Faculty: Prof.

P K Bansal

CASE
HONEY TRIP.COM
Rahul and his wife Sunakshi recently passed out their MBA program from a leading global management school with flying colours. Rahul had got a handsome offer for placement from a MNC as head, international division, in his last semester of studies and was required to undertake one month training program in USA before taking charge of companys Indian operations. Sunakshi, in his absence, decided to join a travel organisation named, HONEY TRIP.COM. She used to keep herself extremely busy guiding her clients and planning their pleasure trips. She was very creative, calm and quite type of person and found her job quite challenging and satisfying using all her abilities to the fullest. During her planning of various destinations for her guests, she was greatly fascinated by the enchanting beauty of the state of Karela, besides having lot of Ayurveda rejuvenation therapy, Health and Reflexology Massage Centres, Ethnic Mappila culture, and Backwater Tours. She thought of giving a surprise to Rahul, on return, by planning a fabulous holiday at a resort in Kerala. She thought Rahul will also appreciate the idea since he had to move out for training, immediately after their marriage. She made an extensive search of all the information at her command and narrowed down on the following three resorts: Vythri Resort (http://www.vythiriresort.com ) Kadavu Resort & Ayurveda Centre (http://www.kadavuresorts.com) Poovar Island Resort (http://www.poovarislandresorts.com)

VYTHRI RESORT An exquisite eco friendly jungle getaway in the heart of Wyanad in north western Kerala. Wrapped in the lush embrace of a tropical rainforest, you will dwell in perfect harmony with nature, pristine and waiting to be explored. Allow yourself to be seduced by the orchestration of delicate, subtle sounds accompanying nature's theatre. Quietly elegant and exclusive, the Vythri Resort is a state of mind with breathtaking vistas. The distinctive environs of Wyanad offer a host of options that make the area ideal for trekking, to visit a village of indigenous tribes who still follow an ancient way of life, to go on plantation tours nearby, take part in Yoga and meditation sessions or visit the many other attractions in Wynad.

Spread across either bank of a sprightly mountain stream that runs through the 150 acre property, the Vythiri Resort is a delightful jungle hideaway and a naturalist's treasure trove. Wrapped in the cool embrace of a rainforest, stone lined pathways, canopied by majestic trees, lead to brick colored cottages built in the style native to the region. Built of brick with wooden rafters on the roof, furnished in cane, wood and fabrics of discreet elegance, the cottages are equipped with all modern amenities. The accommodations are designed so as to provide residents an immediate experience of the surrounding sights and sounds. Available in configurations ranging from heady tree houses, to cottages on stilts overlooking the stream and further downstream, cottages with Jacuzzis, private pools and a suite, everywhere, the muted hiss of the stream is a continuous serenade. A rope bridge across the stream, leads to the restaurant overlooking the swimming pool at one end and a sweeping view of the forest all around. Days begin with the rousing melody of a Malabar Whistling Thrush. The forest comes alive with an orchestration of sounds and bands of foraging monkeys. The day ahead is ripe with possibilities. Guests may chose to relax in their cottages, go for walks in the forest in the company of the resident naturalist, swim in the freshwater pool , opt for treatments at the Ayurvedic spa, play indoor games or take part in the many outdoor activities that the resort has included in its itineraries.

KADAVU RESORT AND AURVEDA CENTRE A unique blend of Mappila and Hindu culture aesthetically designed and decorated, this luxurious Resort cum business hotel is located in a sprawling nine acre plot along the side of the backwaters, a charming location with groves of swaying, graceful coconut palms facing the dancing ripples on the water. Its unique and languorous backdrop makes it an ideal gateway, a tranquil spot away from it all. Oottupura, a restaurant serves delicious food, great value for money, a fantastic atmosphere, and the friendly service. Kadavu Resort has an a la carte menu believing that everyone should enjoy good Malabar cuisine made from the best ingredients and prepared with care and imagination. The hotel has 17 independent cottages and 103 elegantly styled rooms or suites. The rooms are centrally air-conditioned with views that offer a breathtaking blend of the crystal clear backwaters surrounded by coconut plantations. Moreover the lucid movements of the 'vallams' (Kerala snake boats) or fishermen in their 'vanchis' (local fishing canoes) on the backwaters provide a panoramic view. Apart from all these, the hotel also provides an Ayurveda rejuvenation center offering traditional Ayurveda therapies, amphitheatre with a daily cultural program me, a coffee shop and a multi-cuisine restaurant serving Malabar delicacies. It also has one of the largest amoeba shaped swimming pools in south India with a Jacuzzi and a separate children's pool, a children's park and play area and a tennis court. For meeting and banquet functions, the hotel also has facilities like 'Chaliar'-the Conference Hall,

'Thekkini'-the board room and 'panther'-the banquet space and pool side lawns which can seat 20 to 1,200 people. Unlike most traditional hotel structures which followed match box design, wherein most service outlets and rooms are within a 30-40 meter radius of the elevator or production area, Kadavu resorts adopted a spread-out layout, wherein there was a series of cottages along with a combination of rooms on the main block. The coffee shop was built away from the main building as were the convention hall and the conference rooms. This design provided its own problems in terms of providing quality service within acceptable time limits. The service staff had to walk several minutes from the main kitchen, up a flight of stairs and negotiate small hillocks to provide room service orders to guests on the cottages. To prevent the inevitable customer complaints that would arise due to the delays that may arise from such a long process, Banerjee made efforts to discourage guests from ordering from their rooms and instead coax them to visit the restaurants and coffee shops. The room service menus were deliberately made limited so that guests who prefer more dining choices would come down to the restaurants. The lavish buffet spreads as well as the complimentary evening tea were provided to tempt the resident guests to visit restaurants. The tea/coffee makers and mini-bars were provided in the rooms so that the most frequent beverage orders could be avoided and the accompanying pressure on the service system could be relieved. The kitchenettes were provided even in the cottages. One of the peculiar challenges in a resort hotel is to keep the guest occupied and busy as most of them spend their time within the premises of the hotel, as opposed to city hotels where guests leave in the morning for business or leisure travel and come back to the hotel by evening. This requires the hotel to dream up activities to keep the guests happy as a bored guest is one who would be an unhappy one and one who would probably decide not to visit the hotel again. Hence in an attempt to create a memorable stay, the hotel organizes various games and activities such as boat riding in the day and cultural activities in the evenings such as classical dance and martial arts shows. Moreover, they provide facilities like a park for kids as well as plans for acquiring videoarcade games. A home theatre and a disco on demand provides entertainment. A library is also proposed to be built in order to relieve boredom. The menu management was seriously looked into in order to provide the authentic cuisine. An interactive kitchen where guests also could try their hand in cooking their own food was also planned. POOVAR ISLAND RESORT Located on the South-Western tip of India, famed for its awe-inspiring and unique natural beauty Kerala or fondly referred to as Gods Own Country has equable climate, tranquil beaches, stretches of soothing backwaters; lush hill stations and exotic wildlife are the major attractions of this beautiful land. Poovar Island Resort with its breathtaking and unsurpassed beauty is conveniently situated just minutes from Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital of Kerala, yet

far enough to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, hidden amidst swaying coconut palms, endless golden sands and lush vegetation. Poovar Island Resort offers a truly enchanting experience, allowing one to enjoy the vibrant colours and landscapes of Mother Nature around the resort, whilst relaxing or enjoying some therapeutic Ayurvedic treatments. The resort makes you forget the routine work, stress, tension, deadlines, rush hour traffic and all that daily chores that makes life hectic. One only feels peace and tranquility, allowing to reinvent the finest moments of life, giving a truly out of this world experience. Enveloped in serene Kerala backwaters, flanked by the Arabian Sea on the East and the majestic towering Ghats to the West, opening out to the ocean and a dream golden beach, Poovar Island Resort is a tropical paradise. Swaying coconut palms, endless golden sands, the ultramarine of the ocean, emerald backwaters, crimson sunsets and lush green vegetation create a magical ambience around you. It is the ideal remote getaway location for a quiet holiday in spectacular natural surroundings. One can choose between floating cottages and land cottages for accommodation and enjoy a boat cruise along the palm-fringed shores of bewitching backwaters.

CONCLUSION:
After making the detailed study of the above three resorts, Sunakshi could not decide upon the one which may offer the best value for money and at the same time could offer the best memorable vacation. Could you help Sunakshi to narrow down the best choice after going through the web sites of these resorts as mentioned above? You are required to make a PPT presentation as per the Case Questions Sheet given to you. You are required to analyse using all inputs and concepts taught to you in the class relevant to the above case. The groups, who are able to make extensive use of the theoretical frameworks taught in the class, will be rated higher.

Case written by: Prof. P K Bansal