Ena Roy, General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Hebbal in the frame. (Photo by arrangement)

The expectations from a business hotel have changed considerably. A comfortable room, a good breakfast and proximity to the workplace may once have been enough, but today’s traveller is looking for a more rounded experience, one that brings together convenience, wellness, dining, local experiences and a sense of place. This shift is also prompting hotels to rethink what they offer, particularly in business hubs where guests often have limited time beyond their work schedules.

At Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Hebbal, this thinking is reflected in an offering that goes beyond the conventional business stay. With a location overlooking a lake, a rooftop swimming pool, a spa, multiple dining spaces, an executive lounge and an extensive banquet and meeting infrastructure, the property brings together several elements that are not always associated with the select-service hotel category.


Ena Roy, General Manager, says the property’s versatility is one of its key differentiators. “We are a select-service hotel, but the kind of offerings we have are quite unique for this segment. You don’t normally see a banquet operation, a spa, a pool, six to seven meeting rooms and an executive lounge together in this category. Whether a guest needs a meeting space, dining options or a place to unwind, we have it here.”

The location also plays an important role in shaping the experience. With Bengaluru increasingly becoming a collection of distinct business and residential catchments, guests tend to choose hotels closer to where they work and conduct business. “Bengaluru has become like Mumbai in terms of traffic and the kind of growth the city has seen. We are all cocooned in our catchment areas. Hebbal is one catchment, Whitefield is another and the airport and central business district are different catchments altogether,” she says.

However, what makes this particular location stand out, according to Ena, is its lake-facing setting. “The view is unique. You don’t get this kind of view in any other hotel in this vicinity. Most places around here are surrounded by concrete and buildings. Here, the lake gives the property a different character.”

While business travellers remain the primary clientele, the larger hospitality experience is increasingly being shaped by sustainability considerations. The company’s long-term ambition is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and this translates into several operational practices at the property. From cage-free eggs across the hotel to certified seafood and the inclusion of at least four locally sourced items in buffet menus, sustainability is built into everyday procurement and food operations.


“We are very strong on sustainability. There are certain mandates that we have to follow, and these are audited as well. For instance, our menus have to include local ingredients. We also use recycled water for irrigation across our plants and gardens,” Ena explains.

The move towards reducing plastic and paper consumption is another part of this effort. Most packaging is paper-based, while internal operations, from attendance and accounting to purchasing and daily audits, have been digitised. Procurement is also centralised across the Bengaluru hotel cluster, with vendors evaluated for their credentials and sustainability practices.

Food waste management, meanwhile, requires attention to detail. Ena points to menu engineering as one of the ways the kitchen manages consumption. Ingredients are planned across different outlets so that the same produce can be used in multiple preparations rather than being restricted to a single menu. Banquet operations follow a similarly considered approach, with buffet counters opened and closed at staggered intervals so that food can be transferred between counters while remaining within prescribed food safety and hygiene limits.

“Food waste management is extremely granular. You have to understand consumption patterns and plan accordingly. In banquets, for instance, we don’t open all the buffet counters together or close them together. We stagger them, so food can be moved to the next counter where required. Of course, food safety and hygiene are paramount,” she says.

Beyond operational sustainability, there is also an effort to give guests a sense of the destination they are visiting. Local food festivals, regional music and Karnataka-inspired elements in guest amenities and departure souvenirs are among the ways the hotel introduces visitors to the region. Guests, particularly international travellers staying for longer periods, are also encouraged to explore Bengaluru’s cultural neighbourhoods, the nearby Bangalore Palace and even take a day trip to Mysuru.

“Our breakfast also has a good mix of local offerings, including different varieties of dosas. We try to bring in Karnataka through food festivals and music as well. If a guest is staying for a week, especially someone visiting from overseas, we encourage them to explore the city and experience its culture,” Ena says.

For her, this sense of exchange extends to the hospitality industry itself. Regular interactions among general managers and teams across Bengaluru’s hotels provide opportunities to share experiences and learn from one another. “In today’s time, learning and enhancement happen through collaboration. You cannot be isolated and think that you have a think tank that will come up with everything. Those days are gone. It is about sharing experiences and exchanging ideas.”

As business travel evolves, the distinction between a hotel that simply accommodates a traveller and one that offers a more complete experience is becoming increasingly important. The ability to combine work, leisure, local discovery and responsible operations within the same address may well define what the next generation of business hospitality looks like.

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