Autograph Collection Hotels by Marriott International debuts in India

New Delhi: While business in West Asia is impacted, Marriott International- the world's largest hotel chain that signed a record 99 deals in India last year, is seeing no signs of a slowdown in its signings activity in India, Kiran Andicot, senior VP, South Asia, at Marriott International told ET.

Marriott International has announced the launch of Autograph Collection Hotels in India, with the 176 keys Noormahal, located in Karnal, and popularly known as a collectors' palace, transitioning into an Autograph Collection hotel. Noormahal Delhi NCR Karnal, Autograph Collection is the 235th Marriott hotel in South Asia, and the 220th in India.

“When you look at the conflict in West Asia, the impact is short term. It’s localised in the Middle East. But, there is, of course, an impact on performance in India and South Asia and markets like Maldives, because travel used to transit through the Middle East,” said Andicot.


“But, from a development and signings perspective, we haven’t seen a slowdown. The nature of the development pipeline is such that it takes time. So, in terms of leads, we haven’t seen a dip at all,” he added.

Andicot said the India story remains strong with changes in infrastructure, the announcements of new airports and the growth of the Indian domestic travellers. The top five growth markets in Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) for Marriott International with the highest number of signings in 2025 were India, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Japan. India saw the most signings with a record 99 deals representing over 12,000 rooms.

“This year started off well for us and we are seeing even more robust signings as we go along. For Autograph Collection Hotels, the growth is more selective. The brand was launched in 2010 to convert hotels which have their own unique story,” he said. “In Mumbai, the Sun-n-Sand hotel will convert into an Autograph Collection hotel. In Goa, one of our partners is creating a hotel with his own story and purpose,” he added.

Colonel Manbeer Choudhary, CMD, Noormahal said with Marriott International as a strong partner, the property will continue delivering experiences that are rich in character, scale, and reflect a true sense of occasion. “This is more than a business tie-up. It’s a milestone for the region,” he added.

A few key signings in 2026 for Marriott International in quarter one included a Fairfield in Ujjain , A Tribute Portfolio in Karjat , a St Regis hotel in Bengaluru and the first - City Express by Marriott hotel in Udaipur.

Situated along the Grand Trunk Road, Noormahal is known for housing one of the region's most extensive art and artifact collections. Set along the corridor between Delhi and Kurukshetra on NH44 Highway, the hotel is accessible from Delhi, Chandigarh, Ambala, and Ludhiana for leisure, staycations, and corporate gatherings. Chandigarh International Airport and the Indira Gandhi New Delhi International Airport are about two hours away and the Karnal Railway Station is a 15 minutes’ drive from the hotel. The property also serves as a resting spot and a pitstop for popular destinations including Amritsar and Patiala in Punjab, Shimla and Manali in Himachal Pradesh, and Dehradun and Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.

“As Marriott International moves into its 100th year, I am sure they will be crossing the 10,000 hotels milestone soon. The Autograph Collection portfolio represents a curated selection of independent hotels that are exactly like nothing else,” said Choudhary. “Noormahal, with its blend of Mughal and Rajputana architecture embodies the spirit perfectly. This partnership ensures that while we maintain our independent heritage and vision, we now leverage the global reach of the Marriott brand and the 271 million Marriott Bonvoy members . The guests can experience the same legendary hospitality in sync with global standards,” he added.