Gurugram: When a premier hotel denied tech mogul Dell late check-out

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, July 17

Former Oberoi hotel group president Kapil Chopra has spilled the beans about denying a late check-out to tech mogul billionaire Michael Dell from one of Gurugram’s five-star properties.

Chopra narrated the incident during a podcast discussing hotel customer complaints with Shantanu Deshpande, founder of Bombay Shaving Company ,while talking about hotel customer complaints.

Accolades for receptionist

During a podcast, former president of the Oberoi Group of Hotels Kapil Chopra recounted the incident involving Michael Dell, the billionaire Chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies, while talking about hotel customer complaints. Netizens have demanded the name of the receptionist so that she can be lauded for her professionalism.

Chopra, who served as president of the Oberoi group from 2013 to 2018, mentioned that strict check-in and check-out policies were a common grievance among hotel guests who often taken strong umbrage at the non-relaxation of the same.

He recounted the incident involving Michael Dell, the billionaire Chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies, who was refused a late chec k out at the Oberoi Gurugram.

Michael Dell, 59, is the founder of one of the world’s largest technology infrastructure companies and is worth an estimated $105 billion, according to Forbes.

According to Chopra, Dell, needing to stay until the evening, approached the receptionist in an “unassuming way” to request a late check-out. It was the first day of the receptionist and she didn’t recognise Dell and refused.

“The country head of Dell and all other Dell executives were on their phones, so Michael Dell was alone in the lobby. He walked up quietly, casually in his usual unassuming way, to the front desk and asked if he could get a late check-out. The recepetionist was new and completely unaware of his stature apprised him of the hotel policy, insisting on sticking to it ,” said Chopra.

This “minor” incident, according to him, escalated majorly, with Michael Dell deciding to check out of the hotel entirely. Chopra recalled receiving a call from Dell’s country head. “The country head called me saying, ‘You could have charged us more. Why was Michael Dell refused?’ Now he wants to check out because he wants to set an example. And let me tell you, Michael Dell is very particular about setting an example,” said Chopra.

Chopra had exit the Oberoi group in 2018 to launch The Postcard Hotel and EazyDiner. No formal statement has been issued by the Oberoi group in response to the podcast which is now going viral.

Netizens have demanded the name of the receptionist and her current whereabouts to ensure that she was lauded for her professionalism.