Date:17/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/10/17/stories/2008101751332100.htm

Back Phoenix group builds luxury hotel dreams

Our Bureau

Bangalore, Oct. 16 Hospitality company Phoenix Group Global has launched its brand of luxury hotels — Zuri Hotels & Resorts. The company, which currently has three properties in India on franchise agreement with Carlson Hotels Worldwide, now plans to “build, own and manage properties”, according to Mr Aditya Kamani, Director, Phoenix Group Global.

Its first property under the Zuri brand — The Zuri Whitefield (Bengaluru) — would be opened in January 2009, and there are plans to bring its two international properties, one in Kenya and the other at Liverpool, under the Zuri fold soon.

Whitefield property

The company has invested about Rs 200 crore in the 162-room, five-star business Whitefield property with 70 per cent of the funding through bank debts and the rest from a consortium of investors. The land was acquired at Rs 17 crore, he said. The company has also acquired 5.5 acres near Devanahalli, and plans to build a hotel on the same model as Whitefield.

The company is looking at cities such as Chennai, Visakhapatnam and Mysore