Meet the Man Behind India's Largest Backpacker Hostel Chain

Meet the Man Behind India's Largest Backpacker Hostel Chain - Pranav Dangi, CEO & Founder, The Hosteller

Nithyakala Neelakandan

Published on August 2, 2024

In this exclusive interview, HospitalityNews had a conversation with Pranav Dangi, CEO & Founder, The Hosteller where he shares his insights on the brand’s expansion, key strategies, Glu, and more.

The Hosteller isn't just a place to stay, it’s a springboard for epic adventures and unforgettable memories. They’re India’s largest backpacker hostel chain, founded in 2014 with a simple mission: create amazing, affordable, and accessible hostels for young travelers (and the young at heart!).

No matter which Hosteller you choose, you’ll find consistent quality and top-notch hospitality. From comfy beds and clean spaces to secure lockers, and, of course, free Wi-Fi to stay connected. Need to mix business with pleasure? The Hosteller caters to digital nomads with work-friendly spaces perfect for getting things done.

What inspired you to expand The Hosteller into Gujarat, Maharashtra, and South India in 2024?

Our expansion into Gujarat, Maharashtra, and South India is driven by the unique cultural richness and diverse landscapes of these regions. Gujarat’s heritage, Maharashtra’s vibrant cities and scenic coasts, and South India's tranquil backwaters and historic temples make them ideal for immersive travel experiences.

The growing demand for affordable, quality accommodation and our commitment to the community further motivate this move. We aim to offer unique, culturally immersive stays that resonate with modern travelers, enhancing their journey with unforgettable experiences.

Can you tell us about BAM Hotels and what makes them different from traditional luxury hotels?

BAM Hotels is an innovative venture by The Hosteller, designed to expand our hospitality offerings to a broader audience. We are set to launch 12 properties in 2024, BAM Hotels will be India’s first fully smart, digital, contactless, and tech-based hotels. BAM hotels will cater to travelers aged 30 and above, providing a sophisticated and comfortable stay while retaining the community-centric ethos of The Hosteller.

What sets Bam Hotels apart from traditional luxury hotels are several key elements:

Tech-First Innovations: Bam Hotels feature zero touchpoint check-in/out and digital room controls, ensuring a seamless and contactless experience for guests.

Minimalistic Luxury: The design ethos blends luxury with simplicity, offering a refined and elegant environment that appeals to the sophisticated tastes of modern travelers.

Futuristic Approach: Bam Hotels adopt a forward-thinking mindset, continuously innovating to disrupt traditional hospitality norms. This includes smart technology integration and a focus on providing a seamless digital experience.

Community Living: Bam Hotels emphasize community living, encouraging guest interactions and connections. This community focus enhances the social atmosphere and provides a vibrant, engaging experience for guests.

Customized Experiences: Bam Hotels target tech-savvy professionals, family vacationers, luxury seekers, digital nomads, and experience enthusiasts, ensuring that each demographic’s specific needs and preferences are met.

How does The Hosteller’s motto “Travel smart, live smarter” reflect in your hostels and services?

The Hosteller’s motto, “Travel Smart, Live Smarter,” is embodied through our innovative technological initiatives. From smart rooms powered by Alexa to our comprehensive Glu app, we enhance guest freedom and convenience.

Our mobile-responsive design ensures a seamless interface across devices, and we've introduced a contactless check-in/out process. The Glu app allows guests to manage their stay digitally—order food, book activities, check events, and raise housekeeping requests, all at the click of a button. Our focus on community-building activities and personalized experiences aligns with our mission to revolutionize travel, making it smarter and more connected. These initiatives demonstrate our commitment to exceeding the expectations of modern travelers.

How do you ensure all your hostels provide a consistent and high-quality experience for travelers?

We ensure a consistent and high-quality experience through several key strategies:

Guest Feedback: Our proprietary Online Reputation Management (ORM) tool enables our Customer Experience team to quickly assess and address guest feedback, ensuring continuous improvement and maintaining high ratings.

Technological Integration: Smart technology initiatives like Alexa-powered rooms and the Glu app enhance convenience and overall guest experience.

Community Focus: We emphasize community-building activities and personalized experiences, ensuring guests enjoy their stay and create memorable connections.

Standardized Procedures: Rigorous SOPs for cleanliness, safety, and service ensure all hostels meet our high standards.

Staff Training: Continuous training programs for our staff ensure exceptional service and hospitality.

Quality Audits: Regular quality audits and inspections maintain our standards across all locations.

Safety & Security for Guests: Enabling all the hostels with centralized CCTV monitoring system. Liaising with local authorities, onboarding emergency contacts such as doctor on call, fire/ambulance, etc. Mandatorily employing min. 1 female employee at each property

By implementing these strategies, we ensure every guest enjoys a consistent, high-quality experience at all our hostels.

How does The Hosteller’s proprietary tech platform facilitate community-driven experiences and foster connections among travelers, and what impact has this had on guest satisfaction?

The Hosteller’s proprietary tech platform, Glu, is a comprehensive web-based concierge service that revolutionizes how travelers experience their stay. Glu offers features like contactless check-in, instant in-stay feedback, and a variety of request options (housekeeping, maintenance, bookings). It also provides seamless access to services such as add-ons, rentals, transfers, events, activities, and food orders.

Glu enhances community-driven experiences by enabling guests to explore and join events and activities, fostering connections with fellow travelers. This platform ensures guests have all the necessary information and services at their fingertips, promoting a hassle-free and personalized stay.

Our focus on creating engaging and interactive experiences has significantly boosted guest satisfaction. By leveraging technology to provide convenience, customization, and community, we have maintained high ratings and increased trust among our guests, reflected in positive feedback and repeat visits.

What are your plans for The Hosteller and Bam Hotels, especially regarding global expansion?

We plan to operate 100 properties by Mar 2025 under The Hosteller brand and approximately 8-10 properties under the Bam hotel brand by the same period. The Hosteller aims to go international and expand into neighboring countries from the 2nd half of 2025. We plan to have a presence in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand & Vietnam to start with internationally.

How has raised over $1 million in funding helped The Hosteller grow, and what are your future funding plans?

With the USD 1 million raised, the company grew from 22 properties to 48 properties in a span of 18 months. This funding not only helped us expand geographically but also helped the company build a solid foundation for future expansion with fresh fund infusion planned in another 1 quarter. At this moment, the company is in talks with multiple VCs and private equity firms to raise its Series A round.

What leadership initiatives have you used to build a young, dynamic team at The Hosteller?

We work in a very interesting industry, i.e., the travel & hospitality industry however in a fast paced environment like any other startup. To keep a young & dynamic team motivated and hungry for growth, we, as a company, work on multiple initiatives such as expectation setting, defining crisp and clear KRAs for each individual, knowledge transfer & training sessions, product development in various teams for faster and methodological work environment, empowering the culture of free communication & idea sharing and finally recognizing the contributions on an individual level and rewarding such contributions.

Can you share a memorable story from your travels that influenced The Hosteller’s philosophy?

One memory that I remember from one of the many travels is from Geneva, Switzerland. I was backpacking in Europe and hadn't booked a hostel for my stay there. It was late at night (post 10 pm) and the hotels were very expensive to stay in.

Being a backpacker, I had to improvise and find a place to stay somewhere. Luckily, I found a couple online who were about to launch their new brand of hostels in the city and had posted for a requirement of a volunteer to help them with certain initiatives. I found them online, dropped them an email the same day and they replied. In a 30 minute quick conversation on email, they hired me for a week of volunteering and even came to pick me up from where I was at 2 am midnight. This was one of the touch and go stories of my travels.

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Inside Sarovar Hotel's Commercial Growth Strategy

Akshay Thusoo

Published on November 1, 2026

What separates a growing hotel business from a profitable one? Is it stronger sales, smarter revenue management, effective marketing, or the ability to recognise opportunities before the market does? In an industry shaped by changing traveller behaviour and increasing competition, commercial strategy has become central to long-term hospitality growth.

For Akshay Thusoo, Senior Vice President – Commercial at Sarovar Hotels, the answer lies in looking beyond individual business functions and understanding how every operational and commercial decision contributes to profitability.

With experience spanning engineering, sales, marketing and hospitality, Akshay brings a distinctive cross-industry perspective to commercial leadership. Having previously worked with The Oberoi Group, ITC Ltd and the Times of India Group, his professional journey has shaped an approach that combines analytical thinking, market understanding and operational efficiency.

In an exclusive conversation with Hospitalitynews, Akshay shares his perspective on the changing dynamics of India's hospitality market and the strategies guiding Sarovar Hotels' commercial growth. From integrating sales, revenue management, marketing and distribution to understanding the financial impact of decisions across hotel departments, he explains why profitability requires a broader organisational perspective.

The discussion takes an interesting turn towards the influence of changing weather patterns on travel behaviour. As travellers increasingly explore destinations based on climatic conditions, hotels must rethink traditional seasonal demand and adapt their pricing and inventory strategies.

He also examines how social media creators and digital communities are influencing destination discovery, while highlighting why authenticity and credibility matter more than visibility alone.

Beyond marketing, Akshay discusses the opportunities emerging in India's smaller cities and developing destinations, where branded hospitality can unlock new business and leisure demand. With Sarovar working towards a network of 400 hotels by 2029, identifying commercially viable markets remains an important part of its expansion strategy.

The conversation also explores brand positioning, guest-centricity and the importance of balancing consistency with the distinct requirements of different hotel segments.

Our conversation with Akshay Thusoo offers valuable insights into the commercial thinking behind modern hospitality and the factors that will influence its next phase of growth.

Discover the complete interview with Akshay Thusoo in the November issue of Hospitalitynews, available on our website. Get your physical copy of the magazine to explore the full conversation and more perspectives from hospitality industry leaders.

MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts: Rooted in Nature, Evolving with Time

Pooja Ray

Published on November 1, 2026

What makes a hospitality brand stand the test of time? Is it the destinations it enters, the experiences it creates, or the values it refuses to compromise on? For Pooja Ray, Managing Director of MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts, the answer lies in understanding that true luxury begins with a strong sense of place.

With over 24 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Pooja Ray leads one of India's prominent homegrown hotel groups, overseeing a portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts across the country. Guided by the philosophy, "Stay With Us. Stay With Nature.", MAYFAIR has built its identity around destinations where architecture, landscape, local culture and personalised service come together.

In an exclusive conversation with Hospitalitynews, Pooja takes us through the brand's journey of more than four decades, reflecting on the values that have remained central to its growth. She shares how her family legacy has influenced her leadership philosophy and why people, rather than infrastructure or technology, remain the foundation of memorable hospitality.

The conversation also explores an interesting dimension of luxury, the ability to bring culture and heritage into contemporary hotel experiences. From regional craftsmanship and traditional materials to art collections, antiques and destination-inspired architecture, Pooja explains how MAYFAIR approaches design as a form of storytelling.

Looking ahead, the discussion turns towards the group's next phase of expansion. With upcoming developments such as MAYFAIR Chilika, Mayfair Sanctuary and MAYFAIR Vizag, she offers insights into the thinking behind creating distinctive properties rather than following a standardised expansion model.

Beyond expansion, Pooja also addresses the growing role of technology, the importance of responsible growth and the qualities young professionals need to succeed in an increasingly competitive hospitality industry.

Our conversation with Pooja Ray offers a compelling perspective on building a hospitality legacy while remaining receptive to changing traveller expectations. It was a wonderful exchange exploring leadership, heritage, innovation and the importance of staying connected to nature.

Discover the complete interview with Pooja Ray in the November issue of Hospitalitynews, available on our website. Readers can also get their physical copy of the magazine to explore the full conversation and more stories from the hospitality industry

Behind the Luxury: Gurnoor Bindra's Vision for Raffles Udaipur

Gurnoor Bindra

Published on November 1, 2026

What makes a luxury stay truly unforgettable? Is it the grandeur of a palace, the beauty of its surroundings, or the people who turn every moment into a memorable experience? At Raffles Udaipur, it is the thoughtful combination of these elements that defines its approach to hospitality.

Set against the scenic beauty of Udai Sagar Lake, Raffles Udaipur brings together royal elegance, personalised service, and distinctive guest experiences. Leading this vision is Gurnoor Bindra, General Manager of the property, whose hospitality journey reflects a strong belief in people, attention to detail, and the importance of making every guest feel valued.

In an exclusive interview with HospitalityNews, Gurnoor shares his perspective on luxury hospitality, reflecting on the professional experiences that have shaped his leadership and the inspiration behind his career. Having been recognised among the 30 Best GMs in the UAE, he highlights the importance of empowering teams and creating a culture where thoughtful service goes beyond expectations.

The conversation also explores Udaipur's growing prominence as a destination wedding hub. With its 21-acre private island, distinctive venues, and picturesque surroundings, Raffles Udaipur offers couples opportunities to create celebrations that reflect their individual stories. From intimate gatherings to grand multi-day weddings, the property brings together personalised planning and the cultural charm of Rajasthan.

Beyond celebrations, the interview takes readers closer to Lakeshore – A Distinct Experience by Raffles Udaipur. Featuring 36 rooms and suites, Lakeshore offers an intimate lakeside setting where private boat journeys, distinctive dining, and seamless service add another dimension to the guest experience.

But what truly connects these experiences is the property's relationship with its surroundings. Gurnoor discusses how Rajasthani craftsmanship, local traditions, regional cuisine, and nature-inspired activities help guests discover Udaipur beyond its architectural beauty.

The conversation also highlights a significant achievement: Raffles Udaipur receiving Two MICHELIN Keys for the second consecutive year. Gurnoor reflects on the Heartists behind this recognition and shares his vision for developing meaningful wellness experiences and personalised celebrations in the years ahead.

It was a pleasure to speak with Gurnoor Bindra and gain a deeper understanding of the leadership, people, and philosophy shaping Raffles Udaipur's distinctive hospitality experience.

What goes into creating luxury that guests remember long after their stay? Discover the complete conversation in the November edition of HospitalityNews Magazine, available on our website in e-magazine format. Readers can also explore the physical edition for more exclusive interviews, industry perspectives, and inspiring hospitality stories.