Claridges to demolish, build new Sea Rock

MUMBAI: Mumbai’s Sea Rock Hotel, which survived the bomb blasts of 1993, will soon be razed to the ground before it is rebuilt. Delhi-based Suresh Nanda and son Sanjeev Nanda, the new owners, have finally managed to get the necessary approvals.

Peter Leitgeb, the newly appointed president and CEO of The Claridges Hotels & Resorts (Sea Rock’s holding company), said the demolition is expected to start by this calendar year-end.

“Our development officials are already in Mumbai to chalk out the plan of action. We intend to soft-launch the new property with features that Mumbai has never seen before, by mid-2010,” Leitgeb told DNA Money.

The Claridges management has already earmarked $220 million for the hotel component alone. A final figure for the overall redevelopment of the hotel will be disclosed shortly, Leitgeb said.

The new features — in addition to the around 350-room five-star deluxe hotel - may include a state-of-the-art meetings and conferencing area, exotic food and beverage concepts, health and wellness facilities and others.

In fact, the promoters also intend to give the sea-front area a “beach resort look” with a whole lot of adventure/water sports activities.  The other components of the property will be in the form of 90 serviced residences and a shopping mall housing the who’s who in retail brands.

On the possibilities of launching the new hotel under the Mandarin Oriental brand, Leitgeb said the promoters are in talks with the Mandarin Group for over two-and-a-half years.

“What we have now is a long-term letter of intent (LoI) for an operating and management agreement with the international hotel chain.

The finer points of the agreement are being worked out and we should have the final document in place soon. So yes, most likely, this hotel will mark the re-entry of the Mandarin brand in the country’s most exciting hospitality market,” said Leitgeb.

In contrast to market reports about Claridges New Delhi also getting branded as a Mandarin Hotel, Leitgeb said the LoI exclusively for the Mumbai property.

Claridges New Delhi will continue to remain as the group’s flagship property.

In fact, the management is keen to grow the Claridges brand as a collection of premium luxury hotels in India and the neighbouring countries at a later stage.

The promoters are also in talks to sign up premium international spa companies like Banyan Tree, Six Senses and others to manage the spa facilities across their premium luxury hotels.

The 137-room Claridges Hotel in New Delhi is currently in the final stages of its first phase of renovation.

The Nandas have already pumped in Rs 40 crore with plans to invest another Rs 40 crore each for phase two and three respectively. The entire project will be completed by 2009-10. “It will be an ultimate luxury boutique hotel once the renovations have been completed,” said Leitgeb.

Meanwhile, the palace resort at Mussoorie — Nabha Palace —has been branded as a Claridges property.