The Lalit Grand Palace

Kashmir's heritage and royal character came through in the magnificent ambience of Lalith Grand Palace Hotel in Srinagar. We felt at home thanks to the team's heartfelt, attentive hospitality, and the food was delicious and authentic, with a great range of Kashmiri and international dishes. The restaurant service and food were especially excellent. A memorable stay I'd gladly recommend to anyone looking for luxury, culture, and warm Kashmir hospitality.

I paid 50k a night for suite room 2002, but there were stains in the bath tub and toilet, and broken glass scattered around, which was dangerous for me and my 1 hear old baby. At Chinar, dinner took an hour and a half, only for the waiter to say our order wasn't available. The so-called complementary high tea was just tea and some cakes, and the restaurant staff never delivered the baby food I'd requested for the room. They also didn't know where high tea was being served. The whole experience was the worst, and I wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone.

Our room was very spacious and had lovely garden views, but the rest of our stay at Lalit Srinagar was chaotic while ministry conferences were happening. The staff seemed so focused on dignitaries that even getting an omelette at breakfast took too long. Security was inconsistent, with intense checks at one time and no one at the lobby another time. Housekeeping should have had things ready before we arrived, rather than needing three doorbells. The gardens could use more care too, with wilted flowers removed, plants and hedges pruned, and leaves cleared from the grass. Chinar garden restaurant was a letdown. Even salt and pepper took at least 10 minutes, so we either ate cold food or went without. We'd pre-booked Kashmiri thali, but were told it wasn't available when we got there. Breakfast was disappointing as well, with slow live counters, fruit not replenished, cold food, and taste that was just about palatable. All in all, a big no to Lalit.

The high tea included in our package was only tea and a few cookies, far below what I'd reasonably expect from something advertised that way at a luxury hotel. For the price and category, presenting this as high tea felt misleading. We also had repeated problems throughout our stay at The LaLiT Grand Palace Srinagar. Restaurant service was consistently slow and staff paid little attention, while cut fruit and cheese were left uncovered with flies around them on multiple occasions. Several staff members seemed dismissive or impolite when we raised concerns, and complaints and requests were ignored or poorly handled. The minibar had just three drinks and no snacks, and the room television didn't work for two days despite our repeated reports, remaining broken for most of the stay. For the amount charged, basic cleanliness, working equipment, responsive service, and professionalism should be expected. None met the mark. This was deeply disappointing. Senior management should review service, hygiene, maintenance, and customer care, since the experience fell far short of the price.