The Imperial Palace Hotel

The food and service were chaotic, and I wouldn’t return. We were 11 people coming for thali, and my uncle had called ahead to ask about a vegan, gluten-free meal. They promised rotla and mango ras that would meet those requirements, but after we arrived they refused to make the mango ras without milk. They couldn’t seat us all together, and the waiters seemed clueless about dietary needs. Dishes came at random, half the table would be served and then the staff disappeared, puran poli arrived without the curries, and pani puri starters were skipped until someone asked for them. The curries were too spicy, the dal was full of sugar, and there was really no dessert. I don’t count puran poli and mango ras as dessert. The ambience was chaotic too. The manager said it would have been better to come on a weekday when it’s less busy, but could have said that when we called about the dietary requirements. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. What a joke of a place.

There was no hot water, despite staff insisting there was. At best it was tepid or warm, definitely not hot. I booked two rooms, and the check-in experience was terrible: the receptionist insisted on payment then, and they insisted on charging me in GBP, which cost an extra 5% in credit card charges. My driver had warned me the hotel had got worse in the last couple of years. Did they take payment in advance knowing about the water issues? Avoid this hotel.

I’m really disappointed by the portions. Soup, sizzler, sabzi, and roti all came in much smaller quantities than before. The food may be alright, but they should look into this. It feels like they’re taking their reputation for granted.

The driver rooms are so dirty that I couldn’t sleep in one and had to sleep in my vehicle. The toilets weren’t clean either, and I couldn’t find a clean latrine to wash in. Cleanliness needs to be taken seriously, and better arrangements should be made for drivers, including a small gift for the drivers who bring hotel customers. Some staff speak poorly, and the manager should address these shortcomings before the hotel’s name is damaged. Imperial Palace Hotel is a very good property and an old Rajkot property, though I can’t say much about the rooms in general. I won’t tell some customers to come here if this continues. This is a small request.