Design, Content and Execution Define Lifestyle Hotels: Gaurav Bhushan

New Delhi, May 2026: Talk in ownership circles is getting blunt, good design alone isn’t filling rooms anymore. Gaurav Bhushan, Group CEO of Ennismore Hospitality and Chairman of Accor-InterGlobe India Hospitality Venture, says lifestyle hotels live or die on programming, content, and execution, not just how they look.

Speaking during a hospitality industry discussion in Delhi NCR, Bhushan made it clear this isn’t a quick-build game. Lifestyle hospitality needs long-term spend on creativity, brand identity, and how guests actually feel on property, not just scaling cookie-cutter hotels.

Experience-led hospitality reshaping hotel demand

Bhushan pointed to a clear shift. Travellers are spending more on experiences than on standard hotel stays.

And they know the difference. Guests are actively separating commoditised hotels from those that offer something layered, design, culture, food, entertainment, and a sense of community.

That’s where demand is moving.

Design alone does not create a lifestyle hotel

Bhushan didn’t sugarcoat it. Hiring a good designer isn’t enough.

A lifestyle hotel works only when multiple pieces click—design, programming, storytelling, content, and tight execution on the ground. Miss one, and the whole thing feels hollow.

Every touchpoint matters. From check-in to the bar to late-night programming. Guests notice when it doesn’t connect.

Brand-centric approach over standardisation

Ennismore is doubling down on individuality over uniformity, Bhushan said.

Each property runs with its own identity instead of following a rigid central playbook. That makes the setup expensive. But in this segment, sameness kills interest.

And guests can tell when a hotel feels copy-paste.

Lifestyle segment gains momentum in India

The timing matters. India’s lifestyle segment is picking up pace, driven by younger travellers chasing more than just a room.

Global players are moving in fast, building brands around culture, design, and social energy, not just inventory.

Ennismore’s entry with The Hoxton Bengaluru City, alongside Accor and InterGlobe Hotels, signals that shift is now firmly underway in India.

Creativity becoming central to hospitality growth

Bhushan framed it simply, this business is about delivering experiences that go beyond expectation, no matter the price point.

And the pressure is rising. Hotels are pouring money into curated programming, sharper F&B, local culture, and design that actually means something.

Because right now, creativity, and how well you execute it, is what decides who wins and who fades out.