Hospitality company SAMHI Hotels has announced an investment in RARE India, a luxury hospitality platform focused on boutique leisure properties, in a move aimed at expanding its presence in the experiential travel segment.
SAMHI will acquire a 70% stake in RARE for around ₹474 million, with the transaction to be completed in two phases. This includes a primary investment of about ₹234 million and a secondary acquisition worth roughly ₹240 million from existing shareholders. The platform was founded in 2003 by Shobha Rudra and currently manages a portfolio of 67 hotels with around 990 rooms across more than 15 Indian states, along with properties in Nepal and Bhutan.
Unlike the crowded market of homestay and villa aggregators, RARE focuses on a curated collection of boutique properties, including forts, palaces, hill retreats and wildlife lodges. The average room rate for these properties is about ₹25,000, positioning the platform in the luxury experiential travel segment.
Analysts say the investment allows SAMHI to enter the leisure hospitality market through an asset-light model, diversifying its business while benefiting from scale and partnerships.
A key part of the strategy is a planned collaboration with Marriott International. Following SAMHI’s investment, RARE is expected to become the exclusive platform for the “Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy” across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. The partnership is expected to help increase property listings on the platform and strengthen occupancy and pricing at participating hotels.
Currently, RARE earns revenue primarily through business-to-business listing fees, typically charging hotels ₹0.2–0.4 million per year. However, integration with Marriott’s ecosystem is expected to enable direct consumer bookings, opening up a new revenue stream.
Analysts estimate that the platform could generate business-to-consumer commission income of about ₹425 million in FY2027 and ₹556 million in FY2028. The partnership may also help improve occupancy levels to around 35–45%, while maintaining strong room rates.
Following the investment, analysts expect SAMHI’s revenue and EBITDA to grow at a compound annual rate of around 15% and 23% respectively between FY2026 and FY2028, supported by the expansion of its leisure hospitality offering.
