A New Beginning

Three big hotels in Oakhurst are under new ownership.

JSR Hospitality Group, a hotel development and management firm based in Folsom, recently acquired the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Hampton Inn.

The deals closed in May.

Kumar Sharma is an investor/owner along with Avtar Atwal, Chitwant Singh and Joven Jot Singh. Sharma is also CEO of Jai Shri Ram Hospitality Group.

His LLC is so-named to reflect a devotional chant used by Hindus to express reverence for Lord Rama, considered the seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu.

The name shows Sharma’s intentionality in all things physical and spiritual.

“I do business differently,” Sharma said. “I follow humanity.”

Sharma, 66, was born in a small village near a river in the foothills of Punjab, India. The son of astrologers who married the daughter of astrologers by arrangement, his future was foretold at birth.

A long scroll or birth chart of celestial bodies called a Kundli predicted Sharma would not stay in India but instead would work abroad — and be very successful.

After earning an economics degree and working in Iran where he acquired some of the five or more languages he speaks, Sharma came to America, landing at JFK Airport in New York with just $42 in his pocket.

“I saw this as the land of opportunity if you work hard and you’re honest and not in it for the money — because there is a reason — humanity is the number one thing,” Sharma said.

“I want to make the globe better today than yesterday for future generations.”

The young immigrant soon caught a Greyhound to the Golden State and entered the workforce at a liquor and food store in Sacramento, then a gas station and a 7-Eleven. He was putting in 16 hour days and picking grapes in Napa Valley on the side.

A big break came when a well known real estate developer saw Sharma’s drive and commitment and loaned him enough to open a market of his own.

Sharma paid him back in six months. He bought another convenience store and before too long owned five. In 2001, Sharma bought his first hotel. Jai Shri Ram Hospitality Group’s holdings now include hotels, car washes, drug rehabilitation centers and apartments.

Today, the three hotels in Oakhurst join the JSR Hospitality Group portfolio which includes Best Western Plus in Placerville, Doubletree Hilton in Chico and Marriott Courtyard along with Marriott Fairfield in Concord.

When it comes to Oakhurst, Sharma is excited.

“We have great plans and we’re happy to be part of the community, to stay and work and help the community so we can grow together.”

Among the fresh ideas are adding a bar and bistro to the Fairfield, which sits in the middle of the trio of hotels. They would host the best food trucks in front, serving guests and locals.

“Sometimes we have as many as 400 or 500 guests between the three hotels,” he said. “And they don’t have anything to do past 9 p.m.”

Future plans may also call for an outside all-weather patio and more TV screens.

What hasn’t changed at the three hotels is the all-important staffing.

“We don’t need to make changes,” Sharma shared. “It was an easy decision to keep the staff.”

Sharma said his group is fortunate to employ great people including sales director for all three hotels, Kevin Shelton, who carried over from the previous owners, OTO Development.

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Oakhurst Yosemite are managed by Hogan Hospitality Group with whom Sharma had an existing relationship.

Meanwhile, Sharma is grateful to have found himself in the foothills of the Sierra with such close proximity to the beloved national park.

“Yosemite is beautiful,” he said. “We are blessed.”

Sharma and wife Rajiminder are the parents of two sons. When not working, he wants to be outdoors swimming, biking, playing soccer, volleyball and pickleball — he loves it all.

And Sharma believes it’s very important to give back to the community in the form of volunteering for charity work and generally doing what he can to make other people happy.

“I will die with nothing,” Sharma said. “What I do will stay for the future.”