The Leela Palace Chennai

The hotel has a reputation for some of the best food in the city, with pan-Asian, Indian and Italian all on offer. China XO is the spot for fine Chinese cuisine, and the restaurant serves regional classics such as Szechuan beef and Peking duck as well as high class dimsum. The restaurant has an al fresco dining area with views out to sea. Meanwhile, Jamavar is the signature Indian restaurant at the hotel, serving excellent dishes from across India. For a more global gastronomic experience head to Spectra with its multi-buffet concept offering cuisine regions as diverse as the Mediterranean, Japan, South East Asia and the Middle East cooked in seven open kitchens for a fun, buzzy atmosphere.

Away from the restaurants, the Lobby Lounge is somewhere to relax with a cup of mid afternoon tea (Indian, naturally) or coffee, while the Cake Shop offers a naughty but nice range of goodies from macaroons to Swiss chocolates. For evening drinks, head to Library Blu for a cocktail or fine selection of malt whiskies.

The Leela Palace's Spa, by ESPA, has a wide range of facilities including several well-appointed treatment rooms where guests can enjoy therapies from ESPA facials to aromatherapy and Balinese hot stone massages; as well as vitality pools, a sauna and an aroma steam room.