The Leela Kempinski

This is our Kerala location, right here in the middle of all the greenery. It is a big place, but we try to keep it feeling like it belongs here in India. Working here means you are always on your feet. There are gardens to look after and the humidity means things are always growing fast. We have a lot of staff who come in from the nearby villages every morning. It’s not just about the rooms; it’s about the whole area. We spend a lot of time cleaning and making sure everything looks decent for the people who stay with us. It’s a lot of work to keep a place this size running smoothly. You have the kitchen staff starting long before the sun is up and the night shift guys finishing their tea. We don't use big corporate words to describe what we do. We just show up and do the jobs that need doing, whether it’s fixing a pipe or sweeping the walkways. The weather changes a lot, so we are always preparing for the rain or trying to stay cool in the sun. It’s a busy environment but we have a good rhythm to it. We don't have a formal mission statement written on the wall. We just know that if the floors are clean and the food is ready, things will be okay. It’s a real job for real people who live around here in this part of the state.