31st May, 2024, marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the first Lemon Tree property. The 49-key Lemon Tree Hotel in Udyog Vihar in Gurugram (then Gurgaon) opened its doors to guests in 2004. 20 years later, the company has grown to become one of the largest hotel chains in India and owns, leases, manages, and franchises over 100 hotels with a cumulative inventory of over 10,000 rooms in India and abroad. In these 20 years, hotels have been launched across the length and breadth of the country, including Aurika in Mumbai Skycity, India’s largest hotel by number of rooms. The hotel has also expanded internationally in the key markets of Dubai, Bhutan, and Nepal.
Speaking on the occasion, Patanjali G Keswani, Chairman and Managing Director of Lemon Tree Hotels, said, “We’ve come a long way from when we launched Lemon Tree Hotel, Udyog Vihar. In the past 20 years of our operations, we have strived to provide value and make a difference in the lives of our internal and external stakeholders, including our team members, guests, investors, shareholders, owner partners, and vendors.”
He continued, “These twenty years of operational excellence are a testament to the dedication, hard work, and resilience of every single team member who has stood with us over the years. Today, I would like to thank each member of the Lemon Tree family who has been a part of this journey, through numerous ups and downs, to help us reach this momentous milestone.”
The Lemon Tree journey began 20 years ago when Patanjali G Keswani envisioned the first hotel that the company would build in September 2002. It took a little less than two years for Lemon Tree Hotels Limited to open its first hotel in May 2004. Through the years, the company has witnessed numerous milestones, including going public with a successful IPO.
While running hotels for the past 20 years, the company has also focused on offering opportunities to individuals with disabilities and people from economically and socially weak segments. Presently, 13% of Lemon Tree employees are from this disadvantaged segment of the population. Lemon Tree Hotels has been presented the National Award by the President of India for ‘Best Employer of Persons with Disabilities’ in 2016 and 2011. They were also presented with a third National Award in 2012 for being a ‘Role Model in providing a barrier-free environment to persons with disabilities’ and for their commitment towards creating a workplace with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and equal rights for all.
To mark the momentous occasion, the company held celebrations across all its hotels and corporate offices in New Delhi.
