2025-01-22 22:54:00 :
Minimalist Hotel is a hotel and hostel management company operated by Swashbuckler Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. founder Gautam Munjal said the company hopes to expand its footprint by adding new properties in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and the National Capital Region (NCR) by 2026.
The company, which began operations in 2017, operates boutique properties under management contracts with other owners or under operating leases. “It’s a hybrid model between a hotel and a hostel, with private hotel rooms and dormitory-style rooms,” Munjal told us Mint.
Currently, the company operates four properties. Its hotels often combine public living with large hotel spaces, such as Marriott International’s Moxy Hotels.
What differentiates the company from traditional hotels, he said, is its public spaces that promote shared experiences. The company also has fewer than 100 rooms per hotel, typically 30 to 40 rooms and some dormitory-style beds.
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In 2024, the company will grow by 100% year-on-year, reaching $The total revenue is Rs 5 crore and the target is to expand to first- and second-tier cities, he said.
He said the company aims to grow revenue five-fold in the next two years and its hotel portfolio has about 120 rooms, 90% of which are guest rooms and 10% dormitories.
“We want to get a deeper understanding of each of the clusters we are already in, such as Varanasi, Goa, Delhi NCR and Rajasthan. We have seen a lot of success with standalone hotels but have not seen these models being able to be replicated. We are also trying to create a standardized framework for our hotels that can be replicated in most cities,” he said.
The company attracts all types of hotel users, including Millennials and Gen Z travelers, and opened its second hotel in Varanasi in December.
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last week, Mint According to reports, some hotel chains are changing their business strategies to achieve faster growth by adopting operating leases or management contracts. Under an operating lease, a company leases property from its owner and operates it as an independent entity.
In contrast, a management contract involves a hotel owner outsourcing operational responsibilities to a third-party company while still retaining ownership of the hotel.
A report released by Hotelivate in October 2024 showed broad-based growth in both metros and smaller emerging markets, with India’s total hotel inventory adding 15,231 new rooms in 2023-24.
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It added that about 70% of organized branded hotels in India charge less than $7500 per night. Minimalism also ventures into this area.
The company’s competitors include hotel brands such as Bloom Hotels, FabHotels and Nuo by Justa Hotels. In the hostel business, its main competitors include Zostel, GoStops, The Hosteller, etc.
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