A lifestyle hotel brand backed by a major Indian airline, travel and hospitality conglomerate makes its debut this summer in Paris and Barcelona, with more European markets in the brand's pipeline.
Service philosophy, local immersion and innovative design architecture are the pillars of Miiro Hotels, which is part of India's InterGlobe Enterprises. During an interview in London with Hotel News Now, Neena Gupta, CEO of Miiro Hotels and executive director of group strategy and international hospitality at InterGlobe, said InterGlobe has been investing in renovations of historic hotels to help launch its new brand that resonates with “self-assured travelers.”
In Paris, Miiro Hotels plans to open the 123-room Le Grand Hôtel Cayré, which is a renovation of the historic Hôtel Cayré located in the city’s Saint-Germain-des-Prés historical district. The hotel originally opened in 1920 and has attracted artists, writers and thinkers throughout its storied existence.
In Barcelona, Miiro Hotels is renovating the 92-room Borneta Hotel in time to open its doors this summer. The property is in the El Born neighborhood and will have a rooftop terrace with views of Parc de la Ciutadella and downtown Barcelona.
Gupta said guests at Miiro Hotels' revamped historical properties plan trips “to truly feel the real pulse of the destination and the local fabric.”
“They have appreciation for design, cultural immersion, and value authentic experiences to enrich their travel,” Gupta said. “Our goal is to offer them a beautifully located and curated point of vantage for exploration. We also aim to create vibrant restaurant and bar offerings that invite and speak to the locals, as well as an international audience.”
Launching in Europe's 'Liveliest Cities'
Miiro Hotels' parent InterGlobe owns IndiGo, India's top airline. InterGlobe subsidiary InterGlobe Hotels is a franchisee of France-based Accor and owns 21 Accor-branded Ibis hotels in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, comprising 3,790 rooms. InterGlobe Hotels also has 13 hotels and 2,063 rooms outside of the Indian subcontinent, including the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center, Hotel Maria Theresia Vienna and Quincy Hotel Melbourne.
As a veteran hotel owner, InterGlobe is no stranger to hospitality. So why launch a hotel brand in Europe and not in its home country of India?
“This is the first hotel brand from InterGlobe, and we are focused to ensure that guest experience is more thoughtful and personal and the environment we have created allows our guests to recharge in some of the liveliest cities in Europe,” Gupta said, adding her charge is to spearhead the launch of the Miiro brand and hotels in key feeder markets, with a specific emphasis on Europe.
But expansion to India is not out of the picture, Gupta said.
For now, the Miiro Hotels pipeline includes the 156-room Miiro Templeton Garden, which is due to open in 2025 in London's Earls Court district. A Vienna hotel is also in the works. InterGlobe will own and operate the entire Miiro Hotels portfolio, Gupta said.
European capitals have seen strong hotel performance in 2023 despite a background of increased interest rates and slower growth in the United Kingdom and European Union, Gupta said.
“Business travel continued to grow steadily since COVID-19, and leisure demand from intra-European travelers and the U.S. remained strong,” she said. “Leisure travel from China and the Far East has not returned … [but] it is anticipated that demand from these markets for European hotels will strengthen [in] 2025. Performance in cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris and Madrid have been helped by relatively low supply growth.”
Gupta added another hope is that inflation and interest rates will fall further.
“This should stimulate business investment and business travel. The trend for European travelers to have more short-term breaks will help leisure demand in key cities,” she said.
While establishing Miiro Hotels' presence in Europe is the priority for now, Gupta didn't rule out expanding the brand to India someday.
“InterGlobe has a large focus in travel and hospitality within the domestic market of India,” Gupta said. “Miiro is a separate venture as an externalization strategy with key focus in the gateway cities of Europe for the moment. ... We are committed to growing the Miiro brand and are excited to build on that trajectory in newer markets in the coming years.”
Launching a hotel brand in an environment of high inflation and elevated interest rates is no easy feat. Inflation increases continue to put pressure on food and labor costs, Gupta said.
“The situation has improved considerably since the end of COVID-19, although labor costs have increased due to labor inflation and the increase in the minimum wage in the U.K. and Europe,” she said.
Renovating existing hotels and reopening them under the Miiro Hotels brand should keep costs down, too, she added.
“There has been significant investment in the hotels’ physical condition and facilities to make them very appealing for both guests to stay and employees to service [guests’] needs,” Gupta said.
Launching a new brand might come with risk, but it's how the hotel industry evolves as a business, Gupta said. She added brands such as Miiro have a “strong brand proposition and a formula for success to differentiate themselves from the legacy brands.”
Gupta joined InterGlobe Enterprises in 2008, with an early role being involvement in the conglomerate’s IndiGo airline. She said Miiro’s new senior management team — which was announced in January — has experience from across the hotel industry, including Marriott International, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Standard Hotels, Firmdale Hotels, Westmont Hospitality and others.