As Hyderabad cements its position as one of India’s most dynamic business hubs, the hospitality landscape around the Financial District is evolving just as rapidly. At the center of this growth story stands Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel, led by General Manager Subhankar Bose, whose career spans over two decades across leading brands such as Taj, Accor and Marriott. Having worked across diverse geographies within India, Bose brings a sharp understanding of regional markets, operational resilience and people-centric leadership. Under his able leadership, Sheraton Hyderabad is not only capitalising on the city’s corporate and long-stay demand but also strategically expanding its local engagement, MICE capabilities and service culture. In an exclusive conversation with Asmita Mukherjee, Bose reflects on Hyderabad’s growth momentum, the hotel’s performance metrics and his long-term vision to position the property ahead of market growth.
You have extensive experience across India, from Taj to Accor and now Marriott. Could you take us through your journey?
I started my career with Taj and Hyatt and spent about 12 years there. After that, I moved to Accor for about 3 years, and I’ve now been with Marriott for almost 10 years. My journey started in the East, where I belong, and then moved to Mumbai in the West, then to Delhi, and eventually to the South. The last 10 years have largely been in the South, across Bangalore, Kochi and now Hyderabad. Each move shaped me differently.
How has this journey shaped your leadership style?
It has been amazing. Even today, I feel there is so much more to learn every single day. Working across diverse cities and cultures within India itself has been incredibly enriching. I’ve always been fascinated by local cultures. Wherever I’ve worked, I’ve made a conscious effort to absorb the local flavour and understand the people. Hospitality is ultimately about people. It’s about local teams, colleagues from different regions and guests from different backgrounds. Each person brings unique strengths and personalities. Over the years, I’ve often stepped into situations that needed stabilising. Sometimes systems were haywire or teams needed direction. My experience has helped me quickly bring people together, settle things down and start moving forward with clarity.
When I came to Hyderabad post-Covid, the industry was in recovery mode. Business was returning rapidly, but internally there were gaps. Leadership roles were vacant, processes needed rebuilding and teams had to be strengthened again. 2023 was about ramping up business, but 2024 onwards has been about rebuilding the foundation. We focused on getting the right people in place and ensuring guests could see tangible improvements when they returned. In cities like Hyderabad, repeat clientele is significant, so they notice changes. That accountability keeps us sharp.
My leadership continues to evolve. Today, I focus more on observation and identifying opportunities. It’s about asking where we can improve, where we can go to the next level and how we can bring everyone together to achieve that.
How do you see Hyderabad as a market in the next five years?
Hyderabad is one of the strongest growth stories in the country right now. It’s constantly in the news for new GCC openings. The scale of office space development is staggering. What sets Hyderabad apart is that it was built with the future in mind. The road infrastructure was already in place, allowing development to proceed seamlessly.
Residential projects are coming up rapidly and office spaces are being absorbed as new companies move in. Hi-Tech City and the Financial District still have room to grow, unlike other cities where central areas are saturated. The Outer Ring Road and the upcoming Regional Ring Road are major growth drivers. The Shamsabad area and the announced Aerocity around the airport area will further accelerate expansion. Pharmaceuticals are also growing rapidly here.
Over the next 5 to 7 years, I see robust growth. Even in the next decade, saturation seems unlikely. Hotels are being announced in large numbers around the Financial District. That itself signals confidence in sustained demand. Compared to cities like Mumbai, which are expanding outward due to saturation, Hyderabad still has ample room to grow within its core.
With so many luxury hotels in the city, what is your hotel’s USP?
Our USP lies in the human element. Service is our differentiator. While we have excellent facilities, the hotel is evolving into a multi-dimensional space. Hyderabad’s growth is project-driven, which means long-stay demand is significant. We responded by expanding our inventory to include more serviced apartments. From 272 rooms, we are now at 284 rooms plus 42 additional serviced apartments, bringing us to a total of 326 keys including apartments.
These apartments cater to expats, NRIs and business leaders relocating for GCCs. Guests staying for three to six months or longer prefer a spacious, integrated living experience rather than a traditional hotel room. Our serviced apartments are integrated with hotel facilities and loyalty benefits, which is unique in the city. We also offer pet-friendly options.
At the same time, we are planning phased renovations of rooms and public areas to stay future-ready. Our all-day dining and speciality restaurant continue to perform strongly, with high occupancy rates. We are refreshing our outlets to keep them relevant and vibrant.
Ultimately, our focus is personalisation. Marriott is known for warm, intuitive service. We don’t want guests to feel formality or stiffness. We want them to feel at home. Customisation and personal connection are central to our service culture.
Has your target audience evolved beyond corporate travel?
Absolutely. Last year we consciously shifted from being predominantly corporate-focused. That approach limits visibility within the city. We expanded our outreach to residents and social patrons. Aggregator marketing and social media engagement have grown significantly for our F&B outlets.
Restaurant revenues grew 15 to 20% collectively. We introduced more localised elements in our offerings, such as regional cuisine additions to our brunches. The response was immediate. Local engagement creates word-of-mouth momentum, which corporate travel alone cannot deliver. Our focus now is strongly balanced between corporate and local audiences.
Could you share insights on ADR, RevPAR and occupancy?
Last year, RevPAR grew by around 13 to 14%. This year, we are targeting growth closer to 25 to 30%. Occupancy, which was previously around 74 to 78%, is expected to move upward to 85% and beyond. Our ADR grew by about 15 to 16% last year, which is a strong indicator of demand. With limited new supply in the next 3 years, we expect growth to continue. ADR continues to rise due to market demand and limited supply. We are confident about strong growth trajectories.
What is your average length of stay?
Currently, our average length of stay is about 2 to 2.2 nights. However, with the expanded apartment inventory, we expect this to increase. Many business travellers stay 3 to 4 nights during the week. We also maintain a strong base of long-stay guests and have secured international airline crew business as well.
What ancillary revenues are you focusing on?
Transportation is a major revenue opportunity for us, as most guests are here for work. Laundry and wellness services are also strong contributors. We focus heavily on up-selling, not just rooms but also in F&B. Even our premium water sales have grown, as guests are more conscious about quality. Cocktails and curated beverage programs are another growth area for us. Marriott on Wheels, our outdoor catering and delivery initiative, is also expanding steadily.
Tell us about the relaunch of Jade Ballroom and your MICE strategy.
Jade was already part of the hotel, but we renovated it with a fresh design that blends Hyderabad’s heritage with contemporary aesthetics. We are relaunching it with multiple segment-focused events, including weddings and corporate showcases. Weekends, which can be softer in corporate-driven markets, are being activated through social programming, staycations and apartment-led celebrations.
What percentage of revenue comes from F&B?
Our revenue mix is approximately 70% rooms and 30% F&B. Beyond in-house dining, we cater to large-scale outdoor events, including major corporate gatherings serving thousands. That significantly strengthens our F&B contribution.
What is your 5-year vision for the hotel?
Our vision is to outperform the market. If the market grows at 15%, we aim for 20 to 25%. If it grows at 25%, we aim higher. This is a golden period for hospitality in India. We want to create something impactful during this phase, not just ride the growth wave but lead it. Staying relevant, evolving our service culture and continuously upgrading facilities are key pillars.
The industry continues to face a talent crunch. How are you addressing it?
Talent is indeed the biggest challenge. It’s not just about headcount but quality and training. We actively engage with hotel management institutes and focus heavily on onboarding and development. Marriott’s philosophy is clear. Take care of associates and they will take care of guests. As we approach 100 years as a brand, we are reinforcing that culture.
Marriott’s tech accelerator and integrated systems will also make operations smoother for the next generation workforce. Young professionals expect speed and efficiency. We must adapt to their working style while maintaining service excellence.
How is Sheraton Hyderabad integrating sustainability into its operations in a measurable and meaningful way?
Sustainability is deeply integrated into our operations. It’s part of every balanced scorecard. All our cars are electric. Our generators and kitchens run on PNG. We have in-house water bottling plants. We upgraded chillers to more energy-efficient systems and saved 10 to 15% energy year on year. Sustainability metrics are tracked through actual consumption data, so they are measurable and accountable.
Ultimately, hotel buildings are similar across brands. Experience is the differentiator. And that experience comes from people. Our focus remains on evolving service culture, empowering associates and creating meaningful guest experiences that leave a lasting impact.
