Incredible India with RARE - Jungle Lodges, Heritage Forts & Palaces

The ‘RARE’ Story

RARE is an advocate of small, private, concept hotels.

Circa 2004, when we began people thought that RARE was well….’ rare’!

Churhat Kothi in Bandhvagarh was the first one on board and soon had four hotels under our wings, RARE was too experimental for some, too adventurous for others. And, there were those already moving away from usual tourist programs and we made natural allies. Then there were those willing to move from the regular to RARE, and that was our impetus. Soon the change in the travel dynamic pitched us in the middle of a renaissance – a travel renaissance! And RARE in a happy coincidence of time and space found its relevance.

Even as our story unfolds... RARE continues to celebrate a community of lateral thinkers, small, private, and intimate non-hotels hosted or created by passionate owners with stories to tell – filmmakers, wildlife lovers, conservationists, photographers, poets, adventurers, keepers of traditions, artists, architects, writers, river runners …..

This collective is a tribute to our community of hoteliers who have been with us from the day we began or just. It is through promoting them tirelessly that we aim to enhance the travel experiences of India - the quintessential Bharat and Nepal and Bhutan.

Why?

To introduce world travelers to destinations and experiences in India, Nepal, and Bhutan - still alive, unsullied, real. Villages, hamlets, and cities - thriving, dynamic, and moving with personal stories and achievements, colors and contrasts, traditions and heritage, history, and magic where you soak in the destination and walk away crafting a personal travel story.

How?

At RARE we believe in ‘Creating Shared Value’, curating unique and inclusive experiences for stay and exploration that positively and ‘responsibly’ impact the community, destination, and traveler. Each member hotel of the community is audited for concept and experience, introduced to the travel fraternity to bring them together as innovators to address trends that can be offered to the constantly evolving traveler.

What?

We believe that ‘it’s about the People”. It is the people travelers meet along the way that makes a difference between a memorable vacation and a holiday. RARE through active communication, training and advocacy forges a special connection with the destination - focuses on immersions, establishes style, induces a sense of community and nature, awakens in you a dormant interest, and engages you to look at the world around with new eyes.

RARE’s Work:

RARE invites hotels who believe that they are ‘not just hotels’ to become a part of the RARE Community. Our through on-site audit helps us understand opportunities and challenges for tourism and develop individual strategies and campaigns that include marketing and promotions, advocacy programs, and creative training events along with a well-crafted PR & media plan.

Brand Awareness and distribution campaign: RARE audits, endorses, advocates and creates awareness and brand merit by taking the story of the hotel and the owners to a diverse market segment.

· Tour operators & Destination Management Companies

· Foreign Tour Operators

· Domestic Travel Agents

· Print & Electronic Media, Social Media, Bloggers, and Freelance writers

· Direct Travellers

Marketing & promotions: The RARE team reaches out with a strategic marketing plan that includes promotions, one-on-one meetings and training sessions, dedicated marketing blitz, regular communication, mailers, and newsletters to our target audience of Tour Operators and Media. Promotions also include accompanied study and familiarisation trips and thematic programs aimed to create knowledge and understanding of the destination a RARE hotel is located in.

Advocacy Programs & Training Events: Well known as creative ideators in the industry, our senior core team run advocacy programs targeting decision-makers in companies and also lead the 'Discover RARE' events that are crafted around training, networking and coffee-morning sessions to target on-ground agents, travel consultants, direct domestic and ex-pat travelers as well as the Indian media.

Travel PR and Social Media: RARE has developed a strong relationship with travel and trade publications and guide book. Our dedicated PR team has managed to build its network with lifestyle and special interest publications as well which result in articles and interviews that benefit the destination as well as the community of hotels