Udaipur hotel to pay Chennai couple ₹10 lakh after staff ‘peeps’ into room, violates privacy

A consumer disputes panel in Chennai has ordered The Leela Palace Udaipur to pay ₹10 lakh to a couple after a staff member violated their privacy.

A consumer disputes panel in Chennai has ruled against The Leela Palace Udaipur, holding the luxury hotel responsible for violating guest privacy and directing it to pay substantial compensation to a couple who stayed at the property. The Chennai (North) District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered the hotel to pay ₹10 lakh in damages to the complainants, a Chennai-based couple, after finding fault with the hotel’s conduct during their stay.

A couple complained after staff entered their room while they were in the washroom. (www.theleela.com)

The case stems from a complaint filed by an advocate from Chennai, who, along with her husband, had booked a one-night stay at the hotel on January 26, 2025, paying ₹55,500 for a “Grand Room with Lake View” near Lake Pichola, according to a report by The Hindu. The complaint stated that a housekeeping staff member allegedly unlocked and entered their room using a master key while both guests were inside the washroom. The couple claimed that despite repeatedly shouting that no service was required, the staff member entered the room and peeped through a damaged washroom door, causing them severe mental distress.

Reports indicated that the couple immediately raised the issue with the hotel’s reception, but they were dissatisfied with the response they received. The matter was later taken to the consumer court, which found the hotel’s actions to be a serious lapse in service.

In its order, the Commission observed that permitting staff to access an occupied room amounted to a grave breach of privacy and safety. It stated that internal operating guidelines cannot supersede a guest’s right to privacy. The panel also took note of the fact that the staff member entered the room within a minute of ringing the bell, calling the action unreasonable, especially when the washroom was clearly in use.

Apart from the ₹10 lakh compensation, the Commission directed the hotel to refund the room charges with nine per cent interest from the date of stay and to pay litigation costs of ₹10,000. The entire amount is to be paid within two months, the report said. The complaint was filed against Schloss Udaipur Private Limited, which manages the hotel.

The Commission rejected the hotel’s defence that no “Do Not Disturb” sign was displayed, stating that staff should have confirmed occupancy with the reception before entering. It also criticised the hotel for failing to submit its standard operating procedures, questioned staff training practices, and flagged delays in sharing CCTV footage, noting that the camera outside the room was not functional.

The Leela Palace Udaipur, however, has denied any wrongdoing. In a statement, the hotel said its staff acted according to internal protocols after ringing the doorbell and maintained that the latch and double lock were not engaged. It claimed the staff member exited immediately upon realising the guests were inside and said apology letters issued to the couple were purely a goodwill gesture, not an admission of fault, as per the report.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.