Empire`s five star hotel to be ready this year  ( June '7,2005, BS)

After a delay of almost seven years, Ahmedabad-based Empire Hotel and Resorts Ltd is set to resume construction of its five-star hotel at Ellisbridge, near Gujarat College.

Somdatt Sharma, assistant company secretary, Empire Hotels and Resorts, said: "The construction will restart in August and the hotel will be ready by the year end."

The company is initially investing Rs 10 crore for the entire project, said Sharma.

When asked about the delay, Hasmukh Shah, managing director, Empire Hotels and Resorts, said, "Earlier it was proposed to set up a four-star hotel called Shalin Hotel, but the company decided to upgrade it to a five-star hotel. Due to a fund crunch, the upgradation and construction work was stalled for seven years, but now everything is in place and the hotel will be opened to the public in the new year."

Sharma said, "The new five-star hotel is yet to be named as the company is still looking for franchisee or tie-up."

When asked about the target people, Sharma said: "As our hotel is situated in the business district, we are eyeing the business class, corporates and businessmen. Apart from these, we have also targeted tourists as the state government is promoting tourism in a big way."

About the facilities, Sharma said, "We are building 72 rooms apart from all the features a five should have such as banquet hall, gymnasium, restaurants, cafe etc. The hotel will consists of deluxe rooms, general rooms, special rooms and other facilities."

On increasing competition, Shah said, "The state tourism industry is booming and we welcome healthy competition. Every hotel has its dedicated clients and we can make our way once the hotel starts functioning."

Industry experts believe that there are likely to be a number of new hotels being built in the major cities of Gujarat as mixed-use property development is used as an entry level for hotels of all types from budget to five-star.