From Roots to Renaissance: Vikramjit Singh's Bold Leap into India's Hospitality Frontier with ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts

In the vibrant mosaic of India's hospitality renaissance, Vikramjit Singh stands as a pivotal architect of innovation and entrepreneurial zeal. As Founder, Chairman, and Managing Director of ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts, Singh has swiftly transformed a nascent venture into a dynamic player, blending premium leasing models with hyper-local experiences. With over 25 years of industry mastery, his trajectory—from entrepreneurial roots in Assam to scaling Lemon Tree Hotels' empire, and now pioneering ALIVAA's 20+ property pipeline—exemplifies adaptive leadership in a sector surging with domestic fervor. This profile, meticulously curated from verified sources including ET HospitalityWorld interviews, Hotelier India features, HVS HOPE bios, and official ALIVAA announcements, chronicles Singh's indelible mark on South Asia's evolving travel narrative.

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Profile

Vikramjit Singh is a trailblazing hospitality visionary whose career fuses entrepreneurial grit with strategic scaling. As Founder, Chairman, and Managing Director of ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts since its inception in early 2024, Singh leads a lean, agile enterprise targeting mid-to-upscale segments through innovative leasing models. Headquartered in Gurugram, ALIVAA operates one soft-opened property (Alivaa Gurgaon, 144 keys) and boasts a pipeline of 20 signings across brands like Alivaa (premium) and Hoften (mid-scale), spanning Gurugram, Corbett, Udaipur, Jawai, Mukteshwar, and beyond. Co-founded with Inderpal Batra as CFO, the venture emphasizes owner-centric leases, operational efficiency (staffing ratio <0.5), and F&B partnerships like Moonshine Food Ventures.

Singh's 25+ year journey began with a family-run hotel in Assam, evolving into a foundational role at Lemon Tree Hotels from 2005. As a founding team member, he ascended from Chief Sales Officer (CSO) to President and Chief Revenue Officer by 2016, driving sales, marketing, and development to over 100 operational hotels by 2024. An alumnus of Shri Ram College of Commerce (Bachelor's), Taj Group's Post Graduate program, and Harvard's Advanced Management Program (2019), Singh also schooled at Mayo College, Ajmer. His civic engagements include chairing the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (PHDCCI) Hospitality and Tourism Committee (2023) and serving on IMS Unison University's Board of Governors. Delhi-based, Singh's philosophy—rooted in "never say die" relationship-building—propels ALIVAA's ambition to 50 hotels in five years, capitalizing on India's tourism boom.

Career Timeline

• Pre-2005: Entrepreneurial Foundations in Assam: Operated a family-owned hotel, immersing in hands-on hospitality amid Northeast India's nascent tourism. Specific timelines and scale not publicly detailed, but credited as formative for business acumen.
• 2005–2015: Chief Sales Officer, Lemon Tree Hotels: Joined as founding member; built sales infrastructure from startup phase, forging key accounts and expanding to early properties. Emphasized relationship-driven growth in mid-upscale segment.
• 2016–2023: President & Chief Revenue Officer, Lemon Tree Hotels: Promoted to oversee sales, marketing, and business development; reported to Chairman Patu Keswani. Scaled portfolio to 100+ hotels; navigated post-COVID recovery with 50-70% ARR surges.
• 2023–January 2024: Transition & Civic Leadership: Chaired PHDCCI Hospitality Committee; completed Harvard AMP (2019, but leadership honed here). Resigned from Lemon Tree (Feb 2024) to pursue entrepreneurship.
• February 2024–Present: Founder, Chairman & Managing Director, ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts: Launched with Gurugram signing; soft-opened Alivaa Gurgaon (late 2024); signed 20 properties by Nov 2025 (e.g., Hoften DiVi Udaipur, Alivaa Jungle Corbett); introduced Hoften brand (Nov 2024) and Viceroy franchise (Apr 2025).

Achievements

Vikramjit Singh's accomplishments span scaling legacies and forging new frontiers, often through collaborative triumphs:

• Lemon Tree Scaling: As President, propelled growth from nascent to 100+ hotels; achieved record occupancies and 50-70% rate hikes post-2023, per ET HospitalityWorld (2024).
• ALIVAA Launch Milestones: Founded in 2024; secured 20 signings in 18 months, adding ~1,000+ keys (e.g., 52-room Alivaa Jungle Corbett, H2 2025 open; Hoften Mukteshwar reflag, Sep 2025).
• Brand Innovations: Debuted Hoften mid-scale (Gurugram, Nov 2024; expansions to Udaipur, Greater Noida); franchised Viceroy in Lansdowne (Apr 2025); invested in Xenious Hotels (Jul 2025) for portfolio diversification.
• Industry Recognitions: Chaired PHDCCI Hospitality Committee (2023); HVS HOPE speaker (2025) on sustainable booms; featured in Mint's emerging brands (Jan 2025) and YouTube's Innside Scoop (Jan 2025) for rapid growth.
• Strategic Expansions: Signed Jawai Palash (May 2025) and Himalayan Retreat Mukteshwar (Sep 2025); lean team of 50 operates Gurugram flagship, targeting 500 rooms in Year 1.

Leadership Insights

Singh's mantra—"never say die" in relationships—fuels a leasing-centric ethos that democratizes premium hospitality. In a 2024 ET HospitalityWorld interview, he extolled the sector's "all-time high" metrics: "Rates up 50-70%, occupancies soaring— no better time to join." He champions brownfield reflagging for six+ owners, avoiding small inventories to preserve bandwidth.

At ALIVAA, Singh's lean model (<0.5 staffing) and F&B outsourcing optimize returns, per Hotelier India (2024): "Leasing isn't common in India—huge opportunity for owners seeking asset-light growth." His family roots inspire: "Burning desire to return to entrepreneurial heritage," he shared, launching with ex-Lemon Tree ally Inderpal Batra.

In HVS HOPE 2025 sessions, Singh advocated emerging destinations: "Jawai's wilderness, Mukteshwar's views—hidden gems for domestic surges." The YouTube Innside Scoop (2025) revealed rapid scaling secrets: "Trust partners; build ecosystems." Post-launch, he eyes Jewar Airport's ripple (Greater Noida signing, Sep 2025), blending mid-upscale with sustainability. "We're not just hotels; we're home-like escapes," Singh posits, prioritizing EQ and innovation amid talent wars.

FAQs

1. Who is Vikramjit Singh? Vikramjit Singh is the Founder, Chairman, and Managing Director of ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts, a 25+ year hospitality veteran known for scaling Lemon Tree Hotels and pioneering leasing-focused expansions in India.
2. What is Vikramjit Singh's current role at ALIVAA? Since founding ALIVAA in 2024, Singh leads strategy from Gurugram, overseeing a 20-property pipeline across premium (Alivaa) and mid-scale (Hoften) brands, targeting 50 hotels in five years.
3. What was Vikramjit Singh's role before ALIVAA? President and Chief Revenue Officer at Lemon Tree Hotels (2016–2024), where he drove sales and growth to 100+ properties after joining as CSO in 2005.
4. How long has Vikramjit Singh been in the hospitality industry? Over 25 years, starting pre-2005 with a family hotel in Assam, followed by Taj training and Lemon Tree's foundational years.
5. What is Vikramjit Singh's educational background? Bachelor's from Shri Ram College of Commerce; Post Graduate in Hospitality from Taj Group; Harvard Advanced Management Program (2019); schooled at Mayo College.
6. What major milestones has Vikramjit Singh achieved at ALIVAA? Launched 2024 with Gurugram soft open; 20 signings by 2025 (e.g., Corbett Jungle Resort, Udaipur Hoften DiVi); introduced Hoften brand and Xenious investment.
7. Has Vikramjit Singh received any industry awards? Chaired PHDCCI Hospitality Committee (2023); no personal post-2023 awards, but recognized via HVS HOPE speaking (2025) and Mint features.
8. What are Vikramjit Singh's views on the future of Indian hospitality? "Enormous boom—rates/occupancies at peaks; leasing unlocks owner value in emerging spots like Jawai," per 2024 ET interview.
9. How does Vikramjit Singh approach leadership in hospitality? Relationship-driven ("never say die"); lean, asset-light models with EQ focus, outsourcing non-core like F&B for efficiency.
10. What role does leasing play in Vikramjit Singh's strategy at ALIVAA? Core model for mid-upscale growth; targets brownfields, avoiding small sites to maximize returns, as shared in Hotelier India (2024).
11. Where has Vikramjit Singh worked geographically? Assam (early), pan-India at Lemon Tree/ALIVAA (Gurugram hub); no international stints detailed publicly.
12. What is ALIVAA's growth strategy under Vikramjit Singh? 50 hotels in 5 years via leasing/franchise; diversify Alivaa (premium) and Hoften (mid-scale) in metros/emerging (e.g., Greater Noida, Mukteshwar).
13. Has Vikramjit Singh contributed to sustainable practices? Yes, via efficient ops in emerging eco-spots like Corbett/Jawai; emphasizes community ecosystems in HVS talks (2025).
14. What conferences has Vikramjit Singh spoken at? HVS HOPE (2025) on booms; HRAWI Convention (2025) on home-grown brands; YouTube Innside Scoop (2025).
15. How has Vikramjit Singh impacted Lemon Tree's growth? Scaled to 100+ hotels as President; post-COVID ARR doubled via sales mastery, per BW Hotelier (2024).
16. What challenges does Vikramjit Singh see in hospitality recovery? Talent redundancies; counters with lean teams and Jewar-like infrastructure bets (ET, 2025).
17. Is Vikramjit Singh involved in industry associations? Yes: PHDCCI Chair (2023); IMS Unison Board; HRAWI panels.
18. What is Vikramjit Singh's vision for guest experiences? "Home-like, warm escapes" with personalized, affordable luxury in prime/emerging locales.
19. How has Vikramjit Singh contributed to ALIVAA's pipeline? 20 signings in 18 months, including Viceroy franchise and Udaipur expansion (2025).
20. What personal values guide Vikramjit Singh's career? Entrepreneurial heritage; "burning desire" for roots, per ET (2024)—integrity, relationships, innovation.

The Entrepreneurial Ember: Vikramjit Singh's 

In the sun-drenched corridors of India's hospitality ascent, where ancient heritage meets millennial wanderlust, Vikramjit Singh ignites a quiet revolution. As Founder, Chairman, and Managing Director of ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts, Singh is not merely erecting facades—he is reweaving the fabric of accessible luxury, one lease at a time. From the neon pulse of Gurugram's Sohna Road to the leopard-prowled wilds of Jim Corbett, his 18-month-old venture has ballooned to a 20-property pipeline, a testament to audacious timing in a market where occupancies flirt with 80% and rates soar 50-70%. Delhi-rooted yet Assam-bred, Singh's odyssey—distilled from ET HospitalityWorld dialogues, Hotelier India spotlights, and HVS HOPE podiums—mirrors the nation's own: resilient, relational, relentlessly forward.

Picture 1990s Assam, where a young Singh tended a family hotel amid misty tea estates and tentative tourism. "I come from entrepreneurs—hospitality was in the blood," he reflected in a 2024 ET interview, the spark that propelled him to Shri Ram College of Commerce for a Bachelor's, then Taj Group's rigorous Post Graduate in Hospitality Management. Mayo College's disciplined halls in Ajmer honed his ethos, but it was Harvard's Advanced Management Program in 2019 that sharpened his blade for corporate conquests. Those formative years weren't chronicled in granular ledgers—public bios veil the Assam scale—but they instilled a "never say die" tenacity, later eulogized by Lemon Tree peers as "Rottweiler-like" in cracking accounts.

The pivot came in 2005, when Singh joined Lemon Tree Hotels as a founding cadre under Patu Keswani. As Chief Sales Officer, he architected the sales scaffolding for a mid-upscale upstart, forging alliances that sprouted properties from Delhi to Dehradun. By 2016, promoted to President and Chief Revenue Officer, Singh's remit ballooned: sales, marketing, development. Reporting directly to Keswani, he navigated the 2008 slump and COVID maelstrom, scaling to 100+ hotels by 2024. "We've hit all-time highs," he told BW Hotelier that year, crediting relational wizardry for ARR doublings. His playbook? Hyper-local tie-ups, digital pivots, and unyielding owner trust—hallmarks that ballooned Lemon Tree's footprint amid liberalization's dividends.

Yet, the corporate cocoon chafed. "Lemon Tree was home for 18 years—I wouldn't have left without that burning entrepreneurial pull," Singh confided to ET in February 2024, announcing his resignation effective that month. Family echoes—a hotel lineage—compelled the leap. Teaming with ex-Lemon Tree CFO Inderpal Batra, he birthed ALIVAA in early 2024: a leasing-first disruptor targeting mid-upscale voids. "Pure leasing is rare in India—owners crave asset-light paths," he posited, eyeing brownfields over greenfields for swift yields. No plush corporate HQ; a 50-strong lean crew mans the Gurugram flagship, outsourcing F&B to Moonshine Ventures for razor-sharp ratios (<0.5 staff per key).

ALIVAA's genesis was swift: the 144-key Alivaa Gurgaon soft-opened late 2024 on Sohna Road, a stone's throw from Cyber City's hum. "Great success," Singh beamed in October 2024 to ET, amid conversations with six owners for reflaggings. Year 1 ambitions? 500 rooms. By November 2025, the tally eclipsed: 20 signings, blending Alivaa premiums with Hoften's mid-scale affordability. Corbett's 52-room Alivaa Jungle Resort (H2 2025 open) fuses tiger trails with Taj-trained service; Udaipur's Hoften DiVi (Nov 2025) courts lakeside leisure. Jawai Palash (May 2025) unveils Rajasthan's leopards; Mukteshwar's Himalayan Hoften (Sep 2025) reflags Snowia for vista-craving escapes. Greater Noi's Lotus Court (Sep 2025) bets on Jewar Airport's boom, while Lansdowne's Viceroy franchise (Apr 2025) infuses boutique allure.

Diversification defines the dash: Hoften's November 2024 Gurugram debut targets "frequent travelers seeking home-like surprises," per Hotelier India. July's Xenious Hotels investment spawns a sub-brand for tier-2 agility. "We're the go-to for comfort in primes, at prices that delight," Singh elaborated in a January 2025 YouTube Innside Scoop, unpacking rapid growth: "Trust partners; lean light; chase hidden gems." Mint's January 2025 profile hailed ALIVAA as a "new-age breed," eyeing 50 hotels in five years—slower initial leasing ramp, then exponential.

Singh's imprint transcends bricks. At PHDCCI (2023 Chair, Hospitality Committee), he advocated policy for inbound surges; IMS Unison's Board Governor role mentors future stewards. HVS HOPE 2025 saw him dissect "sustainable booms" with Keswani: "India's momentum is unmatched—hyper-local, eco-conscious." HRAWI's October 2025 convention featured his "home-grown" panel, alongside Araiya's Amruda Nair, underscoring indigenous brands' edge.

Challenges? Talent echoes from pandemic cuts, per ET (2025); Singh counters with purpose-led cultures, echoing Lemon Tree's playbook. Gaps persist—no pre-Assam vignettes or familial deep-dives surface, respecting the professional veil—but LinkedIn's 500+ nods affirm his network's sinew.

As 2025 fades, Singh's compass points to Goa, Mumbai, Noida: "50 in five isn't hype; it's ecosystems." In a sector often franchised to giants, his ALIVAA reclaims the Indian soul—warm, wise, wildly ambitious. Vikramjit Singh's ember? A forge for hospitality's next chapter: rooted, relentless, reborn.