How Olive by Embassy Is Using AI to Transform Indian Hotels and Aim for a Million Rooms

Plugging a Gap While Aspiring to Be a One Million Room Indian Hotel Brand

Kahraman Yigit, CEO and co-founder of Olive by Embassy, shares insights on how his company’s technology advantage led to the launch of Open Hotels, an aggregator vertical set to transform the Indian hotel landscape.

Olive by Embassy, a budget hotel brand well-known for early adoption of guest-facing technology, recently introduced Open Hotels. This new brand is the world’s first fully remote-operated, AI-native hotel chain. The move marks a strategic expansion for Olive by Embassy, leveraging AI to enhance guest experiences and operational efficiency.

AI Integration Enhances Guest Experience and Operations

The company uses AI extensively both at the front desk and behind the scenes. Video conferencing and AI-powered reception tools help guests check in smoothly. Meanwhile, audio and video monitoring in the back office detect key phrases during guest interactions, automatically raising support tickets and alerting staff to potential issues.

This proactive system helps the team address guest needs before they escalate, improving service quality and guest satisfaction. Yigit explains, “This tech stack allows us to intercept the guest journey before it becomes a sour experience.”

From Olive to Open: Expanding Reach Through Technology

Olive by Embassy’s success with technology inspired the team to extend these benefits beyond their own properties. Open Hotels operates on both franchise and management models, aiming to organize and institutionalize the unbranded hotel sector in India initially. The technology driving Open Hotels is borderless, with ambitions to scale globally.

Olive focuses on the mid-segment market, offering a vibrant and youthful brand experience. However, it requires significant capital expenditure, with owners investing anywhere from Rs 50 lakhs to a few crores to meet brand standards. This meant many properties were left out if they didn’t conform to Olive’s design.

Open Hotels fills this gap by welcoming such properties to join the platform. Owners can partner with Open Hotels and later transition to Olive’s design standards during refurbishments. This approach broadens Olive by Embassy’s footprint without compromising on brand quality.

Ambitious Growth Plans for Open Hotels

The company aims to have 1,000 Open Hotels operating by 2030. Yigit describes Open as his version of an aggregator brand, designed to unify and elevate the unbranded hotel segment.

Looking further ahead, Yigit sees a unique opportunity in India’s hospitality market. “India is the only country with the potential to produce a one million room hotel brand, and we believe we are sitting on that opportunity,” he says.

What This Means for Hospitality Professionals

• Technology Adoption: Embracing AI tools for guest interaction and operational support can significantly improve service quality and efficiency.
• Flexible Brand Models: Offering both franchise and management options helps capture a wider market, including properties unable to meet higher capital requirements initially.
• Scaling Unbranded Hotels: Platforms like Open Hotels could become critical in organizing unbranded accommodations, raising standards across the board.

For hospitality professionals interested in integrating AI into hotel operations, exploring relevant AI training can be beneficial. Resources like Complete AI Training’s latest AI courses provide practical knowledge on applying AI in service industries.