Greenville, S.C.—US-based company, JHM Hotels, created another successful venture with the signing of the franchise agreement between its Indian subsidiary, GJHM Hotels Private Ltd and Marriott International to develop the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Surat, Gujarat.
Commenting on the signing, Suresh Mathur, chief operating officer of JHM Hotels (India), said: “It was a great way to end 2012. We are extremely excited with this accomplishment as this is the first franchise agreement signed by Marriott International in India within its current pipeline of development in the country.”
The proposed hotel will feature 150 guestrooms and suites, a three-meal restaurant, a business center, a gym, and a 3,000 square foot banquet hall. It will be located on the 120-acres campus of Auro University in Surat. Auro University is sponsored by the Rama Family and JHM Hotels. The University opened in 2011 and offers programs in Hospitality Management, Information Technology, and Law. The hotel will provide students at Auro University the opportunity for on-the-job training in real time during their study at Auro University.
Commenting on the signing the franchise agreement, Simon Cooper, president and managing director, Marriott International Asia Pacific said, “At Marriott, we have done extensive work to develop a prototype specifically for the Indian market. Surat is among the key emerging cities in India and we are delighted to partner with JHM Hotels for this project. We feel the Fairfield brand is a perfect fit for this location and that JHM Hotels are the ideal partners to be working with on this project.”
Construction of the hotel is proposed to commence in the second quarter of this year. The hotel will be managed by JHM Interstate Hotels, India, a joint venture between JHM Hotels and Interstate Hotels & Resorts, a U.S.-based global hotel management company.
“As the hotel industry seeks to satisfy the fast-growing demand for quality lodging from international and domestic travelers, we are committed to delivering world-class operations through our dedicated management platform in India,” said Jim Abrahamson, Interstate Hotels & Resorts’ chief executive officer. “In addition, we will continue to support JHM Hotels’ endeavors to provide quality training of future hospitality professionals to lead this market.”
