In an exclusive interview with TTJ, Anuraag Bhatnagar, CEO, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, outlines the brand’s vision of redefining luxury through deep cultural engagement, thoughtful hospitality, and personalised experiences powered by technology. From nurturing talent and empowering women to sustainable innovation and strategic expansion, The Leela continues its journey of delivering transformative experiences while staying rooted in its ethos, Atithi Devo Bhava.
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has been on a journey to delight guests by providing unparalleled luxury in captivating environs, ensconced in the lap of nature and wrapped in the graciousness of Indian hospitality. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture, and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals, and immersive experiences.
Differentiation in a Competitive Luxury Market
As competition intensifies in India’s luxury hospitality sector, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has been able to differentiate its offerings to maintain and enhance its market position.
Their differentiation strategy rests on three strategic pillars. The Leela continues to emphasise personalised, immersive experiences that are reflective of the cultural and historical essence of each destination. By integrating local heritage and artistic narratives into the guest experience, they are not merely offering a stay but a journey that connects guests with the soul of India.
Their experiential signature programmes, such as Tishya by The Leela, their signature fragrance, Aujasya by The Leela, their signature wellness programme, and Icons of India by The Leela, which celebrates India’s changemakers and thought leaders, are embedded into their brand architecture to engage the discerning traveller beyond traditional hospitality.
While their service ethos remains at the core of the brand, The Leela Palace Service, the signature butler programme, and personalised guest services elevate the guest experience, while their brand ethos, Atithi Devo Bhava, ensures that each interaction is imbued with warmth and genuine hospitality.
“We are actively investing in advanced training programmes and leadership development to further enhance our service capabilities across our expanding portfolio. Simultaneously, we are investing in enhancing our brand capabilities and strengthening direct-to-consumer channels to deepen brand equity and customer lifetime value,” said Bhatnagar.
Developing Talent and Building Leadership
At The Leela, they recognise that nurturing talent and leadership is pivotal to maintaining their position at the forefront of luxury hospitality. As a learning-first organisation, the Leela Leadership Development Programme (LLDP) features a comprehensive curriculum designed to nurture future leaders in the hospitality industry.
Bhatnagar informed, “At the Leela, we are deeply committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive workforce while prioritising talent development and retention. Beyond the LLDP, we have implemented a range of initiatives designed to attract and retain top talent, ensuring we continue to uphold our service excellence as our portfolio grows.”
Bhatnagar added, “We also strongly emphasise gender diversity, focusing on empowering women in the hospitality industry. We nurture aspiring female chefs through our Shefs at The Leela initiative by offering masterclasses, curated dinners, and mentorship opportunities. We also partner with organisations like the Hope Works Foundation to provide internship programmes that equip young women with the skills to thrive in the hospitality sector.”
Additionally, the hotel group has several upskilling programmes aimed at enhancing the skills of its team members. The Leela Palace Service Development programme trains employees to deliver personalised, luxury services, ensuring they are equipped to meet the expectations of their discerning guests. The Leela Executive Accelerated Development programme provides structured career progression and leadership training, helping groom future leaders from within the organisation.
“Beyond professional development, we offer competitive compensation packages, which include salaries, performance-linked bonuses, and a variety of benefits, such as employee stock options, insurance coverage, and medical reimbursements. By investing in the growth and well-being of our team, we ensure that our employees feel valued and are motivated to deliver the exceptional service that defines The Leela,” asserted Bhatnagar.
Technology as a Silent Enabler of Luxury
At The Leela, technology serves as a discreet enabler of their signature quiet luxury, thoughtfully enhancing the guest experience without ever overshadowing the warmth of human connection. They have invested in a suite of CRM and guest intelligence tools, including Salesforce, Revinate, and Hotlync, which allow them to create micro-personalised moments at scale. These platforms empower their associates to anticipate guest needs long before check-in, from pillow preferences to curated itineraries. This is supported by advanced training programmes such as LLDP, LEAD, and The Leela Palace Service, which equip their teams to bring these digital insights to life with empathy and finesse.
“We have adopted cloud-based SaaS models and AI-powered revenue systems to streamline operations, optimise costs, and improve agility while ensuring that service excellence remains uncompromised. Our OPERA-powered central reservation system enables dynamic pricing and seamless guest profile access across hotels, ensuring consistency without losing individuality,” informed Bhatnagar.
In essence, The Leela’s technology strategy enhances operational efficiency and guest satisfaction in equal measure, quietly powering moments of delight while preserving the emotional richness of a Leela stay.
Luxury with Purpose: People, Planet, and Provenance
At The Leela, luxury with purpose is a philosophy deeply rooted in their responsibility to people, planet, and provenance. As custodians of Indian luxury, they are committed to offering indulgent experiences that are equally mindful, sustainable, and socially inclusive. This ethos is embedded across their business strategy through a robust ESG framework that integrates circularity, resilience, and cultural stewardship.
Bhatnagar shared, “We are eliminating single-use plastics, transitioning toward green energy, and actively pursuing LEED and IGBC certifications for sustainable design, while ensuring that purpose is a lived experience for every guest. Our Aujasya by The Leela water bottling initiative has already eliminated over 33 metric tonnes of plastic annually, and 98.9 per cent of all waste across our portfolio was diverted from landfills in 2023 alone. Through strategic partnerships like Leela Ke Phool, we upcycle floral waste into incense infused with our signature fragrance, Tishya by The Leela, blending circular economy principles with sensory luxury.”
Purpose is also woven into the guest journey, from farm-to-fork dining experiences and the use of organic, locally sourced ingredients to artisan-crafted amenities and FSC-certified packaging that celebrates heritage and sustainability. Through their partnership with Jalinga Tea Estate, guests enjoy wellness teas from India’s only carbon-neutral, organic-certified plantation.
“We are championing local communities beyond employment, supporting cultural preservation, indigenous crafts, and gender diversity through initiatives like Shefs at The Leela, and education through the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation. Today’s global traveller seeks meaning. At The Leela, we are redefining luxury to be both transformative and responsible, ensuring our hotels are future-ready while staying true to our ethos of Atithi Devo Bhava – Guest is God,” said Bhatnagar.
Strategic Expansion with Purpose
The Leela remains focused on expanding its presence in key gateway markets both in India and internationally through a combination of greenfield developments, inorganic acquisitions, and hotel management arrangements.
“Our approach to expansion is guided by favourable demand and supply dynamics in the luxury segment, and we continue to adopt prudent capital allocation strategies in evaluating greenfield projects or acquiring and rebranding existing hotel assets under The Leela brand. Backed by the global operating experience of Brookfield and the capabilities of our management team, we are well-positioned to identify and act on opportunities in markets that see a high footfall of Indian tourists and align with our brand’s positioning. All developments will continue to reflect the brand’s quality standards and sustainability framework as we grow with intention and purpose,” concludes Bhatnagar.
