20 Restaurants That Deliver The Goods travelandleisureindia.in JUNE 2021 / 150 Planet $ 4.50/ SLR 450/ NPR 35/ MVR 60 PKR 30O/ BTN 200 / Positive TAKA 350 Saving Snow Leopards, Chimps & Pangolins Foodfor your Soul Wine Wisdom Tasting Trails in India & Greece Local Delights + Flavours of Tamil Nadu + Sri Lankan Icons + Winter Fare in Ladakh Prateek +Sadhu Andrew Wong Hari Nayak The Maverick In A Chef’s Hat What led you to launch Today, you have 33 your first property in Goa? properties across several It started 27 years countries. Did you envision John Spence ago. I was exploring What led yousuch to anlaunch expansion? Today, you have 33 HOTELIER opportunities in the your first propertyI am deeply in Goa? suspiciousproperties of across several Caribbean when I wasIt started entrepreneurs27 years who saycountries. Did you envision John Spence invited to speak at a ago. I wasthey exploring had a master plansuch an expansion? HOTELIER conference in India. Iopportunities and inthey the achieved it. II am deeply suspicious of came over and saw aCaribbean started when I offwas modestly. entrepreneursWe who say THE SUITE LIFE huge opportunity in Goa—a had limited cash flow. We BUSINESSTRAVEL Had it not been for a chance trip to Goa in 1993, UK-based invited to speak at a they had a master plan beautiful location withconference had in oneIndia. computer I in andthe they achieved it. I John Spence might not have become the proud founder and white-sand beaches andcame a overcompany; and saw athe sales [team]started off modestly. We owner of the Karma Group.THE With loads ofSUITE experience and over LIFE booming domestic market.huge opportunity used it inin theGoa—a day, thehad limited cash flow. We BUSINESSTRAVEL 30 international propertiesHad it not under been his for belt, a chance he shares trip to his Goa in 1993, FromUK-based an international beautiful locationmarketing with [team] in thehad one computer in the John Spence might not have become the proud founderperspective and too, the evening, and the accounts From left: Karma Salford Hall is located on the edge of the English Cotswolds in the UK; Karma Royal Haathi Mahal in Goa. journey with RASHIMA NAGPAL. white-sand beaches and a company; the sales [team] owner of the Karma Group. With loads of experienceairlines and wereover beginningbooming to domestic[team] overnight. market. We usedlived it in the day, the 30 international properties under his belt, he sharesfly into his Goa from EuropeFrom an internationalin non-air-conditioned marketing [team] in the as a cheaper winter accommodation and What are your plans forFrom left: Karmaof Vietnam, Salford Laos,Hall is and located on the edge of the English Cotswolds in the UK; Karma Royal Haathi Mahal in Goa. journey with . perspective too, the evening, and the accounts “Just as a village or town is usually RASHIMA NAGPAL alternative than the airlines wereshared beginning office tospace in[team] overnight. We lived further expansion in India? Cambodia. Also, I’m a Caribbean. For me, Goafly into GoaMumbai. from Europe [But] there wasin non-air-conditioned a On literally the call before great fan of the Greek not master-planned on day one, combines the mysticismas a of cheaper dream winter to create beautifulaccommodation and this one, I agreed to What are yourislands; plans besides for havingof Vietnam, Laos, and India with a Europeanalternative feel. boutique than the resorts; I amshared not office space in acquire a resort in Coorg.further expansionresorts inin MykonosIndia? andCambodia. Also, andI’m a acquires“Just a soul as a and village a sense or town of is usually So, I bought my first pieceCaribbean. particularly For me, Goa fond of largeMumbai. [But] there was a We’ve also acquired aOn literallyCrete, the call I’ve before been buyinggreat up fan of the communityGreek organically,not master-planned that’s how on day one, of land, [and] put my combinesown properties.the mysticism In the of earlydream to create beautiful resort in Udaipur that this one, Ion agreed the smaller to islands.islands; besides having life savings into it. India with days,a European it was justfeel. in India.boutique resorts; I am not opened a few weeks ago,acquire a resort in Coorg. resorts in Mykonos andwe like toand build acquires our resorts.” a soul and a sense of So, I boughtThen my we first had piece opportunities particularly fond of large and one just outside ofWe’ve alsoA acquired holiday trend a you thinkCrete, I’ve been buying up of land, [and]to expand put my to own Bali, Thailand,properties. In the early Bengaluru, in Nandi Hills.resort in Udaipuris overrated? that on the smaller islands. community organically, that’s how life savingsAustralia, into it. and so on. Wedays, it was just in India. We’ve got a new resortopened a Ifew think weeks the wholeago, passion A takeaway from thewe like noto academic build excellence, our resorts.” began with a staff of 50,Then we had opportunities coming up in Goa, andand one justof rentingoutside an of unseen A holiday trend you think pandemic? to work with professors. and now we are a teamto expandof to Bali, Thailand, we’re looking at a propertyBengaluru, non-hotel in Nandi Hills. inventory isis overrated? Over the course of the So, at the Yale School of over 2,500 people. Australia, and so on. We in Manali. We’re keen We’veto got overrated.a new resort It has a definiteI think the whole passion last year, we’ve seen A takeawayManagement from the (som.yale.no academic excellence, began with a staff of 50, expand rapidly. We’re coming upplace in Goa, in theand tourism world,of renting an unseen that when and where pandemic?a edu), where studentsto are work with professors. What drew you towardsand the now we are a team of looking at places that’dwe’re lookingbut atI think a property that over thenon-hotel inventory is resort and restaurantOver the coursetaught ofrisk-aversion, the mySo, at the Yale School of hospitality industry inover the 2,500 people. be just as exciting for inthe Manali. We’relast few keen years, to peopleoverrated. It has a definitecan remain open, it’s last year, we’vejob is toseen say ‘go with yourManagement (som.yale. first place? domestic market in theexpand rapidly.have beenWe’re evangelical place in the tourism world,very popular—more thanthat whengut and and where do not a be afraidedu) of, where students are I was born at one endWhat drew you towards the short term as they’d belooking at aboutplaces it that’d being the futurebut I think that over the usual. And that domesticresort andmaking restaurant mistakes’. Similarly,taught risk-aversion, my of the Gatwick Airporthospitality in industry in the for international touristsbe just as ofexciting hospitality. for the last few years, people tourism is the key drivercan remainat open, the Yale it’s School of job is to say ‘go with your England. Ever since I firstwas place? eventually. domestic market in the have been evangelical at the moment. Peoplevery popular—moreArchitecture than (architecture. gut and do not be afraid of young, I have had the have a pent-up desire to yale.edu), I stress on the I was born at one end short termMahabalipuram as they’d be is one ofabout Spence’s it being the future usual. And that domestic making mistakes’. Similarly, smell of aviation fuel inof the Gatwick Airport in Which other places dofor internationalfavourite tourists Indian destinations.of hospitality. travel, and they’re workingtourism is balancethe key driverbetween format and the Yale School of my nose. My whole familyEngland. Ever since I was you like in India? eventually. on their bucket lists withat the moment.function. People There’s no pointArchitecture (architecture. is involved in the aviationyoung, I have had the I think the cities of far-off destinations. Inhave a pent-updesigning desire a hotel to thatyale.edu ), I stress on the and travel industries. Back Rajasthan are magical. I Mahabalipuram is one of Spence’sthe meantime, they are works brilliantly on paper smell of aviation fuel in Which other places do favourite Indian destinations. travel, and they’re working balance between form and in 1980, I left universitymy nose. My whole family also liked Mahabalipuramyou like in India? rediscovering close-byon their bucketbut doesn’t lists with work in thefunction. There’s no point after two terms to joinis involved in the aviation on the east coast. I don’tI think the cities of places that they’ve notfar-off destinations.real world. In designing a hotel that the music business; Iand travel industries. Back get the time to holidayRajasthan are magical. I been to in a long time.the meantime, they are works brilliantly on paper thought I’d be a guitarist.in 1980, I left university much in India, but I also liked Mahabalipuram rediscoveringAny close-byhospitality stalwartsbut doesn’t work in the But I couldn’t even getafter two terms to join want to get to know theon the east coast. I don’t Trips on your bucket list?places thatwho they’ve inspired not you? real world. a gig in a punk band inthe music business; I Himalayas. We have aget the time to holiday A trekking holiday in been to inIn a longmy mind, time. the guru of London. So, I drifted intothought I’d be a guitarist. resort in Dharamshala,much in India, but I Bhutan. More of South the boutique hotel worldAny ishospitality stalwarts the business side of musicBut I couldn’t even get but I have unfortunatelywant to get to know the America; I hear CartagenaTrips on yourAdrian bucket Zecha, list? who startedwho inspired you? and worked as an agenta gig in a punk band in not been there yet.