Joint venture is all set to open a boutique hotel with more than 20 rooms
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Chennai: Phoenix Market City is the latest shopping mall in Chennai to woo customers by opening luxury boutique hotels inside their premises. A joint venture between Mumbai-based Phoenix Mills and Crest Ventures and one of the biggest malls in Chennai, they are all set to open a boutique hotel with more than 20 rooms.
This move comes two years after another big mall in the city, Express Avenue, ventured into this space with the opening of an E-Hotel inside the mall. According to sources, the biggest advantage of having hotels in shopping mall in the state is that international restaurant chains located inside these malls can apply for a bar licence.
As per Tamil Nadu excise law, stand-alone restaurants cannot serve liquor. Dr C.N Mahesvaran, Commissioner, Department of Prohibition and Excise said, “To get an air conditioned bar license, there should be at least eighteen hotel rooms operational, apart from other mandatory requirements like getting permission from the respective district collector.”
To get around this rule, Phoenix Mall is reportedly venturing into the boutique hotel segment. Manimaran, Manager at HardRock Café that runs inside Phoneix market city pointed out that the café is expected to get a bar license once the hotel starts functioning. Another major American food and beverage brand, TGI Friday inside Ramee Mall in Teynampet has also not got a bar license. Mr Gaurav Gupta. GM. E-Hotel said. “Almost 70% bar revenue comes from walk in customers.”
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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