Swissôtel, the five-star property attached to City Centre 2, has shut for now. The contract between its owner the Ambuja Neotia Group and the French hospitality chain Accor expired on June 30 after 10 years of operation, sources said.

“We have decided to temporarily suspend operations for the next few months. We will look into either renewing the contract with Accor or have negotiations with some other hospitality chain,” Ambuja Neotia Group chairman Harsh Neotia said.

He said Swissotel was an airport-dependent hotel and foreigners were the mainstay of the property’s business. “Since no international flights are coming to the city due to the coronavirus outbreak, our business plummeted,” Neotia said. Following the closure of operations, 250 employees have been sent on furlough with subsistence allowance, he said.

“We are hopeful and positive about reopening when the business scenario improves,” Neotia said.

Written with PTI inputs