Overview
The Postcard Hotels and Resorts, a boutique hotel chain, redefines luxury with an infusion of Indian hospitality, promising an intimate and unforgettable experience. This brand introduces a fresh perspective, founded by Kapil Chopra, a veteran with decades of experience in the hospitality industry, including his tenure as President of The Oberoi Hotels. Alongside notable figures like Akansha Lamba and Anirudh Kandhpal, The Postcard Hotels aims to revive the essence of the “Old Way of Holidaying“, offering distinctive perks and a transformative approach to luxury.
With an international footprint in Sri Lanka and Bhutan, The Postcard Hotels currently operates nine properties with the rest of them in India. They are also building India’s most expensive hotel in Ranthambore, Rajasthan which is among the five others under construction. Since its launch in 2018, they have been rapidly expanding towards its ambitious goal of encompassing 50 hotels within its portfolio.
What Makes The Postcard Hotels Different?
The Postcard Hotels have a unique take on hospitality. They aim to identify the needs of the leisure traveller and solve problems that the hospitality industry, in general, is having.
- Anytime Breakfast: Going out of bed and rushing for breakfast with half-opened eyes especially when you are on a holiday is certainly nonsensical. We all enjoy the huge breakfast spread, but many just skip it due to the huge morning hustle involved. The perk with The Postcard Hotels is that your breakfast gets freshly made when you want it. You can order it from a set menu and get it freshly made. Also, there are no restrictions if you want to get something even out of the menu.
- Anytime Check-in and Check-out: Most of us go for the early morning flights since they tend to be cheaper and then have to worry whether the hotel will allow complimentary early check-in or charge us for the same. And sometimes we even have to spend hours in the hotel lobby. But with the anytime check-in and check-out you don’t have to worry about anything, even while check-out you can easily leave the hotel late if you have a late evening return flight.
- Authentic Regional Cuisine: You can delve into the authentic culinary traditions of the region against the stunning views of the property. They also source ingredients from the resort’s in-house organic garden at some of their properties.
Photo Credit: The Classic Gujarati Thali, The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Artisanal Welcome Drinks: Locally inspired & curated cocktails or fresh beverages are served to each guest on check-in instead of sugary artificial drinks.
Photo Credit: Goa’s famous Cashew Feni at The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali. Perfect to sip on a hot, balmy day!
- Authentic Experiences: They provide authentic local experiences within the hotel and the surrounding neighbourhood.
Photo Credit: The Postcard Gir Jungle Safari Experience
Sunshine Club
The Postcard Hotels have recently introduced their exclusive loyalty program, the Sunshine Club, offering a refreshingly simple and transparent approach. Unlike most other traditional hotel loyalty programs where points have fixed or variable values, Sunshine Club points function like cashback. This means that each point is equivalent to the corresponding amount in your invoice that you can offset using your points balance.
Photo Credit: The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka
The Sunshine Club features three distinct levels: Gold, Platinum, and Black, each offering its own set of benefits.
Gold
- Earn 5% cashback on total spending as points
- No minimum spends required
Platinum
- Earn 7% cashback on total spending as points
- Earn Platinum status when you spend over 5 lakhs in a year or stay 15 nights a year
- Enjoy complimentary laundry service on all stays across all hotels
Black
- Earn 10% cashback on total spending as points
- Achieve Black membership by spending 10 lakhs or staying over 25 nights at any of our hotels
- Receive one complimentary spa treatment or a ₹3000 dining voucher when reserving a stay for three nights or more, in addition to a significant 10% earning for every stay
- Enjoy complimentary laundry service on all stays across all hotels
Redemption Partners
American Express
Now, with AMEX Membership Reward Points, you have the opportunity to directly redeem your stays at The Postcard Hotels. Currently, there are three enticing redemption options available:
- The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat: For 1,11,000 MR points, indulge in a private jeep safari in Gir Jungle or Dewalia Park at The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. This package includes a 2-night stay, anytime à la carte artisanal breakfast, and signature welcome drinks upon arrival.
Photo Credit: The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
- The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali, Goa: For 72,000 MR points, immerse yourself in the Waterfall Odyssey experience guided by a naturalist at The Postcard Hideaway. This package includes a 2-night stay, anytime à la carte artisanal breakfast, and signature welcome drinks upon arrival.
Photo Credit: The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali, Goa
- The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Maravanthe Beach, Karnataka: For 1,11,000 MR points, indulge in a 2-night stay with a delightful dolphin boat ride for two at The Postcard Arabian Sea, Maravanthe Beach, Karnataka. This package also includes any time à la carte artisanal breakfast and signature welcome drinks upon arrival.
Photo Credit: Ocean View Suite, The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Karnataka
- The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka: For 71,450 MR points you are set for a 2-night stay with a signature Sri Lankan cuisine dinner experience once during the stay for two people. This package also includes any time à la carte artisanal breakfast and signature welcome drinks upon arrival.
EazyDiner
With EazyDiner‘s Eazypoints redemption, you can enjoy a complimentary one-night stay at The Postcard Hotels, including breakfast. The points are earned when you dine out at nearby restaurants that too on huge discounts. However, it requires booking a minimum of two nights, with one night being paid.
The redemption points vary across different properties:
- For 20,000 points, you can stay at The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka.
- For 30,000 points, you have five options: The Postcard Hideaway Netravali, The Postcard Moira, The Postcard Cuelim in Goa, The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, and The Postcard Mandalay Hall in Kochi.
- For 40,000 points, you can enjoy a stay at The Postcard on the Arabian Sea.
- Lastly, for 50,000 points, you can experience a stay at The Postcard Dewa, Thimphu, Bhutan.
Photo Credit: The Postcard Cuelim, Goa
Offers on The Postcard Hotels
There are numerous discount offers always running with various banking partners for booking a stay in any of The Postcard Hotels which are dynamic. We are listing some of the ongoing offers here.
Axis Bank
When you book with Axis Bank Burgundy Private credit card or Axis Bank Reserve credit card, you’re entitled to a 15% instant discount on your booking. This offer is valid for a minimum booking of 2 nights.
ICICI Bank
When booking with an ICICI Bank credit card, debit card, or net banking, you can enjoy a 25% discount, up to ₹5,000 per room. This discount is applicable for a maximum of 3 rooms per booking.
Bottomline
Photo Credit: The Postcard Dewa, Thimpu, Bhutan
The Postcard Hotel prides itself on offering top-tier hospitality that meets global standards. The unique perks like Anytime Breakfast, Anytime Check-in and Check-out are potential market disruptors. While currently operating a limited number of properties, the brand harbours ambitious expansion plans. Although their loyalty program may not initially captivate enthusiasts due to the absence of a banking transfer partner, I firmly believe they are actively working to enhance the program. Their recent collaboration with AMEX for stay redemptions using Membership Reward Points suggests a promising future strategy to broaden their appeal to a wider audience of travellers seeking intimate luxury experiences using their reward points.