Oyo Hotels took the global hospitality industry by storm. Now, it’s taking on a new corporate identity to reflect the company’s expanded portfolio mix and vision as it gears up for an IPO.
Oravel Stays Limited, the parent company behind Oyo, has rebranded to PRISM, a name it is assuming after crowdsourcing more than 6,000 submissions through a global naming competition. The annoucement was posted on social media by Ritesh Agarwal, founder & group CEO of PRISM. “It truly reflects who we are and where we are going,” said Agarwal, who founded the company in 2012. “Great companies and missions are born and founded more than once. They are born and recreated and reinvented by clarity and ambition. This is one such moment for us”
The new name reflects a transition to establish “a future-ready corporate architecture designed to align our expanding portfolio with our long-term vision,” Agarwal further said in a press statement. “PRISM is powered by a strong technology engine, deeper investment in data science and AI, and a commitment to helping our partners grow profitably while delighting customers worldwide.”
Now, PRISM is reportedly preparing for public-market debut, having announced that its board will consider a 1:1 bonus share issue.
The group’s portfolio today spans hotels under brands including Oyo, Townhouse, Sunday, Palette and Motel 6 and Studio 6, two brands it acquired last year for $525 million in a headline deal for G6 Hospitality. In the vacation homes segment, it operates brands such as Belvilla, DanCenter, CheckMyGuest, Studio Prestige etc. The group also offers hospitality technology solutions, including AI-driven partner tools and data science platforms.
What began as a budget Inian hotel brand in Oyo has expanded and exploded globally in traditional and adjacent hospitality spaces. The company now serves more than 100 million customers across more than 35 countries, it said. And the new name represents clarity, diversity and the full spectrum of brands within the company’s ecosystem, it said. From the jump, the company’s north star has been using technology to power the guest experience. This, it noted, continues with “deeper investment in data science, artificial intelligence, advanced optimization tools and innovations designed to enhance partner yields, elevate customer experiences and unlock efficiencies at scale across geographies.”
It hasn’t come without some controversy. In June, Tom Bodett, the long-time voice of Motel 6 who reminded everyone that the light would be left on, sued the chain for using his name and voice without permission, a complaint said.
Beyond Oyo, Sunday Hotels is expanding its presence in the UK, after debuting with the Lansbury Heritage Hotel near Canary Wharf in London in 2024. It now aims to more than double its managed portfolio from 20 to 50 hotels by the end of 2026. The company recently added six new Sunday hotels in the UK: Holland House in Cardiff, Walton Hall Hotel & Spa in Warwick, Boxhill Burford Bridge hotel in Dorking, Sunday London Staines in Staines, Exeter Rougemont Hotel in Exeter and Winchester Wessex hotel in Winchester.
The company is also actively investing £50 million over three years to accelerate its premium hotel growth in the UK. OYO operates more than 200 hotels across 65 UK cities.
