The Leela Kempinski Kovalam

If you walk down toward the Kovalam Beach Resort area, you’ll find us right by the water. Working at The Leela Kempinski is mostly about the view and the constant sound of the waves. It’s a huge place compared to the small houses nearby, but we still feel like a local crew. We spend our days walking the paths between the rooms and the beach. The air is always salty, which isn’t great for the electronics, but you can’t beat the breeze. We have people coming from all over the world, and we just try to make them feel okay while they’re here in Kerala. The staff areas are a bit of a maze, filled with laundry bins and crates of food. We eat our meals in a small canteen that gets really hot during lunch. It’s not all luxury behind the scenes; it’s a lot of hard work and sweating. We fix things that break and sweep the sand off the walkways every few hours. Some of us have been here since the place opened. We know which spots have the best shade and where to find a quiet moment away from the crowd. It’s a busy life, especially during the tourist season when the resort is full. We just keep our heads down and do the chores. It’s a beautiful spot, but for us, it’s just the place where we work every day.