A hotel, feels Biswas, is about comfort, and this has been his unending quest at Galaxy, as well as hotels he has served previously. “We were the first boutique hotel in India to offer customised service to the guests. The quality of food and beverage service in Galaxy is world class, and so is the accommodation in the rooms. We do not compromise on quality, and this helps us get repeat customers,” says Biswas. Galaxy has almost 80 per cent repeat customers, and guests at some of the leading five star hotels in Gurgaon visit the Hotel spa, because of its top quality service.
Owing to its popularity, the hotel is expanding its operations, and will add another 220 rooms. The central location of the Hotel, its proximity to ‘New’ Gurgaon, as well as the National Highway 8, makes it ideal for the business traveller, as well as for those looking for good food and fun. Galaxy has multiple restaurants, and more will be launched soon. The Hotel pioneered the first micro-brewery in Gurgaon, serving freshly brewed beer.
The existing restaurants are: The Monk, Axis, Terroir, Howzatt, Beanstalk and Ultra Premium, that represent the best in Gurgaon’s contemporary dining. “We are planning to add a Lebanese restaurant, a Japanese outlet, and one called Godfather – dishing out cigars, dimsums and related stuff. The objective is to give an international food experience to the family, with multiple options,” he adds.
Galaxy also offers a great shopping experience, says Biswas, as it has a mall selling traditional handicrafts from across the country, designer outlets selling great clothes, and other shops catering to the hoi polloi of the City, and guests from across India as well as abroad. With the economy going into a slowdown, Biswas admits that there may be a price war as Indians in particular are very price sensitive. It is to safeguard the leadership position that Biswas is betting big on food and beverage, as he believes that this, coupled with banquet service, will ensure that revenue streams do not remain dependent on accommodation. “We have one of the best banquet halls in the City, that can accommodate a 1,000 guests, and this is also a USP of our Hotel. Galaxy offers great food, good rooms, and quality restaurants. There is something for everyone, and we are creating more spaces for the benefit of our guests,” he adds.
When asked why the hotel industry has reached a saturation point in the City, Biswas says that the growth of both IT and manufacturing has almost come to a standstill. “Not many new factories are coming up, new IT companies have not opened, while hotels in large numbers have come up,” he says.
The major challenge for the hotel industry here is the poor supply of power, which affects the bottom line of every hotel very badly – even during the winters. “We have to run a generator even during the winters, and this is a major expenditure for any hotel in Gurgaon. The government will have to improve the power supply if it wants the growth to continue,” he says. He further says that during his long career in the industry he has found that the majority of the guests have the same expectations, irrespective of the geography or culture.
His quest has always been to give his best to the customers. “I want the employees to give their hundred per cent while serving guests; the rest is in the hand of destiny,” he says. At Galaxy the goal would be to create a system that delivers the best quality to customers, while adding to the hotel’s bottom line, and creating more lifestyle options that are in tune with the image of the Hotel.
Personally, he says, the summers are very harsh in Gurgaon, while the winter season has given him some respite. He sees every new job as a new experience, where things can be learnt and unlearnt, and one evolves into a
complete professional.
To welcome the New Year, he says, Galaxy has launched an unlimited beer package at Rs. 899 plus taxes, and an unlimited dimsum package. Come and enjoy with us, and see the difference, he asserts.