Viceroy Hotels Eye Metro Cities

EH&C Staff - Mumbai

The Hyderabad-based Viceroy Hotels is planning to set up five-star hotels across major metros. The expansion will be either be through acquisitions or by setting up new projects.

Viceroy, which will become operational as a Marriott International Hotel - with which it has a franchisee tie-up - by October, is now expanding its Hyderabad hotel from 165 rooms to 308 rooms at an investment of Rs 86 crore.

Speaking on the groups' expansion plans, Narasimha Rao, director-finance, revealed, "Everything is at the drawing board stage right now. We are looking at metros primarily but nothing has been finalised."

Sources in the company have however stated that the company might set up hotels in Delhi and Bangalore before it starts off on its pan-India plans.

Industry experts said a tie-up with Marriott would help Viceroy expand its activities. A franchisee tie-up with Marriott would leverage Viceroy's chances of raising funds from the market, which is essential for expansion.