Kondody Hotels & Resorts to expand its portfolio

To follow strict environment-friendly norms

Barun Adhikary - New Delhi

Kerala-based Kondody Hotels & Resorts has announced its plan to expand its hospitality portfolio in the state. The group, which currently owns a premium luxury resort in Thekkady (Kerala), Greenwoods, will have a minimum of four to five properties in Kerala within the next four years. In an interview with Express TravelWorld, Ratheesh M Sundhar, assistant reservation manager, Greenwoods, disclosed, "We will soon be venturing into other parts of Kerala and plan to have at least five properties within the state within a three - four year horizon."

According to Sundhar, the group has already acquired land in Munnar and is currently in the process of developing a premium resort there. He mentioned, "The upcoming property, which is expected to be operational by early 2010, will have 26 bungalows." Continuing on the same note he said,"We are in the stage of advanced negotiations with various land owners and are hopeful of completing three land acquisitions (in Kovalam, Kochi and Wayanad) in the next few months." When asked about the number of rooms that the group is aiming to set-up in these locations, he replied, "The number of rooms will depend on the area of land which we acquire. Only once we get the land, will we decide on the number of rooms/ cottages/ bungalows to be constructed." The expansion project is estimated to cost Rs 60 crore.

Sundhar further mentioned that like Greenwoods, all the group's upcoming properties would be developed on strict environment-friendly norms. "We will use biogas for our energy needs, move to composting methods that will be an environment-friendly approach to reuse waste products, set-up butterfly gardens, etc," he explained. Greenwoods has 26 cottages.