Worldmark Aerocity Re-Opens its Doors to Renewed Contactless Dining Experience Driven by Innovation

Contactless dining: 

* ‘The Walk’ opens its doors to fine dining with strict protocols for safety and introduction of contactless dining through QR code menus

* Innovation for safety: Keeping in tandem with the times, the requirements for sanitisation and hygiene has led them to develop innovative solutions to ensure a safe environment for all visitors

* Crowd management: The need for crowd management for their commercial spaces led them to venture into practices ahead of time to meet social distancing norms

As Delhi-NCR slowly unlocks itself in phases, Bharti Realty’s Worldmark  Aerocity is leading the commercial sector in innovative dinning-in experience by setting forth examples through its avant-garde solutions to COVID-19 challenges. They are leading the way in hygienic practices of retail food establishments to provide a contemporary, safe and hygienic environment to all diners.

Worldmark Aerocity’s ‘The Walk’, home to some of the top gourmet restaurants, cafes, and bars in Delhi-NCR, is following a strict repository of measures to ensure a comfortable and convenient dining experience for its customer. This is being done while maintaining its upscale dining standards of providing world class food through contactless dining. 

One of the crucial steps of contactless dining being followed by the restaurants is doing away with paper menus. They are instead offering QR codes that diners can scan using their smartphones at their respective tables and view the menu. They are also offering contactless digital payment options for both dining and takeaways. The restaurants are focusing on efficient crowd management through measures like reduced dining capacity, rearrangement of tables and pre-bookings. 

Tackling the challenges of COVID-19 with innovation, ‘The Walk’ has installed contactless kiosks at its entry points that will offer no-touch temperature screening and sanitizer dispersion. To ensure social distancing norms, escalators have been marked in three-step gaps. 

These innovations to the fine-dining experience are being maintained at both standalone restaurants and the food court of the curated food hub. These guidelines are part of a comprehensive SOP by ‘Bharti Care’, the facility management function of Bharti Realty, issued to all functioning establishments to operate responsibly. 

The video link for Worldmark Aerocity demonstrates the preparedness:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDQVi3XgI4t/?igshid=88ydtapub85f

Radisson Hotel Group South Asia Enters into Strategic Tie-Up with EazyDiner in Indian Market

Radisson Hotel Group South Asia today announced its partnership with EazyDiner – India’s leading table reservation and food discovery platform. The partnership is a significant step to strengthen the Group’s Food and Beverage (F&B) capabilities in the region. The collaboration will serve all 94 operating hotels of the Group’s portfolio in India and will include table booking and home delivery services.

“We are excited to roll out our association with EazyDiner to usher in a new era of restaurant dining and safe food deliveries with participation across our network. This partnership is a very timely step for us as we innovate our business model to reach more guests. Food and beverage constitutes a critical lever of our strategy and is central to our business recovery and brand building efforts in these critical times,” said Zubin Saxena, Managing Director and Vice President Operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group.

Radisson Hotel Group South Asia has devised 20 signature dishes for home delivery. Curated by Chef Rakesh Sethi, a known culinary expert in the Indian F&B industry and presently corporate executive chef for Radisson Hotel Group South Asia, these include items like Paan Kulfi with Gulkand Cake and Supari Cigar, Angaar E Jamun (Chocolate stuffed Gulab Jamun flambeed) and Trio Symphony (Gajar Halwa/Gulab Jamun Terrine/ Kalakand Tart/Kesar Phirni) amongst many others. Guests will be able to order these dishes online along with their favorite cuisines across Radisson Hotel group South Asia’s specialty restaurants through EazyDiner’s EazySafe+ platform that ensures safe takeaways and minimal-contact deliveries.

“Partnering with Radisson Hotel Group, South Asia, is a great value addition for us, and we are delighted to bring their signature dishes to our customers. The Group offers some of the nicest all-day dining restaurants in the country run by top chefs and renowned names like Chef Rakesh Sethi. The EazySafe+ hygiene rating by EazyDiner features these restaurants at the top of the list and we are certain that this collaboration will be mutually rewarding,” said Kapil Chopra, Chairman of the Board, EazyDiner.

Radisson Hotel Group has rolled out Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol, a new program of in-depth cleanliness and disinfection procedures, in partnership with SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. Additionally, exhaustive food safety and hygiene manual and food and beverage protocol guidelines have been laid out for all hotels to ensure safe and secure F&B experience.

This collaboration will provide food lovers an opportunity to discover and book tables at Radisson Hotel Group’s restaurants when they become available for in-person dining while home deliveries can be booked immediately with a simple three-step ordering process and hassle-free online payment.

To order home delivery services across Radisson Hotel Group’s restaurants across India, download the EazyDiner app on your phone and enjoy great offers.

ABOUT RADISSON HOTEL GROUP

Radisson Hotel Group is one of the world's largest hotel groups with seven distinctive hotel brands, and more than 1,400 hotels in operation and under development in 120 countries. Its signature service philosophy is Every Moment Matters.

Radisson Hotel Group portfolio includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.

Radisson Rewards is our global rewards program that delivers unique and personalized ways to create memorable moments that matter to our guests. Radisson Rewards offers exceptional loyalty benefits for our guests, meeting planners, travel agents and business partners.

Radisson Meetings places its guests and their needs at the heart of its offer and treats every meeting or event as more than just a date on the calendar. Radisson Meetings is built around three strong service commitments: Personal, Professional and Memorable, while delivering on the brilliant basics and our signature Yes I Can! service spirit and being uniquely 100% Carbon Neutral.

More than 100,000 team members work at Radisson Hotel Group and at the hotels licensed to operate in its systems.

ABOUT EAZYDINER

Founded in 2015 by a team of experienced hoteliers Rohit Dasgupta, Sachin Pabreja, Ahana Bhutani, Shruti Kaul, Kapil Chopra and Vir Sanghvi, EazyDiner is India’s first online instant restaurant reservation platform.

EazyDiner helps a user find great restaurants and bars, get a guaranteed reservation within 18 seconds and every reservation comes with a deal which enhances the dining experience, whether it is a substantial discount or a glass of wine for every diner. EazyDiner also provides safe & hygienic takeaway & delivery options for its users at restaurants ensuring the safety of its users through the EazySafe+ program.

Diners also have access to and can talk to experienced 24-hour food concierge for personalised recommendations. The EazyDiner Loyalty Program awards points which can be further redeemed for dining vouchers. EazyDiner currently lists over 1.5 lakh restaurants and bars with menus and offers real-time reservations at over 10,000 partner restaurants in 225 cities in India & Dubai. 

Taj, Trident reopen after restored to old glory

The Taj Hotel and the Trident hotel, the targets of November 26 terror attacks, reopened on Sunday after three weeks of refurbishment.

First guests checked in at around 7 pm at the Taj Mahal hotel and its celebrated restaurants and diners thronging the five joints which have been restored to their old glory.

Each of the restaurants received full bookings for the evening, hotel officials said.

The hotel's tower wing reopened 24 days after the terrorists attack on Mumbai and the Taj being the last to be rescued from the three terrorists holed up inside for over two-and-a-half-days.

Making a brief statement to reporters outside the hotel before the reopening, Ratan Tata, chairman of the Indian Hotel Company which owns the Taj hotel chain said, "To us it was a challenge to have the hotel reopened in some form within one month from the attack. We dedicate the restored hotel to those who lost their lives in the event that took place."

When asked about the enhanced security measures taken to ensure such events do not recur, he said, "We have our plans for security. But we cannot share it."

He said, "I hate to look back. All of us have learnt lessons."

A press statement issued by the company said it has unveiled a memorial in salutation to all of those who lost their lives in the hotel during the terrorist attacks.

The names of the 31 people who died in the attack will be inscribed at its base, the note said.

Raymond Bickson, Managing Director and CEO, Taj Hotels, Resort and Palaces said among those who died were the hotel's guests, staff members and police and security forces.

"We felt that it was fitting and proper for there to be a symbol of permanent remembrance for all of those who fell within the building," he said.

The press note quoting Ratan Tata said, "There is still much work to do, but we are all determined to rebuild the Taj brick by brick until it outshines even its former glories."

"The artwork would now be placed at the lobby of the hotel as a memorial and the names of the 31 persons who lost their lives in the hotel would be engraved on it," a senior official of the hotel said.

The Trident, which started its operations in morning after a multi-religion prayer meeting in the reception area, which was also attended by the Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, started seeing guests some of whom came to show that they would not be cowed down with such acts.

"We should be bold enough to deter and stop them (terrorists). Instead of getting scared, we should scare them with our resolve to fight back," Devendra Ksheer Sagar, one of the first customers, who visited the Trident said.

As the guests started trickling into the glistening lobby of the hotel, dolled up with flowers, they were greeted by the staff with traditional folded hands and a yellow flower. It seemed like a usual day but the staff took care that guests should be given much needed pampering to put the memories under the carpet.

"Some guests did ask questions about where was I when it (siege) started? Some were emotional while some were happy that we are back. In some cases we answered but in most we politely changed the discussion," one Trident staff preferring anonymity said.

The enhanced security apparatus put in place by the Trident was evident as bunkers were erected outside the main entrance of the hotel. In addition to this baggage scanners were also a new sight at the entrance. The security guards, with polite smile, thoroughly checked the guests and ascertained the identity before allowing them inside the hotel.

Source: Times of India

Terrorists attacked Taj Mahal likely to be fully functional by end 2009

Indian Hotels on Sunday said it expects to partially open Taj Mahal Palace in February and the entire hotel by end of 2009.

"The north block of the Heritage wing of the hotel is expected to be ready by February 2009 while the south block will be ready by end of next year," Indian Hotels Vice Chairman R K Krishna Kumar said.

On November 26, terrorists attacked Taj hotel and occupied the fifth and sixth floor of the Heritage wing.

The south side of the hotel came under heavy fire. "The fifth and sixth floor have been damaged by the attack. The Wasabi and Harbour Bar have been completely gutted," he said.

The company is in talks with four interior decorators out of which one would be selected for renovation of the hotel.

"This gives us an opportunity to work on it and redefine the Presidential suite. There would be new facilities and new designs and would bring something new to the world," Kumar said.

"The tower wing which opened for guests today has been cleansed of evil among other things. All the rooms and the kitchen have been fully cleaned and sanitised by an international agency," he said.

Religious rites of various faiths have been performed inside the hotel, he said.

The Taj hotel has an insurance cover of Rs 1,000 crore and the first instalment has been received without the company claiming for it.

"Our hotel is widely covered. The renovation would be below the limit of the insurance cover. Even before a formal claim was made, we received the first instalment cheque," Kumar said.

All Taj employees have undergone counselling sessions post the attack. In addition to this, the employees have also been trained to be on alert, he said.

The artwork in the hotel would be restored. "Curators have looked at the artworks. About 90 per cent of the artwork is untouched and the remaining have been damaged due to bullet marks but are not beyond redemption," Kumar said.

One piece of art with a bronze framework, 'Tree of Life' which is about seven feet high and had been placed on the sixth floor has not suffered any damage.

"The artwork would now be placed at the lobby of the hotel as a memorial and the names of the 31 persons who lost their lives in the hotel would be engraved on it," Kumar said.

With regard to security in the hotel, Kumar said the company would ensure that it has better security measures than airports in the country which had turned into fortresses.

"We would not be 100 per cent secure but we would be technologically smarter and better trained," he said.

Metal detectors have been installed and baggages will be thoroughly checked. "At the instance of (Tata Sons Chairman) Ratan Tata, we had approached the most premium agency in combating terrorism for advice regarding security measures," Kumar said, refusing to divulge the name of the agency.

"Taj has been legendary for its rooms and restaurants since 105 years now there will be a third dimension to it- security," he said.

Kumar further said that in September a general alert had been issued to all hotels in the city following which certain security measures had been taken, but there was no specific time period given about the attack.

Metal detectors were installed following the alert with baggage checks and frisking of guests at the entrance of the hotel.

"After two months, we reduced the security due to complaints of inconvenience from the guests," Kumar said.

When asked if the hotel would prohibit entry of guests from any other country, Kumar said, it cannot operate in isolation but in compliance with what the government decides.

Source: Agencies