The Leela Palace Chennai

A hotel that devotes a significant chunk of its interior to meeting spaces and ballrooms isn’t hiding the fact that it’s catering to business travelers, but if you’ve ever been on a working trip to India and stayed at one of the eight Leelas, you’ll know that this in no way entails that the rest of the place should be charmless or utilitarian. In the case of the Leela Palace in the city of Chennai, just off the Bay of Bengal, the standard Asian mega-chain opulence is tempered by a very welcome clubby vibe.

The interiors evoke hushed mahogany-paneled studies — in other words, don’t expect cutting-edge minimalism or museum-of-modern-art furniture. The guest rooms are spacious, with luxury suites offering panoramic views of the sea. Even the smallest rooms provide more space than the average business traveler probably needs, but this doesn’t take away from the overall efficiency you’d expect from a higher-end hotel near the business district of India’s fourth-largest city.

It goes without saying that the public spaces are designed to meet every corporate need, from high-tech conferences to old-fashioned handshake deals. And for those accustomed to conducting business over drinks or a power lunch, the stately restaurants strike just the right note.

How to Get There: The Leela Palace Chennai is located 16 km from the Chennai International Airport.