The Oberoi Mumbai reopens
18 months after the attack in 2008
MUMBAI - One of three luxury hotels in Mumbai attacked by Islamist militants nearly 18 months ago on Saturday welcomed back guests for the first time, with a low-key reopening and promises of a fresh start.
About 40 guests began checking in at The Oberoi, in the south of India's financial capital, a spokeswoman said, as the five-star seafront hotel begins to put the horrors of November 26, 2008 behind it.
"It's a normal day for us," the spokeswoman told AFP. "But we're sold out for dinner in all of our restaurants tonight."
A small reopening ceremony was held in the vast atrium of the hotel, attended by the chairman of the Oberoi Group parent company, P.R.S Oberoi, the chief minister of Maharashtra state, Ashok Chavan, and other dignitaries.
The Oberoi, popular with business travellers and VIPs, was reduced to a shell in the three-day siege by heavily armed Islamist militants, with its rooms severely damaged by fire, smoke and water.
Between 35 million and 40 million dollars has been spent refitting the hotel.
The adjoining Trident hotel and nearby Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, which were also stormed by armed gunmen, both reopened within a month of the deadly attacks, which killed 166 people and injured more than 300.
But unlike the Taj, which has a visible permanent memorial to its fallen staff and guests, or the Trident, where there is a more subtle plaque to the victims killed there, The Oberoi has no permanent tribute to those who died.
The "completely fresh beginning" that hotel management have promised also includes three of the hotel's four restaurants being renamed.
The head of Oberoi Resorts and Hotels, Liam Lambert, said this week demand is expected to pick up slowly as the annual monsoon rains approach in June, which is low season for tourists.
Before the attacks, The Oberoi pulled in revenue of about 36 million dollars a year, he added.
Both the East India Hotels Company, which runs the Trident and The Oberoi, plus the Indian Hotels Company Ltd., a unit of the giant Tata Group that operates the Taj, both saw profits plunge after the attacks.
To recoup losses, The Oberoi has cut the number of rooms by 50 to 287 but added more suites. Room rates start at 500 dollars a night and go up to 6,750 dollars a night for the top executive suite.
Source:
Vancouver Sun
The Oberoi
MUMBAI - One of three luxury hotels in Mumbai attacked by Islamist militants nearly 18 months ago on Saturday welcomed back guests for the first time, with a low-key reopening and promises of a fresh start.
About 40 guests began checking in at The Oberoi, in the south of India's financial capital, a spokeswoman said, as the five-star seafront hotel begins to put the horrors of November 26, 2008 behind it."It's a normal day for us," the spokeswoman told AFP. "But we're sold out for dinner in all of our restaurants tonight."
A small reopening ceremony was held in the vast atrium of the hotel, attended by the chairman of the Oberoi Group parent company, P.R.S Oberoi, the chief minister of Maharashtra state, Ashok Chavan, and other dignitaries.
The Oberoi, popular with business travellers and VIPs, was reduced to a shell in the three-day siege by heavily armed Islamist militants, with its rooms severely damaged by fire, smoke and water.Between 35 million and 40 million dollars has been spent refitting the hotel.
The adjoining Trident hotel and nearby Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, which were also stormed by armed gunmen, both reopened within a month of the deadly attacks, which killed 166 people and injured more than 300.But unlike the Taj, which has a visible permanent memorial to its fallen staff and guests, or the Trident, where there is a more subtle plaque to the victims killed there, The Oberoi has no permanent tribute to those who died.
The "completely fresh beginning" that hotel management have promised also includes three of the hotel's four restaurants being renamed.
The head of Oberoi Resorts and Hotels, Liam Lambert, said this week demand is expected to pick up slowly as the annual monsoon rains approach in June, which is low season for tourists.Before the attacks, The Oberoi pulled in revenue of about 36 million dollars a year, he added.
Both the East India Hotels Company, which runs the Trident and The Oberoi, plus the Indian Hotels Company Ltd., a unit of the giant Tata Group that operates the Taj, both saw profits plunge after the attacks.To recoup losses, The Oberoi has cut the number of rooms by 50 to 287 but added more suites. Room rates start at 500 dollars a night and go up to 6,750 dollars a night for the top executive suite.
Source:
Vancouver Sun
The Oberoi
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