Leela Palaces’ CEO on the Overlooked Detail That Can Make (or Break) a Hotel Stay

0:00I am Anuraag Bhatnagar and you're listening to Sweet Success.

0:08You've just checked in to Sweet Success. Join me, Katie Cline, for exclusive conversations with hotel executives, hospitality leaders, and industry innovators. Together, we'll uncover the strategies and techniques these masters of hospitality were relentlessly refined. Whether you're already in the industry or just starting out, tune in every week to unlock the secret to your sweet success.

0:37Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Sweet Success. I'm your host, Katie Klein, and today I'm thrilled to welcome Anurag Bhatnagar to the show. Anurag is the chief executive officer of the Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts, India's leading luxury hospitality company known for its exceptional service, immersive experiences, and deep connection to Indian culture. With more than three decades of experience in luxury hospitality, Anurag has led some of the world's most prestigious Indian and international hotel brands, consistently positioning them at the forefront of the market.

1:13Prior to his role, he's held senior leadership positions with the Oberoi Group, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and Marriott International, where he gained extensive experience across luxury hotel operations, brand strategy, and hospitality innovation. Since taking the helm at the Leela, he's helped guide the brand through a period of significant growth, preserving the traditions and cultural authenticity that make the company unique while embracing innovation, evolving traveler expectations, and the future of luxury hospitality. Anurag, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you, Cathy. Great to be here.

1:49You have had such an impressive career. And I love when I get to speak with people like yourself, because I want to know, take us back to that first ever job. What was it that attracted you to the hospitality industry in the first place? You know, when I go back in time, the first thing that kind of attracted me to the hospitality business was that there were some amazing things happening. Events were happening. Global events were happening. I walked in like as a student. I was doing hotel management. I mean, I had not even opted to do my hotel management at that point in time. And I saw the glamour.

2:26But then I also saw the very smart boys and girls and young people working and serving and they had access to all these global personalities and events and celebrities. So this seems to be a good business. At that point in time, I did not probably realize fully the grind and the grit that goes behind the glamour. That was a later awakening. But I tell you, once I was into it and once I realized that there's a true calling way above and beyond just a job. And that's something that really struck me even in my earlier days. The excitement, the creativity, the passion, the kind of energy that you require to get into this business and stay in this business.

3:09That is something that grew within me and into me very early on days and here I am. Yeah, I want to dig into that word calling that you just used, because I think if you didn't work in hospitality, you could maybe dismiss that and be like, oh, come on. But it really is for a lot of us who have worked here. And you said something in that first answer about service. So much of hospitality is about service to our guests, to our owners, to whomever it may be. Right. Right. So how has that shown up in your life? How do you feel that calling every single day? I think it's very internal. I mean, if you get joy in serving people, if you really enjoy your interaction, when you make a significant difference, create a memory, create an experience, it literally creates a very happy zone around you and takes you to a different place.

4:06For many long hours, and I know everybody in hospitality, they put in the grind. I mean, hospitality can be a demanding business because you start early mornings and your days are long. You work through weekends, you work through holidays. So if you really enjoy what you're doing, if you have this inner calling where you realize that you have made a difference to someone's life, someone's experience, someone's anniversary or a birthday or any occasion, and they actually acknowledge you or they recognize you, it makes a big difference. So I think it's a bit of something inside you and the act of service.

4:42It's almost like, you know, if that gives you joy and hospitality is the right kind of business for you and the right industry for you. And to sustain and last and do well in this business, it is something that has to be you. Otherwise, there's pressure, you know. So it's like, you know, you need to get that energy back. You need to be the best version of yourself every day. bring your best game to the game every day. So this, hence I say it's a calling. It is, and it's a 24-7 business. I mean, if we think about how we have people in our hotels living their full 24 hours of a day in crises, we've seen every crisis that has happened in a human life has happened in a hotel as well.

5:26It is a really 24-7 nature. So I don't think it's hyperbole to talk about that grind. I'm curious though, So especially we're going to dig into the Leela and really bringing that Indian culture and that Indian service through. But do you think certain cultures or type of people are more suited to hospitality and delivering that level of service? Or do you think it just really is down to an individual person by person level? I think you do have a persona and a certain personality, the type that would do very well in this business of hospitality, especially at the experiential deeply emotional connect level that luxury hospitality offers where it is not transactional where it is not just about a process or taking a check-in or a departure where it's about developing deep human connections that's where you need especially when even today at the leela when we are recruiting when we are hiring we spend a lot of time in terms of beyond just the experience in terms of who's the person that we're looking at, what are the kind of behaviors and attributes and competencies, and more of it like a value system that you bring, which is so suited and resonates with the luxury hospitality service that we promote and we offer.

6:43So it is a certain type of an individual. And I can tell you from my own experience, and I've seen so many individuals do exceedingly well, not just in the Leela but in my past lives and past jobs as well they have a certain type that they like talking to people they are able to manage, they are resilient they have a very happy kind of an attitude about life they can manage the pressure, they kind of live it and they have this innate positivity about themselves that they can be in the trenches you know having done a 14 hour shift probably the previous night and walk in sharp and shiny the next day in the morning for breakfast service.

7:27So it is truly a certain personality. And I have so much respect and regard for these young folks out there who are literally running all the brands and serving the guests. It is really unique to our industry when you phrase it like that. Because if you think about like a doctor or a software engineer, there is certain training that is required that if they don't have that training, they cannot be qualified to do it. But I agree with you. That was my own personal experience. I had started in PR and communications in the fashion industry. And I remember realizing that my calling, if you will, was actually to be in the travel and hospitality space.

8:05And so I started applying for roles in PR in the travel and hospitality space. And a lot of the more traditional companies couldn't understand. They were like, but you don't come from hotels. And I would tell them all the reasons why that was actually a strength and an asset. And here's why I should be considered. And it didn't go anywhere until Starwood. And I remember when I was interviewing for Starwood, I tried to proactively offer that information. And the hiring manager kind of dismissed me and said, no, we love hiring people from all different backgrounds because you're going to bring something new to the table.

8:38And it really goes back to what you were talking about of like hiring for values first and then training later. So when you think about your time at Starwood, your time at Marriott, O 'Broy, all these amazing companies that you've worked for, what were those lessons that you took from each of them? And what were things that maybe you thought, I'm going to do it differently now that I'm in the top seat at the Lila? I think it's been a great journey in my three decades. Like when I started off in my Overeye hotels, I learned about commitment to excellence, the attention to detail. I had the good fortune of observing the owner, the founder, Mr.

9:17P.R.S. Overeye very, very closely in many interactions. I was not in the zone of consideration in those days. But then observing his innate passion where he would be a mile high in terms of quality and standards. So that's something that has stayed with me, that how important it is to be committed to excellence in everything that you deliver, especially for service, product quality, food and beverage. Starwood, as you and I both know, the brand passion, the unique instinctiveness of brand, the passion and the identity of each brand. Each brand of Starwood was so distinct, not just because it was a promotion or a program, the way it could be executed.

10:01So I was in operations as an operating general manager of several Starwood hotels in my days. I could easily tell what a St. Regis delivery and execution would be versus a Westin versus a W Hotel. You know, the DNA brand was laid and that's something again, which is very unique. And of course, in my journey in Marriott, where I was heading luxury for India, again, Marriott has got amazing operational rigor. the rigor the balance scorecard approach what they bring to the table the commercial thinking that's again very very important so i think every company in my life has been like a chapter which has really supplemented me and allowed me to you know bring hopefully the best of it together blended into my experience at leela because when i came into the leela like six six and a half years back, almost seven years now, Lila was entering a new phase.

10:58It had been just recently acquired by Brookfield from the family and was 100 % owned by them. And this is what I would like to experience as a Lila 200, when we really wanted to preserve the DNA of the brand, the brand language, the brand ethos, double click on the commitment to excellence, the warmth and graciousness of deal our service wise create brand extensions and brand adjacencies you know and ensure that we brought in the best of technology the best of commercial thinking and asset management approach to create value for all stakeholders without compromising or getting any illustration into a service offering or true indian luxury offering so all of this I think so lessons, even the challenging situation, the lessons I am sure all of us go through in life.

11:50But they always kind of taught me, hey, these are some of the things one should not probably do. You know, you also kind of make a list of some things that you can live without and grow without. So how do we be more mindful, how do we be more deliberate about growth? And how do we ensure that growth is value-accretive and is brand-accretive? that's the lesson that I learned and then of course all the good lessons in terms of how to be really focused on what the customers and what the guests are looking out for, how to ensure the service is more anticipatory and ritualistic and not just like an SOP led service where you have enough room for innovation and creativity and more of a deeper emotional connect rather than somebody who's just reciting an SOP and speaking the five sentences that you're expected to speak.

12:45So it's been a great blend. There's so much for us to unpack in what you just said. And I think let's start with taking the helm at the Leela six, seven years ago. That's a really big moment for the company. As you said, there's a lot of internal change going on. There's an ownership change going on. you want to preserve what makes the brand so so special and unique but you also want to grow and innovate and take it into what modern travelers are looking for today how do you do that where do you start i think the first things first i think i was very privileged and very fortunate to be a part of a very uh you know when lila was acquired by brookfield we had access to capital we had access to global technology and global distribution.

13:31And we also were allowed and we had access to some of the best talent. So building a team was a first step first. And the strategy was very clear that we preserve the DNA and nurture the DNA of Leela that was sowed 40 years back. What was the founder's vision to create one of the world's finest luxury ecosystem? That is something entrenched upon every associate of Leela. And most importantly, this extended beyond the beautiful palaces. It extended beyond the, you know, beautiful chandeliers and marble and crystal and all the trappings of amazing, beautiful acid quality. We wanted to grow very, very deliberately only in iconic locations.

14:18But the most important thing that we wanted to nurture and we have been able to nurture has been the warmth and graciousness of true Indian luxury. Now to talk on to that, what we probably brought into the table was access to global best practices, a balanced scorecard and a commercial approach, access to technology and global distribution. So it was a blend of retaining and nurturing and preserving what was done extremely mindfully with a great taste and amazing aesthetics and ensuring that the Leela culture of service excellence was retained. The walk and graciousness, the focus on greenscaping, the focus on building palaces, having the best hotels in the best locations was created, preserved and topped on with the best of global practices and a balanced scorecard approach and an operational rigor.

15:14So today our net promoter score sits at 86, which as you would know is amongst the highest, for sure the highest in the Asia-Pacific and amongst the highest in the world. We have been voted in the last five years, we have been voted amongst the world's top brands, the best brands, travel and leisure. And this year we've been voted as the second best brand in the world. and what really was required from our size to do, looking at the evolving India, the evolving luxury landscape and the ecosystem in India, I give you a certain detail. Prior to COVID, and let's say the first Leela, the average guest age would be in early 50s, maybe 51.

16:02And today, for the last three years, we have seen the median age of a traveler in Leela to be between 38 to 39 years. Wow. There's been a big shift. So our guests are, in a sense, almost a decade and a half younger, extremely well-traveled. Global travelers have access to the best in the world. They are experienced seekers. They understand food and beverage. F &B has become such a big part of our business today. Nearly 40 % of our business is food and beverage. And creativity, innovation, F &D programming is very, very important for us and very, very important for our guests. Wellness. Now, wellness going beyond just traditional Indian wellness, but weaving in integrated wellness with longevity, with future forward wellness programs that we can deliver across our hotels.

16:56That's become a part of our culture today. So these and many other service rituals that we introduce Like the ceremonial ritual This is something we do in every Leela hotel Every evening 6.30 to 7 at the time of sunset We bring the best of local music, culture, cuisine Some of the local dishes, local artists So all our guests, our international guests Can experience the culture of that geography Without necessarily having to step out You know, in case you are there for a corporate visit Or a business meeting You don't necessarily have to go out of the hotel You can get the best of Bangalore or Chennai or New Delhi Or in your hotel itself The Leela Palace service that we introduce This creates a very high level of intimate touch points It is attentive and intuitive without being obtrusive This literally gives, it's like our Butler program It gives you 8 touch points in your journey as a guest as a part of your experience bubble.

17:59And this is one of our biggest memory creator, a highly empowered team of Leela Palace Associates. This and many more initiatives, of course, on the commercial side with revenue management and asset management helped us take Leela from where it was 40 years back when it was just eight hotels when we acquired the portfolio to today to 15 hotels, which are operating in 10 hotels under various stages of development. And it's interesting. I'm hearing potentially some inspiration from your time with St. Regis, with the Sabrage ritual and the Butler program. But what I'm hearing is you did it in a very Indian way, a very Lila way.

18:38And you also managed to infuse the local in. Like sabering in St. Regis every night is super fun and enjoyable. But that's not exactly immersing you into the local culture. Whereas what you're doing is almost bringing the outside in for your guests, which is really cool. Yeah, so everything about Leela has to be true Indian luxury, as we say. True because it has to be authentic. It has to be specially curated. Whether it's our fragrances or our music or our cuisine, which is our, you know, the Ojasya brand of cuisine, or even the incense and everything that we create in Leela has been specifically made and curated and very bespoke Leela.

19:19and it has to be Indian because Indian hospitality taking Indian hospitality at a global level nearly 50 % of our guests are international so they experience like literally that's our like one is to one mix between our Indian local guests as well as international travelers so it's very very important for us that the true Indian luxury that Tila represents is experienced by even our international guests hence the rituals that we created that we launched, including the Dila Palace services, was totally the way a modern Maharaja would be treated in his own palace. This was the ethos behind it. The idea was, Katie, to remove friction from services.

20:02So I think when we talk about anticipatory services, it's like, what are the five, actually eight touch points that you can do that can remove the stress or the decision-making, literally, from our guests and travelers. It's like in a corporate hotel, whether it's packing or unpacking or bags, or is it ironing some of your shirts on your wardrobe or your customized amenities in the evening and your goodnight amenities or the selection of tea or coffee that you would like. Basically, so your guest is free and ensuring that you were done in an in-room or an in-villa check-in. You didn't have to spend any time at the reception either doing check-in or check-out.

20:45ensuring that you experienced the Leela ceremonial ritual, ensuring that there was a memorable moment created for you at least once during your stay. If you're traveling with kids, some cute amenities personalized for the kids and ensuring that our Palace Service Associate created a local small takeaway or a gift for you when you were leaving as a guest. So many of these touch points were created as a part of our service DNA. and I can tell you our palace service associates have become some of the biggest ambassadors I mean our repeat guests they reach out to them they buy part of your system they say hey I'm coming on so and so day why don't you get me a room because they are connected with them on WhatsApp because we offer that number so they remain at one point of contact with the guests during your stay so that's really become a big calling card for Leela and it's far more expanded than what you alluded to at the St.

21:43Regis, you know.

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22:47It's so true. When I think back on like the most special travel experiences for me, there is a person I can name by name, right? Like there I went on safari. It was the guide. So what you're doing is giving that really personalized interaction. And I don't mean personalized to the guest in terms of like, we're going to write your name on things, but you're really giving one-on-one interaction. And that goes really well with what you were talking about, the average age of your guests. Why do you think it has shifted so much? Is it all of the work that you're doing around positioning globally? Was that just a shift after COVID that all of a sudden we're seeing younger generations potentially traveling further and traveling at a higher price point, why do you think that shifted?

23:30So I think it's a combination of many factors. India as a country is very young, you know, a median age of the country is 29 years. The affluent Indians are growing in high double digits year on year. I mean, the affluent Indians, the HNIs and the ultra HNIs are growing by 14 to 16 percent year on year. There are, from some recent survey, There are more, they used to be, during pre-COVID, there were 70 million households in India that could have consumed luxury based on a certain income every year, household income. Now it's expected that by 2030, there'll be more than 200 million households that can consume luxury.

24:12We see post-COVID this explosive travel. People are traveling for experiences Exploring the destination Driving to destinations We see a lot of multi-generational Traveler happening People are traveling more They are taking larger villas They are taking villas with a swing pool The sweet consumption in our hotels Has increased So these shifts are happening In India as an economy And as a part of a larger growth economy We see that happening And of course we see so overall it's kind of impacting our average age and brought it down and plus we have also been able to attract you know through our food and beverage programming and the venues and innovations that we have done in F &B a whole new set of I would say luxury customers you know they enter the world of Leela through food and beverage and end up visiting one of our hotels or resorts and staying as they're there.

25:17So that combined with this India's population and growth of the luxury consumers and rising influence and the programming that we do, that's a combination makes the average age of the guests much lower. Yeah. And you mentioned 40 % of your business coming from food and beverage, which is really, really impressive. What is your approach to that strategy? Obviously, the brand in general is really focused on that Indian luxury. Are you only serving Indian food? How do you think about the chefs that you work with, the restaurant design? I'd love just your thoughts on that. So in every Vila hotel, we have a very special, at the minimum, one Indian restaurant, which like a brand Jamawar, and plus you will find lots of Indian offerings.

26:07Of course, more South Indian offerings in South India hotels and North India hotels, But every Leela hotel, you will find the best of Indian cuisine and all. But we also want to be the best address for our international guests. So you will find in Leela hotels, Le Cirque. You will find the Magoo restaurant in Leela. You will find the best of Asian and Pan-Asian cuisine in all hotels. Because we want to have the best of food and beverage offering without being restrictive. Because our length of stay is minimum three to four nights. So people who stay at Leela, we want them to experience not just the best of Indian cuisine, but also get the best global cuisine as well.

26:48Our philosophy on bars is more vibrant, more eclectic, more beverage forward. We recently, like two years back, we launched India's first and the finest speakeasy bar. And when I say finest, it's not me saying because I'm kind of biased, which I am. but it's been always voted as Asia's top 20 Asia's top 10 is Sindhila Palace, Bangalore the ZLB which you know you enter through a kitchen so you feel you're entering a kitchen and you wonder why I'm being taken there then you enter a service then you enter the back area of a restaurant suddenly you're in this amazing place with music and a band so it's one of the finest most awarded speakeasy bars in the country in Asia Pacific so we have been really looking at our food and beverage offerings.

27:37In Jaipur, we recently opened, last five months back, a rooftop restaurant, the Ember Terrace, which is on the backdrop of Aravli Hills. So imagine an evening in Jaipur, it's nice and breezy, there are hills around you and you have some great music and great offerings of food. So we have been very innovative in our F &B offerings. That again, because almost 50 to 60, 55 % of our business comes from even non-residents. For many people who are young, innovative, they want to experience food and beverage, F &B becomes the portal to enter the world of Leela. Yeah, it's such a good point and obvious, but also requires some time being spent on it too.

28:24Because, of course, when we can't afford a stay, yet what we can typically afford is maybe a meal, maybe even a cup of coffee or a glass of wine or something. So it is, it's kind of that gateway into the world. And then as potentially their wealth grows, then they start to say, I'm going to stay for a business trip. And then I'm going to stay for a leisure trip. And then it's the only place I'm going to stay. And it's such a delicate balance what you're talking about too, because you mentioned 50 % of your guests are international. So I'm thinking if I'm coming from New York and I'm staying at Alila, of course, I want to eat Indian food.

29:01But at the same time, we know what makes a really powerful hotel, restaurant or bar is getting locals in, too. So they want that variety. And it sounds like you're really being that lens of curation of just bringing in the best of whatever is happening in global dining. and we have been yeah absolutely kerry and we have been investing in our chefs training sending them some of our chefs for global exposure working and training the best of restaurants getting exchange programs we do a lot of master classes and pop-up events we have masima butura coming to india again for the third time only for the leela he comes to so so we have some of the best and finest chefs who come and do cook-offs and pop-ups in our hotels in India because F &B gets a lot of talking points, is noticed, and most many people also judge how good the hotel is based on your local F &B reputation.

30:00And F &B is also, again, beyond being a business driver, is a strong reputation driver. And even on the talent side, we are committed to ensuring that our people get the best of training, experience, and skills to be able to deliver at this kind of a global stage. I'm interested too in what you talked about with wellness and not just being that kind of plug and play wellness solution, but really taking a slant on longevity. Can you talk a bit about that? So a few years back, I'll take a big step, we launched something called the Ojasya by Dalila. Ojasya is a Sanskrit word, which means vigor of life.

30:39So that the concept itself was holistic wellness, that how you bring vitality into your or well-being into your system. So phase one, we focused on nutrition, which was key. Now phase two, we have gone into more of therapeutic wellness, which is how do we bring that vigor of life through various spa treatments and movement and exercise and sleep. And now phase three, we are interviewing this with longevity. So to give you specifics, in Leela Palace, Bangalore, we are opening 18 ,000 square foot of the top-notch wellness zone, which will have elements of not just traditional Ayurveda, but also zones where we are focusing on longevity and the modern integrated wellness equipment and treatments that a global traveler would expect.

31:34or even, you know, affluent Indians when they travel internationally, they would expect that right in their home turf in Neela Palace, Bangalore. We recently acquired a beautiful hotel in Kirk, which is again in South India, like five hours driving distance, four and a half hours from Bangalore, which has got 27 ,000 square feet of wellness zone, you know, and all the spas in our hotel are evolving into integrated wellness. the one in Jaipur has already been done and the new spas that we are launching the two that I mentioned and the third one in a beautiful desert resort in Jaisal Mer in Rajasthan that's also going to have almost 12 ,000 square of integrated wellness so wellness the components of it whether it's nutrition or movement through various calisthenics and aerobics and yoga or it is treatment we developed this Ayurvedic ritual for Ajaseya.

32:35And I tell you, it starts with a chanting of a mantra, which is a Sanskrit mantra, which is again for like everything Leela, it has to be Indian, you know, connects you with a higher divinity and appears to your spiritual self that for your well-being, it's literally a prayer for your well-being. And it ends with applying the little bit of holy ash on your forehead and giving you a bead for your wellness, for protecting your energies. So rituals like this, and they have been thought through and they are being rolled out and they create such a massive impact on our case because we are taking again the experience of a typical spa experience beyond what can really expect in terms of just therapy and treatment, connecting the spirituality to it.

33:21So that's all about a jasya and this is something that we are working on across all our days. It's also a spa treatment that makes sense in India at the Leela. Like you're bringing again that local in, which is what travelers are craving in every aspect, whether it be the hotel design, the food and beverage. But again, in the spa as well, you're taking it out of just the typical spa menu that could exist in any hotel in any part of the world. And you're making it really specific. Absolutely. We give every guest as a part of the spa departure experience, the bead that they wear. It's literally a holy bead, which protects their energies and cleanses their aura.

34:01And they can take it with them. They can carry it with them. So everything is true Indian. And it's authentic. And it's like, the idea is that you add on something so that a guest, when they come to a spa, Are they going back different and better than what they came in? And even just how you said that, their departure experience, what that shows me is you've really thought about the entire journey. It's not just like, how can we sell treatments? And once we've collected payment, like, we'll do a good job because we want them to come back. But you really thought through that every part of this is how can we surprise and delight you?

34:42Katie, if there is one thing I'm good at, I'm very good in departure experiences. I could probably write a few chapters in a book Because I tell you, having been in this business I have seen so many good and great hotels Lose it beyond checkout I mean, this to me really hurts You know, someone who's probably spent I don't know,$30 ,000 in your hotel Over the last five nights You know, and you know, once you swipe the credit So for me, the departure experience Literally ends with a fond farewell at the airport when you drop the guest. That's where you own the experience literally from the airport when you receive the guest till the time when you drop the guest back.

35:24So whether it's your chauffeur who's driving the guest or the guest relations manager or the palace of his associate who's seating you in the car along with departure amenities. Like in Kurk, to give you an example, our latest property, we, you know, most people they drive in their own vehicles right, they come with families, kids it's a forest sanctuary, it's beautiful 70 acres, there's a waterfall there's a lake, it's a coffee plantation, there are these Asian mongoose and some little bit of it's also on the elephant corridor, so it's a beautiful forest sanctuary and all villas, but most people they drive down to Kurg, right, it's closer to Bangalore and Magalore So we make sure as a surprise and delight Or at least it was a surprise in the beginning Now it's kind of become everybody knows about it We give them a very nice return picnic hamper And a local departure gift So when they walk into the car Because they got a four-hour journey ahead of them Plus what we have also done We have created two bungalows Small bungalows Which are Leela curated Think of a mini Leela with just two rooms and fresh rooms where people can take bio breaks.

36:39They can get some amenities. They can get a back massage quickly. They can stretch their legs. They can get certain amenities so that break the journey. So between, so hours away from the hotel you've created. That's right. Hours away from the hotel. So because it's a four and a half to five hour journey. So even the spot that, you know, you would need a nice comfortable place where you can break your journey after two, three hours, stretch your legs, have a nice cup of coffee or some, because it's a coffee plantation, so we serve Leela snacks, we serve Leela coffee. And that's really working well for us.

37:14So I think the departure and the whole managing the entire experience from the arrival to departure and even later, I mean, you know, our people are expected, our palace service associates are expected to check in on the guest even once they've reached their house. That I hope, like for example, Katie, I hope you reach safely. all is well it was lovely having you and we want them to do it with their heart so it's not just like i mentioned an sop or something just clinical that hey i did call the guests back so and that goes you know throughout training and mentoring and ensuring they are motivated enough to do that i i'm obsessed with this i i haven't heard anyone think about it this way before and you know when you and i were both at starwood i was working on the brand lemeridian And we did a study at that time, which was all about how the first 10 minutes of a guest's stay sets the tone for the entire experience.

38:10And it's something I still talk about a lot. I still think about a lot. But you're right. Like the departure is equally important, too. You had mentioned something about how you've seen so many examples, I'm sure not at the Leela, of people or hotels losing it at the checkout or after the checkout. Can you give some examples of that too? You just gave some examples of how to make sure you get it right. But how have you seen hotels get it wrong? I've seen, without basically naming any, and I'm talking about some very good international brands. and I'm talking about Brand Select and who are known for their service culture and a great reputation and all of that, that where these points of friction and points of, you know, inflection can change the entire experience.

38:57You know, it could be small things, but, you know, I mean, just imagine, I'll give you an example. We arrived in a hotel at, we had taken a late night flight and we had flown in from India, me and a couple of my colleagues, we arrived into a hotel. You know, the rooms were booked the previous night because obviously we arrived early morning and we had just an hour basically between us and the next meeting. Let's say we arrived at close to 8 a.m. in the morning and we had to step out of the hotel at like 9.15 and the latest to be somewhere at 9.30 in Singapore. I'll give you an example. Now, three times we emphasized to the gentleman in the desk, look, we are really rushed.

39:37But just because, so he went through the entire process of check-in, the credit cards and this and that. So eight into, and we waited in a queue and all of that stuff. So it took away nearly 20 minutes out of the total 60 minutes. And we had to freshen up, we had to shave, we had to change our clothes, do all of that, right? And so basically all we could do is grab a coffee and skip our breakfast and get on for the meeting. Now, that was a good hotel. And he was doing his job. It's just that nobody trained this gentleman on sensitivity, on intuitiveness and they had organized our pickup and we had paid for the room from the previous night and so they knew that we were on a flight from whatever midnight to 6 a.m.

40:24or whatever we reached the hotel at 8 a.m. probably traveled through the night jet lagged minor leap at 10 and they also knew that we had a meeting because they had organized the next car as well but this is what I talk about different fragmentation in service and different functions not speaking to each other. Now, what we try to train and ensure we try to get it mostly all the time is that talk to each other so that the same guest, you picked him up from the airport, he has got only one hour, and you already have the credit card details and everything else. Just make sure that you give them that one hour, the time that they're required.

41:08Wow, that's an excellent, excellent example. I'm curious because, of course, I've read that the brand is making its first international debut with the Lila Dubai, scheduled to open, I believe, by 2028, a beachfront resort on the iconic Palm Jumeirah featuring 546 keys, including a 361 key hotel, 182 private residences, and three exclusive villas. So I imagine moving the brand internationally, expanding the brand internationally was not a decision that was taken lightly. So why was this the perfect opportunity to start? And is this the beginning of more international properties from the Leela brand?

41:52I think this is a great time for us to grow internationally. It was in many ways the perfect opportunity, as you mentioned, both in terms of acquisition, which is very value accretive. But more importantly, for brands' presence, the Leela brand's presence in a very global competitive market, because we believe now the brand has got developed enough ecosystem in India, has got the bandwidth, has got the capabilities and the skills to be able to take on an international destination. Why Dubai? It's a global market You know, it's Almost for India, it's one of the Largest outbound markets So Dubai would have a very Strong brand recall for us And for us as well, Dubai is a great Transient and international market for us So in all the ways It ticked all the boxes and the asset Quality, it's on the beach It's 23 acres of land It's beautiful, all the villas will have a Sea view, it's got beautiful service residences, 10 amazing F &B venues.

42:57There is a lot of programming and design development that is happening right now to ensure that it being the first foray of Leela in an international market where you have the top 30 brands in the world of luxury already present out there. Leela makes an impact and carries forward the language and the positioning that we have in India to Dubai as well. I'm there next week along with my team and very excited about ensuring that the design language, whilst it's uniquely Indian and Leela, also appeals to the global traveler. And for that, like I said, we have enough of home experience with all or 50 % of our visitors being international.

43:41So with that experience that we already have over four decades of Leela being with us as a brand, and then we want to take that same experience to Dubai, of course, we'll be very very mindful of the local culture, the local talent dynamics, and the local positioning, and over-index on food and beverage, and experiences and wellness. But that provides an amazing platform for us to take the Leela story to international shores. Very exciting. I mean, I think there's so much going on. And I think at the right stage, we look at the other opportunities as well. But right now, there's what's going on in India.

44:20Like I mentioned to you earlier we have almost now we always i mean we have 10 hotels including dubai and the various stages of development we have three hotels on the wildlife we are opening three amazing wildlife sanctuaries we have one hotel opening in jaisalmer which is a desert 30 acres of desert area where we are coming up this hotel end of this year early next year we are coming up with our first product which is the Leela branded residences opening in Mumbai. The most beautiful hotel that, in my opinion, is going to be in Srinagar on the Dal Lake. 13 acres of beautiful greenery in a place like Srinagar.

45:01And then, of course, we are coming in Agra, less than a kilometer away from the Taj Mahal. And we are in Ayodhya, which is the spiritual capital of India today. you know and so all these exotic destinations we are coming of it well with all of those openings and with all of the properties that you already have i need to ask you probably the most difficult question of this interview if you had to pick a favorite which would it be it is indeed a most difficult question so let me see if i'm traveling for work and actually in my own hotels even if I think that I'll travel for leisure, it ends up being work.

45:43Let me erase that. I'm always traveling for work, even though I sometimes tell my GMs, look, I'm not coming for work. Right. I mean, there's you, I'm going for work, and unfortunately, I also can't help not being... It's the calling. We said it earlier. The calling is the calling. So maybe in city hotels, if I was to rank them, I mean, I would say the Leela Palace, Bangalore, followed by Lila Palace, New Delhi. Because they have an amazing, they get it. And they are just right for like, if I have a day meeting and all that, they have refined the experience to a very fine art. And of course, look, I am a slightly privileged in that sense because I happen to work with a brand.

46:26But I tell you, in terms of, because they're very sophisticated in terms of what they offer. But I would say my latest calling, in that sense, my favorite is the, And only because probably it's the newest baby, is the property in Kurg. Because we just acquired this beautiful resort, new build. It's all villas, has got a seven acres lake, has got a waterfall, a coffee plantation, 75 or 80 acres of that. So it will be the Leela Kurg Forest Century. Very, very nice. That really takes you, you know, and you actually allow stillness to find you. You know, it's quite luxury It's almost an all-inclusive, seamless experience It's almost like being on a cruise And almost 70 % of our guests, they opt for this all-inclusive experience Frictionless service Where right from your, when you leave your house in Bangalore or Mysore or anywhere else Or from the airport Every aspect of your experience is taken care of so it's my and I feel that since it's a youngest addition to the Leela family it requires more attention more tender air from us to ensure that it's like and it's already has started off very well and definitely if you're in India next time I'd like to invite you to visit the property and then you can figure out why it's my current favorite yeah you had me at coffee plantation and then you used the word stillness and And as a mom of two young kids, that sounds very, very nice and very appealing.

48:05Anurag, I want to ask you the last three questions that I ask every guest. And the first is, what was the best hospitality experience that you have ever had? Oh, wow. Okay, best. I can only talk about recency. I mean, I've been many days privileged because there's so many great hospitality experiences across the globe. recently I was on a cruise and I can tell you and this was the second time I've been on a cruise but this particular one they aced it when you talk about anticipatory service and execution excellence they aced it and the smiles on people's faces the spontaneity of the reactions nothing was staged even if it was staged it was so seamlessly staged it looked like a well orchestrated orchestra you know I was very impressed and he said because this is something that is playing on our mind that in our hospitality world in the luxury world we still have those points of friction you know we really need to get rid of them especially at the ultra luxury end and you know we need to do that so that's left an impact on me and I keep talking about it to many of my teammates that how great they were so yeah that's been one of my most recent favorite experiences Yes.

49:21That's going to just prompt a quick side question. Would we ever see the Leela brand expand into cruising? Not at the moment, but never say never. Right now, there's so much going on. We have so much more exotic work to do in India and outside, but maybe sometime, but nothing at the moment right now. Okay. All right. Well, on the opposite side of that amazing cruise experience, what was the worst hospitality experience you've ever had? Oh, I've got some funny ones and fun ones, mostly in this restaurant space, I would say. you know and restaurants and even some amazing hotels and standout restaurants where they would rattle off the menu and you know you can't really make a choice and then even after you deliberate on the choice for like maybe 11 minutes right after they keep selling you everything right and then they get it wrong then they get it wrong so and it's far more frequent they get their drinks wrong and they and especially especially if you are on a table of 4 or 5 people and then you know so yeah it's like I can kind of laugh about it but it also depends when you rush for time and people don't get so yeah hotels of course I mean some hotels I feel can get so transactional and clinical and people don't look up there's no eye contact there's no smile it's like they're always looking into the screens and there are some hotels that I walk in and people are always on the mobile phone God knows who they're talking to but they always seem to be on a mobile phone so you know in front of the guest you know and the phones ring loud so seeing some things that which are like a bit you know i'm too old now some of these things they become like peeves for me you know red flags these are some of the things and and i can mind you that all these stuff which i spoke to you about were not in like you know non-descript these are all reputed brands and all that so and of course i have shared my feedback interest and with my colleagues and peers that and of course I look at my own hotels with a more often I would say penetrative eye that I hope we not set the Leela you know because it's these small things make such a big difference luxury doesn't scream luxury has to whisper so you know loud voices loud phones people talking to each other pointing to a direction not escorting the guests to the destination.

51:42These small things are very big things. Yeah. Final question for you. What does hospitality mean to you? And is there anyone, it could be a person in your life, a brand that you think has truly mastered it? Oh, I'm thinking that how much time do I have to answer this question? For me has literally means my life to me because this is all I've done. This is all I've studied and more than studied, this is all I've practiced. I've not known any other job or vocation or anything else. It was a calling 30 years back and has remained such. I've enjoyed every day of my career and every experience and everything that I've lived and learned.

52:25It's brought me to in touch with so many amazing people, so many perspectives. It's given access, it's given credibility, it's given privileges. and of course brought in an element of gratefulness and gratitude to have been able to experience all of this. So hospitality means the world. My wife is also from hospitality. And my son has grown up in hotels. So hospitality and everything that I know about the business means the world to me. So it's my answer for hospitality. And some of the brands I think who have aced it and have a lot of respect and they're quite a few. but I think the brand I really look up to is the Aman.

53:12The way they get it, again, quiet luxury, limited marketing,

53:22extremely specific about how they do service, they focus on culture, that's amazing. Capella, how late, what they have been doing for the last few years, fours in a row one of the world's finest brands and again very similar to what we are trying to do at the Leela given our brand of hotels so I resonate a lot with them you know and in the of course I've experienced certain brands and I've memories with some of the finest hotels during when I was training when I was doing and incidentally when you mentioned the Meridian conversion I was also part of the global GM hospitality board when Eva Ziegler was there if you remember I was representing India at that point in time.

54:04I was a rookie GM in my first job when we were asked to be a part of this advisory board and I was in a room full of all these big daddies of hospitality, you know, very senior veteran GMs who'd been there, done that. So I have some great fond memories from that experience. But yeah, these are some of the brands that I really look up to. Yeah, what a beautiful, beautiful way to end Anurag. Thank you so much for your time today. Thank you, Katie. It's been really nice talking to you and looking forward to welcoming you to Kurg. And I remember the coffee plantation and let the stillness find you.

54:39Yes, absolutely. I'm sold. All right, everyone. It's time for today's sweet summary where I break down the key insights and actionable takeaways from today's conversation. When I asked Anurag about the beginning of his career, he said something that stuck with me. I walked in like a student. And while he probably meant that quite literally, it also felt like a through line of his career. True luxury, he said, isn't transactional. It's not about following a checklist or perfecting a process. It's about creating a genuine human connection. But how do we build a genuine connection with someone? Well, we pay attention to them.

55:21We connect the dots. We see them, their day, their family, their journey, holistically. In short, we study them. And no, not in a creepy way. Because only after we've paid attention can we truly remove the friction. If the hotel Anurag was staying at for that business trip had noticed that they were arriving at 9 a.m. only to leave again at 10 30 a.m they would have known that standing in a check-in line to hand over an id and a credit card would be far more disruptive to them than it would be for someone who is staying several nights context changes everything so honorog's team pays attention they noticed that guests leaving by car from one of their properties will probably get hungry along the way.

56:08So they provide a snack box. That a four or five hour drive likely means they'll need a restroom. So they built a rest stop exclusive for Lila guests. And then they go one step further, having a member of the team reach out simply to make sure they made it home okay. Who else does that in our lives? Maybe our parents and only if we're lucky. And so by doing that, by showing that level of care after a guest has checked out, after they've already paid, it's memorable. Bear with me on a quick tangent. When my dog of 10 years passed away, I was devastated. In the middle of my grief, I emailed two companies.

56:49The first was a retailer where I'd bought him a Christmas bandana that I sadly wasn't going to need anymore. I asked if I could return it and received a cold response quoting the company's no return policy. The second email was to cancel his recurring food delivery. They replied with a heartfelt note, expressing their condolences, refunded my most recent shipment without me asking, canceled my subscription, and a few days later, sent me a handwritten sympathy card referencing both me and my dog by name. One company lost my business forever. One gained my loyalty for life. And this is exactly what I heard in my conversation with Anurag.

57:32The experiences we remember, the brands we'll happily pay more for, the ones we proactively and enthusiastically recommend to others are the ones that make us feel seen as people, not make us feel like we're a transaction. And that concludes another episode of Sweet Success. If you enjoyed today's conversation, please subscribe, rate, and review the show. We all know how important those five-star reviews are. I also want to say a massive thank you to each and every one of you for tuning in. It means the absolute world to me. And I'd love to hear from you. If you have ideas for future guests, new topics to cover, or even just want to say hi, don't be shy.

58:12Message me through our website, sweetsuccesspodcast.com or on social media at sweetsuccesspodcast. That's sweet like hotel suite. Once again, I'm your host, Katie Klein, and I'm super excited to see you all next week.