The Paul Hotels and Resorts plans to develop a five star hotel chain in South India. As part of the first stage, the group will develop business class hotels or resorts across Karnataka, in locations such as Bengaluru, Mysore, Hampi and Coorg.

According to Shelly Thayil, Director – Operations, The Paul Hotels and Resorts, the group wants to tap the state’s immense tourism potential. In addition to this, the Karnataka Government is keen on providing the investors with incentives.

The group has acquired five acres of land for a 180 room hotel in Mysore. It will be developed with an investment of Rs 150 crore. The group is in the process of sourcing 30 acres of land for its 75 suite heritage property in Hampi. It will be developed near the Tungabhadra River at a cost of Rs 30 crore (in the first phase).

The Paul Hotels expects both these properties to be operational within the next two years. “We develop all our properties in phases, as this gives us enough time for trials. This model also helps us to work on our guests’ feedback, after which we make the necessary changes,” offers Thayil. Commenting on the tax holiday for hotels in UNESCO-certified heritage sites in India, Thayil feels that this announcement has come at the right time. The Hampi property is in the drawing board stages.