IHG® Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, has signed a management agreement with Discover Resorts Neral Pvt. Ltd. for voco Karjat in Maharashtra. The property will be converted to IHG’s premium brand by early 2028, adding over 200 rooms to the company’s portfolio and establishing its presence in one of Maharashtra’s emerging leisure destinations.
Located in the foothills of the Sahyadri mountain range, Karjat is gaining momentum as a leisure and weekend destination, benefiting from its accessibility to both Mumbai and Pune. Located approximately 62 km from Mumbai and 102 km from Pune, the destination offers scenic landscapes and strong potential for leisure travel, destination weddings, social celebrations and MICE retreats. Its proximity to two of Maharashtra’s key urban centres, combined with growing demand for premium getaways and experience-led travel, makes Karjat an attractive market for branded hospitality.
voco combines the informality and charm of an individual hotel with the quality and reassurance of a global and respected brand. With its distinctive character, reliable service and focus on thoughtful details, the brand offers owners the flexibility to create an individual hotel experience while benefiting from IHG’s global distribution, loyalty platform and commercial expertise.
voco Karjat will feature three dining options, including a 200-seat all-day dining restaurant, a 50-seat pool bar and a 150-seat rooftop offering. The property will also feature a fitness centre and spa, parking facilities, pet-friendly amenities, a kids’ zone and salon, creating a comprehensive offering for leisure travellers, families and groups.
Commenting on the signing, Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “Karjat is emerging as an exciting leisure market in Maharashtra, with its proximity to Mumbai and Pune creating a strong opportunity to serve the growing demand for weekend travel, weddings, celebrations and MICE. At IHG, our approach is to bring the right brands to the right markets, while working closely with owners to build new hotels or unlock the potential of existing assets and create compelling propositions for guests. voco is well suited to a destination like Karjat, where travelers are looking for a premium experience that feels distinctive, relaxed and connected to the character of the place. We are pleased to partner with Discover Resorts Neral Pvt. Ltd. on this conversion and look forward to bringing voco’s distinctive hospitality to Karjat.”
Naqisa Chaudhary, CEO Discover Resorts Neral Pvt. Ltd., added: “Karjat has strong potential as a premium leisure and events destination, and we see an opportunity to build on the existing property and create a differentiated hospitality experience. Our partnership with IHG and the introduction of voco will combine the character of the property with the strength of a globally recognized brand, creating a compelling proposition for travellers, weddings and MICE.”
The signing reinforces IHG’s strategy of growing its premium portfolio through a combination of new-build developments and conversion opportunities, bringing globally recognised brands to high-potential markets while enabling owners to benefit from IHG’s enterprise platform, commercial expertise, distribution network and loyalty ecosystem. voco’s rapid global growth has been supported by its flexible conversion proposition, with the brand reaching 100 open hotels globally within seven years of its launch.
IHG® currently has 53 open hotels operating across seven brands in India, including Six Senses, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts®, Vignette Collection, Crowne Plaza®, voco™ Hotels, Holiday Inn Resort® and Holiday Inn Express®, and a strong pipeline of 110 hotels due to open in the next 3-5 years.
