SAMHI Hotels Ltd. has announced a strategic investment in RARE India, marking an expansion into the fast-growing experiential and heritage hospitality segment. The structure of the investment is designed to keep capital exposure limited while offering asymmetrical long-term return potential, driven by distribution expansion, technology integration and brand strengthening. The strategy is aligned with an asset-light model, allowing the platform to scale without heavy ownership of physical assets.
Commenting on the development, Ashish Jakhanwala said the investment represents a strategic extension of the company’s hospitality platform while maintaining its core focus on business and gateway markets. He noted that RARE India combines legacy, credibility and scalable potential, supported by a strong founding team and a unique community of independent hotel owners. With the proposed affiliation with Marriott International, he added that RARE has the potential to emerge as a strong B2C brand in the experience-led tourism segment.
According to Jakhanwala, the investment remains financially modest but offers significant upside potential, in line with the company’s approach of identifying value in underappreciated opportunities.
Founder of RARE India, Shobha Rudra, said the platform has always been built on relationships, trust and a commitment to responsible tourism. She added that the partnership with SAMHI Hotels will help strengthen the RARE community of hotel owners and travellers while enabling the brand to scale its impact without compromising its philosophy.
Meanwhile, Rajeev Menon highlighted the growing opportunity in India’s experiential and heritage-driven hospitality segment. He said RARE India has developed a distinctive portfolio centred on authenticity and responsible tourism. Through the collaboration, Marriott plans to leverage its global distribution network and the Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem to connect travellers with curated experiential stays across India and the region.
The partnership is expected to unlock incremental demand while expanding access to immersive travel experiences, further strengthening India’s positioning in the global experiential tourism market.
