Accor’s Fairmont continues its expansion in India with Shimla signing

Accor has announced the signing of fourth Fairmont property in India, Fairmont Shimla Fagu. This will also mark the debut of Accor in the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh.

Fairmont’s first mountain property in India

Fairmont Shimla Fagu is expected to open its doors in 2026. The property will be a new build on an 2.5-acre hilltop plot at an altitude of 2,400 metres in Fagu, Shimla. Fagu area of Shimla is a 45-minutes’ drive from central Shimla.

This signing is a true milestone for us in the region and for Fairmont Hotel & Resorts to introduce such a unique building in one of the most scenic locations in the country. Being the fourth Fairmont property in India and the first in Himachal, Fairmont Shimla Fagu, with its distinct presence and unique architecture, is set to become an iconic landmark in Shimla.

said Mark Willis, CEO Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

Fairmont Shimla Fagu will feature 105 guest rooms and suites. Further details of the hotel are yet to be revealed.

For Fairmont Shimla Fagu, Accor has partnered with RTM Hotels Private Limited, a SPV promoted by the Nagrath family that has business interests in real estate and hospitality in Northern India.

Shimla has always been a major tourism destination for North India and is popularly known as Queen of Hills. Over the last few years and with the development of infrastructure, it has become a preferred destination for domestic luxury travellers and we want to offer discerning customers the very best of luxury hospitality right in the lap of nature. We are very excited to partner with Accor and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts for the launch of Fairmont Shimla Fagu. With 105 keys, a beautiful hillside location, and luxurious amenities, we are looking forward to making Fairmont Shimla Fagu one of the best luxury hotel destinations in Northern India.

said Vinod Nagrath, Director, RTM Hotels Private Limited.

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Fairmont Shimla Fagu will be the fourth Fairmont property in India after the already open Fairmont Jaipur, the under-construction Fairmont Mumbai and the recently announced Fairmont Udaipur.

We are delighted to expand our presence in India with the addition of Fairmont Shimla Fagu. We will continue the legacy of our luxury portfolio by providing our guests with grand and enriching experiences.

said Aniruddh Kumar, Vice President – Development, Accor India & South Asia.

Competition intensifies

Shimla is aggressively becoming a playground for luxury hotel brands where multiple of them are competing for their fair share of market. Shimla has always been a high-footfall tourist destination, as it is easily accessible by air from Delhi and 4-lane highway from Chandigarh.

Multiple hotel chains operate hotels in the hill station. Oberoi Hotels and Resorts as well as ITC Hotels operates two hotels while Taj has a single property located 1-hour outside of Shimla.

Upcoming properties include a Park Inn by Radisson, JW Marriott Shimla Resort and Spa and a 297-room (including 40 villas) Mementos by ITC Hotels Shimla. With the signing of a Fairmont-branded property in Shimla, Accor is also entering a highly-competitive market.

I don’t know if I am the only one thinking like this but to me, it seems that the arrival of so many hotels in a city like Shimla is not great, not from an economic-perspective but from peacefulness and quiet perspective. Shimla used to be a city where there were only a few branded hotels and tourists were also way less as compared to now. What I mean to say is that Shimla may lose (or is already losing) the quaint hill-station charm that it had a few years ago.

What’s at least good is that these hotels are not coming only in one part of Shimla. They are spread out outside the city centre in all directions.

Meanwhile, Accor recently announced the opening of Novotel Mumbai International Airport, the second Novotel in Mumbai and the 22nd overall in India.

Featured image by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts

What do you think of Accor’s Fairmont brand coming to Shimla? Let me know in the comments section below.

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