A consumer court in Chennai has delivered a strong verdict against a luxury hotel, emphasizing the inviolable right to guest privacy. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chennai (North), has ordered The Leela Palace in Udaipur to pay more than Rs 10.65 lakh in compensation and refund to a Chennai-based advocate. The ruling came after the court found the hotel guilty of severe deficiency in service for a privacy breach that caused the complainant and her husband significant mental trauma.
The Incident: An Unlawful Entry
The case stemmed from an incident during a one-day stay in January 2025. The advocate had booked a premium 'Grand Room with Lake View' for Rs 55,500 on a non-refundable basis to celebrate her husband's birthday and their baby-moon. According to the commission's order dated December 16, a housekeeping staff member entered the occupied room using a master key while the couple was inside the washroom. The entry happened within seconds of ringing the bell, based on the hotel's internal standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The commission firmly rejected the hotel's defence that relied on these SOPs. It stated that internal procedures cannot override a guest's fundamental right to privacy, especially in a five-star hotel charging premium tariffs. The court observed that using a master key to enter in less than a minute was both unreasonable and unsafe, particularly when the washroom was in use.
Evidence and Aggravating Factors
The court's decision was bolstered by contemporaneous evidence presented by the complainant. This included WhatsApp communications with hotel officials, apology letters from both the housekeeping staff and the hotel management issued on the same day, and photographs. The photos showed a broken washroom door and a non-functional CCTV camera outside the room. This evidence supported the complainant's version of events and disproved the hotel's claim that there was no immediate protest.
The commission also took note of the hotel's conduct following the incident. It criticized delays in sharing CCTV footage, misleading assurances, and harassment during checkout. The couple was made to wait for hours, and their luggage was withheld. Significantly, the commission noted that the complainant's pregnancy aggravated the trauma and imposed a higher duty of care on the hotel.
The Final Order and Implications
Holding the hotel fully liable for the deficiency in service and the resultant mental agony, the commission passed a detailed compensation order. The hotel must refund the full room tariff of Rs 55,500 with 9% interest from January 26, 2025. Additionally, it must pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation for both pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages and Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs. The total amount must be paid within two months of the order.
This ruling sets a crucial precedent for the hospitality industry, reinforcing that guest privacy is paramount and cannot be compromised by internal protocols. It underscores the high standard of care expected from luxury establishments, particularly when dealing with vulnerable guests.
