- Novotel Hyderabad Airport faced backlash for overpricing, poor food quality, and service during the Diljit Dosanjh concert.
- The hotel’s mutton biryani was subpar and the non-smoking policy was disregarded, affecting non-smoking guests.
- Management, including Mayank Uniyal, was dismissive of feedback, and security personnel were hostile towards a guest.
- The incident highlights issues in India’s hospitality sector, suggesting a need for regulatory intervention.
Novotel Hyderabad Airport, a property managed by Accor, recently faced severe backlash due to allegations of price gouging, subpar food, and poor service during the Diljit Dosanjh concert. The hotel’s performance during this high-demand period was far from satisfactory, with guests reporting exorbitant room rates, substandard food quality, and a general lack of service. The surge in demand for rooms due to the concert led to the hotel adopting an aggressive dynamic pricing strategy, pushing room rates up to three times their usual price. This steep increase affected not only concert-goers but also other travelers visiting Hyderabad for business, medical appointments, or family emergencies, International Business Times reported.
Culinary Disappointment and Disregard for Non-Smoking Policy
The culinary experience at the hotel was another area of disappointment. Hyderabad, known globally for its iconic biryani, offers visitors a taste of its rich culinary heritage. However, guests at Novotel Hyderabad Airport were served a mutton biryani that was found to contain frozen pieces of meat and was utterly tasteless, the report added. Despite immediate complaints from multiple patrons, the hotel staff neither offered an apology nor any form of service recovery, charging the full amount for a dish that failed basic quality standards. Adding to the list of grievances, guests were dismayed to find the designated non-smoking floor filled with patrons openly smoking, with no intervention from the management. This blatant disregard for the non-smoking policy compromised the comfort and health of non-smoking guests.
Management Indifference and Hostile Security
The senior management at the property, including Mayank Uniyal, Director of Sales and Marketing, was approached with feedback. However, his response was both alarming and dismissive, suggesting Accor APAC’s management has little influence over the property’s operations. In an alarming display of hostility, the security in-charge, Santosh Janardhan, personally confronted the guest at the main gate, escalating the situation unnecessarily. Despite the guest being a registered patron of the hotel, Janardhan, along with at least 6 security personnel, aggressively attempted to block the guest’s entry simply because they were returning on foot, IBTimes reported
The situation at Novotel Hyderabad Airport highlights broader issues within the hospitality sector in India, including unchecked dynamic pricing, poor service quality, and a lack of responsiveness from management. This experience has left many wondering if it’s time for regulatory intervention to protect consumers from exploitative practices and to hold hotels accountable for the quality of service they promise but fail to deliver. The hospitality industry must take note of these incidents and strive to improve their services to ensure a pleasant and fair experience for all guests.