Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran launched the work on 'Hostess' - India's first public sector hotel run entirely by women for women - in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. A flagship project of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), the hotel will come up in six months at the KTDFC complex at the main bus station in the heart of the city, adjacent to the Central Railway station. The all-women hotel is the first such initiative from a government institution in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said this project is a milestone initiative of KTDC, considering its purpose, security features and facilities of global standards at affordable rates. An official source told Mirror, "We already have a space on the second floor of KTDFC complex at the main bus stand close to the railway station. There are 22 rooms and two dormitories. They will be furnished and spruced up at a cost of about one crore."

The state-of-the-art facilities will include automated security features, technology-oriented check-ins and check-outs, laundry service, complimentary breakfast, microwave oven and fitness centre. The hotel can host 28 people at a time and the rooms will be charged at Rs 1,500 and the dormitory facility at Rs 500 for four hours.

The hotel will mainly target women officials, researchers, sportspersons, teenage girls, business women and pilgrim groups, who arrive in the city for a short stay. The Kerala Tourism aims to create top class facilities for the visitors. The state government has sanctioned about Rs 39.6 crore for development works at Muzhappilangad beach near Kannur and Rs 7.69 crore for 'Kumarakom waterscapes' through destination development.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 27, 2018 05:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).