Home / PEOPLE / Front of House / Jewel by the lake

Tamir Kobrin is general manager at the Leela Palace Kempinski, Udaipur
[More Images]

The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur has opened promising great international cuisine, a destination spa and numerous other market-leading facilities. General manager Tamir Kobrin talks to Reilly Nelson

In these uncertain economic times people are clamping down on their excess spending. They are choosing to stay home and forgo vacations, which might make opening a five star luxury resort seem a little counterintuitive, especially when you are talking about opening one in Udaipur, and pitting it against two of the most formidable hotel brands in the world – The Taj Lake Palace and the Oberoi.

But Tamir Kobrin, the general manager of the recently opened the Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur, does not seem the least bit concerned. He exudes a breezy confidence even as he admits that “Yes, it has been risky. But I think that is where the ballsy vision of my owners has been. If Leela is going to be recognised as a player within the hospitality industry and if we have the opportunity to make it anywhere then we need to make it in Udaipur. We have the intent of showing that we are able to compete in the big league.”

To set itself apart, the Leela has combined culinary experience with a comprehensive luxury spa.

There are two dining facilities on the premises, the dining room and the alfresco Indian restaurant, the Sheesh Mal. Both are run by the internationally trained executive chef Karim Hassene. The Leela is the only hotel in Udaipur to have an international chef which is a huge draw for travelers looking for a little comfort from the taste of home. They are also the only hotel with dining open to the public, filling a deficit in the local market as there are not many other restaurants in the city. Fifteen to twenty local covers are served daily, and “People come here two or three times a week already, all compliments to the chef,” says Kobrin.

Story continues below

Advertisement

COMMENT Comment on this article

The spa in and of itself creates a huge draw. “Having a heritage destination with a spa is something unknown to Rajistan,” says Kobrin.
The Leela has teamed up with the internationally recognised Espa Spa to create a comprehensive spa that includes seven spa tents, a private treatment pool, and a detox bar set to be up and running by peak season in November. “We have aligned ourselves with a line of access brands – this is what I call them, access brands that will give us the exposure we require. Espa definitely has opportunity, in terms of branding, to attract the right clientele.”

And the right clientele would include both the domestic and international luxury markets, as well as niche markets such as boutique weddings.