In an exclusive and in-depth conversation with Hotelier Buzz, Anupam Sanghvi, Chairman and Managing Director of Millora Corporate Services, shares his vision for redefining corporate hospitality in India. From transforming capital-heavy accommodation models into predictable, process-driven ecosystems to scaling operations across 20+ cities, he reflects on building a solution-focused enterprise rooted in technology, transparency and people-first leadership. Sanghvi also speaks about resilience, adaptability and the evolving needs of modern corporates in a post-pandemic landscape.
Q1. You have spent more than two decades in hospitality and corporate accommodation. Looking back, which early experiences most influenced the way you think about building businesses today?
Anupam Sanghvi: My journey started back in the early 2000s, when I was diving into operations at similar Hospitality Company. One pivotal moment was managing a large-scale corporate guest house project during the 2008 financial crunch, clients were scrambling for cost-effective stays without skimping on quality. It taught me that hospitality isn’t just about beds and breakfasts; it’s about solving real business pain points. That experience wired me to always prioritize flexibility and value creation in building Millora.
Today, whether it’s a boutique hotel like our Cyber Suites in Gurgaon or a captive residence, I approach every venture asking: How can we make this predictable and seamless for the client?
Q2. Millora was created as a solution-focused company rather than a traditional hospitality brand. What problem were you trying to solve when you started, and why did you feel the existing models were not enough?
Anupam Sanghvi: When we launched Millora in 2022, the core issue was that corporates were tied down by capital-heavy setups—buying or renting properties, dealing with multiple owners, unpredictable maintenance costs, and fragmented services. Traditional models often left them with high upfront investments and operational headaches. We saw an opportunity to flip that: Offer a one-stop, customizable package where everything from acquisition to manpower is bundled into fixed, transparent costs.
Existing players were good at hospitality but lacked the end-to-end integration like our cloud-based tools for reservations and reporting that turns accommodation into a strategic asset. It’s about freeing clients to focus on their business, not logistics and daily hassles.
Q3. As Chairman and Managing Director, how would you describe your leadership style? What values or principles guide your decision-making on a daily basis?
Anupam Sanghvi: I’d say my style is collaborative and hands-on I’m not one to sit in an ivory tower; I thrive on being in the trenches with the team, whether it’s site visits or brainstorming sessions. Integrity, transparency, and people-first are my guiding stars. Every decision filter through: Does this build trust? Does it empower our staff? For instance, our SOP-based service delivery ensures consistency, but I always encourage input from the ground level. It’s drawn from my years of work experience, where I learned that a motivated team delivers exceptional results. Daily, it’s about balancing growth with empathy treating colleagues and clients like partners in success. Make Mistakes, learn from them and improvise for a better futuristic solution.
Q4. Millora works across corporate residences, guest houses, hotels, and travel services. How do you maintain consistent service standards while adapting to the different needs of each client?
Anupam Sanghvi: Consistency comes from our predefined service levels and KRAs everything from safety protocols to our rigorous manpower planning with roles like chefs, housekeepers, and butlers tailored per site. But adaptation is key: We start with the client’s choices location, amenities, price point and customize from there. For a corporate residence in Bengaluru, it might mean high-speed internet and work zones; for our Hotel in Gurgaon, it’s about boutique comfort with multi-cuisine dining.
Our SPOC (single point of contact) system and consolidated billing ensure seamless oversight, while tools like usage pattern reports help us refine on the fly. It’s a blend of structure and flexibility that keeps standards high across our 20 cities.
Q5. Technology is central to Millora’s operations, from reservations to reporting. How do you see the role of technology in hospitality today, and where do you think many companies still struggle?
Anupam Sanghvi: Technology is the great equalizer it’s transformed hospitality from reactive to predictive. At Millora, our cloud-based reservation tool handles everything from real-time bookings to detailed reporting, helping clients track costs and patterns for better decisions.
Today, tech enables personalization, but many companies struggle with integration they bolt on apps without a holistic ecosystem, leading to silos. Or they overlook user experience, making systems clunky. We’ve focused on transparency and ease, ensuring tech enhances, not complicates, the human touch. Alongside our human touch is an additional advantage for real time problem solving and someone to take care of immediate and responsive solutions on the ground.
Q6. One of Millora’s key strengths is helping corporates move from capital-heavy models to predictable operating costs. Was it difficult to explain and sell this approach to clients in the early years?
Anupam Sanghvi: Absolutely, in the beginning around 2022-2023 it was a mindset shift. Clients were used to owning assets, so pitching our model, where we handle acquisition, materials, manpower, and maintenance for a fixed monthly amortized cost, felt disruptive. We’d walk them through our costing model, showing how it eliminates surprises like fluctuating rentals or AMCs.
There were skeptics, but once we demonstrated savings say, converting capex to opex over a contract term—it clicked. Early wins with pilot projects in Chennai, Mumbai and Pune built momentum. Now, it’s our USP: Predictability in an unpredictable world.
Q7. Millora now operates across more than 20 cities in India. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while expanding into new regions with different regulations and work cultures?
Anupam Sanghvi: We’ve grown to 20 cities across 13 states from Chennai in the south to Sikkim in the east—and the challenges were real. Regulations vary wildly: Labor laws in West Bengal differ from Maharashtra’s, and getting compliances like GST state-wise billing right was a puzzle. Work cultures too southern teams emphasize precision, while northern ones bring high energy. We tackled it with localized hiring and training, plus our project timelines: From MSA signing to commencement in 30 days, including due diligence and snags rectification.
The pandemic aftermath amplified supply chain issues, but our in-house teams and SOPs helped us adapt quickly. It’s taught us resilience expansion isn’t just geography; it’s cultural integration.
Q8. Building and managing teams is often one of the hardest parts of hospitality. How do you approach hiring, training, and retaining people in an industry known for high turnover?
Anupam Sanghvi: Hospitality’s turnover is brutal, but we’ve flipped the script with a meticulous process: Start with references for experience and etiquette, then background checks via third-party agencies, thorough medicals (including HIV, diabetes, and COVID tests), personal interviews, and trade tests. Training is ongoing from housekeeping protocols to client-specific needs. Retention? We focus on longevity through fair pay, growth paths, and a healthy ecosystem. For example, our manpower plans ensure roles like supervisors and stewards feel valued. It’s paid off: Low churn means consistent service, and clients notice. Ultimately, it’s about treating people as the core asset they’re the face of Millora.
Q9. Was there a particular decision or moment that helped establish Millora’s credibility with large corporate clients?
Anupam Sanghvi: One standout was in late 2022, when we took on a major project for a Manufacturing firm in Chennai converting an underutilized space into a captive residence with full setup, including CCTV, emergency lights, and customized amenities. We delivered under budget and ahead of our 30-day timeline, turning their capex burden into predictable OPEX.
That word of mouth led to contracts in multiple cities. Launching Cyber Suites, our 30-room boutique in DLF Phase-3, further solidified it offering luxury like 350 sq ft King rooms with high-speed work zones. It showed we could scale boutique quality for corporates, building trust that we’re not just vendors, but partners.
Q10. After the pandemic, corporate travel and accommodation needs have changed. What shifts do you believe are here to stay, and how has Millora adapted to them?
Anupam Sanghvi: The pandemic accelerated hybrid work, so flexible, short-term stays and health-focused amenities are permanent. Corporates now prioritize safety, enhanced hygiene, and spaces for remote productivity. Travel is more purposeful, with consolidated needs across residences and hotels. We’ve adapted by bolstering our safety measures: Smoke detectors, first-aid kits, doctor-on-call, and health tools in every property.
Our travel management offers one-stop sourcing with competitive rates and backend support, plus GST-compliant billing for efficiency. It’s made us more agile post-pandemic, we’ve expanded services to include interim accommodations for newly recruited staff, ensuring seamless transitions.
Q11. On a personal level, how do you define success today, beyond business growth and expansion?
Anupam Sanghvi: Success for me is about impact seeing our team thrive, clients delighted, and the industry evolve. Beyond metrics like our 19-city footprint, it’s the quiet wins: A guest feeling “at home” in our Premium Double room after a long day, home cooked food, home away from home or an employee advancing from steward to supervisor. Personally, it’s balance time with family amidst the hustle, and knowing Millora’s values of integrity and ownership are lived daily.
At this stage, with over two decades in, success means leaving a legacy of ethical, innovative hospitality that inspires the next generation.
Q12. What advice would you give to first-generation founders who want to build structured, process-driven companies in hospitality or related sectors?
Anupam Sanghvi: Start with clarity: Define your vision like our focus on bespoke corporate solutions and build processes around it, from recruitment to costing models. Don’t chase scale blindly; prioritize transparency and tech integration early to avoid silos. Surround yourself with passionate people our team’s 15+ years of collective experience was crucial. Be resilient: Expansion brings regulatory hurdles, but view them as opportunities. Finally, listen to clients and your team obsessively; their pain points are your roadmap.
Hospitality is people business invest in them, and the structure will follow. It’s how we grew Millora from startup to pan-India player in under four years.
