Match point 

BENGALURU : City hotels are luring guests with special in-suite offers that allow one to watch IPL matches from the safety of their room, with a side of complimentary beer, bats and balls as part of decor, fun bowling games with discounts and more  

It’s been a lacklustre year for entertainment with Covid-19 looming large. But the hospitality and tourism industry is slowly bouncing back, by finding a new glimmer of hope in the IPL matches. With rooms having remained largely unoccupied, city hotels now have special in-suite offers for cricket lovers. 

The league has been seen as one of the biggest sporting events of this year so far and brands in the hospitality and F&B sector have a lot riding on it, points out Wajeed Bagwan, GM of Oakwood Premier Prestige. “Everybody is looking for a change of scene whether it is to work or watch the match, so we are hoping this will bring in a ray of hope to the industry,” he says. Agrees Ashok Sivashankar, Director of Rooms, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway. “Packages to enjoy the experience in our rooms/suites will help in increasing room revenues as well,” he says.  

On offer at Oakwood is a beer bucket in the room, little bites during the match, dinner and breakfast the next day and a leisure checkout option of 3pm, all to give guests a short vacation from WFH drudgery. Prices range from Rs 7k to `14.5k. “We are getting more queries for the dates of the semi-final and final day matches,” he says. Offering picturesque views of the Ulsoor Lake from all 285 suites at Conrad Bengaluru, the IPL stay package titled ‘Game with a view’ includes unlimited drinks.

“We have seen a gradual increase in footfalls. Guests enjoy the game and room service in their rooms in packages that start at Rs 9,000++,” says Jagadish Kothandaraman, director, F&B. Fun games include ‘Bowled Out’, where guests can bowl a ball and if it hits the centre, they could score a complimentary appetiser; ‘Predict and Win’ has cash vouchers for the right innings/full match score guessed. 

Many are even willing to drive to far-off locations to catch the game. Ankita Sheth, co-founder Vista Rooms, which is in locations across the city, has found that 35 per cent who make a booking enquire about watching IPL. “The queries are about safety measures; amenities like kitchen setup, Netflix, Prime, and other OTT platforms; power back up, internet connection, and local landscapes,” she adds. Prices range from Rs 18,000 to Rs 1 lakh, depending on amenities, like an infinity pool, provision for bonfire, pet-friendly properties, etc. “Each villa will have at least one room that is not available for booking. So if any guest gets sick, he/she can use this room to self-quarantine,” she says. 

A ‘Hygiene Manager’ regularly inspects cleaning and disinfection of JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru, where they are running ‘Cricket Fever with Marriott’. This package will add glimmer to the business, says director of Sales and Marketing, Mohammad Shoib. At Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, a ball and bat have been placed in suites to keep match spirit high. Cricket Fever with The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore is offering a stay in a deluxe room, inclusive of breakfast, complimentary beer bucket, starters and a free upgrade to a suite, based on availability.