It isn’t often that an interview lingers with you long after it is over. But ever so often, you meet someone whose passion is so magnetic that it shifts something within you, making you wonder how, even after remarkable achievements, one continues to be driven by an unwavering vision. This conversation with Ratan Kant Sharma, Owner, Triton Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd. was exactly that. A hotelier with a rare foresight, his journey and ambitions place him in a league of his own within India’s hospitality landscape.
For those yet to step into any of his properties, Sharma’s hotels are not mere destinations, but thoughtfully crafted experiences. Every detail, from the architecture to the service rituals, carries an unmistakable mark. At the heart of it all lies Sharma’s dream to create moments so extraordinary that they stay etched in every guest’s memory, and this is executed seamlessly by his A-team.
Bold Beginnings to Benchmarks
Sharma’s journey began with an audacious decision. “It was my father who started it, and he was building small hotels and running them himself, and when I joined, I was very clear that I didn’t want to get into operations. I wanted to create unique properties. When I started, I wanted to bring an international brand to Jaipur. There were no international branded hotels in Rajasthan in 2003 at the time. The first hotel I built was Le Meridien in Jaipur. ”
His conviction to bring Meridien, the first international-branded hotel, to the Tier 2 city was a landmark move in itself. From there, Sharma only pushed the envelope further, building properties that emulate the finest international standards while still staying rooted in Indian heritage.
“The whole idea is to choose unique uncharted destinations, in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and build luxury and ultra luxury hotels, speaking loud of our country’s culture and heritage. The idea was to give guests as much space and luxury as possible; therefore, we had to choose destinations that allowed us flexibility,” he explains. For him, Jaipur was both a personal and strategic choice, a city where he grew up and one that leaves travellers craving to live like royalty.
His focus on untapped markets is also why he collaborated with brands like Fairmont and Raffles. Sharma wanted people to experience world-class luxury without having to leave the country.
Luxury Beyond Appearances
Sharma is quick to point out that luxury is never just about the look of a property. It is, above all, about how it makes you feel. “Luxury is what you feel, see, and taste; it is all sensory now. True luxury today is being able to do what you want and at whatever time you want. It is making you feel like the king of the house. So, it usually comes from the facilities and the service standards that the hotel provides. Our teams are able to deliver demands of guests at any point in time, and that’s what true luxury really is. For us, it is always Atithi Devo Bhava (Guest is God).”
Sharma’s properties embody this philosophy, where no guest feels like they are in a commercial establishment, but instead in a home that has been designed especially for them. He further remarks on the evolving definition of luxury. “For me, luxury going forward is intimate spaces. It is about personalised spaces that make you feel comfortable. For instance, in Goa, I have seen people increasingly ditching the hotels and booking luxury villas. They get what they want, when they want, how they want and that is luxury.”
The Next Chapter
Looking ahead, Sharma sees wellness and lifestyle-led hospitality as the next big wave in the industry. Food, of course, he believes, will remain central to this evolution, ever-changing, yet always integral.
While Sharma’s properties have received numerous accolades, he insists that success for him is not in awards, but in guest experiences. “Success for me is when nearly 200 guests stay with us and when they leave, they go back with smiles, stories, and memories they will cherish–that is my true success.”
Sharma’s journey so far has been defined by bold experiments and the refusal to take the conventional route. “Thankfully, all my experiments worked well. It was a big risk creating all these hotels. Luckily, everything we did worked in our favour, and the market accepted us. India, as a country, too has so much to offer, and that is what keeps me going,” he shares.
With several projects under wraps, Sharma’s vision is far from complete, but one thing is certain: wherever he goes next, his work will shine only brighter in the country’s luxury hospitality landscape.
