IHG Hotels and Resorts is set to introduce its Vignette Collection brand to India, marking a notable shift in how international hotel groups view the country’s luxury travel potential.
Scheduled to open in early 2026, the 145-room property in Panchkula will become the first Vignette Collection hotel in the Indian market. The move reflects growing confidence in demand for high-end, experience-driven stays beyond India’s largest gateway cities.
Vignette Collection is positioned as a portfolio of one-of-a-kind hotels, designed to retain a strong sense of individuality while benefiting from IHG’s global systems and loyalty platform. Rather than focusing on standardization, the brand emphasizes locally rooted design, distinctive rituals, and purposeful luxury.
This approach allows converted or independently styled hotels to maintain character while operating under a recognized luxury umbrella.
A Strategic Entry Point in North India
The debut property will be located in Panchkula, part of the fast-growing Chandigarh Metropolitan Region. The area has emerged as a regional economic hub, supported by IT parks, manufacturing clusters, pharmaceutical companies, and major public sector institutions. Its year-round business activity, combined with strong demand for social events and destination weddings, makes it a strategic location for a luxury lifestyle hotel.
The hotel will feature 145 rooms, including 11 suites, and will offer four dining venues spanning casual and signature concepts. Planned amenities include a spa, swimming pool, fitness center, curated retail spaces, and extensive meeting and event facilities. With more than 2,200 square meters dedicated to events, the property is expected to appeal to both corporate travelers and leisure guests seeking upscale venues for celebrations and retreats.
Executives at IHG have described the brand’s arrival as a response to changing traveler expectations in India. As domestic travel continues to grow and infrastructure improves, travelers are increasingly seeking experiences that feel personal, design-forward, and connected to place. Vignette Collection is intended to meet that demand without replicating the formulaic feel of traditional luxury hotels.
What Vignette Signals for India’s Hotel Market
The launch of Vignette Collection also reflects a broader evolution in India’s hospitality landscape. For years, growth was driven primarily by midscale and upper-midscale hotels serving domestic business travel. Today, stronger financing options, improved connectivity, and rising disposable incomes are creating space for luxury and lifestyle brands to expand alongside mainstream offerings.
For hotel owners, collection-style brands offer a flexible pathway into the luxury segment. Conversions allow existing properties to elevate their positioning without the cost and complexity of a full luxury build. For global operators like IHG, this model supports faster expansion while diversifying the guest experience.
India remains a key growth engine for IHG, which currently operates more than 50 hotels across multiple brands in the country and has a robust pipeline under development. The addition of Vignette Collection strengthens the group’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio, complementing established brands across premium and mainstream segments.
As more global brands look beyond traditional metros, the arrival of Vignette Collection suggests that secondary markets like Panchkula are becoming part of India’s luxury travel conversation. The move underscores a shift from volume-driven growth toward more nuanced, experience-led hospitality across the country.
