<p>The Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel, in the city, listed by the ITDC for privatisation recently, has introduced new packages to attract guests even during off-season. They include packages for even common people.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Lalita Mahal, though a five star hotel now, is originally a palace and is a living example of the culture and heritage of the erstwhile princely State of Mysore. The Wadiyar kings of the Yadu dynasty built it to accommodate the royal guests and also for personal use. Now, even common people can experience royalty.<br /><br />In the wake of the Union Tourism Ministry’s proposal to privatise the hotel, along with seven other similar ventures of the ITDC, the management of Lalitha Mahal has devised plans to increase occupancy rate and also showcase the monument to tourists and also to local residents.<br /><br />Joseph Mathias, general manager of the hotel, said, it is not just a hotel, it is a palace, a monument, which has to be conserved besides maintenance, so, steps have been taken to reach out to all sections of the people.<br /><br />He does not agree that the venture incurred loss last year. “Despite spending over a crore on conservation and development works last year, the loss was close to a crore. This year, we have already started registering profits due to the new initiatives. Besides marketing the heritage hotel — which was opened by the then ruler Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1921 — to foreign tourists and delegates and also among affluent Indians, we hope to attract domestic tourists and local residents, because it is not just a hotel,” said Mathias.<br /><br />Packages<br /><br />The hotel charges a casual visitor a nominal Rs 100, which is redeemable against one’s expenses in the restaurant. One can go around the palace and enjoy its beauty. A day package is offered at Rs 1,200 per person against advance booking.<br /> It includes a traditional welcome, with a welcome drink, a palace tour, fixed lunch (buffet lunch on weekends), use of swimming pool and evening refreshments. If a guest opts for a day stay, a room would be offered at up to 70 per cent discount on the tariff.<br /><br />The palace is also being promoted as a wedding destination. Various venues and portions of the palace can be booked for events. The rent for the venues range from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh. Food is billed as per the restaurant charges. Already, nine such weddings have been held in the past two months.<br /><br />Mathias said, the hotel has earned an operational profit of Rs 27 lakh and a nett profit of Rs 12 lakh during April and May, this year, and the response for the new initiatives has been encouraging. <br /><br />“The actual season is from October to February and we hope to make a decent business this year. Last year, we have re-laid the roads on the premises, established a sewage treatment plant to recycle water for gardening and have changed air conditioners in 32 rooms. Besides, maintenance, we have taken up restoration initiatives as it has to be conserved for future generations,” he said.</p>
<p>The Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel, in the city, listed by the ITDC for privatisation recently, has introduced new packages to attract guests even during off-season. They include packages for even common people.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Lalita Mahal, though a five star hotel now, is originally a palace and is a living example of the culture and heritage of the erstwhile princely State of Mysore. The Wadiyar kings of the Yadu dynasty built it to accommodate the royal guests and also for personal use. Now, even common people can experience royalty.<br /><br />In the wake of the Union Tourism Ministry’s proposal to privatise the hotel, along with seven other similar ventures of the ITDC, the management of Lalitha Mahal has devised plans to increase occupancy rate and also showcase the monument to tourists and also to local residents.<br /><br />Joseph Mathias, general manager of the hotel, said, it is not just a hotel, it is a palace, a monument, which has to be conserved besides maintenance, so, steps have been taken to reach out to all sections of the people.<br /><br />He does not agree that the venture incurred loss last year. “Despite spending over a crore on conservation and development works last year, the loss was close to a crore. This year, we have already started registering profits due to the new initiatives. Besides marketing the heritage hotel — which was opened by the then ruler Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1921 — to foreign tourists and delegates and also among affluent Indians, we hope to attract domestic tourists and local residents, because it is not just a hotel,” said Mathias.<br /><br />Packages<br /><br />The hotel charges a casual visitor a nominal Rs 100, which is redeemable against one’s expenses in the restaurant. One can go around the palace and enjoy its beauty. A day package is offered at Rs 1,200 per person against advance booking.<br /> It includes a traditional welcome, with a welcome drink, a palace tour, fixed lunch (buffet lunch on weekends), use of swimming pool and evening refreshments. If a guest opts for a day stay, a room would be offered at up to 70 per cent discount on the tariff.<br /><br />The palace is also being promoted as a wedding destination. Various venues and portions of the palace can be booked for events. The rent for the venues range from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh. Food is billed as per the restaurant charges. Already, nine such weddings have been held in the past two months.<br /><br />Mathias said, the hotel has earned an operational profit of Rs 27 lakh and a nett profit of Rs 12 lakh during April and May, this year, and the response for the new initiatives has been encouraging. <br /><br />“The actual season is from October to February and we hope to make a decent business this year. Last year, we have re-laid the roads on the premises, established a sewage treatment plant to recycle water for gardening and have changed air conditioners in 32 rooms. Besides, maintenance, we have taken up restoration initiatives as it has to be conserved for future generations,” he said.</p>