The name ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ is instantly recognizable in the hospitality industry. With hotels across the globe, the brand has built a reputation over decades. But when a lesser-known entity—๐๐น๐๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ Hotels and Resorts Pvt. Ltd.—began using the name ‘Ramada’ to promote its business, a legal battle was inevitable.
What followed was a ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐๐น๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐, defiance of court orders, and ultimately, a decisive judgment in favor of brand protection.
๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ผ๐ผ ๐๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐
Ramada International, Inc., which owns the globally recognized ‘Ramada’ brand, first discovered the issue in ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ. A company called ClubRamada Hotels and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. had started using the ‘Club Ramada’ name across websites, social media, and marketing materials. They even registered domain names like ๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ, misleading customers into believing they were affiliated with the well-established Ramada hotels.
The problem? ๐๐น๐๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ป๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐น๐.
Despite using the name, branding, and even pictures of Ramada hotels in ๐๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ธ๐ผ๐ธ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ, the company was merely offering vacation packages, resort bookings, and car rentals—without any legitimate association with the real Ramada franchise.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ป
Ramada International took the matter to the Delhi High Court, seeking a ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ท๐๐ป๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป to stop Club Ramada from using its mark.
• In December 2021, the court issued an ex parte interim injunction, restraining Club Ramada from using the name.
• Yet, the company continued its activities, leading to a second order in November 2022, warning them to cease operations under the infringing name.
• By July 2023, after multiple violations, the Managing Director of Club Ramada was summoned to court. The court found no reasonable justification for their continued misuse and ordered them to deposit โน5 lakhs as a penalty for their defiance.
๐ก๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ก๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ
Despite repeated court warnings, Club Ramada refused to comply. The court had given them a final chance in November 2023, but they still failed to stop using the mark.
By February 2025, with no defense left to offer and their counsel abandoning the case, the Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Ramada International. The court not only permanently restrained Club Ramada from using the brand but also imposed:
• โน10 lakh in damages
• Actual legal costs to be reimbursed to Ramada International
Access judgement here: https://lnkd.in/gG375fvW
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฏ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐. Follow mentblue for your mentorship needs.
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