Radisson Academy Celebrates Five Years of Empowering Talent

By Nithyakala Neelakandan

Published on May 31, 2024

Radisson Academy, the learning and development hub of Radisson Hotel Group, is celebrating its fifth anniversary. Since its launch in 2019, Radisson Academy has significantly grown, offering over 2,500 training programs. This milestone highlights Radisson’s commitment to enhancing employee skills and driving business success.

Over the past five years, Radisson Hotel Group has invested heavily in its diverse team across more than 95 countries. The academy’s mission is to create a productive learning environment, equipping team members with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles and adapt to the ever-evolving market demands. Radisson Academy provides continuous learning opportunities and customized training programs through various platforms, including Radisson Academy Online, Live, On the Job, Virtual, and Certifications.

In 2023, Radisson Academy achieved an impressive milestone, delivering over 1.5 million hours of training through more than 2,500 online, live, and virtual sessions. These programs cover a wide range of skills, from service and business acumen to leadership and hospitality fundamentals. Over the past five years, training completions have increased twenty-sevenfold, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 for each session. This has resulted in over 571,000 training completions, with each participant completing an average of 14.7 courses, significantly enhancing their professional skills.

According to Iñigo Capell, Global Chief People and Resources Officer at Radisson Hotel Group, “At Radisson Hotel Group, people remain our most important asset. We live by our cultural ethos of ‘We grow talent; talent grows us.’ Our growing Radisson Academy offering is a vital way to engage and support existing team members professionally and personally, attract new, dynamic team members, and ensure our team members have the necessary tools to build clear, broad, and fast careers.”

In 2019, Radisson Academy established its foundation with three primary training formats: Online, Live, and On the Job. That same year, the academy partnered with Typsy, a leading learning platform in the hospitality sector, to launch the Hospitality Fundamentals—a collection of 1,500 short video tutorials by industry experts, complete with widely recognized certificates. For Radisson Academy Online, the group engaged with business leaders to introduce new specialized training programs covering leadership, people management, hotel operations, and functional skills in areas like M&E, sales, and revenue management.

The following year, as the world adapted to remote learning due to the pandemic, Radisson Academy introduced a fourth channel, Radisson Academy Virtual. This platform quickly became a vital tool for engaging team members through developmental sessions and discussions led by notable external and internal speakers. Since its inception, Radisson Academy Virtual has hosted over 200 sessions and continues to adapt based on employee feedback.

In 2023, Radisson Academy launched its fifth training channel, Radisson Academy Certifications, to further enhance team members’ functional and strategic skills, aiding in career progression. These micro-credentials have been co-developed with experts and are led by the Group’s Leadership and Executive teams. To date, more than 9,000 team members have earned certifications across eight programs. Additionally, in 2022, Radisson launched Accelerate, a career development initiative aimed at preparing selected emerging leaders for general management roles, ensuring a solid leadership succession plan.

Looking ahead, Radisson Academy is committed to expanding its training and development initiatives to meet evolving business needs, equipping team members with essential skills for professional growth, tailored development opportunities, and fostering a strong performance culture that supports career advancement throughout the organization.

The Ritz-Carlton Pune Celebrates Ukiyo's 50 Best Discovery Recognition

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on July 20, 2026

Ukiyo, the signature Japanese restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Pune, has been featured on 50 Best Discovery, the global platform that highlights outstanding restaurants, bars, hotels and vineyards across the world.

The inclusion comes as part of the platform's latest expansion in July 2026, which added more than 650 hospitality venues. The update also introduced over 75 new cities and towns to the platform, further broadening its global coverage of dining, drinking and travel destinations.

With the latest additions, 50 Best Discovery now features more than 3,500 hospitality establishments across 800+ cities and towns worldwide, including over 210 restaurants, 110 bars, 130 hotels, and, for the first time, more than 190 vineyards as a dedicated category.

Each venue on the platform, including Ukiyo, is selected based on votes from the expert voting Academies responsible for creating the annual global and regional 50 Best lists.

At The Ritz-Carlton, Pune, Ukiyo offers a contemporary Japanese dining experience that combines traditional techniques with modern influences. The menu features handcrafted sushi, sashimi, robata-grilled specialities and signature dishes designed for sharing, prepared using premium ingredients while staying true to authentic Japanese flavours.

Complementing the dining experience is an elegant al fresco bar, serving handcrafted cocktails inspired by Japanese artistry. The venue is designed to cater to intimate dinners, celebrations and social gatherings in a refined setting.

A key highlight of the restaurant is the Ukiyo Drift deck, home to Pune's iconic al fresco bar. Featuring Japanese-inspired mixology, seasonal ingredients and signature cocktails, the space has become one of the city's sought-after destinations for elevated evening experiences.

50 Best Discovery serves as a curated digital guide for travellers, diners and cocktail enthusiasts. More than 3,000 Academy members from around the world, recognised for their expertise in local hospitality scenes, contribute to the selection process. While the platform extends the annual 50 Best rankings, it is not a ranking itself, and venues cannot apply for inclusion. Instead, selections are made solely through recommendations from the expert voting Academies.

The inclusion of Ukiyo on the platform further strengthens The Ritz-Carlton, Pune's position as a destination for world-class dining and premium hospitality experiences.

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Cravings at Sayaji Hotel Vadodara Wins Family Restaurant of the Year 2026 Award

By Author

Published on July 19, 2026

Cravings, the signature all-day dining restaurant at Sayaji Hotel Vadodara, has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Family Restaurant of the Year 2026’ award at the Restaurant India Awards 2026. The recognition celebrates the restaurant’s commitment to culinary excellence, exceptional service, and creating memorable dining experiences for families and guests across generations.

A flagship dining destination at Sayaji Hotel Vadodara, Cravings has established itself as a preferred choice for guests seeking quality cuisine, variety, and warm hospitality. Known for its extensive breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets, the restaurant offers a diverse selection of Indian and international cuisines, along with thoughtfully curated menus, seasonal food festivals, and live culinary experiences.

With its inviting ambience and guest-focused approach, Cravings caters to a wide range of occasions including family celebrations, festive gatherings, business lunches, and casual dining experiences. The restaurant continues to blend culinary innovation with the signature hospitality standards of Sayaji Hotels.

Commenting on the achievement, Anand Mishra, Director of Operations, Sayaji Hotel Vadodara, said, "We are honoured to receive the 'Family Restaurant of the Year 2026' award at the Restaurant India Awards. This recognition reflects the dedication of our team and the trust of our guests, who inspire us to continually elevate our dining experiences. We remain committed to delivering exceptional hospitality and creating memorable moments for every family that dines with us."

The award highlights the passion and dedication of Cravings’ culinary and service teams, who continue to enhance the dining experience through innovative concepts, regional food festivals, interactive dining experiences, and personalised service.

Through its focus on quality cuisine, guest satisfaction, and memorable experiences, Cravings continues to strengthen its position as one of Gujarat’s leading family dining destinations. The recognition further reinforces Sayaji Hotel Vadodara’s commitment to delivering exceptional culinary experiences and hospitality excellence.