Taj Usha Kiran Palace, Gwalior

Taj Usha Kiran Palace: Substandard Arrangements at a Supposed Five-Star Hotel We hosted our daughter’s wedding at Taj Usha Kiran Palace, Gwalior (UKP) on 2nd November 2025. Despite the guest list being limited to 160 invitees, the overall arrangements were highly disappointing. • When we booked the venue in March 2025, the event management firm M/s ITI Events was part of the hotel’s approved panel. However, by the time of the wedding, the firm had withdrawn from the panel, though they continued handling our event. This disassociation caused major confusion. The Relationship Manager, Ms. Deepanjali, repeatedly complained that ITI was not coordinating with the hotel and that she was unaware of the wedding details. On the other hand, ITI claimed the opposite. Merely three days before the wedding, Ms. Deepanjali called us in a panic, saying no arrangements had been made, which caused immense anxiety and stress. The incident affected my wife’s health severely, leading to elevated blood pressure and a medical emergency. • Our event was scheduled for the evening, yet during the daytime, Mr. Vivek and Ms. Deepanjali insisted on placing the food counters at the exact spot designated for the stage and seating area. Only after a prolonged argument did they agree to relocate the counters. • There was another wedding booking at the same venue, which was supposed to conclude by 3:00 PM. However, their event continued until 6:00 PM, which significantly affected our decoration and seating arrangements. • A week before the wedding, Ms. Deepanjali arranged a call with the Head Chef, who requested minor changes to our chosen items from the Master Menu Selection. We agreed in good faith. Unfortunately, the dishes served were of extremely poor quality. • Just hours before the wedding, we were called for food tasting; however, none of our feedback was implemented. For instance: o Dal Makhani remained watery despite our request for a thicker consistency. o Dahi Bada was served with thin curd, contrary to our instructions. o The Pineapple Halwa—which replaced our original choice of Akhrot Halwa at the chef’s insistence—turned out to be poorly cooked Pumpkin Halwa with barely any pineapple. • During earlier discussions, we explicitly informed the chef not to include mushrooms in any dish due to family allergies. Despite this, he added mushrooms to the pasta. Ironically, our original suggestion of a live pizza counter was rejected by him, claiming pizza would take too long to prepare. • The hotel used cheap paper napkins, entirely inappropriate for an Option C menu (priced at over ₹3,000 per plate), which should have included at least semi-cloth napkins. • Even basic services reflected negligence. Water bottles were served almost frozen, making them difficult to drink. • Guests struggled to get Roti, as there was only one tandoor with two overworked cooks. It took more than 10 minutes to get even a simple Tandoori Roti, and many were undercooked. The lack of sufficient kitchen staff was shocking for a hotel of this standard. • Despite my repeated requests to Ms. Deepanjali, the number of waiters was inadequate, leading to extremely slow food service. Many waiters behaved rudely and refused to assist guests requesting additional servings, asking them to “help themselves.” • The lighting near the food counters was inadequate, and the labels on the dishes were printed in very small font. The dim lighting made them even more difficult to read. • There was also insufficient space to place used plates, and those left on tables were not promptly cleared by the wait staff. As a result, it became inconvenient for guests to enjoy their meals while seated. • Overall, the food quality, presentation, and service were far below the standards expected of a five-star property, especially considering the premium charges. • Four of our family members stayed at the hotel on 1st and 2nd November. Despite a prior request to allocate adjacent rooms on the same floor, they were placed in Rooms 101 and 201, on different floors. • Room service was equally poor. Housekeeping required at least four reminder calls for any request. Staff behaviour was impolite and unprofessional—no greetings, no courtesy, and an overall lack of hospitality. In conclusion, our experience arranging our daughter’s wedding at Usha Kiran Palace fell far short of expectations. While we anticipate the usual apologies and assurances of improvement, it appears that the attitude of the senior staff is unlikely to change.

Choosing Taj Usha Kiran Palace, Gwalior, as my wedding venue was one of the most important decisions I made—and I’m so glad I did. Being from Gwalior, I was aware that the city had limited luxury options, and the Taj stands out as the only five-star heritage property here. I had always dreamt of a grand celebration in my hometown, and the Taj gave me the perfect platform to bring that dream to life. Of course, there were challenges—from managing logistics to executing décor in a city not accustomed to large-scale weddings—but the Taj team was exceptional. They went above and beyond to support our vision and extended every possible help to make sure everything ran smoothly. This was the first time Gwalior witnessed a wedding of this scale and style, and I feel proud that it unfolded at Taj Usha Kiran Palace. I would confidently call it the best venue in the city and would choose it again in a heartbeat.Source

We booked this venue for our wedding and amazing hospitality and wedding management done by the team. They delivered what they committed and also exceeded our expectations. The venue, food everything was fantastic and beyond expectations!!