India for development of a hotel or resort. However, it added that nothing has been finalised on any property yet. Vikas Oberoi, chairman and managing director of Oberoi Realty said, “The company has not finalised any operator for its proposed Worli luxury hotel yet. We are in talks with multiple players.”
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group operates, or has under development, 42 hotels representing over 10,000 rooms in 27 countries. The group has equity interests in a number of its properties, but for its Mumbai project it will go the management contract way. Oberoi Realty’s first property at Goregaon, a north Mumbai suburb, has 269 keys and is being managed and operated by Starwood through its brand The Westin. Oberoi Realty entered into a 20-year management contract for this property with Starwood in 2008.
