Exclusive Feature: Like no other, the Indian hospitality market is primarily dominated by homegrown brands such as Taj, Oberoi, The Leela, and ITC, most of which aspire to compete at the international top-tier of luxury hotels.
During a recent visit to India, I had the opportunity not only to gain a fresh overview of the high-end hospitality market but also to experience some of the top offerings firsthand.
In this inaugural edition of “The Duel”, I have chosen to compare a hotel from each of Taj and Raffles, two of the world’s most prestigious luxury hotel operators with rich legacies. While Taj operates the vast majority of its hotels in India, Raffles extends its services across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
While assessing hotels is not rocket science, the devil is definitely in the details when it comes to 5-star plus offerings. It requires a combination of extensive experience and the right sensitivity. The latter is necessary for accurately assessing Emotional Intelligence (EQ), guest engagement, or soft skills. Almost anyone is capable of evaluating the service component of any human interaction in a hospitality establishment, provided they have an ideally detailed checklist at hand. Of course, the industry generally prefers to work with a less-detailed set of standards, which makes achieving higher scores easier. Additionally, the facilities still matter.
Now, let’s stop theorizing and delve into an enchanting comparison of two of India's most captivating luxury accommodations: Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and Raffles Udaipur. These remarkable destinations offer a glimpse into the world of opulence and indulgence, each with its unique charm and allure.
Let's explore the grandeur, history, and experiences that await at these exquisite retreats.
1. Arrival Experience
Arriving at a hotel is not always an experience. In many cases, it’s just a routine process for handling customers. However, in the case of our two contenders, it was indeed a genuine experience, except that at the Taj, I was forced to carry my bag up the stairs. The formalities took a back seat, and in fact, I don’t really remember if they even actually occurred. The welcoming ceremonies in both hotels were equally captivating, making me feel like the most important person in the hotel for a few minutes. Needless to say, there wasn’t a usual check-in desk used.
Advantage: Raffles
2. Room Introduction
Taj took a very leisurely approach to the rooming process, as if I had stayed there before, although no one asked me that question. On the other hand, Raffles showed more concern for the details of the stunning suite they had selected for me, yet they didn’t go all the way. Nobody really does.
Advantage: Raffles
3. Butler Service
While Taj did not boast a special personalized service, Raffles’ hallmark showed off right from the start. Having one point of contact, reachable comfortably 24/7 via WhatsApp might be an advantage, as opposed to having to find the right button or number to call reception. While the butler was very friendly, he sometimes came across as too intrusive and the expected pro-activeness could have been better. Additionally, he did not respond to two of my four WhatsApp questions.
Advantage: Tie
4. F&B
F&B is what many consider to be the most important experience in a hotel. Let’s take a closer look: Surprisingly, Taj’s dinner menu was not particularly designed for vegetarians, so I decided to forego it. The unobtrusive bar service provided nuts and canapes, which somewhat undermined my attempt to fast for the evening. Breakfast service felt unorganized, repetitive, inefficient and rather uninspired until I told them, after which it improved. No introduction regarding the buffet and a la carte was made.
At Raffles, everyone was really making an effort to impress, which did not always work in a quite noisy environment. Due to the location of the two restaurants right next to each other, one could not really escape the music and the other guests. Raffles’ approach was more proactive, but also a bit unorganized and inefficient. The beer was served during the meal, instead of before. Introductions were made, at least.
Advantage: Raffles
5. Facilities
A century-old palace vs a new-build hotel, both equally grand. If you care more about the beauty of a building and the history behind it, then the Taj might be the better choice for you. However, the convenience factor, especially in the room–think lighting, TV etc.–speaks for Raffles. Their room product was very high-end, albeit with a few hiccups. A few things needed urgent repair, which was done right away, at least partly. Sleeping in complete darkness is a precious and unfortunately rare luxury.
Especially at Raffles, they preferred to let the guest recognize the A/C and bedside panels at all times, showcasing the boon and bane of technology. However, this can be remedied by utilizing technology in a more guest-friendly manner, such as can be found at the Four Seasons Hotel Taormina for a more guest-friendly sleeping experience.
Advantage: Tie
6. Atmosphere
The atmosphere in a place filled with history is truly unparalleled.
Advantage: Taj
7. Visibility of the General Manager or Hotel Manager
Management leads a hotel, typically a medium-sized company, through its interaction with guests and employees. It is a great opportunity to personally connect with guests, making them feel appreciated, and increasing the likelihood of their return or even becoming regular patrons.
Avoiding guest interaction by hiding in the office is not an option. During my stay at the Taj hotel, I did not have the chance to meet the General Manager or the Hotel Manager. In contrast, at the Raffles, both the General Manager and the Hotel Manager (Director of Operations) were occasionally visible and accessible.
After watching the 1990 movie “Pretty Woman” for the nth time the other day, I was once again struck by how visible the GM was in the lobby, motivating his staff and assisting guests. It seemed like a relic of a bygone era to me!
Advantage: Raffles
8. Employees
The employees in both hotels were welcoming and friendly. However, at the Taj, they were not proactive or attempting to go the extra mile. In contrast, the employees at the Raffles were putting in more effort to create a lasting impression.
Advantage: Raffles
9. Personalization
While my stay at the Taj felt like a standardized routine, Raffles went the extra mile. Wow! It’s not often that a (chain) hotel goes to such lengths. Congratulations. Personalization triumphs over standardization; one size does not fit all.
Advantage: Raffles
10. Commercialization
Does the hotel come across as generous or more on the stingy side? Hotels are not charities; they need to generate profit like any other business. Nowadays, many hotels are part of larger chains or conglomerates that are publicly traded. Consequently, they must consistently demonstrate growth in absolute and relative terms.
This can be accomplished at the property level by increasing rates and prices for F&B, spa treatments, etc., boosting occupancy, and cutting costs.
My impression was that both hotels were in line with the new normal post-Covid, meaning they were not really better, but also not worse. For example, at the breakfast buffet, the fruit juices were not consistently fresh, regrettably unlabeled, but were available on request.
Advantage: Tie
11. Checkout
It appeared that the Taj was not particularly displeased to see me leave. The farewell was all formalities–very formal–and concluded with a swift goodbye. In contrast, Raffles bid farewell in a more personal manner, conveying a genuine desire to welcome me back in the future.
Additionally, the gesture of offering water for the road seems to have gone out of fashion. Nevertheless, both hotels did inquire about arranging transportation.
Advantage: Raffles
12. Pre- and Post-Stay Communication
At both hotels, any communication of such nature was solely business-oriented or non-existent.
Advantage: Tie
13. Website
Hotels prefer guests to book on their own websites as opposed to reservations via third-party platforms. In order to convince website users to do so, they must provide a rather seamless experience.
Therefore, my website analysis focuses on relevant content, ease of navigation and the booking experience. Evaluating a hotel website is not that complicated, as it can be done via a good checklist. In this case, standardization actually does make sense.
There are a total of 116 standards, with 81 related to the website and 35 concerning booking. To allow for better differentiation, I utilize five standard keys ranging from “unacceptable/non-existent” to “exceeded the standard”, as not everything is just black and white.
The website of the Umaid Bhawan Palace scored 76%, whereas Raffles Udaipur’s website achieved 67%.
Advantage: Taj
Final Verdict:
Raffles – Taj 7:2 (4 ties)
Raffles won by a considerable margin. They seemed to care more about me as an individual rather than treating me as just another guest.
Do both hotels qualify as destinations in themselves? Yes, definitely. They are unequivocally the leading hotels in their respective markets and are places one would love to revisit. They are among the top dozen hotels in India.
The question remains whether the above findings are representative of the respective brands. Consistency and reliability of the offerings are key features of any brand. While I understand that achieving this in hospitality is much more challenging than with luxury goods such as cars or handbags, there should still be a noticeable and recognizable common denominator, and ideally a unique selling point throughout any hotel brand.
In my experience, it ultimately comes down to each property, its unique facilities, and the people involved. Consistency across a brand often seems like wishful thinking, suggesting that hospitality brands are not distinct but rather inherently interchangeable.
Generally, standardization and commercialization have seemingly led to mediocrity becoming the new normal. While my expectations are indeed high, they are not unrealistic, as they are based on my knowledge and experience of witnessing superior performance in multiple venues in the past.
Ultimately, it has never been easier to distinguish oneself and stand out. So the perplexing question is, what is holding them back?
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Jochen Ehrhardt (jochen.ehrhardt@true5stars.com) is a highly sensitive individual, driven by a profound passion for evaluating and elevating 5-star plus offerings, with a particular emphasis on the emotional aspect of human interactions.
www.true5stars.com/advisory
Additionally, he is the founder of TRUE 5 STARS, the only online platform showcasing the world's top 1,000 hotels. He has personally visited and inspected over 2,000 of the finest hotels worldwide.
