Independent hotel consultants: why owner-side advice matters
Every party in a hotel project is paid by someone. Amit Parmar is paid only by the owner, which is the whole point of hiring an independent hotel consultant.
- No fees or commissions from brands or suppliers
- Recommendations judged only on owner returns
- Conflicts disclosed in writing
- Owner-side only
- Paid by hotel owners, never by brands or vendors
- 100+ hotel projects
- Advised across India
- 50+ hotel brands
- In Amit’s working network
- 40+ cities
- From metros to tier 2 and 3 markets
Follow the money in a hotel project
A typical hotel project brings together a dozen professional parties: a brand or operator, an architect, an interior designer, engineers, a quantity surveyor, contractors, suppliers of furniture and equipment, technology vendors, recruitment agencies and often a bank. Each of them is paid in a way that shapes their advice.
Brands earn fees from contracts signed, so their development teams are rewarded for signatures. Some architects and designers earn a percentage of construction cost, so a bigger building is a bigger fee. Suppliers earn on what you buy. Even some consultants in the hotel sector earn “success fees” from brands when a hotel they advise signs with that brand.
None of this makes these parties bad advisers in their own field. But it does mean that, in most hotel projects, the owner is the one person at the table without an expert whose only incentive is the owner’s return. An independent hotel consultant fills that seat.
Amit Parmar’s practice is built on one rule: he is paid by hotel owners and nobody else. He does not accept commissions, referral fees or success fees from brands, operators, contractors or suppliers, and he states this in every engagement letter.
Amit Parmar’s independence commitments
- Paid only by the hotel owner, through a fee agreed in advance.
- No commissions, referral fees or success fees from brands, operators, contractors or suppliers.
- No ownership interest in companies he recommends.
- Conflicts disclosed in writing before they matter.
- The same fee whichever brand or option you choose.
What independence changes in practice
Independence is easy to claim and harder to demonstrate. Here are the places where it makes a visible difference to the advice an owner receives:
- Brand selection. An independent consultant approaches several brands at once and lets them compete. A consultant who earns from one brand has every reason to steer you towards it.
- Room count. When the market supports 60 rooms, an independent consultant says 60, even though 120 rooms would mean bigger fees for almost everyone else involved.
- Contract terms. An adviser with no relationship to the brand to protect can push hard on fees, performance tests and exit clauses.
- Specifications. Design and equipment choices are judged on what guests in your market will pay for, not on what is most profitable to supply.
- Bad news. When the honest answer is “do not build a hotel here”, an independent consultant can give it.
Owners Amit has advised often say the most valuable moment was not a negotiation won but a mistake avoided, usually one that someone else had a reason not to mention.
How to check a consultant’s independence
Ask every consultant you are considering these three questions, and ask for the answers in writing:
- Do you receive any payment, now or later, from any brand, operator, contractor or supplier connected with my project?
- Do you have any ownership interest in, or long-term contract with, any company you might recommend?
- If I choose a brand you did not recommend, does your fee change?
A truly independent hotel consultant answers no, no and no. Amit is also happy to include a conflict-of-interest clause in his engagement letter, and to disclose any relationship that could be seen as one.
Independence does not mean hostility. Amit has long working relationships with many brands, built over hundreds of conversations, and that network of 50+ brands is part of what he offers owners. Brands deal with him because he brings well-prepared projects and owners who understand what they are signing. The difference is that, at the table, he sits on your side of it.
Hotels Amit has advised
Every tag is a real hotel. Sarovar, Clarks, Lemon Tree and more, across six states.
What hotel owners say
Played a pivotal role in helping us identify and secure the right hotel brand.
A. K. SinghManaging DirectorSarovar Portico, Hazaribagh Proved to be the ideal advisory partner.
Chiku SinghDirector, hospitality investorRanchi Helped us secure the ideal operating partner for our Bokaro project with Clarks Hotel.
Ranikesh SinghDirectorClarks Inn, Bokaro Negotiated favourable commercial terms and helped us secure the ideal partnership with Lemon Tree Hotel.
Sandeep AgrawalPromoterLemon Tree hotel project
What makes a hotel consultant independent?
An independent hotel consultant is paid only by the hotel owner and has no financial relationship with the brands, operators, contractors or suppliers involved in the project.
Do brands pay hotel consultants in India?
Some intermediaries receive fees from brands when a hotel signs. Amit Parmar does not accept any such payments.
Is an independent consultant more expensive?
Not usually. Owners pay a visible fee instead of hidden costs built into a brand contract or a supply price, and the savings from better terms typically exceed the fee.
Will brands still work with an independent consultant?
Yes. Brands deal with owner advisers regularly. A well-prepared project with an informed owner usually moves faster.
Can you work alongside my existing advisers?
Yes. Amit often works with owners’ architects, lawyers, chartered accountants and bankers, focusing on the hotel-specific questions.
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Amit reads every enquiry himself and replies within one working day.
- Owner-side only: no fees from brands or vendors
- First conversation is free and confidential
- Your details are never shared with brands without your consent