Kerten Hospitality, the Ireland-headquartered lifestyle hospitality group, has officially announced its entry into the Indian market, thereby marking a significant milestone in its global expansion strategy. As part of its initial phase, the company aims to develop 1,000 keys across India, introducing its signature blend of bespoke lifestyle and community-driven hospitality to the country for the first time.
This strategic move follows a strong performance in 2025, during which Kerten Hospitality recorded a 55% increase in operating revenues, while its gross operating profit (GOP) rose by 69% and management fees grew by 44% year-on-year. Furthermore, in January 2026, the group signed 1,000 new keys across the Middle East, Africa, and other high-growth markets. At present, it boasts a robust pipeline of 60 projects spanning three continents and operates 12 proprietary lifestyle brands, with India emerging as its latest key market.
At the core of Kerten Hospitality’s strategy is its owner-first philosophy, which differentiates it from traditional hospitality operators. Instead of rigid brand standards, the group adopts flexible guidelines that empower asset owners to shape their projects while benefiting from Kerten’s expertise in operations, recruitment, and marketing. In the Indian market, developers will have access to three of its flagship brands—The House Hotel, Cloud7 Hotels, and HOSME—each designed to cater to evolving lifestyle and experiential travel preferences.
To accelerate its India expansion, Kerten Hospitality has already established a dedicated local office and is actively collaborating with asset owners across key destinations. Consequently, the group aims to rapidly scale its presence by bringing its diverse portfolio of lifestyle hotel brands to major travel hubs across the country.
Highlighting the company’s focus on India, Marloes Knippenberg stated, “It’s well known that India is one of the most dynamic travel markets in the world, with robust tourism fundamentals and an increasing appetite for lifestyle-driven hospitality experiences. As travellers increasingly seek destinations that combine culture, design, and community, we see significant potential for innovative hospitality concepts that reflect the spirit and diversity of the country. At Kerten Hospitality, our business model is based on developing destinations that go beyond the realm of traditional hospitality, bringing together culture, creativity, and meaningful guest experiences. We are already seeing a strong demand from developers and owners and will soon be able to cater to the vast diaspora of Indian consumers with Kerten-managed properties across the country.”
Overall, Kerten Hospitality’s India entry underscores the growing attractiveness of the country’s hospitality sector, particularly in the lifestyle and experiential segments.
