In conversation with Kush Kapoor, CEO, Roseate Hotels and Resorts

From room boy to CEO, what inspired your journey in hospitality, and what lessons have you learned along the way?

My journey from room boy to CEO has been fueled by the passion for transforming lives, starting with my team and extending to our guests. Each day presents an opportunity to learn, teaching me the importance of embracing challenges as a path to growth.

Also, mistakes are inevitable, but they should serve as valuable learning experiences—just ensure you don’t repeat them. Taking risks is essential, and you must mentally prepare for people pushing against you. Still, continue striving to break the monotony and innovate.

What’s the vision behind Roseate Hotels & Resorts, and how did you position it as a luxury brand in India?

The vision behind Roseate Hotels & Resorts is to establish it as one of the finest hospitality brands in the world, where the focus is on creating unparalleled experiences for both our teams and guests. By prioritizing the well-being and growth of our teams, we foster a culture that translates into outstanding service. Roseate Hotels and Resorts positions itself as a luxury hospitality brand in India, particularly through our commitment to innovation and sustainable practices such as our ‘farm to table’ philosophy, Roseate hydroponics farm, our bottled water in glassware ‘Aheli water’, and moving towards becoming a brand embracing only natural sugars to promote a healthier tomorrow.

As a seasoned hotelier, how do you stay ahead of industry trends and innovations?

I stay ahead of industry trends and innovations by striving for continuous improvement—aiming for just a 1% change each day can lead to significant advancements over the course of a year – a total 365. The aim is to create something unique and different every day. At Roseate Hotels & Resorts, we strive to establish a clear distinction between us and other hospitality brands in the industry by developing initiatives they cannot easily replicate. This continuous pursuit of originality ensures that we remain a step ahead in the hospitality landscape, always pushing boundaries and thinking creatively to deliver exceptional experiences.

What role does sustainability play in Roseate Hotels & Resorts’ operations, and what initiatives are you implementing?

Sustainability is at the core of Roseate Hotels & Resorts, deeply embedded in our philosophy and operations. We prioritize eco-friendly design and architecture, preserving the natural landscape across all our properties. For instance, The Roseate New Delhi is home to over 1,000 trees. We’ve eliminated single-use plastics, replacing in-room amenities with bamboo products and using recycled paper for takeaway bags. Our innovative water conservation strategies, like special tanks for storing and reusing water, and our kitchen waste composting, reflect our dedication to environmental responsibility. We embrace a Farm-to-Table philosophy, sourcing 100% organic produce from our own farms. We also have our own hydroponics farm.

Energy efficiency is also a priority, with solar heating, LED lighting, and advanced air quality systems in place. We aim to become paperless, offering guests e-bills and digital services to reduce waste. Recognized with awards like LEED Gold certification, we continue to innovate in our sustainability efforts, ensuring our luxury experience is both responsible and enriching.

(sustainability factsheet can be attached here)

How do you balance professional demands with personal interests like travel, music, and fitness?

For me, there’s no distinction between personal and professional life. When you are a business person, you do not think about your life and your business as separate entities. For example, my interests in Ayurveda, Shaolin practices, and pursuing my PhD all directly enhance my work and ensure I spread the knowledge I gain meaningfully by integrating it into initiatives and operations across Roseate Hotels & Resorts. When I integrate these personal passions into my professional endeavors – this fuels my excitement and drives innovation at Roseate Hotels & Resorts.

What’s next for Roseate Hotels & Resorts in terms of expansion, and what’s your vision for the brand’s future?

Roseate Hotels and Resorts will develop a 220-room luxury airport hotel near the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar by 2025. The new Roseate Hotel at Noida International Airport, the upcoming greenfield airport in Delhi NCR, will offer comfort, convenience and a sustainable experience to passengers and guests. Discussions are also underway for a premium resort in Goa, adding to our portfolio of upscale properties. We plan to expand our successful café brand Roasted by Roseate, offering refined experiences in more locations. Furthermore, we are exploring opportunities in pilgrimage destinations and metro cities to broaden our reach and cater to diverse traveler preferences. We are also looking into strategic management agreements. The vision for the brand’s future is to establish Roseate Hotels & Resorts as the best in the hospitality world.

How do you foresee the luxury hospitality segment evolving in the next 5 years?

In the next five to ten years in fact, luxury hospitality in India will focus on sustainability, bespoke experiences, and smart technology as the industry keeps scaling up. For me, luxury is simplicity. If a guest requests for something, we will ensure the guest gets what they asked for plus something additional to make them feel valuable. A caution for brands wanting to be the best – they must maintain the quality which is unfortunately declining lately in the Indian hospitality scene.

Recently Roseate Hotels introduced the resiliency program please share your views on the same?

We are proud to introduce the Resiliency Program at Roseate Hotels & Resorts, which we piloted over 66 days with 80 employees. This initiative includes bringing in engaging TED Talk speakers and weekly yoga and meditation sessions, all designed to support our team’s well-being.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with over 90% of participants reporting reduced stress levels, properly measured by in-app analytics, questionnaires and more. Resiliency Program is just one of the many initiatives we have taken towards a happier, healthier workforce. We have seen our attrition rates drop from 65% last year to 20% this year. Resiliency Program may be one of the factors contributing to that. We are excited to continue with this promising program with an aim to enhance the overall wellbeing of our teams.

What are the initiatives taken for employees by Mr Kush Kapoor.

At Roseate Hotels & Resorts, we prioritize the empowerment and development of our employees and their families. For instance, in events and ancillary services (such as banquets) where there is requirement of additional manpower, we train the family members of our contractual employees. These family members receive personality development, English language training, etc. giving them the opportunity to earn as much as their employed relatives and opening new income streams to support their families while maintaining high service standards. We even offer courses to employees who have completed their 10th and 12th grades, helping them pursue higher education.  Our team members receive practical training and regular on-field experiences, such as visits to tea gardens and vineyards, which broaden their job & industry knowledge, and direct culinary training with celebrated chefs during food pop ups.

We offer various educational and training programs, including language courses in English, French, and Japanese to enhance communication skills. Our online learning portal ‘Roseate Learning Centre’, a dedicated space designed to foster self-paced learning, provides its team access to a comprehensive array of educational modules covering various aspects of hotel operations and management. It has vast repository of courses to support ongoing employee development.

We focus on comprehensive benefits, including competitive salaries. For female employees, we provide additional support, such as seven days off, pick up and drop facilities, no break shifts or night shifts, safe and quality transportation and accommodation.

A unique initiative by Mr. Kush Kapoor is that all employees have access to a QR code/phone number to provide feedback directly to the CEO. There is an employee recognition and engagement software in place, as well as multiple cross-exposure opportunities across different departments and outlets.

RAPID FIRE

● Who is Kush Kapoor in the Industry in one line?

A catalyst for change in hospitality; a transformative leader focused on bringing positive change for both colleagues and guests

● Is a biography to be written or a biopic to be made on Kush Kapoor? What would be the title?

To be the best in the world: From Room Boy to CEO

● Other than this what career would you have loved to do?

I would have loved to serve in the military, maybe in another life      

● One Line for Roseate Hotels & Resorts?

Experiential and innovative hospitality brand

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