Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 3: Tamara, a prominent hospitality group with properties in Kodaikanal, Coorg, and Bengaluru, has made an aggressive foray into the Kerala market with the launch of their 5-star hotel O by Tamara. The hotel is the perfect destination for business and leisure, and boasts the biggest hotel Convention Centre in the state capital, at Aakulam.

Shruti Shibulal, who has grown ‘Tamara’ into a sought-after hospitality group, aspires to hit 1,000 rooms by 2025. She has hammered out a string of plans for Kerala, with upcoming projects in Alappuzha, Guruvayoor, and Kannur, with a total investment of Rs 300 crore.

Announcing her plans to start their 152-room ‘O by Tamara’ here, Shruti Shibulal, CEO and Director, Tamara Leisure Experiences Pvt. Ltd told a press conference that the decision to initiate operations in Kerala was guided by the state’s considerable progress in the tourism and IT sectors.

“Kerala is an evergreen tourist destination and has always attracted visitors from across the globe. We hope to partner with and contribute to the hospitality ecosystem in the state,” said Shruti.

“Responsible Hospitality is the foundation of the Tamara group. My vision is to create a hospitality group that meets the highest standards of corporate governance, workplace ethics, sustainability practices, and guest delight,” she added.

“We have diligently followed the green protocol right from the initial phases of the construction of the project,” said Shruti. The project is GRIHA-certified and the hotel is looking forward to receiving its GRIHA certification shortly. (GRIHA, the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, is a rating tool that helps people assess the performance of their buildings against nationally acceptable benchmarks).

Highlighting the key features of the hotel, including its 10,000 sq ft Convention Centre, the largest in Kerala’s capital, Shruti said space can be used entirely or can be divided into two spaces of 7,000 and 3,000 sq ft. The hall can accommodate up to 1,250 people in theatre-style seating and up to 500 people in round-table seating.

Located on the first floor with a dedicated elevator from the lobby, the 1,809 sq ft Business Centre includes a lounge, a bar, a boardroom, and a 1,400 sq ft conference room that offers customizable seating, accommodating up to 125 people in theatre-style and up to 75 in roundtable-style. The boardroom for formal business meetings, covering an area of 258 sq ft, can seat up to 12 members.

The hotel also offers a sprawling outdoor, poolside lawn of 7,136 sq ft located on the third floor of the hotel, ideal for outdoor functions with a floating crowd of up to 300-350 guests.

There are three categories of rooms: 301 sq ft deluxe and elite rooms and 729 sq ft suite room which includes a separate living room, powder room, and bedroom. The rooms are equipped with 43” HD smart TV, 24-hour high-speed Internet, electronic safe, stocked minibar, walk-in shower, laundry services, and sound-proof windows.

Apart from a 24-hour-room service for house guests, ‘O by Tamara’ has four luxury restaurants: an all-day diner called ‘O Café’ and LBV, the lobby pastry shop, are open. A stunning rooftop bar and grill, ‘Take Off’ as well as a Sports Bar, will be operational shortly.

A spa, equipped with five treatment rooms, steam, sauna, and jacuzzi, and managed by trained therapists and masseuses, a state-of-the-art gym and fitness center and an infinity pool are the other highlights.

In line with the Tamara Hospitality Group’s policy of giving back to society, ‘O by Tamara’ also employs manpower from the local community.

Mr. Sarath Sankar, Head (Sales and Marketing), Tamara was present on the occasion. The media interaction was followed by a walk-through of the property.

Kochi: Around 100 dishes of exquisite gastronomical delight, designed by 20 leading restaurants, will tingle the palate of visitors at the Kochi Design Week (KDW) 2019, being organized by the Department of Information Technology of the Kerala Government in association with Asset Foundation here from December 12 to 14.

The Food Festival has been planned to create awareness about food design and popularise the traditional cuisine of Kerala. These popular dishes will be selected from 20 restaurants in and around Kochi to be showcased during the summit at Bolgatty Island. Visitors can savor their favorite delicacies at a reasonable price on all three days of the event.

Entry to the food festival, being held in association with the online food delivery app Swiggy, is free after 6 pm.

“The design for food has gained traction with the introduction of online food apps in the state,” said Mr. M Sivasankar, IT Secretary, Kerala Government. “When tasty food items are presented with a design, their commercial value increases manifold,” he added.

Mr. Arun Balachandran, Special Officer of Design Week and CM’s IT Fellow, said the design of sadhaya in the banana leaf may be one of the rarest in the food world. “The Food Festival will demonstrate that design aspect can be applied in all sectors, which is in tune with the concept of  ‘design for everything,’” he noted.

There will also be a workshop for food styling to prepare signature dishes and delicacies on December 12.

The delicacies of Kochi will be given priority at the festival along with favorite dishes from other areas of Kerala.

Billed as India’s largest annual international festival of its kind, Kochi Design Week gives creative minds a platform to meet and brainstorm on new facets in design and architecture. The meet, now into its second edition, will witness the assemblage of more than 5,000 design professionals, architects, interior designers, thought leaders, policymakers and government officials besides the general public. Curated by leading experts, KDW 2019 will chiefly hold sessions on design and architecture, exhibitions and installations.

The highlights of this year’s event will be the charting of an exclusive ‘Design Island’ for the hosting of the annual event and setting up of design installations across Kochi’s high-visibility areas, besides laying special tracks for design architecture and interior designs.

For registrations, visit http://kochidesignweek.org