hotel Definition Commercial establishment providing lodging, meals, and other guest services.

In general, to be called a hotel, an establishment must have a minimum of six letti ng bedrooms, at least three of which must have attached(ensuite) private bathroo m facilities. Although hotels areclassified into 'Star' categories (1-Star to 5Star), there is no standard method of assigning these ratings, andcompliance wit h customary requirements is voluntary. A US hotel with a certain rating, for exa mple, is may look very different from a European or Asian hotel with the samerat ing, and would provide a different level of amenities,range of facilities, and q uality of service. Whereas hotelchains assure uniform standards throughout, nonchain hotels (even within the same country) may not agree onthe same standards. In Germany, for example, only about 30 percent of the hotels choose to comply wi th theprovisions of the rules established by the German Hotels & Restaurants ass ociation. Although both WTO and ISO have been trying to persuade hotels to agree on some minimum requirements as world-wide norms, the entire membershipof the P aris-based International Hotel & Restaurant (IH&RA)opposes any such move. Accord ing to IH&RA, to harmonize hotel classification based on a single grading (which is uniform across national boundaries) would be an undesirable and impossible t ask. As a rough guide: A 1-Star hotel provides a limited range of amenities and services, but adheres to a high standard of facility-wide cleanliness. A 2-Star hotel provides good accommodationand better equipped bedrooms, each with a telep hone and attached private bathroom. A 3-Star hotel has more spacious rooms and a dds high-class decorations and furnishings and color TV. It also offers one or m ore bars or lounges. A 4-Star hotel is much more comfortable and larger, and pro vides excellent cuisine (table d'hote and a la carte), room service, and other a menities. A 5-Star hotel offers most luxurious premises, widest range of guest s ervices, as well as swimming pool and sport and exercisefacilities. The Official Hotel Guide (published in the US, and followed world wide) has its own classifi cation scheme thatranks hotels in nine categories as (1) Moderate TouristClass, (2) Tourist Class, (3) Superior Tourist Class, (4) Moderate First Class, (5) Lim ited Service First Class, (6) First Class, (7) Moderate Deluxe, (8) Deluxe, and (9) Superior Deluxe. CLASSIFICATION OF HOTEL Hotel can be classified into different categories or classes, based on their operational criteria. For example the type of accommodation they provi de, location of the property, type of services provided, facilities given and th e clientele they cater to can help categories hotels today. Hotels today are basically classified into the following categories: 1. Market segment: Economy / limited services hotel Mid market hotel All suite hotels Time-share hotels Condotel / Condiminium Executive hotels Luxury / Deluxe hotels

Property type: Traditional hotel Motels Bread and breakfast inns Commercial hotel

Chain hotel Casino hotel Boutique hotels Spa Hotel 2. According to size: Small hotels [150 rooms] Medium hotels [up to 299rooms] Large hotels [up to 600rooms] Other classification can be based on: a) Market segment b) Property type c) Size d) Level of services e) Owner ship and application f) Plans g) Type of patronage h) Length of guest stay i) Location etc MARKET SEGMENT a) Economy hotel: It provides efficient sanity private rooms with bath. The furnishing and decor are acceptable to majority of travelers. Food and beverage service may or may not be available. b) Mid market hotels: They offer comfortable accommodation with private on premises bath. Food and beverage services and uniformed bell staff. They offer a bove average luxury. c) All Suite hotels: It offers separate sleeping and living areas along wit h a kitchenette and a stocked bar, and offer class service. d) First class hotels: They are luxury hotels with exceptional decor better than average food and beverage service, uniformed bell services. They often hav e 2 or 3 dining rooms, swimming pool, spas etc. e) Deluxe hotels: They are better and offer more specialized services than first class hotels. They also provide limousine services. PROPERTY TYPE: a) Traditional hotels: They have the basic concept of rooms with breakfast, bell desk services and the other usual services. b) Motels: They are located on highways. Guest is given parking right outsi de their rooms. The usually have a gas station / workshop attached to them. c) Resorts: They are usually situated in tourist locations like on rivers, mountains, jungles, or the sea. They give more privilege to sports activities le isure and re-creation activities like manages, sightseeing, adventure sports, et c. d) Resident hotels: Where guest stay for longer duration, stay like weeks, months even years. e) Casino hotels: They are hotels usually in tourist spots and mainly cater to people who are on holidays. Casino hotels like the name suggest offer gambli ng facilities along with accommodations. SIZE: Small hotel up to 150 rooms Medium hotels 150 to 299 rooms Large hotels 299 to 600 rooms Extra large hotels above 600 rooms LEVEL OF SERVICES: a) World-class services: They target top business executives and provide se rvice s that cater to needs of such people like lap tops in the rooms, business center, sectarian services. b) Mid range services: They appeal to the larger segment of traveling publi

c [tourist]. The services provided by the hotel are moderate and sufficient to b udgeted travelers. c) Economy / Limited services hotel: They provide comfortable and inexpens ive rooms and meet the basic requirement of the guest. These hotels may be large of small in size depending on the kind of business they get. The key factor beh ind the survival of these hotels is that they are priced very low and are in the budget of most of the travelers.

OWNERSHIP AND AFFILIATION: a) Independent hotels: They have no application with other properties. They have their own management and are single properties with one owner. b) Chain hotels: They impose certain minimum standards, levels of service, policies and procedures to be followed by their entire establishment. Chain hote ls usually have corporate offices that monitor all their properties and one mana gement runs these properties. That is all the hotels under the chain are complet ely owned and run by the chain itself. c) Franchisee hotels: The franchisee grants the entities, the right to cond uct business provided they follow the established pattern of the franchisee, mai ntains their standards, levels of service, practice their policies and procedure s. AWARDING OF CLASS: Awarding of class is done by the HRACC in India. These are a few things listed d own that are taken into consideration while awarding star category to any hotels . Number and types of rooms the hotel has Elegant and comfortable surroundings Rooms efficiency Cleanness and sanitation Staff size and specialization Range and level of services Number of Restaurants Bars and Beverage services Concierge services Accessibility to entertainment Availability of transportation Spa and swimming pool facility Reservation and referral services.

Star category of hotels [India] One star * Two star ** Three star *** Four star **** Five star ***** Five star deluxe ***** deluxe THREE STAR CATEGORIES: For a hotel to be recognized as a three star property the architectural features and general features of the building should be very good there should be adequate parking facilities. At least 50% of the rooms must be air-conditioned. Also the ambience and decor of the place must be ecstatic. They should provide reservation and information facility apart from reception, infor mation, bell service at least two gourmet dining facility should be available. T he establishment may or may not have banqueting facility. They should provide hi gh levels of personalized services. The staff must be well- trained and proper s tandards for hygiene and sanitation must be followed. Also all properties have t o keep in mind that proper waste management is done.

FIVE STAR CATEGORIES: Five star category is only allotted to properties, which h ave all the qualities of a three star property and a few additional. Like the en tire property must be centrally air- conditioned. The building of the property m ust be an attractive one. All the rooms must be spacious. The property must have proper banqueting facility, business center. Proper and well-maintained pool an d health club a spa is optional. The property must have 24 hour coffee shop, rou nd the clock room service, a bar, and a minimum of 1 gourmet restaurant. The sta ff must be highly trained and a degree of specialization must be shown. State of art Equipments must be used and the facility provided in the rooms must be soph isticated. FIVE STAR DELUXE CATEGORIES: They are more or less like five star properties wit h the only difference is that they are on a larger scale. Five star deluxe prope rties maintain a very high staff to guest ratio and very high levels of service is maintained. They in addition to five star properties have 5 to 7 dining rooms , a bar, 24-hour coffee shop, banqueting facility. Spas, fitness centers, busine ss centers etc. ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF HOTEL INDUSTRY A 'hotel' or 'inn' is defined by the British law as 'the place where a bonafide traveler can receive food and shelter provided he is in a position to pay for it and is in a fit condition to be received'. Hence a hotel must provide food and lodging to a traveler on payment and has, in turn, the right to refuse if the tr aveler is drunk, disorderly, unkempt or is not in a position to pay for the serv ices. Early travelers were either warriors, traders or people in search of knowledge. This was before the advent of hotels. Thus, warriors and conquerors pitched thei r tents for accommodation, while traders and people travelling for knowledge pla ced a high value on hospitality and sometimes traded their merchandise for lodgi ng. Inn-keeping can be said to be the first commercial enterprise, and hospitali ty one of the first services for which money was exchanged. Inns of biblical tim es offered only a cot or a bench in a corner. Guests stayed in large communal ro oms with no sanitation and privacy. The rates were, of course, reasonable. The c ompany was rough. Travelers shared the same quarters with their horses and anima ls. In the third century AD, the Roman Empire developed an extensive network of brick-paved roads throughout Europe and Asia Minor, and a chain of roadside lodg es was constructed along the major thoroughfare from Spain to Turkey. Till the industrial revolution of the 1700s, no significant improvement was made in the inns and taverns, and they were not very suitable for aristocrats. To ac commodate wealthy travelers, luxurious structures were constructed with private rooms, individual sanitation and the comforts of a European castle. These elegan t new establishments adopted the French word for mansion - 'Hotel'. Not surprisi ngly, their rates, too, were beyond the reach of an ordinary person. In America early inns were modeled after European taverns, with sleeping quarters shared by two or more guests. Herman Melville, in his novel 'Moby Dick' had mentioned a seaman who checked int o a room in a nineteenth century inn and woke up the next morning only to find o ut that he was sharing the bed with a cannibal.

Hotels today are much more than just a place to sleep - many travelers view them as an integral part of a getaway experience. With the recent boom of boutique h otels, spiffed-up budget properties, and novelty accommodations, travelers can c hoose a hotel that is as much a selling point as the destination itself. Early history of accommodation for travelers can be traced back to the Greek wor d 'xenia' which not only meant hospitality, but also the protection given to a t raveler from discomforts. The city was bound to traditions of hospitality. In Sp arta city, despite rigorous customs restricting visitors, goddess Athena was con sidered a 'protector of strangers' and hence her name, Xenia Athena. In this period travelers were mainly diplomats, philosophers, intellectuals and

researchers. Guests were invited to stay with the nobleman. In ancient Olympia, buildings constructed with the aim of accommodating strangers are still visible. They were called 'Leonardo' and were built in fourth century BC. The concept of hospitality can also be traced back to ancient times. Mention of it is found in Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer. Hotel keeping can also be traced back to many c enturies and its evolution through the ages has been brought about by Britain's economical and industrial changes and developments. The next stage in the cycle of evolution of the hotel industry was the coming of the motor car. It enabled p eople to visit those parts of the country which could not be reached by railways . This gave birth to inland resorts and the hotel industry began to flourish. In ternational air travel has helped create the modern stop-over hotel. With the in crease in this form of travel, the number of hotels built close to airports has multiplied. Another trend in hotel keeping is the Motel, which is the twentieth century version of the old Coach Inn. People travelling the country by car, stop ping overnight here and there; require not only refreshment for themselves, but also safe parking for their cars. Post houses, developed by the Trust houses For te Group, are in fact the modern version of the old coaching inns. This is proba bly why Great Britain is considered as the 'motherland of hotel industry'. GROWTH OF HOTEL INDUSTRY Over the last decade and half the mad rush to India for business oppor tunities has intensified and elevated room rates and occupancy levels in India. Even budget hotels are chargi ng USD 250 per day. The successful growth story of 'Hotel Industry in India' sec onds only to China in Asia Pacific.

'Hotels in India' have supply of 110,000 rooms. According to the tourism ministr y, 4.4 million tourists visited India last year and at current trend, demand wil l soar to 10 million in 2010 - to accommodate 350 million domestic travelers. 'H otels in India' has a shortage of 150,000 rooms fueling hotel room rates across India. With tremendous pull of opportunity, India is a destination for hotel cha ins looking for growth. The World Travel and Tourism Council, India, data says, India ranks 18th in business travel and will be among the top 5 in this decade. Sources estimate, demand is going to exceed supply by at least 100% over the nex t 2 years. Five-star hotels in metro cities allot same room, more than once a da y to different guests, receiving almost 24-hour rates from both guests against 6 -8 hours usage. With demand-supply disparity, 'Hotel India' room rates are most likely to rise 25% annually and occupancy to rise by 80%, over the next two year s. 'Hotel Industry in India' is eroding its competitiveness as a cost effective destination. However, the rating on the 'Indian Hotels' is bullish. 'India Hotel Industry' is adding about 60,000 quality rooms, currently in different stages o f planning and development and should be ready by 2012. MNC Hotel Industry giant s are flocking India and forging Joint Ventures to earn their share of pie in th e race. Government has approved 300 hotel projects, nearly half of which are in the luxury range. Sources said, the manpower requirements of the hotel industry will increase from 7 million in 2002 to 15 million by 2010. POPULAR INTERNATIONAL HOTEL CHAINS A. ACCOR

ORGANIZATION Accor Hospitality www.accor.com Tour Maine Montparnasse, 33, Ave. du Maine Paris , 75755 France Phone: +33 (0)1 45 38 86 00 Fax: +33 (0)1 45 38 85 95

Email: comfi@accor.com

With 145,000 associates in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one o f the world's largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services, with two major international activities: (1) Hotels: 3,500 hotels (400,000 rooms) in 90 countries, travel agencies, restaurants and casinos. Accor's hotel brands worldw ide include: Sofitel; Novotel; Mercure; Ibis; Etap Hotel; Formule 1; Red Roof In ns; Motel 6; Suitehotel; Coralia; and Thalassa International. And (2) Services t o corporate clients and public institutions: each day, 12 million people in 31 c ountries use a broad range of services (Food Vouchers, People's Care, Expenses M anagement, Social Services, Incentive/Events) engineered and managed by Accor. B. aloft (by Starwood)

ORGANIZATION Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. www.starwoodhotels.com 1111 Westchester Ave. USA - White Plains, NY 10604 Phone: 914-640-8100 Fax: 914-696-1138 On September 27, 2005, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and its stylish W Hotels division revealed the official name and concept details for its much-a nticipated new brand in the select-service hotel category: aloft. Conceived by t he same W Hotels team that is widely regarded as creators of one of the most suc cessful new brands in decades, the aloft brand will bring this tired, stagnant t ravel segment to new heights. In the same way W Hotels broke through the clutter of conformity in the upscale hotel arena, aloft will raise the bar in the selec t-service category, offering urban-inspired, loft-like guest rooms, enhanced tec hnology services, landscaped outdoor spaces for socializing day and night, and a n energetic lounge scene.

C.

Embassy Suites Hotels (by Hilton)

ORGANIZATION Hilton Worldwide www.hiltonworldwide.com 7930 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 1100 USA - McLean, VA 22102 A pioneer in the hospitality industry, Embassy Suites Hotels was the first bran d to offer all-suite hotels, featuring two-room suites with separate living and sleeping areas. The spacious, two-room suite, evening Manager's Reception, compl imentary full cooked-to-order breakfast served in an inviting landscaped atrium, and unparalleled customer satisfaction are the cornerstone of the brand's succe ss. Targeted to both leisure and business travelers, there are approximately 170 Embassy Suites Hotels properties conveniently located in 37 states and 4 countr ies.

Hilton Hotels Corporation is recognized internationally as a preeminent hospital ity company... owning, managing and franchising hotels with several of the world 's most recognized brand names, including Hilton, Hampton Inn, Doubletree, Embas sy Suites Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Conrad, as well as many of the m ost famous hotels to be found anywhere, such as New York's Waldorf=Astoria, Waik iki's Hilton Hawaiian Village and Chicago's Palmer House. Our family of brands a nd hotels offers guests and customers the finest accommodations, services, ameni ties and value for business or leisure. For more information visit www.hiltonwor ldwide.com. D. Fairfield Inn (by Marriott)

ORGANIZATION Marriott International, Inc. www.MarriottDevelopment.com Marriott Drive USA - Washington, DC 20058 Phone: 301-380-3000 Fax: 301-380-3969 Fairfield Inn by Marriott is a moderately priced hotel chain appealing to the bu siness and leisure traveler. Fairfield Inn provides clean, convenient, quality a ccommodations and friendly hospitality at an affordable price. The system consis ts of over 400 inns nationwide. Fairfield Inn features complimentary continental breakfast served daily, free local calls, large, welllit work desks and an outdoor pool (indoor at some locations). E. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

ORGANIZATION Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts www.fourseasons.com 1165 Leslie Street Toronto, M3C 2K8 Canada Phone: 416-449-1750 With a history spanning four decades and a portfolio that now extends to six con tinents, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is the world's leading operator of luxu ry hotels, currently managing 51 properties in 22 countries. This year, the comp any has opened hotels in San Francisco, Dublin, Prague and Caracas, and continue s to expand, with over 20 projects in development stages in choice locations aro und the world. Four Seasons has claimed first position on many prestigious lists ; recent honors include top ranking in the J.D. Powers Guest Satisfaction Survey ; AAA Five Diamond awards (receiving more than other any hotel company for the 2 0th consecutive year), and the Zagat Survey 2001 (ranked as "Top Hotel Chain in the U.S." and Top Hotel Chain" internationally). F. Ginger Hotels

ORGANIZATION Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces www.tajhotels.com Oxford House | 15/17 N.F. Road | Apollo Bunder Mumbai, 400 001 India Phone: (91-22) 5665 1000

Fax: (91-22) 2284 6680 / 83 Roots Corporation Limited (RCL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Indian Hotel s Company Limited (IHCL). Incorporated on December 24, 2003, RCL operates the fi rst-of-its-kind category of Smart Basics hotels across the country. IHCL operates Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, one of South Asia's largest and finest group o f hotels. The company was incorporated on 1902 by the founder of the Tata Group, Mr. Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata and opened India's firs t luxury hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai in 1903. Launched in June 2004, the Smart Basics concept created a revolution in the world of Indian hospitality. A GenNext category of hotels, they signify simplicity, c onvenience, informality, style, warmth, modernity and affordability. The concept was developed in association with renowned corporate strategy thinker, Dr C. K. Prahalad, and the hotels have been indigenously designed and developed by IHCL. Kempinski Hotels & Resorts (Germany) ORGANIZATION Kempinski Hotels S.A. www.kempinski.com/ 28, boulevard du Pont-d'Arve Geneva, 1205 Switzerland Phone: +41 22 809 8888 Fax: +41 22 809 8800 Email: information.corporate@kempinski.com Kempinski Hotels & Resorts' prestigious portfolio comprises 40 luxurious propert ies in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Asia and Australia. Each offers superior standards of service combined with a distinctive style that refl ects the individuality of the property and it's location. Founded in Germany over a hundred years ago, Kempinski Hotels & Resorts have lon g reflected the finest traditions of European hospitality. Today, as ever, they represent the highest standards wherever they are found. Located in many of the world's most well known cities and resorts, the Kempinski collection includes hotels in the grand manner, pace-setting modern establishme nts and older hotels of individual charm. All blend gracefully into their surrou ndings and offer luxurious accommodation, superb cuisine and unrivalled faciliti es - complemented by impeccable service. For leisure and business guests alike, the name Kempinski has long been synonymo us with style, nobility and efficiency. Put simply, they are the first choice fo r the discerning individual. In addition to operating many of the finest city hotels in the world Kempinski i s a name that can now be found in many exciting resort locations, each combining local flair and ambience with the international standards of service and luxury that Kempinski guests have come to expect. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts ORGANIZATION Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts www.shangri-la.com 21/F CITIC Tower - 1 Tim Mei Avenue, Central Phone: (852) 2599 3000 Fax: (852) 2599 3131 Email: slim@shangri-la.com

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is the largest Asian-based deluxe hotel group in the region and regarded as one of the world's finest hotel manage ment companies. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is the trade name of Shangri-La As ia, which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This ownership change took place in 1997; before this the management company was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Kuok Group. Sheraton (by Starwood) ORGANIZATION Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. www.starwoodhotels.com 1111 Westchester Ave. USA - White Plains, NY 10604 Phone: 914-640-8100 Fax: 914-696-1138 As the largest of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. brands, Sheraton serves the needs of both business and leisure travelers in locations from Argent ina to Zimbabwe. Offering the entire spectrum of comfortfrom full-service hotels in major cities to luxurious resorts by the waterSheraton can be found in the mos t sought-after cities and resort destinations around the world. With a wide vari ety of on-site business services, a full range of amenities and rooms that featu re generous work spaces.