CHENNAI: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chennai (North), has held The Leela Palace Udaipur guilty of deficiency in service and directed it to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation, besides refunding the full room tariff with interest, for an incident involving unauthorised entry into an occupied room.

In January 2025, when a Chennai-based advocate, who was pregnant at the time, checked into the hotel with her husband after booking a non-refundable room for Rs 55,500, a housekeeping staff member entered the room while the couple was inside, leading to allegations of invasion of privacy and mental trauma.

In its order dated December 16, the Commission ruled that the hotel’s reliance on internal standard operating procedures could not override a guest’s right to privacy and dignity, particularly in a premium hospitality setting. The Commission noted that entry into an occupied room using a master key within a short span after ringing the bell was unreasonable.

The Commission relied on documented evidence and rejected the hotel’s denial of deficiency in service. Holding the hotel liable, it directed the hotel to refund the full room tariff of Rs 55,500 with 9% interest, pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation for mental agony and deficiency in service, and Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs.