The Fern Hotels & Resorts, Series by Marriott has appointed Manish Deolekar as General Manager – Business Development, adding more than two decades of hospitality experience across hotel operations, revenue management, business development and team leadership to the role.
Deolekar has been associated with The Fern Hotels & Resorts since 2011 and has progressed through sales and operational leadership positions within the group. In his new role, he will focus on expanding the brand’s hotel pipeline across India, identifying new markets, strengthening relationships with hotel owners and developers, and assessing prospective projects through feasibility studies.
This move highlights Marriott’s leadership direction, contributing to hotel appointments.
Manish Deolekar Takes on Business Development Leadership
As General Manager – Business Development, Deolekar will oversee the development of new business opportunities for The Fern Hotels & Resorts, Series by Marriott. His responsibilities will include identifying potential markets, building relationships with hotel owners and developers, evaluating prospective projects and assessing their commercial feasibility.
He will also be involved in understanding the viability of new hotel projects and supporting their progression from initial assessment through conceptualisation, positioning and launch.
Career Spanning Operations and Commercial Functions
Deolekar began his hospitality career as a Management Trainee with The Taj Hotels. He subsequently moved to New Zealand, where he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management and gained international hospitality experience with Starwood Hotels.
His career has since covered several functions, including hotel operations, revenue management, sales and business development. This combination of operational and commercial exposure has shaped his approach to evaluating and developing hotel projects.
More Than a Decade with The Fern
Deolekar joined The Fern Hotels & Resorts in 2011 as a Sales Manager. Over the years, he progressed to General Manager and subsequently Regional General Manager – Operations, taking on responsibility for multiple properties across Maharashtra.
His tenure with the group has included experience in hotel operations and pre-openings, as well as feasibility studies and engagement with hotel owners on conceptualisation, positioning and launches.
His operational background provides a perspective on the requirements of running a hotel, while his experience with project development gives him exposure to the stages involved before and during a property’s launch.
Experience in Hotel Development and Pre-Openings
Deolekar’s responsibilities within The Fern Hotels & Resorts have included involvement in feasibility assessments and pre-opening activities. He has also worked with owners on developing hotel concepts and determining their positioning before launch.
More recently, he has been involved in the transition of Fern Hotels & Resorts into the Series by Marriott portfolio. This included work related to the implementation of operational standards and systems as properties moved into the new portfolio structure.
This experience will form part of his approach to assessing and developing the brand’s future hotel pipeline.
Focus on India’s Hotel Development Pipeline
In his new position, Deolekar will focus on expanding The Fern Hotels & Resorts’ footprint across India. Market identification, owner and developer relationships and project feasibility will be central to his responsibilities.
He will also evaluate potential projects from an operational and financial perspective, with the aim of ensuring that prospective developments have a clear commercial foundation before moving forward.
Speaking about his new role, Deolekar said, “My priority in this expanded role is to accelerate The Fern Hotel & Resort’s footprint across India by identifying high-potential markets, building strong owner and developer partnerships and ensuring every new project is grounded in rigorous feasibility and a clear path to financial viability.
Having spent over a decade with the brand from unit-level operations to regional oversight I bring both an owner’s-eye view of what makes a hotel succeed and an operator’s discipline in execution. As we scale nationally, I remain committed to the same principle that has guided my career: a passion for excellence, in every market we enter.”
Education and Professional Background
Deolekar holds qualifications in Hospitality Management and Business Administration. His education in hospitality was further supported by international exposure in New Zealand, where he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management.
His professional experience has subsequently combined hotel operations with business development, revenue management and team leadership, creating a career profile that covers both property-level execution and wider development considerations.
Supporting the Brand’s Expansion
Deolekar’s appointment comes as The Fern Hotels & Resorts, Series by Marriott focuses on developing its hotel pipeline across India. His more than two decades of hospitality experience, including extensive experience within The Fern, will support the company’s efforts in market identification, project evaluation and owner engagement.
With experience ranging from unit-level hotel operations to regional oversight and development-related activities, Deolekar will bring an operational perspective to the assessment of new projects as the brand evaluates opportunities for further expansion.
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