Leela opens first property in Northern India in Delhi's growing satellite Business/Shopping area. One of India's finest luxury hotel groups, The Leela Hotels, Palaces & Resorts recently marked the soft opening of its first property in northern India.

Part of an upscale, mixed-use development in New Delhi's newest satellite business and shopping district, The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon, Delhi (N.C.R.) has 322 luxuriously-appointed guest rooms and suites and will soon open 90 one-, two- and three-bedroom Residences.

A showcase of Indian contemporary art matched with all the latest advanced technology, the property has four restaurants – one boasting six open kitchens – serving Indian, Italian and international cuisine, a 20,000-square-foot spa offering Ayurvedic treatments, a state-of-the art fitness center with yoga and aerobic studios, a large heated outdoor pool, 26,900 square feet of banquet and meeting space, a Cigar Lounge and a 24-hour business center. Curator Rajeev Sethi has filled The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon with striking sculptures, modern photography and paintings by contemporary Indian and international artists under the theme “evolution.”

A 15-minute drive from the Indira Gandhi International Airport and just over the Delhi-Gurgaon border on the edge of the Rajokri green belt, the hotel adjoins a luxury shopping and entertainment center, the largest in India. Nearby are business parks with tenants such as General Electric, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Siemans and American Express. Leela’s first managed property is the only one in the region offering comprehensive solutions for today’s luxury living.

The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon was designed by the internationally-acclaimed Hirsch Bedner & Associates in a modern minimalist style. The expansive rooms (484 to 559 square feet) and huge suites (818 to 3,616 square feet for the Presidential Suite) have LCD televisions with Blue Ray players, Bose iPod docks, high-speed Internet with 6mbps, Wi-Fi, IP phones and advanced security systems. King and twin beds come equipped with ergonomic mattresses, the marble baths are outfitted with large soaking tubs and rain showers and some rooms have terraces. The Royal Club offers its guests a private lounge and personalized butler service on two floors.

Commenting on the management collaboration, Capt. C.P. Krishnan Nair, chairman, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said, “It is a momentous occasion for us to have the first Leela hotel in north India. Our management alliance with Ambience Group, headed by the well-known Raj Singh Gehlot has been an important milestone in the group’s expansion plan. At The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon, Delhi (N.C.R.) our patrons and guests will experience the same distinguished hospitality as experienced in other Leela hotels."

The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts has an ambitious expansion under way. With five properties operational, three more hotels opening this year and next, and plans for three more, The Leela aims to be a major force in the Indian hospitality industry with a presence in the country’s major resort and business destinations.

At the opening, Raj Singh Gehlot, chairman, Ambience Group said, "we are delighted to join hands with The Leela and to bring the experience of the foremost Indian hotel group to the city of Gurgaon. The hotel is among several other key luxury projects at Ambience Island. The addition of The Leela Kempinski is an integral part of this mixed-use complex, qualifying the Ambience Island as a luxury destination for residents, visitors and guests."

www.theleela.com