Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel has appointed Samanta Rana as Beverage Manager, marking the latest step in a hospitality career focused on beverage operations, food and beverage management, pre-opening projects and wine education. Rana has built experience across JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa, The Westin Himalayas, Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa and Hyatt Regency Kolkata.
In the new role, Rana will oversee the hotel’s beverage strategy and operations, with responsibilities spanning revenue growth, beverage innovation, menu development, guest experience, team development, inventory and cost management, and consistent service and product standards across the property.
This move reflects Marriott’s strategy, contributing to hotel appointments.
Building a Career in Beverage Operations
Rana began the hospitality journey at JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa as a Bartender. The role provided hands-on experience in bar operations, cocktail preparation, beverage service and guest engagement, while establishing the operational foundation for a career in beverages.
The experience behind the bar also provided an understanding of professional beverage service and the importance of consistency in guest-facing operations.
Pre-Opening Experience at The Westin Himalayas
Rana subsequently joined The Westin Himalayas as a Beverage Executive with the Pre-Opening Team. The assignment provided an opportunity to participate in developing beverage operations from the ground up.
The role included designing beverage menus, curating cocktails, developing beverage concepts, standardising recipes and creating beverage experiences aligned with the property’s positioning. This experience added pre-opening planning, menu development and beverage creativity to Rana’s operational skill set.
Expanding into Food and Beverage Management
At Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa, Rana took on the position of Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage, broadening the scope of experience beyond beverages into wider F&B operations.
The role involved team leadership, guest experience, service standards, revenue generation, inventory management, cost control, training and operational planning. It also provided greater exposure to the managerial and commercial aspects of F&B operations.
Strengthening Wine Knowledge
Alongside practical hospitality experience, Rana completed WSET Level 2 in Wines. The qualification provided a structured understanding of wine varieties, grape-growing regions, winemaking techniques, wine styles, food pairing and professional wine service.
The formal qualification complemented Rana’s practical beverage background and strengthened the technical knowledge applied to wine and beverage programmes.
Beverage Leadership at Hyatt Regency Kolkata
Rana later joined Hyatt Regency Kolkata as Assistant Beverage Manager, taking on increased responsibility for beverage operations and team management.
The position included overseeing bar operations, maintaining beverage standards, developing menus and promotions, training and developing colleagues, managing inventory and costs, driving revenue and enhancing the overall guest experience.
Rana also worked on creative beverage initiatives while maintaining focus on operational efficiency and commercial discipline.
Leading Beverage Strategy at Renaissance Bengaluru
At Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, Rana now serves as Beverage Manager, overseeing the property’s beverage strategy and operations.
The role covers revenue growth, beverage innovation and menu development, alongside guest experience, team development, cost and inventory management, and consistent service and product standards.
The position brings together the different stages of Rana’s career, from hands-on bartending and pre-opening beverage development to broader F&B management and beverage leadership.
A Career Built Around Beverage Experiences
Across the hospitality journey, Rana has gained experience in beverage operations, menu development, pre-opening execution, team leadership, guest engagement and commercial management.
At Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, the focus is on developing beverage programmes that balance creativity and guest expectations with commercial viability and operational sustainability, while remaining aligned with the property’s identity.
Rana’s career philosophy is centred on continuous learning and creativity, with the aim of turning every beverage into an experience.
