A doctor's shocking allegations against a 5-star hotel in Pune have sparked outrage and led to a debate about poor service at luxury hotels in India. The doctor claimed that she found a used comb in her room, which she described as "disgusting and unhygienic."
She also condemned the behaviour of the general manager when she raised hygiene concerns, alleging that he was rude, dismissive, and condescending.
The doctor also claimed that her room was changed without prior notice when she checked into the hotel. Narrating the incident on X, the Ayurvedic doctor wrote, "Checked in to Hyatt Pune, only to find my room was changed without any prior intimation. No explanation, no apology, no courtesy. Just a silent switch. But I accommodated."
She added that after visiting the hotel's spa, she returned to her room and opened a sealed comb package, only to find that it looked used. Shocked, she questioned, "Recycled hotel amenities?
Calling it "disgusting and unhygienic," she criticised the hotel's service, stating, "If they're reusing combs, what else are they reusing? Toothbrushes? Horrifying to even think about."
The situation escalated when the doctor approached the hotel's general manager, Sandesh Parab, about the issue. Instead of addressing her concerns, she claimed he became "hostile and rude".
"When I told him not to behave that way and mentioned that social media can make or break reputations these days, he shouted at me and said, 'Do what you want, I'll see what I need to do!' I asked his permission to take his picture to highlight the issue, and he became nasty," she added.
"A 5-star hotel with zero hygiene standards, recycled amenities, and a general manager who bullies customers? Unacceptable!" The doctor concluded by posing a question to the hostel, "Is this your hospitality standard?"
The post quickly gained attention on social media, with others sharing similar experiences with the luxury hotel chain. One individual commented, "I was there last month, and just as I checked in, another couple opened the door and entered the room! They hadn't checked out yet, and I was allotted the same room!"
Another shared, "I faced a similar issue once. Since then, I always pick up the toiletries, including the laundry bag, so that nothing can be reused. Most of this stuff is unwanted, so I dispose of it in a garbage bin en route. But I do not leave such items behind to be recycled."
Someone commented, "I had a horrible experience at @Hyatt in Jaipur. There was a lizard roaming on the floor in my room. When I complained to the front desk, they were very casual about it. Nobody followed up on the feedback I sent. I found the staff at the reception very arrogant."
Earlier, Telangana Food Safety officials uncovered severe hygiene violations at Hotel Ashoka in Hyderabad's Lakdi-ka-Pul, revealing expired food, cockroach infestation, and poor sanitation.
The raid, prompted by multiple complaints, found rotten ingredients, rusty kitchen vessels, and synthetic food colours in meal preparations - violating FSSAI norms. The hotel also lacked a trained Food Safety Supervisor, despite employing over 140 staff.
