IHG Hotels & Resorts to bring voco to Karjat, strengthening its premium portfolio in Maharashtra
(IN SHORT) IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Discover Resorts Neral Pvt. Ltd. to convert an existing property into voco Karjat in Maharashtra by early 2028, adding more than 200 rooms to IHG’s India portfolio and bringing its fastest-growing premium brand to an emerging leisure and MICE destination. Located in the foothills of the Sahyadri mountain range, around 62 km from Mumbai and 102 km from Pune, Karjat is gaining appeal for weekend travel, destination weddings, social celebrations and corporate retreats. The hotel will feature three dining venues, including a 200-seat all-day dining restaurant, a 50-seat pool bar and a 150-seat rooftop venue, along with a fitness centre, spa, parking, pet-friendly amenities, kids’ zone and salon. The signing supports IHG’s strategy to expand its premium portfolio through new-build and conversion opportunities, while reinforcing voco’s global growth, with the brand reaching 100 open hotels within seven years of launch and IHG operating 53 hotels across seven brands in India with a pipeline of 110 hotels due to open in the next three to five years.
(PRESS RELEASE) INDIA, 2026-Aug-24 — /Travel PR News/ — IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Discover Resorts Neral Pvt. Ltd. to bring its premium voco brand to Karjat, an emerging leisure and MICE destination in Maharashtra.
The property, which will be converted to the voco brand by early 2028, will add more than 200 rooms to IHG’s portfolio in India.
The signing marks IHG’s entry into Karjat, a destination gaining traction among travellers seeking premium weekend escapes, weddings, social events and corporate retreats.
Karjat is located in the foothills of the Sahyadri mountain range and benefits from strong accessibility to two of Maharashtra’s major urban centres.
The destination is approximately 62 km from Mumbai and 102 km from Pune, making it well positioned for leisure travel, destination weddings, celebrations and MICE demand.
IHG said Karjat’s scenic setting, proximity to key source markets and growing demand for experience-led travel make it an attractive location for branded hospitality.
The voco brand combines the character and informality of an individual hotel with the quality, consistency and reassurance of a global hospitality brand.
For hotel owners, voco provides flexibility to retain a distinctive property experience while gaining access to IHG’s global distribution network, loyalty platform and commercial capabilities.
voco Karjat will offer three dining venues.
These will include a 200-seat all-day dining restaurant, a 50-seat pool bar and a 150-seat rooftop venue.
The hotel will also feature a fitness centre and spa, parking facilities, pet-friendly amenities, a kids’ zone and a salon.
Together, these facilities are intended to create a broad leisure and events offering for families, groups, wedding guests and MICE travellers.
Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said Karjat is developing into an exciting leisure market in Maharashtra.
He said the destination’s proximity to Mumbai and Pune creates a strong opportunity to serve growing demand for weekend travel, weddings, celebrations and MICE.
Jain said IHG’s approach is to bring the right brands to the right markets, while working closely with owners to develop new hotels or unlock the potential of existing assets.
He added that voco is well suited to Karjat, where travellers are looking for a premium experience that feels distinctive, relaxed and connected to the character of the destination.
Jain said IHG is pleased to partner with Discover Resorts Neral Pvt. Ltd. on the conversion and looks forward to bringing voco’s hospitality to Karjat.
Naqisa Chaudhary, CEO of Discover Resorts Neral Pvt. Ltd., said Karjat has strong potential as a premium leisure and events destination.
She said the partnership with IHG and the introduction of voco will combine the character of the existing property with the strength of a globally recognised brand.
Chaudhary added that the project will create a differentiated hospitality proposition for travellers, weddings and MICE customers.
The signing supports IHG’s strategy to expand its premium portfolio through both new-build projects and conversion opportunities.
The company said this approach allows it to bring globally recognised brands into high-potential markets while helping owners benefit from IHG’s enterprise platform, commercial expertise, distribution network and loyalty ecosystem.
The voco brand has grown rapidly since launch, reaching 100 open hotels globally within seven years.
IHG currently operates 53 hotels across seven brands in India.
These include Six Senses, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts®, Vignette Collection, Crowne Plaza®, voco™ Hotels, Holiday Inn Resort® and Holiday Inn Express®.
The company also has a pipeline of 110 hotels expected to open in India over the next three to five years.
For further information please contact:
Ankita Chopra
Director, Corporate Affairs, IMEA
IHG Hotels & Resorts
ankita.chopra@ihg.com
+971 4 213 6502
Reem Youssef
Manager, Corporate Affairs, IMEA
IHG Hotels & Resorts
reem.youssef2@ihg.com
+971 4 213 6079
About IHG®
IHG Hotels & Resorts (tickers: LON:IHG for Ordinary Shares; NYSE:IHG for ADRs) is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.
With a family of 21 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes with over 160 million members, IHG has more than one million rooms across 7,000 hotels in over 100 countries, and a development pipeline of a further 2,400 properties.
- Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental, Vignette Collection, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo
- Premium: Noted Collection, voco, Ruby, HUALUXE, Crowne Plaza, EVEN
- Essentials: Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Garner, avid
- Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites
- Exclusive Partners: Iberostar Beachfront Resorts
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 400,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.
Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG One Rewards. To download the IHG One Rewards app, visit the Apple App or Google Play stores.
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SOURCE: InterContinental Hotels Group
