Leela Palace Udaipur fined Rs 10 lakh after staff enters occupied room using master key

Imagine being in your room at a luxury five-star hotel with your spouse when the doorbell rings. It’s the housekeeping staff, but even after you say ‘no service’, a staff member enters the room using a master key. This is what a Chennai-based couple alleged during their stay in a “Grand Room with Lake View” at The Leela Palace Udaipur, a luxury hotel located next to Lake Pichola, a Bar and Bench stated. The couple’s complaint has now led to a consumer court ruling against the hotel.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chennai (North), has directed The Leela Palace, Udaipur, to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation to the couple after holding that the hotel’s housekeeping staff violated their privacy. The Commission found the hotel guilty of deficiency in service after a staff member entered the couple’s room using a master key while they were inside the washroom, according to a report by Bar and Bench.

Housekeeping staff entered room using master key

The ruling followed a complaint filed by a Chennai-based advocate who had booked a “Grand Room with Lake View” at the hotel for a one-day stay on January 26, 2025. She alleged that despite the room being occupied, a housekeeping staff member entered using a master key while she and her husband were in the washroom, Bar and Bench reported.According to The Hindu, the complainant stated that even after the couple shouted “no service”, the staff member entered the room and allegedly peeped through a broken washroom door, causing mental distress and amounting to a serious invasion of privacy.

Consumer court raps Leela Palace

The Commission held that the incident constituted both a violation of privacy and a deficiency in service. It observed that housekeeping staff cannot enter an occupied room using a master key merely on the basis of internal standard operating procedures. In addition to awarding Rs 10 lakh as compensation, the Commission directed the hotel to refund the room tariff of Rs 55,000 along with 9 per cent annual interest from January 26, 2025, until the amount is realised. The hotel was also ordered to pay Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs.

The total amount is to be paid within two months of the order, which was passed on December 16. The complaint had been filed against Schloss Udaipur Private Limited, which operates The Leela Palace, Udaipur.

Hotel denies wrongdoing

The Leela Palace denied any wrongdoing, stating that the housekeeping staff entered the room only after ringing the doorbell and that the action was in line with its standard operating procedures. The hotel claimed there was no “Do Not Disturb” sign displayed and that neither the door latch nor the double lock had been engaged. It also stated that the staff member exited immediately upon realising that the guests were inside the washroom.

The hotel further said that letters of apology were issued to the couple purely as a goodwill gesture and did not amount to an admission of fault.

What the commission said

Rejecting the hotel’s defence, the Commission held that internal SOPs cannot override a guest’s fundamental right to privacy and safety. It noted that entry into the room was made using a master key within less than a minute of ringing the bell, calling the action unreasonable and unsafe in a situation where the room was occupied and the washroom was in use.

The Commission observed that if there was no response from inside the room, the staff should have contacted the reception desk to verify whether the guests were present or had checked out, instead of entering the room. It also noted that the hotel failed to produce its SOPs, which established negligence in maintaining basic staff etiquette, and observed that the incident could have been avoided had proper procedures been followed.

The Commission further held that the written apology letters issued on the same day carried evidentiary value and could not be dismissed as routine hospitality gestures. It also flagged concerns over delays in providing CCTV footage and noted that the camera outside the room was non-functional, raising questions about guest safety.

The Leela's Official Statement:

“Guest privacy, dignity, and safety are of paramount importance at The Leela, and form the cornerstone of our service philosophy. We take any matter concerning our guests’ experience with the utmost seriousness.

The recent order by the District Consumer Redress Commission, Chennai, is under review, and appropriate legal measures are being evaluated to ensure a just resolution.

The Leela remains fully committed to upholding the trust of its guests and to delivering gracious, respectful, and world-class hospitality at all times.”


(With inputs from Bar and Bench)