Royal Orchid is set to invest Rs2bn ($46.9m) over the next eight months to expand its hotel portfolio.

The Indian company, which currently operates 15 properties under the Royal Orchid brand, is to open seven new hotels in Jaipur, Hyderabad, Baroda, Mumbai and Shimoga.

The group has already invested Rs3bn ($64m) in the last two years and plans to increase the number of rooms to 2,100 from 1,300.

Royal Orchid also intends to open a new hotel in Tanzania next year, according to economictimes.com.