Little anecdotes from an hotelier’s life :
Some give up their homes, families and pleasures to achieve something in life. Earlier they were called Sadhus. Today, we call them Hoteliers! Work can be very stressful at times for hoteliers. The monotony very often makes them look for something to pep them up – humor or interesting anecdotes. They work hard so that others can enjoy, and in the process, meet many wonderful guests.
In his debut book, ‘Venus Bytes – short stories’, Venu Rao, hotelier and director at Peacock Group, a hotel consultancy firm based out of Bangalore, presents his first collection of 16 imaginative short stories and three reflections of a girl named Venus in a Heavenly hotel, drawn from his experiences in the industry. These works of fiction invite the reader into a world of intrigue and fantasy, of dark endings and equally joyous ones, altogether unexpected and hard hitting, but all enjoyable.
“This book is a tribute to my fellow hoteliers. Being a hotelier is not only challenging, but demands a lot of sacrifices, some times the ultimate… our brave colleagues at the Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, who laid down their lives during the 26/11 attacks, are the real heroes. The general manager who lost his family while ensuring the safety of his guests first… I salute them,” says he.
With a career spanning thirty years with well known Indian hotel chains such as the Taj Group, ITC Welcome group Hotels, RMS International and Viceroy Hotels; Venu has used this great exposure to create landmark properties – be it a boutique hotel or the niche underground Guhantara resort. He brings out Budding Hotelier, a newsletter that focuses on the people working in the hospitality industry and also contributes articles to many hotel journals and magazines. The opportunity to travel extensively has given him the insight to develop his wide network, and a need to share some interesting hotel anecdotes has resulted in this book.
Fore word is written by Mr. Mohan Kumar, COO, Taj Gateway hotels and resorts, Indian Hotels Ltd, Mumbai.
