Royal Orchid launches Iconiqa Living with 130 units in North Goa

Indian hospitality company Royal Orchid Hotels, which runs more than 126 hotels, launched its branded-residence platform Iconiqa Living on Wednesday, starting with 130 units in North Goa. The move extends Iconiqa, the group's one-year-old upscale lifestyle brand, from hotel rooms into homes.

President Arjun Baljee described the concept as "the front end of a home and the back end of a hotel," betting that Indian travelers will pay for hotel-style service where they live. He said service and personalization will ultimately matter more than design in branded residences.

Iconiqa has grown into four formats within a year: Iconiqa Hotels and Resorts, Iconiqa Collection for independent hotels, the smaller Maison Iconiqa, and now Iconiqa Living. The group is also scaling its mid-market Regenta brand and a planned rollout of about 125 Hampton by Hilton hotels in western and southern India.

According to Baljee, demand is spreading beyond metros into pilgrimage towns such as Tirupati, Vrindavan and Ayodhya, wedding destinations, and smaller commercial centers. Royal Orchid's Vision 2030 target is roughly 230 hotels, about double its current portfolio, with the company signing around 50 hotels a year, mostly through management contracts.