A family of four from Delhi allegedly left a luxury hotel in Udaipur without paying a bill of Rs 5.74 lakh after a 10-day stay, following which the hotel management lodged an FIR with police. Delhi resident Anurag Yadav, accompanied by his wife and two children, checked into The Oberoi Udaivilas on August 14 and stayed at the property until August 23. The family allegedly left without settling the dues after Yadav claimed that the travel agency through which the accommodation had been booked would make the payment.
An FIR has since been registered at Ambamata Police Station in Udaipur, and police have begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the booking and the unpaid bill.
Travel agency booked room
According to the hotel management, Maker Baha Travel Agency booked a room for the family through an email sent on August 12. The hotel has claimed that no discount, special arrangement or alternative payment terms were agreed upon when the reservation was made.
During the stay, Yadav and his family used services offered by the luxury property. At the time of checkout on August 24, the hotel presented Yadav with a bill amounting to Rs 5.74 lakh. Yadav reportedly told hotel staff that he was unable to make the payment and maintained that the travel agency responsible for the reservation would settle the amount. The family subsequently left the hotel without paying the outstanding dues.
The hotel management later approached the police and lodged a complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR. Police are now investigating the allegations and the circumstances under which the booking was made.
Luxury stay in Udaipur
The Oberoi Udaivilas, situated on the banks of Lake Pichola in Rajasthan's Udaipur, is among the country's prominent luxury hotels. The sprawling property covers around 50 acres and was developed on former hunting grounds of the Maharana of Mewar. The hotel has also appeared on the big screen, featuring in the Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone-starrer Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.
Room tariffs at the property run into tens of thousands of rupees per night. A check of the hotel's rates on August 26 showed a Premier Room priced at around Rs 46,500, while rooms with a semi-private pool were listed at approximately Rs 67,000 a night.
The FIR follows the hotel's allegation that the family availed itself of its accommodation and other services but departed without clearing the Rs 5.74 lakh bill. The allegations are now subject to a police investigation.