The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has been ranked the #2 Best Hotel Brand in the World in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2026 Survey. This recognition places the brand among the world's finest luxury hospitality providers and reinforces its standing as a leading Indian luxury brand globally. The survey, voted by readers of Travel + Leisure, is a prestigious benchmark evaluating hotels on rooms, facilities, location, service, dining, and value.

The achievement highlights specific accolades for key properties within the group's portfolio. The Leela Palace Udaipur was ranked the No. 2 Resort in India and featured in the top 100 Hotels in the World. Additionally, The Leela Palace New Delhi was recognised and ranked #2 among the Best City Hotels in India in the same survey.

Performance and Historical Context

This milestone comes as The Leela celebrates four decades of operations. The brand has a history of strong performance in these awards, having previously been ranked the World's Best Hotel Brand in 2020 and 2021, and securing the #3 position in 2023 and 2024. The latest ranking reflects a sustained commitment to hospitality standards and guest experience over the years.

The company attributes its success to its philosophy of Atithi Devo Bhava, or “Guest is God,” and its focus on delivering gracious Indian hospitality. The brand's Net Promoter Score stands at 86, which it cites as an industry-leading indicator of guest advocacy and loyalty.

Leadership and Strategic Outlook

Mr. Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Executive Officer of leela palaces hotels & resorts , stated that the recognition is a powerful affirmation of the company's founding vision. He noted that a luxury hospitality brand rooted in Indian values can represent the best of India among global leaders. He credited the achievement to the associates, guests, owners, and partners who have supported the journey.

Looking ahead, the brand plans to continue its expansion and investment in people as it enters its fifth decade. The Leela aims to build on its legacy through the creation of distinctive luxury experiences that celebrate India's heritage with contemporary relevance. The group's portfolio comprises 15 hotels and resorts across India's leading business and leisure destinations.

Promoters of Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts have pledged 55.91% of the company's issued share capital to secure a $500 million term loan facility. The encumbrance covers 18,67,06,528 equity shares and was created on June 24, 2026, in favor of Catalyst Trusteeship Limited, acting as the onshore security agent for a consortium of international lenders. The loan proceeds will be utilized for payments to investors, repayment of shareholder loans, and transaction costs related to the facility.

The disclosure was made under Regulation 31(1) and 31(2) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011. The pledge secures a facility agreement dated September 19, 2025, entered into by the promoters and their holding company, BSREP III India Ballet Holdings (DIFC) Limited. The lenders include Barclays Bank PLC, Deutsche Bank AG, Singapore Branch, Morgan Stanley Bank N.A., MUFG Bank Ltd, Singapore Branch, Nomura Singapore Limited, Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Limited, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Singapore Branch.

Shareholding and Security Details

As of the disclosure date, the promoters collectively own 25,34,98,104 shares, representing approximately 75.91% of the total share capital. The entities creating the pledge include Project Ballet Bangalore Holdings (DIFC) Pvt Ltd, BSREP III Tadoba Holdings (DIFC) Pvt Ltd, and other group holding companies associated with specific hotel projects. The value of the pledged shares, computed based on the closing price on the BSE Limited as on June 24, 2026, is INR 9,126,21,50,886.40.

The following table outlines the changes in the shareholding structure due to the creation of the encumbrance:

The equity share capital of Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts remains unchanged at INR 333,95,78,780, comprising 33,39,57,878 equity shares of INR 10 each. The onshore security agent, Catalyst Trusteeship Limited, confirmed that the charge was created specifically for the benefit of the lenders involved in the facility.