“Hospitality is when someone feels at home in your presence”
Hospitality is simply an action to show love and care. And that’s exactly what we witnessed when we paid a visit to The Leela Palace, Delhi. The hotel opened in the year 2011 and is a perfect choice for both business and pleasure. The Leela Palace New Delhi reflects the grace and architecture of a beautifully made Palace and the moment you set your foot in, everything epitomizes the same. The hotel has a total of 254 rooms of 550sq. ft and above, equipped with latest technology. The hotel also houses some of the best restaurants and Spa options for its guests. The Leela Palace is known for its luxury hospitality and has won many accreditation and awards, including being in the Top 4 Best of the Best Hotels in the World, by Robb Report in 2012.
Luxury Connect Business School arranged for us to attend the luxury conference that was to take place at The Leela Palace followed by a tour to explore the quintessential luxury property. Right from the entry to the exit, the staff that came in contact with us during the entire duration was extremely humble and polite. They greeted us with a big smile and a polite Namaste. On the day of our visit, the hotel was having a very busy day, with all the rooms being occupied, a luxury conference taking place and some foreign delegates visiting. In spite of it, the General Manager of the hotel was helpful enough and arranged for a staff member to take us around the property. The hotel has imbibed the palace theme in their décor, lighting, and the overall ambiance. A walk through the corridors gave a feeling of grandeur and everything right from the beautiful lamps, the chandeliers, the intricate brass work and fresh roses kept at every corner and tables added to the enchanting experience. As informed by their staff, the hotel orders 14000 roses every third day and uses them to adorn their entire property. No wonder, wherever my eyes wandered, I found fresh roses and flowers!
Besides the décor, the hotel has a wonderful and massive lobby which was recently decorated for Christmas with a huge tree in the middle. Along with tree, the hotel had made a Gingerbread house as well that stocked different kinds of breads, cookies and desserts. Facing the lobby through a see-through glass is a hidden garden with all exotic flowers planted around with a beautiful Buddha statue in the center. The staff also took us around their restaurants offering continental, Japanese and multi-cuisines. Their Japanese restaurant had an outdoor seating and was a treat to the eyes. The cold winter weather and seating’s amidst natural flowers and trees made it one of my favorite spots in the entire hotel. Besides this, an outpost of the New York favorite, the Le Cirque in Leela Palace Delhi shines in terms of the service and location. It’s on the 10th floor and provides a breathtaking view of the capital. The evening we visited, the view was enhanced by the recently settled fog and the restaurant was automatically added to my bucket list to be visited with family in future. For me as a customer and a visitor, the hotel ticks all the boxes as far as food, service, and décor are concerned.
The true culture of The Leela was experienced in those few minutes I spent in the lobby. From welcoming the delegates and the guests with utmost warmth, garlands and refreshments to general greeting and a smiling face put forth by the staff for the people sitting in the lobby, everything made the guests feel like the jewel on the cushion of hospitality. As a student of LCBS, it was our privilege to experience the luxury of this level at first hand and understand that it’s not important what job you do, but how you do it! As an aspiring luxury professional, the field visit was truly enriching and beneficial to shape up our personality traits and be industry ready for the dynamic industry.
(By: Mehak Sareen)
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