The Hotel Adviser
Hospitality Insights

Hospitality Insights

Practical, operator-led perspectives on hotel operations, revenue management, brand & ownership — written by Rachit Goel from 25+ years on the ground.

Showing 28 posts

How to Start a Hotel Business in India: A 2026 Owner's GuideFeasibility
15 April 2026·4 min read

How to Start a Hotel Business in India: A 2026 Owner's Guide

Starting a hotel in India is one of the most rewarding — and unforgiving — businesses you can enter. Here's the owner's roadmap for 2026, from feasibility to opening day.

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What Is RevPAR? RevPAR vs ADR Explained (with Examples)Revenue Management
8 April 2026·4 min read

What Is RevPAR? RevPAR vs ADR Explained (with Examples)

RevPAR is the single most important number in hotel revenue management — and the one owners most often misunderstand. Here's what RevPAR is, how it differs from ADR, and how to use it in 2026.

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How to Increase Hotel Occupancy Rate in 2026: A Practical PlaybookRevenue Management
1 April 2026·4 min read

How to Increase Hotel Occupancy Rate in 2026: A Practical Playbook

Low occupancy is rarely a pricing problem alone. Here's the owner's playbook for increasing your hotel's occupancy rate in 2026 — without racing your rates to the bottom.

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Total Revenue Management: Growing Profit Beyond the Room in 2026Revenue Management
31 March 2026·5 min read

Total Revenue Management: Growing Profit Beyond the Room in 2026

Rooms are only part of the story. Total Revenue Management optimises every income stream — F&B, banquets, ancillary — to grow profit per guest. Here's how it works in 2026.

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Beyond OTAs: A Direct-Booking Revenue Strategy for 2026Revenue Management
26 March 2026·5 min read

Beyond OTAs: A Direct-Booking Revenue Strategy for 2026

OTAs are useful, but if they're your main demand engine you're renting your guests at 15–25% commission. Here's how to build profitable direct demand in 2026 — without declaring war on OTAs.

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Cost Control Without Cutting Corners: Protecting Your Hotel's Margins in 2026Operations
24 March 2026·5 min read

Cost Control Without Cutting Corners: Protecting Your Hotel's Margins in 2026

Revenue gets the attention, but margins are won or lost on the cost side — quietly, line by line. Here's how to protect your hotel's profit in 2026 without guests ever feeling it.

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Dynamic Pricing for Indian Hotels: Turning Demand into RevPAR in 2026Revenue Management
19 March 2026·5 min read

Dynamic Pricing for Indian Hotels: Turning Demand into RevPAR in 2026

A fixed rate card leaves money on the table every single day. Here's how dynamic pricing works for Indian hotels in 2026 — and how to adopt it without a price war.

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Retained Hotel Advisory: The Operating Rhythm That Compounds ResultsOperations
17 March 2026·5 min read

Retained Hotel Advisory: The Operating Rhythm That Compounds Results

One-off projects fix a moment; a retained advisory rhythm fixes the trajectory. Here's how an ongoing operating cadence keeps a hotel improving month after month in 2026.

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Revenue Management Is a Continuous Discipline, Not a One-Time FixRevenue Management
12 March 2026·5 min read

Revenue Management Is a Continuous Discipline, Not a One-Time Fix

A pricing tweak gives you a good month; a revenue management discipline gives you a good year. Here's why RevPAR growth is an ongoing practice — and what that practice looks like in 2026.

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Hotel SOPs in 2026: Building an Operating System That Runs Without YouOperations
9 March 2026·5 min read

Hotel SOPs in 2026: Building an Operating System That Runs Without You

Great hotels don't depend on heroes — they depend on systems. Here's how an operations consultant builds SOPs that survive staff turnover and protect the guest experience in 2026.

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Is My Hotel Project Feasible? A Simple Go / No-Go FrameworkFeasibility
5 March 2026·2 min read

Is My Hotel Project Feasible? A Simple Go / No-Go Framework

Before you commit serious capital, you need an honest answer to one question. Here's a simple five-dimension framework to pressure-test a hotel project before you build.

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How to Choose the Right Hotel Brand: An Owner's FrameworkBrand & Contracts
2 March 2026·3 min read

How to Choose the Right Hotel Brand: An Owner's Framework

Choosing a hotel brand isn't about the biggest logo — it's about the brand that fits your asset, market and goals, on terms that protect your returns. Here's the owner-side framework.

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Franchise vs Management Contract vs Independent: Which Is Right for Your Hotel?Brand & Contracts
25 February 2026·3 min read

Franchise vs Management Contract vs Independent: Which Is Right for Your Hotel?

There's no universally 'best' operating model — only the best fit for your asset, your team and your goals. Here's how owners should weigh franchise, management contract and independent operation.

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How Much Does It Cost to Build a Hotel in India?Feasibility
23 February 2026·3 min read

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Hotel in India?

The honest answer is 'it depends' — but it depends on a knowable set of things. Here's how owners should think about the real, all-in cost of building a hotel in India, and the lines that quietly blow budgets.

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Room Price Positioning: One Decision That Can Define a New Hotels FutureRevenue Management
18 February 2026·2 min read

Room Price Positioning: One Decision That Can Define a New Hotels Future

When opening a new hotel, few decisions are as critical—or as misunderstood—as room price positioning. It is not just about “what others are charging” but about where…

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Why Owner-GM Alignment Matters!Operations
16 February 2026·2 min read

Why Owner-GM Alignment Matters!

A few years ago, I watched two hotels with similar locations, similar budgets and similar market conditions take very different paths. The difference wasn’t the…

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Monthly P&L Meetings — The Best Platform to Build Future Hotel LeadersLeadership
11 February 2026·2 min read

Monthly P&L Meetings — The Best Platform to Build Future Hotel Leaders

I am a big believer in conducting monthly P&L review meetings with all HODs, their number twos and key executives of the hotel. Even when the hotel is performing well…

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Management Contract – Important InsightBrand & Contracts
6 February 2026·2 min read

Management Contract – Important Insight

ONE INSIGHT EVERY HOTEL OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS Many owners reach out when they are close to completing their hotel and want clarity on brand…

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Fixed rate contracting: still relevant, but be strategic!Sales & Marketing
4 February 2026·2 min read

Fixed rate contracting: still relevant, but be strategic!

While many hotel brands are moving away from fixedrate contracting with wholesalers, it remains a key strategy for standalone hotels or those in tier2, tier3 cities, or…

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Revenue management - market segmentRevenue Management
30 January 2026·2 min read

Revenue management - market segment

When reviewing room performance, it’s essential to analyse the business generated by major market segments. Each brand may have its own guidelines on market segments,…

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Is monitoring restaurant apc ( average per cover) as relevant for a hotel as monitoring room adr ( average daily rate)?Food & Beverage
27 January 2026·2 min read

Is monitoring restaurant apc ( average per cover) as relevant for a hotel as monitoring room adr ( average daily rate)?

If you ask any frontline manager, GM, or owner, they can confidently tell you their hotel's ADR and the reasons behind it—whether it’s high or low. Having spent 15 years…

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Kitchen Layout: The Most Underrated Profit Driver in a HotelFood & Beverage
23 January 2026·2 min read

Kitchen Layout: The Most Underrated Profit Driver in a Hotel

While planning a hotel, a lot of attention is rightly given to rooms, façade and public areas. However, one of the most critical decisions is often underestimated—the…

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The Backbone of Hotel F&B Operations – The Dishwash AreaFood & Beverage
20 January 2026·2 min read

The Backbone of Hotel F&B Operations – The Dishwash Area

In my years of hospitality experience, especially working as a F&B professional, one consistent challenge I’ve seen is the lack of planning and space allocation for the…

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The Eye for Detail: What Defines a Great Executive HousekeeperOperations
16 January 2026·2 min read

The Eye for Detail: What Defines a Great Executive Housekeeper

An Executive Housekeeper plays a huge role in how guests feel about a hotel. It’s not just about cleanliness — it’s about how the entire space comes together. I have…

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AAHAR 2026: International Food & Hospitality FairIndustry & Events
13 January 2026·4 min read

AAHAR 2026: International Food & Hospitality Fair

Event Overview AAHAR – The International Food & Hospitality Fair – is Asia’s premier food and hospitality trade exhibition. The 40th edition will run March 10–14, 2026…

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Presence in guest areas vs administrative tasksOperations
8 January 2026·2 min read

Presence in guest areas vs administrative tasks

Striking the perfect balance between administrative duties and presence in guest areas is the hallmark of a great Hotel GM or HOD. While tasks like recruitment,…

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Post-event analysis: making the most of your new year galaOperations
6 January 2026·2 min read

Post-event analysis: making the most of your new year gala

The New Year gala is often one of the most anticipated events for hotels. Now that the celebrations are over, it’s the perfect time to evaluate the event’s success with…

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Delegation: A leadership MirrorLeadership
1 January 2026·2 min read

Delegation: A leadership Mirror

Delegation is often discussed in leadership meetings, yet rarely practiced well. When I ask HODs why they hesitate to delegate, the answer is familiar: “The team may not handle it properly.”…

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