Authored article by Varun Sahani, VP Operations at The Orchid Hotel Group

With Varun Sahani’s leadership as Vice President Operations, The Orchid Hotel Group, Kamat Hotels India Ltd, has undergone a transformation, creating a cohesive and empowered team that works together towards their common goals. Sahani’s dedication to building a culture of inclusivity and collaboration has resulted in improved operations and guest experiences, making The Orchid Hotels, a preferred choice for eco-conscious travelers who appreciate the unique cultural heritage of India.

Looking back & beyond the journey…

In 2016, Varun Sahani joined The Orchid Hotel Mumbai as the General Manager, excited to be part of a well-planned and recognized hotel brand. However, he soon noticed gaps in operations and a lack of synergy among colleagues. Taking his time to understand these challenges, Varun Sahani embarked on a journey to foster a sense of family among the hotel staff, aligning them with the company’s vision and mission. He became the Vice President Operations at The Orchid Hotels Group in July 2018.

Varun Sahani, a seasoned hospitality professional with extensive experience in renowned brands such as the Taj and Lalit group of hotels, was instantly drawn to The Orchid Hotel when he came across their tagline of “Friendly Eco-friendly.” While many brands talk about environmental sustainability, The Orchid Hotels go a step further in their commitment to eco-friendly practices, truly believing in giving back to society.

What stood out to Varun Sahani was the “Namaskar” service, a cultural greeting deeply rooted in Indian tradition, practiced by all the hotels under Kamat Hotels India Ltd The Orchid Hotel’s parent company. From the doorman to the VP of Operations, everyone at The Orchid Hotel greeted each other with this word and gesture, creating an instant connection and sense of cultural pride.

Setting high operational standards

As the Vice President of Operations for the entire Orchid Hotel chain, Varun Sahani has established a set of daily rituals that help him stay connected with the performance and feedback of each property under his purview. Every morning, Varun starts his day by taking rounds of the hotel, particularly the back areas, to get a sense of how the previous evening had fared. This hands-on approach allows him to assess the operational aspects of the hotel and address any immediate concerns.

Following his rounds, Varun Sahani holds morning meetings with all the HODs at Orchid Hotel Mumbai. In this meeting, they discuss key numbers, such as month-to-date (MTD) and year-to-date (YTD) performance, VIP arrivals and functions, functional aspects, and marketing strategies. He also makes it a priority to respond to all his emails on a real-time basis, as he believes in maintaining prompt communication and not leaving any email unanswered.

As the VP of Operations, Varun Sahani receives valuable reports from all the teams, including the flash report that details the hotel’s performance, the Funds flow report that helped with fund allocation decisions, and the Online Reputation Management (ORM) score that gauges the hotel’s online reputation. Varun diligently reviews these reports, particularly focusing on guest reviews that are concerning.

In addition to addressing concerns, Varun Sahani also makes it a point to recognize and applaud high-performing team members in terms of revenue and guest satisfaction. This creates healthy competition among the teams and motivates them to strive for excellence, benefiting the overall brand.

He also makes it a point to personally meet with guests during his lobby rounds and take their feedback. He believes that first-hand feedback from guests is integral in understanding how well his team is performing and addressing any gaps in service. This practice helps him stay connected with guests and ensures that the hotels under his leadership are constantly striving to improve guest satisfaction.

Facing challenges

“I have read a lot of negative reviews about the hospitality industry during the pandemic days. On the contrary, our hotels have done remarkable business during the pandemic as well. It’s all about how you tackle the situation and mould yourself to fit into the desired need of the hour. Yes, we did face a dip in our room rates at the pandemic time. But we managed our expenses by operating with limited staff, cutting down on operational expenditures without compromising on quality standards.”

Despite this, the hotel did business at an appropriate rate during pandemic time following all covid norms, maintaining all hygiene standards and safety towards the staff and the guests.

“We also started food deliveries and started getting flooded with orders as The Orchid Hotel Mumbai is very well-known for its great food.”

The Orchid Hotel Mumbai was the first hotel to open in Mumbai during Pandemic time. They also took part in the Vande Bharat Mission which was run by the government and had charters coming in and staying with us.

On a personal front, Varun Sahani shares that at times because of immense responsibilities, time management gets difficult. With long and odd waking hours, it gets challenging to keep going with a smile at times. Missing out on important festivals, being at work when everyone else is on a holiday and stamina to be able to keep working for long hours are some of the major challenges which he faces. However, there is one phenomenon that keeps him going and that is “The show must go on”.

“I follow a fixed regime which is a routine to build up good stamina mentally and physically. I go on a 4-5 km jog in the morning regularly. After my morning jogging, I have a good heavy and healthy breakfast followed by a very moderate lunch. This helps me to be active throughout the day. In the evening, after work, I like to spend quality time with my daughter and wife to de-stress myself. It works like a therapy for me when I hear my family’s voice and have a conversation with them. I also make a point that I go for a long drive on Sundays which works as a great stress buster for me.”

At work, Varun Sahani shares that the biggest challenge in the hospitality Industry is to find the accurate manpower for critical roles. As every role is directly related to guest satisfaction and retaining the guests, effective manpower is essential which at times becomes a challenge to hunt for.

Unique Offerings

The Namaskar button at Orchid Rooms is a one-click button for all the requirements except FnB. No looking for multiple extensions, just one button solves all the queries and requirements.

Contactless Check-in and Check-out – The hotel has a contactless check-in with the help of a digital link wherein the guest can make payments, upload documents and check-in without having to wait at the lobby. The user only has to collect his/her keys from the reception desk and walk into their rooms.

The same is with check-out wherein the guest can check-out and settle all payments with the help of the digital link and check-out digitally.

“Our Central Reservation System – We have a CRS wherein one number adheres to bookings, queries, enquiries of all our 13 hotels across India. You need not have different numbers of different properties, that one number is good to reserve your stay for any of our properties in Pan India.”

Creating memories for guests

The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai is Asia’s first certified five star Ecotel Hotel. “We have a strong believer of “Athithi Devo Bhav” Which means guest is like almighty and we got to take care of the guest with equal gratitude and devotion. Right from greeting the guest as Namaskar at the entrance, we embark an experience that stays in the minds of our guests forever. As truly said, we are a friendly eco-friendly hotel, which means we are friendly to our staff, our guest and also to the nature.”

As far as FnB is concerned, the hotel has some great dining avenues at The Orchid Hotel. From the coffee shop, lavish buffets, authentic south Indian food, happening bar to rooftop multi-cuisine restaurant, they have got everything covered for the guests at The Orchid Hotel Mumbai.

Boulevard is 24-hour coffee shop which serves lavish buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Sunday brunch here is a lavish treat for all the brunch lovers and is talk of the town too.

South of Vindhyas gives a culinary traditional tour of South India in a hardcore traditional way. It’s a journey to dine at SOV. Right from the entrance, our hostess in a traditional south Indian saree welcomes you inside. The food is served on the banana leaf, which transports you to the southern lands. The restaurant celebrates the festivals like Pongal, Vishu, Onam and more on a grand scale which are traditionally celebrated in the South.

For all the whiskey lovers, Merlin’s Bar is a phenomenal destination with 99 types of whiskeys collected from various parts of the world. The rarest brands of whiskeys are found at Merlin’s. The live music and karaoke night here are adored by the Mumbaikars and travelers too.

Mostly Grills is a rooftop restaurant with a spectacular airport runway view. People love to unwind here in the open breeze with multi-cuisine food and bar experience. The Gourmet Shop is a place that is perfect for coffee and conversations. It has a great selection of delicatessen items such as cakes, bread, decorative pastries and cookies which are served in a specially designed packaging.

Green initiatives & eco-friendly ways of hospitality

The Orchid Hotel, being an Ecotel, values fundamental sustainability practices. Solid waste management is a priority, with separate color-coded bins for waste segregation. Wet waste is converted to vermicompost for gardening, and a special cold storage prevents any unpleasant odors.

Energy-saving measures include using natural sunlight in the lobby with a glass dome atrium, and motion sensors for light management in public areas. Guest rooms are equipped

with pumba panels that control room temperature to reduce electricity usage. Recycling, environment-friendly practices, plantation of trees, and the use of EV vehicles are also prioritized.

Water management is sustained with aerators in water taps to increase pressure and reduce water flow, resulting in 50% water usage reduction. Hotel sewage water is treated in a STP plant and reused for gardening and air conditioning.

The hotel follows the 3Rs – Recycle, Reuse, and Reduce – diligently. Room interiors are made with recycled wood, and amenities like hangers and slippers are made from discarded towels. Toothbrushes, combs, and writing tables in the rooms are also made from recycled wood. In banquet events and marriage functions, cut flowers are avoided in favor of green plants for decoration.

Success stories & achievements

One of the experiences that deeply touched Varun Sahani during his stint is how the entire team contributed to the society during the natural calamity that struck Odisha. In 2020, cyclone Amphan caused widespread damage in Odisha, where the group has three hotels – Bhubaneshwar, Konark, and Puri. “Witnessing the devastation during my visit to the hotels, with broken coconut trees floating in water, was heart-wrenching.”

As a group that is always one step ahead in sustainability, their team initiated a movement to make seed balls as a way of giving back to nature and aligning with their strong sustainability goals. “We set a target of making 1 million seed balls and divided the task among all Orchid properties across the country. Many NGOs, schools, and individuals joined this movement, and we successfully distributed 1 million seed balls in Odisha.”

This initiative was personally appreciated by the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, who actively participated in the movement to ensure optimal utilization of the seed balls. It was a proud moment for the team, knowing that the entire group’s efforts were recognized and applauded by the highest authority in the state.

“Another significant achievement that I have witnessed in my tenure with Orchid Hotel group is the making of the Great Wall of Shimla at The Orchid Hotel, Shimla. Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar inaugurated ‘The Great Wall of Shimla,’ our Waste to Wealth Initiative.”

The Great Wall of Shimla, is the largest enviroscape Mural which is about 275 feet long and 15 feet in height created by using approximately 5 lakh waste bottle caps and carbon-free recycled plastic. These murals have been put together by residents of Shimla including school children, senior citizens. On the occasion, the Governor said that Orchid has made a new beginning in the direction of environmental protection and through The Great Wall of Shimla, it has given the message of environmental protection by using waste material in an artistic way.

On this occasion, Chairman of Kamat Hotels India Ltd, Dr Vithal Venkatesh Kamat, had said that “the quest to turn waste to wealth has inspired every member at team Orchid to think out-of-the-box and create visible examples that will motivate our future generation to be respectful of our planet.”

Future goals

Varun Sahani’s goal is to make The Orchid Hotel as most preferred business hotels around Mumbai airport for national and international business travellers. A hotel that is tech-savvy, yet user friendly, modern yet culturally connected.

During the Pandemic, the group also opened three hotels in Shimla, Manali and Lonavala. They have also signed up a property in Chandigarh which will open by Diwali this year. “We are also set to introduce our new sub-brand this year, which will cater to the upper mid-segment market. We plan to open a minimum of 10 ”hotels under the new chain in FY 2023-24.”

Through his passion for hospitality and commitment to sustainable practices, Varun Sahani continues to make a positive impact in the industry, setting an example for the future of responsible tourism.

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