New Delhi:

Certified by the international hospitality brand, Ecotel, the famous collection of environmentally sensitive hotels, inns and resorts that belongs to Hospitality Valuation Services International, Uppal's Orchid is the second five-star Ecotel hotel in India and the fourth in the world.

The hotel has been promoted and developed by the Delhi-based Uppal group that has entered into an agreement with Concept Hospitality Ltd for the day-to-day management and operation of Uppal's Orchid. Located close to the international airport, the hotel spans an area of 10.5 acres of which only 10 per cent is built up, while the rest of the property is an appealing lush green expanse.

Apart from providing the excellent facilities that a five-star deluxe hotel offers, the hotel rates highly in terms of environmental responsibility. Every part of the property, the design details and the day-to-day running of the hotel conforms to the Ecotel concept.

On the launch of Uppal's Orchid, Concept Hospitality director Param Kannampilly says: ''We pride ourselves on delivering luxury with responsibility. Our green culture is reflected from the construction material used to the design details, energy efficient electrical fittings and zero garbage generation. Uppal's Orchid provides the guest with a completely eco-friendly atmosphere and is committed to the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling natural resources.''

Uppal's Orchid, as an Ecotel, has prepared itself to receive the highest number of Globes that can be awarded by HVS International. These 5 Globes are: energy efficiency, water conservation, solid waste management, employee environmental education, and community involvement and environmental commitment. The hotel has to comply with strict regulations and procedures laid down by HVS International to achieve each of these globes.

To ensure that the hotel is truly world class, the Uppal group commissioned the US-based interior designers, WAT&G, known for the work they have done at Sun City, South Africa, and the US-based landscape architects, Belt Collins, who among other properties have designed the Ritz Carlton, Bali.

A state-of-the-art business centre, fully-equipped health club, excellent banquet facilities, a nine-hole putting green, a swimming pool with the city's only pool bar are few of the other highlights of the hotel. Uppal's Orchid also has two speciality restaurants, Chef and I and Bonitos. At Chef and I, guests can have a wonderful interactive experience while savouring delightful oriental food and wine.

Bonitos, the 24-hour world cuisine restaurant that offers the choicest of cuisine from around the world, has been designed as a Spanish courtyard - complete with Spanish terracotta tiles and cast iron grills. Another attraction at the hotel is the bar Ralph's that serves a wide selection of wines and liqueurs, in addition to an extensive range of alcohol.

At Uppal's Orchid, the guest can select from a wide range of comfortable deluxe rooms. The hotel offers a choice of rooms with private gardens, jacuzzis and private terraces. Apart from providing excellent business centre and conference facilities, the hotel also has a unique feature for the time-pressed executive - the 'shower suite.' These suites provide comfortable freshening up facilities to the guest who is in town only for a day and does not want to take a room.

On the opening of the second Ecotel in India, Hospitality Valuation Services India managing director Manav Thadani says: ''Since the Ecotel Certification's creation in 1994, over 1,100 hotels from more than 30 countries have applied for the certification. To date, less than 5 per cent of these applicants have even actually passed the certification inspection.''

While elaborating on the special features that the hotel offers to cater to the target clientele, Uppal's Orchid general manager Pushpinder Kumar: ''We are mainly targeting the corporate sector and eco-tourists. The hotel is well-connected with the city and is located close to the international airport as well as to the business hub of Gurgaon, and provides a relaxing solution for the travelling businessman.''

The Uppal group, among Delhi's leading real estate developers in the residential sector, began as builders of residences in 1979. In a short span of two decades, the group established itself as builders of high-end luxury apartments, flats and houses. They have over 500 residential projects to their credit in posh localities of New Delhi. Today, the name Uppal is synonymous with quality and commitment.

The Ecotel collection is an exclusive group of international inns, hotels and resorts that define the concept of environmental responsibility in the hospitality industry. All certified hotels must pass a multilevel inspection by Hospitality Valuation Services International, the international Ecotel accreditation agency.

The strictness of 5 Globes code awarded by HVS International is evident from the fact that there are only three 5 Globe Ecotel Hotels in the five-star category in the world. The only other five-star Ecotel in India is The Orchid, Mumbai.