Oberoi Hotels & Resorts has long been known as
Last week, Travel Agent spoke with Vikram Oberoi, joint
managing director of the Oberoi Group and son of P.R.S. Oberoi, the group's
chairman, as he offered up details on the group's new luxury riverboat set to
begin plying the
"That's the big news," says Oberoi, of the 25-suite Oberoi Zahra, whose eight-day maiden voyage will launch Oct. 2. Voyages will include overnight stays and stops in ports with Oberoi-owned docks (no dealing with crowds and unruly tour operations). Each luxury suite is just over 320 square feet, with two Grand Suites measuring 538 square feet.
For those who truly want pampering, there are four massage
suites, each with a steam and shower room. Other onboard facilities include a
theater, library, cigar lounge, swimming pool, gym and restaurant with a
daily-rotating menu. "Zahra is
all about luxury travelers looking for a more relaxed experience," Oberoi
says. The group already operates one other boat on the Nile, the Oberoi Philae, and one in
Rail and Hotel Plans
From the river to the rails, Oberoi is still a couple years
out, but apprised us of a high-end train that will chug through
Meanwhile, Oberoi is still focused on its bread and
butter—hotels. The market for luxury hotels in
"Twenty years ago there were not any great hotels in
This includes targeting luxury travelers who are more
informed and well schooled on
The group's philosophy has always been to be the best, not the biggest says Oberoi, channeling the words of both his father and grandfather, Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi, who founded the company over a half a century ago. Toward that, most of Oberoi's properties, outside of cosmopolitan areas, contain only between 70 and 100 rooms—urban hotels tend to be a bit larger.
As for Oberoi's theory on luxury, he says it's not about the bricks and mortar, but the people who work within. "They create the experiences and memories for guests," he says. To ensure they do, Oberoi operates its own hotel school where it educates staff and general managers of the future in a two-year program. —David Eisen