Minor Hotels Signs Anantara's First Resort and Urban Hotel in India

Minor Hotels, a global leader in hospitality with more than 640 properties across 63 countries, announces the first signings in India under its luxury Anantara Hotels & Resorts hotel brand for 2026: Anantara Zanti Coorg Resort and Anantara Kolkata Hotel. Both properties represent firsts for the brand in India: its first resort and first urban hotel in the country.

Anantara Zanti Coorg Resort

Scheduled to open in 2028, Anantara Zanti Coorg Resort will bring the brand’s immersive experiences and refined hospitality to the UNESCO‑recognised Western Ghats. Set within a forested enclave near Madikeri in Coorg, Karnataka, the 69‑key resort is designed by renowned Sri Lankan architect Channa Daswatte, widely recognised as the foremost protégé of Geoffrey Bawa, the pioneer of tropical modernism, and draws on the region’s natural landscapes, coffee heritage and Kodava culture. The property facilities will feature four dining venues, a swimming pool, a lobby lounge and library, Anantara Spa and wellness centre, a fitness studio, meeting and event spaces and a kids’ club.

Bimal Desai, Chairman of Zanti Hospitality, owner of Anantara Zanti Coorg, commented, “Our partnership with Minor Hotels brings a renowned brand to one of India’s most captivating destinations. Through this greenfield development, we aim to deliver authentic experiences that immerse guests in Coorg’s rich culture and pristine landscapes, setting a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in the region.”

William Heinecke, Founder and Chairman of Minor International, parent company of Minor Hotels, added, “Coorg’s natural beauty exemplifies India’s potential for experiential luxury and is ideal for the Anantara brand. The upcoming Anantara Zanti Coorg Resort will showcase our vision of creating distinctive stays that honour local culture, immersing guests in the destination’s vibrant nature and tradition.”

Anantara Kolkata Hotel

Slated to open in 2032, the 170‑key hotel will anchor the upcoming World Trade Center Salt Lake Kolkata an-acre mixed-use development. Designed to serve the city’s growing business and meeting and events demand, the hotel will feature two restaurants, a lobby lounge, flexible meeting and event spaces, and complementing leisure facilities including Anantara Spa and wellness centre, a gym and a swimming pool.

The World Trade Centre Salt Lake is a joint venture between Aryan Realty and Merlin Group.

Mr Sanjay Saraf, Co-Chairman of Aryan Realty, commented, “The World Trade Center Kolkata is a landmark development for Kolkata and West Bengal, strengthening the city’s standing as a regional business and cultural centre. Partnering with Minor Hotels to introduce Anantara to Kolkata reflects our commitment to create a destination that will support the city’s long‑term commercial growth and raise its hospitality offering.”

Mr Sushil Mohta, Chairman of Merlin Group, added, “Our partnership with Minor Hotels and the introduction of Anantara at WTC marks a significant step in shaping a destination that not only meets international benchmarks but also redefines how business and hospitality converge in Eastern India.”

William Heinecke added, “Signing Anantara Kolkata as our first urban Anantara in India represents an important step in our growth in the country and reflects the brand’s versatility across both city and resort settings. We look forward to partnering with Aryan Realty and Merlin Group to deliver a hotel that fits the scale and ambition of the World Trade Center development.”

Minor Hotels’ Expansion in India

Anantara Zanti Coorg Resort and Anantara Kolkata Hotel are the latest additions to Minor Hotels’ growing portfolio in India. These signings build on the strong performance of Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur, which introduced the Anantara brand to India in 2025, and follows the first signing of an Avani‑branded property, Avani+ Sunray Beach Visakhapatnam Resort. The group has a growing pipeline in India, steadily progressing towards its target of 50 properties within the next decade.

Minor Hotels’ India strategy focuses on both introducing its brands in leisure destinations and key cities, as illustrated by the Anantara signings in Coorg and Kolkata, serving the fast‑growing domestic travel market and attracting inbound travellers. The group’s expansion is led through its luxury and premium brands, including Anantara, Avani and NH Collection, which address demand for experiential, wellness‑led resorts and contemporary lifestyle hotels. Minor Hotels will also introduce its select-service NH, Oaks and iStay brands to India, supporting expansion into tier two and tier three cities as well as airport locations. Minor Hotels’ newly launched conversion-friendly collection brands, Minor Reserve Collection and Colbert Collection, open further opportunities for independent hoteliers to join Minor Hotels’ global distribution and commercial platforms as well as the Minor DISCOVERY loyalty ecosystem.

Minor Hotels is scaling in India primarily through hotel management agreements and franchise opportunities, aligned with the group’s global ‘asset-right’ strategy.