RAMESH SHIVA BEGAN his career in 1993 as a management trainee with the Oberoi Group. After serving as General Manager at Ramada, he joined Quality Inn in Chennai, part of the US-based Choice Hospitality Group, where he rose to become CEO by 2006. These years equipped him with hands-on experience across operations, setting the stage for his entrepreneurial leap in 2010. “In 2018, I had opened five hotels,” Shiva recalled and added, “two were entirely owned by me. It felt like I had truly arrived.”
PANDEMIC BLUES
But that milestone quickly gave way to crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic upended the hospitality industry and Shiva found himself at a breaking point. “Everything collapsed and I didn’t know what to do,” said Shiva as he relived those moments. That was when opportunity knocked. Hotel owners: one in Bengaluru, another in Tirupati, reached out, desperate to keep their properties alive. One of them, hospitalised with COVID, offered Shiva a deal: pay some rent, just keep the hotel running. “Everyone thought I was crazy. While the world was shutting down hotels, I was taking on more,” described Shiva. That decision proved to be pivotal. Those properties not only survived but turned profit during the worst of the pandemic. “When the owners came back later and asked for market rent, I gladly agreed. We both won,” beamed Shiva proudly.
Today, in 2025, Grand Continent headquartered about in Bengaluru with its registered office in Chennai, has more than 1,100 keys across 22 hotels. While it may sound like an inspiring success story, Shiva describes the journey as incredibly tough. “The last 14 years have been the most challenging period of my life, filled with hardships and immense pressure,” he said.
SLOW AND STEADY: FOUNDATION YEARS
In 2010, he took the bold entrepreneurial leap and began the journey of building Grand Continent. The company’s journey began with the opening of its first 54-room lease property in Bengaluru under the Grand Continent brand. It then took nearly six years to deeply study the business model. After a period of learning, the second hotel was launched in 2016, a 24-room property. This was followed by a 34-room hotel in 2017, and from there, the group continued to grow steadily, adding one hotel after another. From 2010 to 2024, Shiva has led the company through an arduous, ground-up growth story as a first-generation entrepreneur with no family business background. In 2018–19, two self-owned properties were developed in Bengaluru, followed by expansion to Hosur, Tirupati, Goa and Hyderabad.
Grand Continent had tied up with Royal Orchid and Sarovar Hotels as a franchisee to gain brand visibility and avoid long wait times for recognition, thanks to their pan-India presence. However, in recent years, it started operating independently. FY25 proved to be a strong year for the company as it launched eight properties, the highest in a single year!
Recently, Grand Continent opened a 72-key hotel in T Nagar, Chennai, bringing its Chennai portfolio to three properties, including a 42-room premium hotel in Mahabalipuram and another 40-room hotel in T Nagar.
CORPORATE FIRST, LEISURE NEXT
Of the 22 operational hotels, 16 are corporate-focused, four are leisure properties, and two cater to pilgrimage travelers. The brand now has a presence across South India, excluding Kerala, where it is exploring new opportunities. The pipeline looks robust: a 42-room hotel in Dwaraka, followed by a 35-room hotel in Gurgaon on 1 September. An 84-room hotel in Jaipur is expected to be operational by February 2026, and a 92-room hotel in Ayodhya is scheduled for March 2026.
Grand Continent positions itself not as a luxury five-star chain but as a mid-scale brand that meets essential guest needs. “We believe what most guests want is simple. A warm reception, clean rooms and bathrooms, a good breakfast, working TV and Wi-Fi. Our success lies in doing the basics well,” pointed out Shiva. This formula has helped build a loyal, repeat customer base.
ASSET LIGHT WITH A LONG-TERM VIEW
Of the 22 hotels currently operated, only two are owned by the company. The remaining 20 are leased properties. The lease model contrasts with the management contract approach taken by many leading hotel chains. Under the lease model, Grand Continent commits to a minimum 10- year lease (extendable by five years), pays a fixed monthly rent, and assumes full responsibility for operations and profits. Property owners receive a steady rental income, much like leasing a residential building. The model also aligns with the growing asset-light trend adopted by large hotel groups. “This structure allows us to scale fast, without heavy capital outlay on real estate. It’s both sustainable and financially efficient,” he added. With a rising reputation, Grand Continent now attracts inquiries from 20–25 landowners each year but remains highly selective.
A MID-MARKET FOOTPRINT
The company continues to focus primarily on the mid-segment, which comprises about 75 per cent of its portfolio. “We are cautiously exploring leisure and premium segments, but those will remain small for now. We don’t want to stretch our bandwidth,” said Shiva.
Brand positioning centres around the corporate segment. Rooms are typically priced around Rs 4000, which is competitive for the mid-market space. This pricing strategy, along with service quality, has enabled occupancy rates of 70–75 per cent year-round.
About 70 per cent of Grand Continent’s business comes from corporate clients, backed by partnerships with Indian firms across IT, pharma, and other industries. Online travel agencies drive about 30 per cent of bookings, while repeat guests account for another 15 per cent. The company hasn’t invested heavily in brand marketing or celebrity endorsements, preferring to grow through consistent service. However, it is now working to boost direct bookings via its website.
INTERNATIONAL FORAY
Approximately 80 per cent of Grand Continent’s expansion will remain domestic, with the remaining 20 per cent focused internationally, mainly Sri Lanka, Dubai and other select regions. The company has already signed a 125-room management contract in Dubai’s Abbott Island which is expected to open within three months. Though the Dubai property starts as a management contract, it is being converted into a lease model in alignment with Grand Continent’s strategic approach.
LEADERSHIP BANDWIDTH
Leadership capacity has been a major pillar of Grand Continent’s growth. Sunil Mathur, Group COO, brings over 40 years of hospitality experience. Vidhya Ramesh, Whole-Time Director and Shiva’s wife, actively oversees property renovations, new launches and expansion execution. This leadership is reinforced by independent directors V Swaminathan and Chandrashekhar Sundaram, both seasoned finance professionals who guide the company’s financial strategy and growth plans. The company’s next generation is also becoming engaged. Deepthi, daughter of Ramesh and Vidhya, holds a degree in Visual Communication from Loyola College and currently serves as a Non-Executive Director. Darshan, their son, is completing hotel management studies in Switzeland and plans to gain global experience by working in hotels over the next five years before joining the family business.
STRONG FINANCIALS AND LISTING
The company has had a strong financial run in the last few years. FY 2020–23 and 2023–24 were profitable years. In FY25, the group closed with a consolidated topline of Rs 73 crore and a consolidated net profit of Rs 11 crore. It is targeting in excess of Rs 100 crore consolidated topline for the current fiscal. A major milestone was reached when Grand Continent Hotels went public with the successful completion of its Initial Public Offering (IPO). Through a combination of fresh issue and offer for sale, the company raised Rs 74.46 crore. The issue was fully subscribed, and the company was officially listed on the NSE’s SME platform on 27 March 2025. The capital raised was used both for expansion and in making the company debt-free.
AMBITIOUS GROWTH ROADMAP
In 2024, the group met its goal of adding 1000 keys. For 2025, another 600 keys have already been signed and is on track to deliver 1000 keys. The expansion includes about 600 rooms for the corporate segment, 200 for pilgrimage, and around 100 for leisure. The long-term ambition is clear – Grand Continent is marching toward a 5000-key portfolio. “I’m not satisfied yet. There’s so much more to build, and in many ways, this feels like just the beginning,” said Shiva.