Iconic Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Cathedral Road, Chennai, Unveils Its Majestic Revival

Iconic Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Cathedral Road, Chennai, Unveils Its Majestic Revival

By Author

Published on January 21, 2024

ITC Hotels has unveiled the rejuvenated Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Cathedral Road, Chennai. Established in 1975, this iconic hotel reopens its doors, promising an elevated experience in hospitality that will contribute to the city’s vibrant tourism and business landscape.

Welcomhotel Chennai, aligning with ITC Hotels’ commitment to ‘Responsible Luxury,’ has achieved LEED® Platinum & LEED Zero Carbon certification. This underscores the hotel’s dedication to environmental stewardship, emphasizing sustainability, renewable energy utilization, water conservation, and ecosystem preservation. The property boasts self-owned and offsite wind farms, harnessing maximum renewable electrical energy to minimize its carbon footprint.

Centrally located at No. 2, Cathedral Road, Welcomhotel Chennai proudly stands as the first property of ITC's hotel group, symbolizing a new era in hospitality. Anil Chadha, Divisional Chief Executive of ITC Hotels, expressed the hotel's significance, stating, "Welcomhotel Chennai holds a very special place in the ITC Hotels group and is our tribute to this great metropolis." Chennai, a blend of traditions and modern influences, provides a fitting backdrop for the hotel's rich heritage.

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With 90 well-appointed rooms, including Executive Suites, Club Rooms, and Superior Rooms, Welcomhotel Chennai offers a perfect balance between comfort, flawless service, and the warmth of Indian hospitality. The hotel's design mirrors Southern Indian magnificence, incorporating local flavors, art, and architecture. The property draws inspiration from a legacy of corporate leaders, cultural icons, and families who have graced its halls, making it a preferred choice for various dignitaries.

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The hotel presents a rich amalgamation of heritage, local aesthetics, contemporary veneers, and modern comforts. Culinary enthusiasts can indulge in diverse offerings at WelcomCafe Marina, WelcomSthalika, Taste of Madras, Durrant’s Bar, Sunbean Cafe, Mahjong Room, and the Fabelle Chocolate Takeaway outlet in the lobby. The hotel's two banquet halls, Mandapam and Saagri, cater to events with capacities ranging from 70 to 375 guests.

Beyond hospitality, the establishment focuses on holistic guest experiences. The indigenous K by Kaya Kalp spa offers rejuvenating wellness treatments, complemented by a fully functional fitness center. An outdoor pool nestled in lush green gardens provides a tranquil space for guests to unwind after work.

The hotel's revival is a celebration of Chennai's transformation and a reminder of the city's rich culture.


Taj Agra Invites Guests to Embrace the Monsoon with Special Staycation Offer

Taj Agra Invites Guests to Embrace the Monsoon with Special Staycation Offer

By Hariharan U

Published on August 23, 2026

Taj Agra is inviting guests to make the most of the monsoon season with a specially curated Monsoon Staycation, combining comfortable accommodation with dining and wellness benefits for a relaxed getaway in the historic city.

The staycation offer provides guests with savings across key aspects of their stay, including accommodation, food and beverages, and spa and salon services.

Guests can avail 25% savings on breakfast-inclusive stays, along with daily breakfast at the designated dining venue. The offer also includes 25% savings on food and beverages and 25% savings on spa therapies and salon services during the stay.

Speaking about the offer, Bikram Pradhan, Revenue Manager, Taj Agra, said, “The monsoon season offers a wonderful opportunity to slow down, reconnect and enjoy a more leisurely getaway. Through our Monsoon Staycation, we are delighted to welcome guests to Taj Agra for a relaxed and enriching experience, with thoughtfully curated dining and wellness benefits.”

Additional benefits under the offer include up to 8% NeuCoins on eligible bookings and spends, along with standard Wi-Fi throughout the stay.

Key Offer Details:

  • 25% savings on breakfast-inclusive stays
  • Daily breakfast at the designated dining venue
  • 25% savings on food and beverages
  • 25% savings on spa therapies and salon services
  • Up to 8% NeuCoins on bookings and eligible spends
  • Standard Wi-Fi during the stay

The Monsoon Staycation is available for bookings from 18 July to 23 August 2026, with stays valid from 18 July to 30 September 2026.

Located in Agra, Taj Agra offers guests a blend of contemporary hospitality and the cultural heritage of the destination, making it a setting for leisure escapes, celebrations and business stays.

Booking:

Guests can book the offer through Taj Hotels' official booking platform.


The Leela Ambience Gurugram Curates New Luxury Retreat Experience

The Leela Ambience Gurugram Curates New Luxury Retreat Experience

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on August 22, 2026

The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel & Residences is inviting guests to slow down and enjoy a more relaxed city escape with its new Luxury Retreat Reserve, an experience created around leisurely mornings, unhurried afternoons and memorable evenings.

Set within the luxury urban sanctuary, the stay offers rooms overlooking a sprawling 1,000-acre forest, giving guests a peaceful setting while still being in the heart of the city.

The experience begins with breakfast at Spectra, the award-winning all-day dining restaurant, followed by a three-course lunch at Diya. Known for its contemporary take on Indian cuisine, Diya brings together traditional flavours and a refined dining setting.

Guests can then spend a relaxed afternoon at The Courtyard Garden, where afternoon tea is served among lush greenery and private cabanas. The setting offers a quiet break from the pace of everyday city life.

For guests who prefer to spend their leisure time outdoors, the experience also includes access to activities at The Leela Ambience Golf Greens and The Leela Cycling Trail, available at an additional charge. The 9-hole golf course offers views of the surrounding landscape, while the cycling trail features curated routes for guests looking to explore the outdoors. After an active afternoon, guests can unwind at the spa with an exclusive credit, which can be used towards personalised therapies.

As the day comes to an end, Zanotta offers an Italian dining experience with panoramic Pearl and Ruby views overlooking Gurugram’s skyline. The restaurant combines Italian cuisine, elegant interiors and a curated beverage selection for a refined evening. The experience also includes round-trip transfers within a 10-kilometre radius and a bottle of house wine, adding to the ease of the stay from arrival to departure.

Available for bookings from 1 September 2026, Luxury Retreat Reserve is designed for guests looking to step away from busy schedules and simply enjoy a slower pace, good food, outdoor experiences and the comfort of having nowhere else to be.


Cygnett Hotels & Resorts Opens Cygnett Collection Jim Corbett

Cygnett Hotels & Resorts Opens Cygnett Collection Jim Corbett

By Hariharan U

Published on August 21, 2026

Homegrown hospitality chain Cygnett Hotels & Resorts has opened Cygnett Collection Jim Corbett, a 50-key resort near Ramnagar in Uttarakhand. The property is now part of Trademark Collection by Wyndham, adding to Cygnett's destination-focused portfolio and strengthening its partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Located along the Umedpur–Chilkiya belt, the resort offers easy access to Jim Corbett National Park while also remaining connected to Ramnagar and other popular attractions in the region. Its location is suited to travellers visiting Corbett for wildlife experiences, family holidays, short leisure trips, corporate retreats and social occasions.

The resort features 50 rooms, each measuring close to 400 sq. ft., with layouts aimed at longer and more relaxed stays. Guests can dine at C Pavilion, the property's all-day dining restaurant serving Indian, regional and international cuisine. Other facilities include an outdoor swimming pool and landscaped outdoor areas.

Along with its leisure facilities, the resort has a strong focus on meetings and events. Summit, its approximately 3,000 sq. ft. conference and banquet venue, can host up to 250 guests depending on the event format. The venue, along with the outdoor spaces, is designed to cater to corporate offsites, intimate destination weddings and private celebrations.

"Jim Corbett has developed into a strong year-round leisure market, with demand extending beyond wildlife travel to family holidays, celebrations and corporate retreats. For us, this opening is also an important expression of what Cygnett Collection is intended to represent. We want to bring together destination-led properties that have a clear sense of place and an individual identity, while giving guests the consistency of service and operating standards associated with Cygnett," said Sarbendra Sarkar, Founder & Managing Director, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts.

The resort combines its destination-led character with Cygnett's hospitality experience and the reach of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Its association with Wyndham is expected to improve its visibility among domestic and international travellers while supporting Cygnett's plans to develop hotels in high-potential leisure destinations.

The opening also adds to Cygnett's efforts to build Cygnett Collection as a distinctive midscale portfolio featuring boutique resorts, heritage conversions and properties where the destination plays an important role in the guest experience. Hotels under the Collection are designed to retain their individual architectural and local character while following common standards of contemporary hospitality and the company's Cygnetture service framework.

With Cygnett Collection Jim Corbett, the group is expanding its presence in one of North India's established wildlife and drive-to leisure markets. The property brings together access to the Corbett landscape, accommodation, dining and event facilities for a range of travellers.

The resort's inclusion in Trademark Collection by Wyndham also highlights the growing collaboration between Cygnett Hotels & Resorts and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as both companies explore further growth opportunities across India and South Asia.

Commenting on the milestone, Sarbendra Sarkar, Founder & Managing Director, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts, said, "When we started Cygnett twelve years ago, we were convinced that India's hospitality growth story would increasingly be shaped by emerging cities and untapped destinations. The North East, pilgrimage centres and regional markets offered immense potential, and our strategy was built around participating in this transformation long before it became an industry trend."

He further added, "As we enter the next phase of growth, our focus is on creating a globally connected hospitality platform rooted in regional India. Our partnership with Wyndham, expanding portfolio of brands and strong development pipeline position us well to capitalize on the evolving travel landscape and create long-term value for our stakeholders."

Cygnett expects India's hospitality growth to be increasingly driven by spiritual tourism, experiential travel, destination weddings and infrastructure-led commercial corridors. The company believes emerging destinations beyond traditional metropolitan markets will offer significant opportunities in the coming years.

As part of its growth plans, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts has set a target of surpassing 100+ hotels and 10,000+ keys by 2030, as it looks to expand its presence across India and South Asia.

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