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By Nithyakala Neelakandan
Published on July 22, 2024
Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest independent hotel brand, has announced a new partnership with Virgin Limited Edition, adding nine ultra-luxury retreats to its prestigious Legend Collection. Effective immediately, these properties, known for their exquisite settings and exceptional service, are available on the Preferred Hotels & Resorts website.
The new additions include Mont Rochelle (South Africa), Necker Island (British Virgin Islands), The Lodge (Switzerland), Ulusaba (South Africa), Mahali Mzuri (Kenya), Son Bunyola Hotel & Villas (Spain), The Branson Beach Estate (British Virgin Islands), Kasbah Tamadot (Morocco), and Finch Hattons Luxury Safari Camp (Kenya). These properties join the Legend Collection, which is celebrated for offering sophisticated accommodations, intuitive service, renowned dining, and exceptional spas in some of the world’s most remarkable destinations.
This partnership builds on the strategic alliance formed in 2022 between Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Virgin Hotels Collection, which saw several Virgin Hotels locations join the Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ L.V.X. Collection. As the Virgin Hotels Collection portfolio continues to grow, more hotels, including the recently announced Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch, will join Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
"We are thrilled to expand our strategic partnership with Virgin Limited Edition, bringing some of the world's most extraordinary properties into our esteemed Legend Collection," said Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Travel Group. "This collaboration underscores our mutual commitment to delivering unparalleled, personalized guest experiences and promotes transformational travel. For instance, guests at Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa can engage in life-changing wildlife safaris, while those at Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco can immerse themselves in the rich local culture through community projects and artisanal workshops. Each of Virgin Limited Edition's unique, luxury retreats offer distinctive opportunities for guests to embark on profound, meaningful journeys."
James Bermingham, CEO of Virgin Hotels Collection, said, "We are delighted to be introducing our unique Virgin Limited Edition retreats into Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ prestigious Legend Collection, further strengthening our successful partnership. This opportunity aligns perfectly with our strategy for careful growth and will allow us to bring Virgin Limited Edition’s ultra-luxury offering to even more travelers looking for incredible experiences around the globe."
Virgin Limited Edition properties offer distinctive opportunities for guests to embark on profound, meaningful journeys. For example, visitors to Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa can enjoy life-changing wildlife safaris, while guests at Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco can immerse themselves in local culture through community projects and artisanal workshops.
All Virgin Limited Edition properties now have access to Preferred Hotels & Resorts' expertise in leisure, corporate, and group sales, as well as innovative marketing and distribution solutions. Additionally, these properties will participate in the I Prefer Hotel Rewards program, which offers points redeemable for cash-value Reward Certificates, Titanium status, and other valuable benefits from eligible stays at over 600 participating hotels and resorts worldwide.
Travelers can book stays at any of the Virgin Limited Edition properties through the Preferred Hotels & Resorts website. Travel advisors and agents can book client stays using the “VL” and “PV” chain codes in the Global Distribution System (GDS).
About Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Preferred Hotels & Resorts represents more than 600 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences, and unique hotel groups across 80 countries. The brand connects discerning travelers to unique luxury hospitality experiences tailored to their preferences. Each property within the portfolio meets high standards of quality and service as required by the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Integrated Quality Assurance Program. The I Prefer™ Hotel Rewards program, Preferred Residences℠, Preferred Pride℠, and Preferred Golf™ offer valuable benefits for travelers seeking unique experiences. For more information, visit Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
About Virgin Limited Edition
Virgin Limited Edition is Sir Richard Branson's collection of unique, ultra-luxury retreats located in some of the most breathtaking settings in the world. The group includes properties such as Necker Island, The Branson Beach Estate, Ulusaba Private Game Reserve, Kasbah Tamadot, The Lodge, Mahali Mzuri, Finch Hattons, Mont Rochelle, and Son Bunyola Estate.
Image Credit: Virgin Limited Edition
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By Manu Vardhan Kannan
Published on August 18, 2025
Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited (ASPHL) announced its financial results for Q1 FY26, recording a net profit of Rs 13 crore. Revenue from operations stood at Rs 154 crore, a 14% increase year-on-year, while operating EBITDA grew 16% YoY to Rs 45 crore. The company maintained an industry-leading occupancy of 92%, reaffirming its leadership in the hospitality sector.
ASPHL’s growth is fueled by expansion into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. The company recently signed an MoU to acquire and manage four leisure properties in Goa, Manali, Shimla, and Dharamshala, adding 138 rooms under its brand. These steps align with ASPHL’s strategy to broaden its presence in high-potential tourism destinations and double its key count to 5,750 over the next five years.
Flurys, ASPHL’s iconic bakery and confectionery brand, now operates 102 outlets nationwide, reflecting the company’s focus on expanding its market presence while integrating modern amenities with rich cultural heritage.
Commenting on the performance, Vijay Dewan, Managing Director, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, said,
"We have delivered an extraordinary and best-ever Q1, setting a strong momentum for the year ahead. With topline growth of 14% and EBITDA growth of 16%, we recorded India’s highest occupancy of 92% and maintained leadership in RevPAR in the upper-upscale segment. ARR improved by 13% and RevPAR increased by 12%. With nearly 600 new rooms added, including a 41% rise in our asset-light model, and nationwide Flurys rollout, we are poised to scale faster, enhance margins, and deliver exceptional shareholder value."
ASPHL’s strong performance in Q1 FY26 underscores its strategic focus on market expansion, operational excellence, and premium guest experiences.
Published on August 10, 2025
Marriott International, Inc. has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 67 cents per share on its common stock, reaffirming its commitment to delivering shareholder value. The dividend will be paid on September 30, 2025, to shareholders who are on record as of August 21, 2025.
Alongside the dividend announcement, the hospitality giant also revealed an expansion of its share repurchase program. The board of directors has authorized the repurchase of an additional 25 million shares of its Class A common stock. This comes in addition to the approximately 7.4 million shares that were still available under previous authorizations as of July 30, 2025.
Marriott has already bought back 6.4 million shares this year, amounting to $1.7 billion. These moves reflect the company’s continued confidence in its financial stability and long-term performance, aiming to strengthen shareholder value through strategic capital allocation.
By Author
Published on August 4, 2025
In what was intended to be a smooth digital transformation, postal services across the Chennai Circle continue to remain disrupted even days after a scheduled upgrade to India Post's new IT 2.0 system. The software transition—part of a broader effort to modernize the nation’s postal network—was implemented on August 2nd and 4th across Chennai North and South divisions. However, officials have now confirmed that technical issues still persist, leaving customers and businesses grappling with delayed or inaccessible services.
Key services such as Speed Post, registered mail, parcel bookings, and money orders have either been significantly slowed or paused altogether in many branches. Despite expectations that systems would normalize post-upgrade, the rollout of the Advanced Postal Technology (APT) system has proven more complex than anticipated.
“We are still working on stabilizing the system. There have been unforeseen glitches post-upgrade, and our teams are actively resolving them,” said a senior postal official who requested anonymity.
The disruption has raised concerns across industries—including the hospitality sector—where timely document dispatch, license renewals, vendor payments, and customer correspondence are crucial to daily operations.
Experts and industry stakeholders are now calling on India Post to introduce alternative operational strategies or backup mechanisms during such large-scale transitions.
“In a digital age where seamless service is non-negotiable, a complete blackout due to a software update is avoidable. A fallback process, whether manual or cloud-based, should be in place to ensure continuity,” said a Chennai-based hospitality consultant.
The hospitality industry relies heavily on postal services for legal documentation, international communication, and procurement logistics. The ongoing delays have caused bottlenecks not just in operations but also in customer experience delivery.
As authorities continue to work toward a resolution, the broader question remains: Should India’s essential public infrastructure be this vulnerable to a single system upgrade? The answer may lie in future-proofing core services with hybrid digital models that include disaster recovery plans and parallel systems.
Hospitalitynews.in will continue to track updates as the situation evolves.
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