Leela: Reimagined, Redesigned, Reset

Barely had Anuraag Bhatnagar taken over as the Chief Operating Officer at The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts that the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world. With the global crisis making everyone rethink about their priorities, Bhatnagar took it as the period to pause and reflect. 

“All the disruptions caused by the present circumstances made us challenge everything we have done so far, even basic assumptions about our careers, workspaces, families, needs and technology. The mindsets have shifted and life goals have evolved,” feels Bhatnagar.

The Leela Palace Udaipur

When life changes so dramatically and at breakneck speed, the one thing you know is that an era has ended and a new era has begun, he feels. “We know the ‘normal’ we return to will not be the ‘normal’ we knew before. The trends and behaviours predicted at the beginning of the decade are no more applicable. Our strategies and the way we have approached our business also needs to evolve. For me, this has been a time to pivot and reinvent, a time for business transformations and innovations,” says Bhatnagar.

On the professional front, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts’ COO spent this period thinking creatively about operations and reimagining the guest experiences based on insights as to how consumer behaviour would probably change. “Our focus has been to Reimagine, Redesign and Reset. As a leader, I focus on keeping abreast with the evolved expectations of the guests and ensure we not only meet but exceed them, keeping in mind to remain true to the values of our brand and continue to deliver a true luxury experience. I want to ensure that we remain agile and quickly adapt to an ever-evolving tomorrow,” he says. 

The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel & Residences 

Under Brookfield ownership today, The Leela is a well-capitalised brand that is investing significantly in the brand, in talent, in technology and in building a robust sales and marketing ecosystem. “We are well-poised to embrace the next new chapter in our growth trajectory. As the world opens up, we must prepare for the coming recovery period and ready ourselves to take advantage of opportunities that will gradually but undoubtedly arise. We are aware of the hazards we have faced, but we are now standing poised for the opportunities too. We wish to stay focussed on preparing for the changing environment while working on our objective of expanding our business. We will also continue to focus on elevating the guest experience and enhancing our F&B and wellness offerings that will further strengthen our brand positioning as an epitome of true Indian luxury. The focus will be on a few strategic collaborations and activations that are in synergy with our brand positioning and will help us amplify our reach,” says Bhatnagar. 

The Leela Goa

For the last three decades, The Leela is known for delivering an uncompromising level of personalised services with the true graciousness of Indian hospitality. And it is all ready with upcoming projects which include business hotels in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. “We are excited to see what the coming months hold for us as we navigate this dynamic new normal. The Leela Group is committed to growing in key gateway cities and marquis leisure destinations. For the same, we are exploring development in the luxury wellness and wildlife space,” he says, adding, “Our guest is the affluent global traveller and an experience seeker and we stand committed to curating authentic luxury experiences that are delivered with the graciousness of Indian hospitality, be it for business or leisure. We are committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India,” he says.

Lobby, The Leela Palace New Delhi

Airing his thoughts on what he wants to better: business, assets, performance indices or hospitality brands, Bhatnagar says, “I’m a result-oriented professional who aims at building and nurturing high-performance teams and motivating them towards achieving visionary goals. I believe in constantly challenging the status quo and in aligning brand values with key business initiatives to curate authentic luxury brand experiences, delivered with the warmth and graciousness of Indian hospitality. Driving operational excellence and maintaining the highest levels of guest service standards have always been important to me. I have believed in setting my own benchmarks and striving to better them each day, hoping we will be proud of the difference we have made and the legacy we leave behind.”

With the global traveller now expecting higher standards to ensure his wellbeing, Bhatnagar feels that digital technology will enable and expand the existing “no touch” options. “At The Leela, we have seamlessly integrated technology into the guest as well as the associate experiences giving them  more choices. From e-check-ins, mobile keys, WhatsApp assistance, e-menus, e-butlers to e-newspapers, our guests can choose when and how much they would like to engage in person,” he informs.

The Leela Palace Jaipur

Talking about the philanthropic and staff initiatives made by The Leela Group, Bhatnagar says, “When the country was grappling with perhaps the biggest crisis it ever faced, we came together and did whatever we could do to support our associates, our guests and the communities in which we operate. We may not have been able to heal the entire world, but we did start with a simple act of kindness, a gesture of compassion to make a humble contribution to support our associates as well as the frontline workers. We partnered with Clothes Box Foundation to support the Indian Army with PPE kits, oxygen concentrators, SPO2 meters, N95 masks, medicines, gloves, sanitisers and ration. Our hotels provided food to hospitals and health care centres for frontline workers and patients. Our associates donated vaccination for those who could not afford them.” 

Not this alone, The Leela launched a vaccination drive and made a commitment to cover the costs of vaccination (where not covered by the government) for all their associates. This drive covered not just their associates but was open to their families too. “We were among the first hotel companies in India to announce 100 per cent vaccination of all our associates. And by doing this, we reiterated our commitment to the safety of our guests and associates,” informs Bhatnagar.

The Leela Palace Chennai

The Group also introduced Suraksha programme in partnership with Bureau Veritas India. This comprehensive programme builds on The Leela’s existing rigorous cleaning protocols and aimed at elevating sanitisation, hygiene, and safety procedures to deliver a safe environment for guests and associates. Today, all Leela hotels are Platinum certified. “In these stressful times, we rolled out a recovery plan to assist those who suffered from Covid-19 with benefits like paid leave during the quarantine period and a nominal token financial grant to cover expenses for health and dietary supplements. A group of mental health counsellors were brought on board for our associates should they need professional help in coping with a personal or professional situation. We believe this is a time to demonstrate that #LeelaCares for its associates, guests and the communities in which we operate,” he says.

In his free time, Bhatnagar enjoys watching movies, listening to music, and relaxing with some reading. “I’m an active trekker who seeks out new destinations and enjoy spending time with my wife, son and our two dogs. I love wildlife and one of my favourite vacations was to Masai Mara. I would love to witness the Great Migration in Serengeti and also hope someday to to travel to Kruger National Park in South Africa,” he concludes.