With staycation being the new buzzword in the travel and hospitality circuit, it seems that vacations are passe. In-city vacations have taken their place, what with most urbanites being too caught up to take off for a week or two.
That’s where a staycation comes in. An amalgamation of ‘stay’ and ‘vacation’, a staycation is a night or weekend spent at a hotel within your city of residence. Being away from home for even a night and indulging in some leisurely activities, without having to worry about home or work, is something more and more people are opting for.
Opting to stay at a hotel like Crowne Plaza in Okhla may look like an unlikely choice probably for a relaxing weekend but it is all soaked in luxury and up with the trend. Add to that its stellar restaurant ChaoBella where Italian and Oriental cuisine meet perfectly and your city vacation is complete. The restaurant has a live Sunday kitchen. “Guests benefit from our loyalty programme which has inclusions like one night’s free stay and discounts on food and beverages. A lot of people avail of these by indulging in staycations here for special occasions or weekends,” says Raju Shreshtha, general manager, Crowne Plaza Okhla, New Delhi.
louis Sailer, GM, The leela Palace, New Delhi, agrees that staycations are a perfect retreat to counter high pressure work lives. The best part is that these mini vacations no longer depend too much on the time of the year as people today make spontaneous plans.
Keeping up with the trend, Shreshtha says his hotel has formulated special packages for staycation wherein family stays are encouraged and subsidised.
Dusit Devarana on NH-8 already has on offer a couples’ getaway which includes a three-course dinner, a bottle of house wine, breakfast and 60 minutes of aroma spa. Depending on the room, it can cost you anything between `35,00-50,000. While staycations of this sort were earlier limited to couples, now even families often opt for them.
“The key segment for these offers are the discerning millennials who are connected to the world and latest updates, have their preferences and like to maintain work-life balance,” Sailer says. The hotel has specially designed staycation package for families, for couples and even a dedicated package for women.
The trend is on the rise because people have very busy and see weekend getaways as the best way to unwind. “They do not need much planning. With attractive packages available, access to Internet for online bookings, mobile apps, have added to instant bookings,” Shreshtha tells you.