Lemon Tree Hotels - About Us, Management, Vision, Mission, Awards & CSR

In the early 2000s, 80% of the branded hotel supply in India was in the upscale/luxury segment. There was clearly enormous latent demand in the midscale and economy segments, which were then unmet needs. Lemon Tree Hotels was founded as the category creator for the branded mid-market hotel space in India.

Today, Lemon Tree Hotels Limited (LTHL) is one of the largest hotel chains in India, and owns/leases/operates/franchises hotels across the upscale, upper-midscale, midscale and economy segments. LTHL delivers differentiated yet superior service offerings, with a compelling value proposition. The group offers seven brands to meet guests’ needs across all levels, viz. Aurika Hotels & Resorts, Lemon Tree Premier, Lemon Tree Hotels, Red Fox Hotels by Lemon Tree Hotels, Keys Prima by Lemon Tree Hotels, Keys Select by Lemon Tree Hotels and Keys Lite by Lemon Tree Hotels.

LTHL opened its first hotel with 49 rooms in May 2004. Today, the company has a portfolio of 160+ hotels, which includes over 100+ operational hotels and more than 60 hotels set to open in India and internationally. Lemon Tree Hotels are located across metro regions, including the NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, as well as numerous tier I, II and III cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Indore, Aurangabad, Udaipur, Vishakhapatnam, Kochi, Ludhiana, Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayawada etc. The company expanded internationally with hotels opening in Dubai in December 2019 and in Bhutan in February 2020. New hotels are also set to open internationally in Bhutan and Nepal.

The group offers seven brands to meet guests’ needs across all levels:

Aurika Hotels and Resorts Upscale
Lemon Tree Premier Upper Midscale
Lemon Tree Hotels Midscale
Red Fox by Lemon Tree Hotels Economy
Keys Prima by Lemon Tree Hotels Upper Midscale
Keys Selectby Lemon Tree Hotels Midscale
Keys Lite by Lemon Tree Hotels Economy

The group offers seven brands to meet guests’ needs across all levels. At our hotels across all brands, our guests bond with our open hearted, inclusive culture and our environmentally sensitive ethos

1. Aurika Hotels & Resorts

Aurika Hotels & Resorts are upscale properties that offer exclusive experiences in an extraordinary ambience. With an emphasis on sustainable design inspired by local culture and history, these properties combine beauty and elegance with comfortable informality.
Our efficient service goes beyond the unusual and is anticipatory yet unobtrusive. Inspiring spaces, unexpected dining experiences, innovative technological solutions and seamless delivery ensure that you can work, play and relax effortlessly.

The brand offers:

New-age dining options:
Mirasa, the all-day dining restaurant
Ariva, the bar
Specialty restaurant*
Invigorating fitness and wellness facilities, including Araya, the rejuvenating spa, a fitness center, a swimming pool and a recreation room*
Extensive banquet and event spaces
Luxury amenities

2. Lemon Tree Premier

Lemon Tree Premier is a chain of sustainably designed upper midscale hotels and resorts that welcome you with their stylish and contemporary interiors. These refreshingly different properties offer warm, friendly and attentive service in a fresh and inviting ambience.

Lemon Tree Premier pampers the style conscious traveller with personalized experiences, award winning restaurants and rejuvenating recreational options in a relaxed atmosphere.

The brand offers:

An exciting range of dining options:
Citrus Café, the bright and inviting coffee shop offers an eclectic Indian and international menu
Slounge, the recreation bar, offers a fun memorable way to chill and have a spirited night out
Republic of Noodles*, the award winning pan Asian restaurant
Kebab Theater* brings you traditional mouth-watering kebab delicacies from across India
A fitness center, a refreshing swimming pool and a rejuvenating spa*
Banquet halls*, meeting rooms* and business facilities*
Premium amenities

3. Lemon Tree Hotels

Lemon Tree Hotels are sustainably designed midscale hotels and resorts that uplift your spirits at the end of a long day. These refreshingly different properties bring the outdoors in and delight guests with their fresh, vibrant interiors, fun, quirky elements and spirited environment.

Warm greetings, friendly smiles and a whiff of our signature lemon fragrance welcome you here. These hotels make you feel close to home with their bright, comfortable rooms and service that goes the extra mile.

The brand offers:

An exciting range of dining options:
Citrus Café, the bright and inviting coffee shop offers an eclectic Indian and international menu
Slounge*, the recreation bar, offers a fun memorable way to chill and have a spirited night out
A fitness center and a refreshing swimming pool*
Banquet halls*, meeting rooms* and business facilities*
Refreshing amenities

4. Red Fox by Lemon Tree Hotels

Red Fox Hotels are sustainably designed economy hotels. These unbeatably cool properties welcome you with their fun, bold interiors, and crisp and clean rooms.

Red Fox Hotels are young at heart and let you be yourself. Here, friendly smiles, professional service, and reliable safety standards go hand in hand with an unmatched value proposition.

The brand offers:

A cool range of dining options:
Clever Fox Café, the casual restaurant
Tipsy Fox*, the trendy bar
A fitness center
Banquet halls*, meeting rooms* and a cyber kiosk*
Fun amenities

5. Keys Prima by Lemon Tree Hotels

Keys Prima Hotels are sustainably designed upper-midscale hotels and resorts. These properties delight guests with their bright and trendy design and welcoming ambiance.

At Keys Prima Hotels, the tasteful interiors and thoughtful, anticipatory service coupled with the brand’s signature warm welcome and fond farewell make for a truly memorable experience.

The brand offers:

An smart range of dining options:
Keys Café, the attractive multi-cuisine coffee shop
Unlock Bar*, the relaxed restobar
Specialty restaurant*
A fitness center, a swimming pool* and a spa*
Banquet halls*, meeting rooms* and business facilities*
Thoughtful amenities

6. Keys Select By Lemon Tree Hotels

Keys Select Hotels are sustainably designed midscale hotels. These properties delight guests with their chic interiors, comfortable rooms, convenient business facilities and pleasing, dependable service.

At Keys Select Hotels, the lively ambiance and cheerful smiles go hand in hand with the brand’s signature warm welcome and fond farewell. All this, at a sensible price.

The brand offers:

A smart range of dining options:
Keys Café, the attractive multi-cuisine restaurant
Unlock Bar*, the relaxing restobar
A fitness center and a swimming pool*
Banquet halls*, meeting rooms* and business facilities*
Select amenities

7. Keys Lite by Lemon Tree Hotels

Keys Lite Hotels are sustainably designed economy hotels. These properties delight guests with their impeccably clean interiors, efficient, agreeable service and easy going atmosphere.

The enhanced safety, security and hygiene measures, combined with the brand’s signature warm welcome and fond farewell, make for a stress free stay at an affordable price

The brand offers:

A smart range of dining options:
Keys Café, the attractive multi-cuisine restaurant
A fitness center
Meeting rooms* and business facilities*
Essential amenities

*Available at certain properties only

2023

BW Hotelier Awards 2023

Winners

❖ BW Hotelier awarded Patanjali Govind Keswani, Chairman & MD – Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd. with The Hall of Fame Award

➢ General Manager Upscale (East) - Abhishek Bairagi - Lemon Tree Premier, Bhubaneswar

➢ Head of HR (National) - Monalisa Samantaray, Lemon Tree Premier, Patna

➢ Head of Housekeeping (North) - Manish Kumar, Lemon Tree Premier, Leisure Valley 2, Gurugram

Recognized by Great Place To Work® for Top 50 India's Best Companies To Work For™ 2023
Recognized by Great Place To Work® for Best Workplaces™ in Industry 2023
Recognized by Great Place To Work® for India's Best Workplaces™ for Millennials 2023
Recognized by Great Place To Work® for Top 100 (large) Best India’s Workplaces for Women 2023
Recognized by Great Place To Work® for India’s Best Workplaces in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion And Belonging (large) 2023
Recognized by Great Place To Work® for Accreditation for Inclusive Practices™ 2023
Received the Award for Excellence by H&RA – Lemon Tree Hotels awarded as Best Hotel Chain CSR
TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2023

72 out of 84 eligible hotels awarded Traveller’s Choice Award by TripAdvisor

➢ Aurika Hotels & Resorts – 2

➢ Lemon Tree Premier –14

➢ Lemon Tree Hotels – 36

➢ Red Fox Hotels – 10

➢ Keys Prima by Lemon Tree Hotels - 1

➢ Keys Select by Lemon Tree Hotels –8

Received the Gold Certification by the Indian Green Building Council (I.G.B.C.)

➢ Lemon Tree Premier, Ulsoor Lake, Bengaluru

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Electronics City, Bengaluru

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Gachibowli

2022

Hotelier India Awards 2022

Winners

➢ Unsung Hero Award - Santosh Jha –Lemon Tree Premier, Rishikesh

➢ Housekeeper of the Year - Prasun Kumar – Red Fox Hotel, Delhi Airport

➢ F&B person the Year - Vijay Kumar - Red Fox Hotel, Delhi Airport

BW Hotelier Awards 2022

Winners

➢ BW Hotelier Anil Bhandari Chef of the Year in the East Zone - Mr. Amit Bose – Lemon Tree Premier, Bhubaneswar (currently at Lemon Tree Hotel, Sohna Road, Gurugram)

➢ DOSM of the Year Award in the East Zone - Mr. Agnijeet Ghosh –Lemon Tree Premier, New Town, Kolkata

Awarded Chief Minister’s Excellence Award for Labour Welfare - Keys Select By Lemon Tree Hotels, Thiruvananthapuram
Received the Gold Certification by the Indian Green Building Council (I.G.B.C.)

➢ Lemon Tree Premier, Mumbai International Airport

➢ Aurika, Udaipur – Luxury by Lemon Tree Hotels

Lemon Tree Premier, Dwarka, Gujarat – Awarded by Asia’s Biggest Tourism Awards, organized by the Ministry of Tourism Gujarat:

➢ Best 4 Star Hotel in Dwarka

➢ Best Restaurant in Dwarka

➢ Best MICE Venue in Dwarka

TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2022

61 out of 80 eligible hotels awarded Traveller’s Choice Award by TripAdvisor

➢ Aurika Hotels & Resorts – 1

➢ Lemon Tree Premier –14

➢ Lemon Tree Hotels – 31

➢ Red Fox Hotels – 8

➢ Keys Select by Lemon Tree Hotels –7

Awarded HRANI Award of Excellence during the 7th HRANI Conclave

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, East Delhi Mall, Kaushambi awarded as “Best MICE Hotel – Ghaziabad”

➢ General Manager of the Hotel awarded as the “Best General Manager – Midscale”

2021

Hotelier India Awards 2021

8 LTH team members made it to the finalist positions in different categories/regions, with 4 winners and 4 runners up

Winners

➢ Abhiram Menon - Lemon Tree Premier, Mumbai International Airport

➢ Umesh Sachdev - Red Fox Hotel, Sector 60, Gurugram

➢ Wasim Sheikh - Lemon Tree Premier, Mumbai International Airport

➢ Gurmeet Bajaj - Lemon Tree Hotel, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2021

68 out of 79 hotels awarded Traveller’s Choice Award by TripAdvisor

➢ Aurika Hotels & Resorts – 1

➢ Lemon Tree Premier –12

➢ Lemon Tree Hotels – 36

➢ Red Fox Hotels – 12

➢ Keys Select by Lemon Tree Hotels –7

2020

TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2020

62 out of 80 hotels awarded Traveller’s Choice Award by TripAdvisor

➢ Lemon Tree Premier – 10

➢ Lemon Tree Hotels – 31

➢ Red Fox Hotels – 9

➢ Keys Prima by Lemon Tree Hotels – 1

➢ Keys Select by Lemon Tree Hotels – 10

➢ Keys Lite by Lemon Tree Hotels – 1

BW Hotelier Indian Hospitality Awards 2020

26 LTH team members made it to the finalist position in different categories/regions 5 won in their categories and there were 2 runners up

Winners

➢ Midscale General Manager of the Year: Bipendra Gupta - Lemon Tree Premier, Ulsoor Lake, Bengaluru

➢ Budget & Economy General Manager of the Year – National: Kashif Aziz - Red Fox Hotel, Delhi Airport

➢ Hotel Manager of the Year – East Zone: Koushik Pandit - Lemon Tree Hotel, Gangtok

➢ Hotel Manager of the Year – North Zone: Rohit Bhandari - Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi Airport

➢ Executive Housekeeper of the Year – South Zone: Sanjiv Kumar Thakur - Lemon Tree Premier, HITEC City, Hyderabad

2019

Key Awards

Investing in People Award during Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2019 organized by World Travel & Tourism Council in Seville, Spain
Best Differently Abled Friendly Hotel at FICCI Travel & Tourism Excellence Awards 2019
Best 3-star Hotel at FICCI Travel & Tourism Excellence Awards 2019
Awarded BW Pure: Purpose-Led Brand Award 2019
Won IT Excellence Award by The Indian Express group
Felicitated by Schneider Electric with the 'Best Responsive Award'

Other Awards

Amity Corporate Excellence Awards for Best CSR Practices, 2019 by Amity School of Science and Technology
47 hotels out of 55 operating hotels (over 1 year) awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence2019

2018

Key Awards

Green Champion Award 2018 under the category ‘Organization Leading the Green Building Movement in India (Commercial)’ during 5th Green Champion Award 2018 organized by IBGC (a part of CII formed in2001)
Best 3 Star Hotel Award Category during National Tourism Award2016-17
Ranked 12th amongst the Best Large Workplaces in Asia by the Great Place To Work Survey,2018
Financial Times Arcelor Mittal Boldness in Business Award for Corporate Responsibility/ Environment

Other Awards

Amity Leadership Awards for Business Excellence by Leveraging IT, 2018 by Amity School of Science and Technology
Customer Loyalty Awards for the category of "Best Loyalty Program in Services Sector” 2018
26 hotels out of 41 operating hotels (over 1 year) awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2018

➢ Lemon Tree Premier Ahmedabad

➢ Lemon Tree Premier 1, Leisure Valley, Gurugram

➢ Lemon Tree Premier 2, Leisure Valley, Gurugram

➢ Lemon Tree Premier, City Center, Gurugram

➢ Lemon Tree Premier, Jaipur

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Baddi

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Electronics City, Bengaluru

➢ Lemon Tree Wildlife Resort, Bandhavgarh

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Chandigarh

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Shimona, Chennai

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Dehradun

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, East Delhi Mall, Kaushambi

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Candolim, Goa

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Gachibowli, Hyderabad

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Indore

➢ Lemon Tree Hotel, Katra

➢ Red Fox Hotel, Bhiwadi

➢ Red Fox Hotel, Chandigarh

➢ Red Fox Hotel, East Delhi Mall, Kaushambi

➢ Red Fox Hotel, Jaipur

➢ Red Fox Hotel, Trichy

Vision

Lemon Tree Hotels shall be the largest and most preferred Indian chain of upscale, upper-midscale, midscale and economy hotels and resorts.

Mission

We shall be committed to:

Ensuring the well-being and self-worth of our colleagues, who are of the utmost importance to us. Enhancing this by also building a culture of diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity.
Contributing to the community we live in and to India in general.
Delighting our guests, whose comfort, safety, security and well-being is our main reason for being.
Rewarding our stakeholders, whose trust motivates us to excel further.
Protecting the environment
Maximizing the efficiency of our processes, to enable us to be the most cost-effective company offering the greatest value, which our customers have every right to expect

Core Values (Has To Rise):

Health And Safety: We will always focus on ensuring the health, safety, security and well-being of all our stake holders including the communities within which we operate our business.

Teamwork– We recognize that superlative performance is always the result of teamwork.
Ownership– We always take responsibility for our actions.
Respect and Empathy– We always exhibit respect and concern for colleagues, guests and partners.
Integrity– We always maintain the highest standards of fairness and transparency in all our dealings.
Spirited Fun– We create an exciting and spirited work environment encouraging our colleagues to think freely.
Excellence– We always drive excellence in what we do.

Learning And Development

The company has implemented a detailed plan for learning and development in order to deliver on its brand promise and has developed customized content and training processes for LTH that are world class as well as benchmarked across industries.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Lemon Tree believes that the brand should stand for more than ‘just profit’. We have focused our efforts on creating a socially inclusive work environment which seeks to bring in people of different backgrounds, abilities and ethnicities and offer them work as a unified team with a common goal.

We believe that persons with disabilities (which can be physical, social or economic disabilities leading to an opportunity deprivation) must be provided the same opportunities as others to realize their full potential and live with dignity. By creating a supportive environment in the organization that allows them to deliver their best, we are able to play a part, however small, in social inclusiveness, opportunity/livelihood creation and therefore nation building.

Lemon Tree has defined the goal as mainstreaming ‘Opportunity Deprived Indians’ i.e. ODIs into its workforce. ODIs include:

A. Employees With Disability (EwD):

Physical Disability

Speech and Hearing Impaired (SHI)
Orthopedically Handicapped (OH)
Acid Survivors (AS)
Going forward, also Visually Impaired (VI), Low Vision (LV)

Intellectual Disability

Down Syndrome
Autism

People who belong to marginalized sections of society or are from the Economically/ Socially (EcoSoc) weak segment:

Below Poverty Line (BPL) individuals
Widowed or abandoned/battered/destitute/divorced women
Orphans/abandoned girls
Individuals from economically weak families
Communities who do not get education and employment opportunities easily i.e. North Eastern States, Bihar, Jharkand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, tribal/interior areas of any state, etc.

For any of the above segments (except #2), we consider those who have studied upto Class 9 and not beyond that.

Evolution of the EWD Initiative | Disability Types

In the early stages, we inducted EwD only in back-end roles like Kitchen Stewarding and Housekeeping, where direct guest interaction was minimal. Also the focus was only on SHI employees. This gave us an opportunity to develop standard operating procedures and training modules in an iterative manner. Subsequently we extended this initiative to guest contact areas such as our restaurants. Here, interaction with guests is an integral part of the job role. We then re-engineered the relevant service process to enable EwD to interact with guests. We also engaged with people with orthopaedic impairment where their disability did not come in the way of their job performance. We have now done six trials with Down Syndrome in Delhi/NCR at the coffee shop. As we are building sufficient learning and experience from this exercise, we will start hiring such candidates across other hotels in the group and slowly ramp up to a national scale. Autism trials (two) and Acid Survivor trials have started too and the learnings are being assimilated.

This initiative was started in 2007. As on May, 2018, approximately 21% of our own employees are Indians who are opportunity deprived in some way.

Summary of Awards

2018

FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Award for Corporate Responsibility/ Environment 2018
Business Excellence by Leveraging IT, 2018 by Amity School of Science and Technology

2017

Dr. Anji Reddy Memorial Award for Model Employer for Persons with Disabilities 2017 NCPEDP Helen Keller Awards for Role Model Companies 2017
Ranked #4 Best Company in India by Great Places to Work For Institute 2017
Ranked #19 Best Company in Asia by Great Places to Work For Institute 2017
Recognition for being among the best in the Special Category – Employer Branding, 2017; Utilizing Analytics to Drive Great Place to Work Initiative, 2017
People Matters Talent Acquisition League 2017:’ Best in Diversity’ Award
People Matters Total Rewards 2017: 'Best in Building Career' Award

2016

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India: Best Employer – National Award, 2016. Award received from the President of India
Ranked #9 Best Company in India by Great Places to Work For Institute 2016
Ranked the Best Company in India for Workplace Culture Transformation 2016
Overall Winners World Responsible Tourism Award 2016 at WTM®, London
Gold Winner-'Best Accommodation for Responsible Employment' category’ 2016,WTM®, London
HR Innovation Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion,2016

2015

HICAP Sustainable Hotel Award 2015 for Sustainable Communities
Asian Human Capital Award 2015 for Innovative and Impactful People Practices by Ministry of Manpower, Singapore and the Human Capital Leadership Institute
Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) 2015 Sustainable Hotel Awards: for Sustainable Communities
NASSCOM Social Innovation Award 2015 for Corporate (Responsible Business). This award is for our training AV in Indian Sign Language (ISL) for our Speech & Hearing Impaired (SHI) employees
Ranked #30 in the Top 50 Great Places to Work For 2015
Ranked #2 Best Company in India with Unique Initiative/ Programme 2015
BW Hotelier HR Excellence Award 2015 for being an equal opportunity employer

2014

Cornell University Exemplary Practice Award 2014 for Lemon Tree Hotels’ ccompanywide inclusion program and initiative of hiring and supporting People with Disabilities.
National Tourism Award 2012-13: Best Classified hotel under 2 Star Category - Red Fox Hotel, East Delhi
Nipman Foundation ‘Equal opportunity Award’ 2014
Ranked #86 in the Top 100 Great Places to Work For in India 2013 by the Great Place to Work Institute & the Economic Times

2013

Aaj Tak Care Awards 2013 for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) in the Empowerment category. This award is for our Employees with Disabilities (EwD) initiative.
Ranked #67 in the Top 100 Great Places to Work For in India 2013 by the Great Place to Work Institute & the Economic Times.

2012

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India: National Award: Outstanding Work in the Creation of a Barrier-free Environment for Persons with Disabilities, 2012. Award received from the President of India.
Ranked in the Top 50 large organizations (>1000 employees) in the 2012 study of Best Companies to Work For in India by the Great Place to Work Institute & the Economic Times.
NCPEDP (National Center for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People)-Shell Helen Keller Award 2012: Category C: Role Model Organizations, for the work towards promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Award 2012: Category B: Role Model Non-Disabled Individuals, for your work towards promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Svayam Accessibility and Universal Design Award, 2012

2011

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India: Best Employer – National Award, 2011. Award received from the President of India.
Ranked in the Top 100 in the 2011 study of Best Companies to Work For in India by the Great Place to Work Institute & the Economic Times
MphasiS Universal Design Award, 2011: from NCPEDP (National Center for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People)

2010

NCPEDP (National Center for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People, a nonprofit organization working as an interface between government, industry, international agencies and the voluntary sector) – Shell Helen Keller Award, 2010 for exemplary beliefs and practices in employing Differently Enabled People.

B.TRIBAL ART

Lemon Tree Hotels is the largest buyer nationally of tribal art from Bastar, Madhya Pradesh. This enables the group to support poor tribal craftsmen in this region and allows the chain to showcase their art extensively across its hotels.

C. GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

LTH supports and partners these NGOs and societies:

Goonj: which provides clothes and utensils to the impoverished.
Suniye: that runs a school for Speech and Hearing Impaired children from economically weaker sections of society. It provides extensive life skills support to these children.
Akshaya Patra: whose focus is to eliminate hunger in the city. It regularly provides a free meal to approximately 2000 destitute people in Delhi, across the city.
Muskaan: which provides comprehensive education, vocational training and work opportunities to young people who are intellectually challenged.
Ramanujan Society: where LTH has donated gifts to students for successfully clearing the IIT entrance exam.

D. Art Objects Through People For Animals

LTH is a large supporter of art objects promoted by People for Animals. This money helps support the initiatives undertaken by PFA for the welfare and care of animals across India.

Lemon Tree Hotels - Eco-Friendly Practices

Committed to a healthy and happy earth, Lemon Tree Hotels has implemented many eco-friendly processes for energy saving and water preservation, responsible waste management as well as measures to control water, noise and environmental pollution.

Caring for the Environment

Our existing and upcoming hotels are designed and constructed to qualify for the L.E.E.D Gold Standard. Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (L.E.E.D) is the internationally recognized eco-friendly building certification standard awarded by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) to buildings designed for energy savings, efficient use of water, reduction of CO2 emission and overall improvement in environmental quality.

Our Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi Airport, Red Fox Hotel, Delhi Airport and Lemon Tree Hotels, City Centre Gurugram hotels, have been built in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Gold LEED standards and the Indian Green Building Council’s standards.

Energy Conservation

Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV) with thermal enthalpy wheels: for heat recovery from washroom exhausts
Chilled water reset through building automation: to reduce power consumption required for cooling building
Heat pumps: for heat recovery, for heating domestic water.
LED lighting and CFL Lighting: both consume far less energy than traditional lighting
Key Tag Energy Saver System: conserves energy in unoccupied rooms
Natural/day lighting: reduces power consumption dramatically
Double Glazed Vacuum Sealed Windows: conserves energy and reduces noise
Auto Time Management (for lighting, air-conditioning and ventilation fans) through timers and motion sensors: helps conserve energy
Energy-Efficient Hydro-Pneumatic System with Variable-frequency Drive (VFD) motors for water supply: ensures constant pressure and reduces load on pumps
LT Voltage Stabilizer: is energy saving and prevents damage to equipment due to sudden power fluctuations
Thermal Insulation: increases room comfort and conserves energy
Use of BEE certified equipment e.g. air-conditioner, refrigerator, fans, etc.: reduces energy consumption
Solar Panel for hot water: alternative, renewable energy

Water Conservation

Sewage Treatment Plant (STP): recycles water used across the hotel and this recycled water is used in the garden and flush systems
Aerators/Flow Restrictors including Duel Flush System: maintains water force and yet reduces outflow, hence saving water
Rain Water Harvesting: protects and replenishes the ground water table
Auto Flush For Public Urinals: minimizes water wastage
Guest engagement program – water saving poster placed in all rooms that quantifies the saving of water each guest can do by not getting their linen changed daily – encourages them to do their small bit to save precious water when they are travelling.

Green Fuels and Green Materials

Use of CNG instead of LPG: leads to reduction of pollution
Use of Green Building Material for example recycled wood, medium density fiberboard, rubber wood, particle board, sawmill shavings or saw dust, AAC blocks.

Waste Management

Sewage Treatment: prevents pollution

Noise Pollution Management

Double Glazed Vacuum Sealed Windows: reduces external noise level below 50 decibels
Environmental Seals: prevents entry of noise and smoke (in case of fire) into the room
Noiseless Generators: acoustically insulated, the sound level is dampened to a minimal level

Operational Practices

Laundry Paper/Cloth bags instead of plastic: environmentally friendly
Recycled Garbage Bio-degradable Bags: environmentally friendly
Water Glasses inverted and placed on a cork surface: thereby doing away with plastic covers
Pencils not plastic pens

MoEF Report

Safety and Security:

At Lemon Tree Hotels, safety and security of our guests, employees and assets is paramount to us. Our security department has invested in updated technology and equipment for all our recent hotels and evaluates ways to upgrade security measures in our older hotels.

For example, our hotel, Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi Airport has adopted face recognition software together with cameras, a video wall in the security control room, a 3D walkthrough and bio-metric access control. Some key security arrangements in our recent hotels include crash bollards and boom barriers at each entrance, under-vehicle surveillance systems, baggage x-ray scanners, CCTV coverage of all public areas, intruder alarm system and panic buttons at key locations such as the main gate, reception and swimming pool areas.

Some of the measures in practice are:

Baggage scanners to ensure that all guest baggage is screened on arrival
CCTVs located in all public areas especially at strategic points
Individual fire indicators outside each room to expedite emergency response in case of a fire emergency
Wide angle (110 degrees) peephole on room entrance doors
Safety chain and double lock facility in the main room door interactions
Emergency procedures notice displayed behind the entrance door
Fire resistant room door (up to a limited extent)
All entrance doors are lined with an environmental seal to minimize noise and protect the room from external smoke, in case of fire
Smoke detector in each room
Water sprinklers in each room for enhanced fire safety
Entrance door and bathroom doors can be double locked from the inside
Low level signage on all our buildings
A public address system (in most hotels) to help evacuate guests and employees during an emergency
24x7 power backup

LTH is run by a group of experienced hotel professionals who have worked with leading luxury hotel brands and across industries including Consulting, FMCG, Banking and Insurance, Telecom, Automobiles and offshore business processing.

LEMON TREE HOTELS LTD.

Patanjali Govind Keswani

Executive Chairman

Patanjali (Patu) is the Founder of Lemon Tree Hotels and he was the Chairman & Managing Director from September 2002 to September 2025. He is a B. Tech. in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi and holds a Post Graduate Diploma Degree in Management from IIM Kolkata. He was presented the Distinguished Alumni Award by IIT Delhi in 2011 and by IIM Kolkata in 2012. Prior to promoting Lemon Tree Hotels, he has worked with Tata Administrative Services, Taj Hotels and A.T. Kearney Limited. Patu is considered not just a pioneer in the midscale hospitality space in India, but also a leader in fostering diversity and inclusion in the industry, by spearheading Lemon Tree’s robust D&I initiatives, including hiring of Persons With Disability. He has been the founding Chairman of the Skill Council for Persons with Disability and a founding member of the Sector Skill Council for the Hospitality, Travel and Tourism industry.

Neelendra Singh

Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer

Neelendra brings with him 26 years of experience. He began his professional career at Shoppers' Stop in 1999 as a Senior Officer in Retail Operations. He subsequently worked with Arcus (Home Improvement Retail) as a Store Sales Manager and then with Hutchison Max Telecom (Orange). His most recent and longest tenure has been with Adidas where he started as Regional Manager, West India in 2005, then was the Retail Director for India in 2010 followed by Group Retail Director for South Korea till 2014, Senior Vice President, Global DTC & Franchise in Germany till 2019 and until recently the General Manager/Managing Director in India. In his last role, he was responsible for shaping strategy, directing investments, developing capabilities and delivering operational results for all channels for the entire business of Adidas. He has completed his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University and later completed his MBA from IMT, Ghaziabad.

Kapil Sharma

Executive Director & CFO

A seasoned Chartered Accountant and the Chief Financial Officer of Lemon Tree Hotels until September 2025, Kapil is now on the company’s Board as Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer. He brings over 30 years of experience in financial management across Lemon Tree Hotels, Leroy Somer & Controls, Onida Finance Limited and AFL. Since joining the Lemon Tree Group in 2004, he has played a key role in driving key initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, project financing and capital market activities including listing of the company. Kapil is a qualified Chartered Accountant with B.Com (H) degree from Hans Raj College, University of Delhi.

Vishvapreet Singh Cheema

President

Vishvapreet Singh Cheema is a distinguished hospitality professional with nearly three decades of industry experience. An alumnus of Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development, he also holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and a Diploma in Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition from IHM Lucknow. He has further enriched his executive acumen through the INSEAD Leadership Programme for Senior Executives in Singapore. He began his career with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and has since held senior leadership positions across prominent domestic and international hospitality companies, including IHHR Hospitality, P&O Cruises UK, Marriott, Radisson and IHG Hotels & Resorts, where he served as Director of Operations for South West Asia. Currently with Lemon Tree Hotels, he plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing business strategies, driving operational excellence, strengthening stakeholder engagement, enhancing profitability and upholding superior quality standards across the group's properties in India and key international markets.

Davander Tomar

Executive Vice President - Corporate Affairs

Davander is a B. Com, M.A. and an L.L.B. from University of Delhi. He has 18 years of experience with Taj Hotels where he worked as the Area Security Manager of Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi. He has over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

Sanjay Rai

Chief Revenue Officer

With over 40 years of experience in hospitality and manufacturing, Sanjay Rai is a stalwart in the Indian hospitality industry. Currently, he serves as the Chief Revenue Officer at Lemon Tree Hotels. He comes to Lemon Tree Hotels with a proven track record in the areas of Brand Management, Customer Acquisition, Sales Promotions, Alliances & Partnerships and Stakeholder Management. Sanjay started his professional journey with ITC Ltd., handling multiple businesses, including hotels. This was followed by an association of close to two decades with The Oberoi Group, leading their sales function globally, across two stints. Sanjay also worked with Max Healthcare, and his last assignment was Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Sarovar Hotels.

Aradhana Lal

Sr. Vice President - Sustainability & ESG

Aradhana is a TedX speaker and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad with 32 years of experience in Sales, Marketing, Corporate Communications and ESG/Sustainability at Hindustan Unilever, Taj Group and Lemon Tree Hotels. Today, Aradhana leads ESG/Sustainability which includes Planet/Environment (renewal energy, water recycling and reuse, etc.) and People/Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (hiring Employees With Disabilities – deaf, low vision, Acid Survivor, Down Syndrome, Autism and Economically & Socially Marginalized – transgender, school dropouts, orphans, widows/divorcees). Aradhana was awarded the Role Model Supporter of Increased Employment Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities by NCPEDP in 2018.

Sareena Kochar

Senior Vice President – Housekeeping

A Post Graduate in Hotel Management from All India Institute of Management Studies, Chennai, Sareena has almost four decades of experience in the Industry. An expert in hotel openings, she has launched several brands for Lemon Tree Hotels and hotels for the Lalit Group. She has previously worked with VLCC, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels & Resorts. She has launched eco-friendly practises in the company. A certified mentor from XLRI Jamshedpur, she has nurtured talent in the organisation. A key member of the ‘Swachya Bharat Swasthya Bharat’ campaign, she also trains Speech and Hearing Impaired (SHIs) team members in Housekeeping.

Sumant Jaidka

Sr. Vice President - Ops & Chief Operations Officer

Sumant is a graduate of the Salzburg School of Hotel Management, Austria. He has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He started his career with the Hyatt Regency New Delhi in the F&B department, before moving to the Intercontinental Hotel and later Taj Palace, New Delhi. After a short tenure with Crowne Plaza, he joined the Lemon Tree Hotels. He has been with the company for over 15 years and has played an instrumental role in its growth.

Rajesh Kumar

Senior Vice President – Human Resources & Vigilance Officer

Rajesh is a Post Graduate of Personnel Management and Industrial Relations as well as Public Administration from Himachal Pradesh University. In a career spanning over 20 years, Rajesh has been associated with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Select Holiday Resorts and Mahindra Holidays & Resorts, where he experimented with and implemented new HR initiatives. He joined Lemon Tree Hotels over 15 years ago, and has been awarded the Margdarshak Award from FOSTIIMA Business School for his initiatives at the company.

Ajai Kumar

Sr. Vice President & Chief Information officer

An MCA from Madan Mohan Malviya Engineering College, Gorakhpur & MBA (Information Systems) from Sikkim Manipal University, Ajai has over 30 years of experience in IT Strategy, Digital Enablement, Technology Management and Operations. He has worked in Senior IT Management roles with BAX Global India Pvt Ltd, Gati Ltd, Central Cottage Industries Corp of India Ltd, Anand Automotive Systems Ltd and Blue Dart Express Ltd. At Lemon Tree Hotels, he leads the evaluation, priority setting, deployment and management of current and future technology products, services and systems for the company.

Rajeev Janveja

Senior Vice President & Corporate Chef

Chef Rajeev started his culinary journey with Taj Hotels after completing his studies from IHM Lucknow. Over the years, he has honed his skills at various Taj Hotels across the country as well as with some other leading retail food businesses. As the Senior Vice President & Corporate Chef of Lemon Tree Hotels, Chef Rajeev is directly responsible for F&B (Production) and F&B (Service) across all brands and hotels in the company. He also researches and plans menus for new, upcoming hotels and develops new and innovative food concepts for the company’s F&B brands.

Ritu Ranjan

Sr. Vice President - Aesthetics & Design

Ritu, a graduate from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, has been working with Lemon Tree Hotels for over 10 years. She works closely with the Interior designers, Architects and the Chairman’s office to develop and execute the design vision of the group across its brands. She leads the design conceptualization and implementation for new hotels and also works on the upgradation of the older hotels in the group.

Vilas Pawar

CEO - Managed & Franchise Division

Vilas is a hotel management graduate of IHM, Mumbai, and has worked for over 35 years with marquee brands including Taj Hotels, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Radisson Hotels, Edenpark Hotels and TGI Fridays. In his last assignment, as Director and Chief Executive Officer, he was responsible for establishing the operations and franchise business for Choice Hotels International in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Niket Sood

Vice President – Commercial Strategy

With an illustrious career spanning nearly two decades, Niket brings a rich legacy of leadership across global hospitality giants like Accor and Marriott International. In his most recent role as Regional Director – Topline Performance at Accor India & South Asia, he led commercial strategy across Sales, Revenue, Distribution and Loyalty, helping to deliver above-market performance across a diverse portfolio. Earlier, during his 8+ year stint with Marriott International, he played an instrumental role in shaping the revenue strategy for North India, having worked across multiple leadership roles and markets. His career arc spans everything from front-office operations to leading commercial strategy for multi-brand portfolios. His journey reflects deep expertise, innovation, and a forward-forward approach to hospitality.

Rajiv Tyagi

Vice President – Finance

Rajiv is a commerce graduate from the University of Delhi. During a career spanning over 25 years, he has worked with ITC Hotels and Taj Hotels, prior to joining Lemon Tree Hotels. He was previously the Assistant Vice President - Finance, of Lemon Tree Hotels.

Naresh Kumar

Vice President – Materials

Naresh is a postgraduate in Commerce from the University of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. During a career spanning more than 25 years, he has worked with Grand Hyatt, Park Royal, Imperial Hotel and Shangri-la Hotel. He has worked with Lemon Tree Hotels since 2007 in the Purchase Department. His last assignment was Assistance Purchase Manager at Shangri-la Hotel.

Geeta Jetley

Vice President – Operations

Geeta Jetley is an alumna of the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development and has spent over 25 years working in the hotel business in India and overseas. Before joining Lemon Tree Hotels in a leadership role at Carnation Hotels (the management subsidiary of Lemon Tree Hotels), Geeta headed operations for Wyndham Hotels in India. She has been associated with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts as well as Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and has extensive experience in hotel openings and re-brands. As a part of Carnation Hotels, Geeta has driven the asset light growth strategy of the company.

FLEUR HOTELS LTD. (A material subsidiary of Lemon Tree Hotels)

Patanjali Govind Keswani

Executive Chairman

Saurabh Shatdal

Managing Director & CEO

Saurabh brings with him 27 years of extensive experience in capital raising, land acquisitions, deal structuring and hospitality operations, with his last role being that of Managing Director, India - Capital Markets & Land and India Head-Retail for Cushman & Wakefield. He has also worked with CBRE, REGUS Group Plc, ITC Hotels, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Le Méridien Hotels and the Leela Group of Hotels. He is a hotel management graduate from the Institute of Hotel Management, Bhubaneswar.

Mayank Sharma

Chief Financial Officer

Mayank Sharma is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of diverse experience spanning consultancy and industry roles. He brings proven expertise in financial management and control, driving both top-line growth and bottom-line efficiency through innovative financial strategies and robust procedures. Throughout his career, Mayank has played a key role in conceptualising and implementing effective financial frameworks. He has led initiatives in corporate restructuring, evaluated strategic growth opportunities, and managed mergers and acquisitions for the group. His hybrid background enables him to blend strategic thinking with operational execution, contributing significantly to the organisation’s long-term success.

Sanjeev Jain

Vice President–Projects & Engineering

Sanjeev has an overall experience of 33 years. He started his career with NBCC Limited in New Delhi. He was last associated with Bloom Hotels as the Chief Standards officer. He has completed his Bachelors of Technology in Civil Engineering from IIT, Bombay in 1991. In 1997 he also completed Masters of Science in Civil Engineering from NUS, Singapore.

Pooch Policy - Canines (K9)

We love dogs, which is why we have adopted a street dog across almost all of our 100+ hotels. We name the dog, inoculate it and feed it well. Watch the video for a typical day in the life of a K9 at Lemon Tree Hotels. Enjoy!

Youtube Video

Artificer Polytechnus Keswani aka Street Arthur

Assistant Manager, Chairman’s Office

Lemon Tree Hotels
Artificer, who was earlier serving as Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairdog, has been elevated to the position of Assistant Manager, Chairman’s Office with immediate effect, on account of the sad demise of Sparky Keswani (who was also our Company Mascot) on 1st August, 2017. Artificer, will be personally inducted into his new role by the Chairman himself, as he steps into the illustrious paw-th of his predecessor.

Knotty aka Not-Yet-A-Tree

Associate, K9 squad

Knotty, a honey blonde Indian dog, thrives at the Lemon Tree Hotel, Ahmedabad. The alcohol-free, mostly vegetarian environment of the city appears to suit his spiritual nature, demonstrated by his deep desire to meditate for prolonged periods, in absolute silence. Curious guests may however spot him vociferously loitering just outside the coffee shop kitchen at lunch time only (1 pm to 2 pm, daily).

Potty aka Pot Tree

Training Associate

Pot Tree, a male dog, resides at the Lemon Tree Hotel, Aurangabad. His aimless (to the ignorant) scampering fueled by his incredibly high metabolism has led to a prophetic nickname. Due to his swift intake, speedy throughput and copious output, Potty represents our core value of "Excellence".

S'Paw

Spouse of Potty

S'Paw, a female dog, cohabits with Potty in the sylvan surrounds of the Lemon Tree Hotel, Aurangabad. A confident and affectionate dog, s'Paw can normally be found gamboling in the front lawns of the hotel or hanging about near the greenhouse in the backyard.

Ouch

Associate, K9 Squad

Ouch, a white Indian dog of male persuasion, lives in the Lemon Tree Hotel, Chandigarh. With his charming yet playful nature and propensity to jump in and out of nearby bushes, he has already acquired a female fan following in the neighborhood.

S'leepee

Canine Resource Associate, K9 squad

S'leepee, a multi-hued Indian dog, resides at the south east corner of the Lemon Tree Hotel, Chennai. An ascetic by inclination, S'leepee prefers a simple meal of curd rice or on Sundays, idli and coconut chutney.

Byte

Associate, K9 Squad

Byte, a silky tan and white female dog lives in the basement of the Lemon Tree Hotel, Electronics City, Bengaluru. Her focus on 3 principles: eat, love and play symbolizes Lemon Tree Hotels yearning for simplicity.

Nip'n'run aka Nipper

Accounts Associate, K9 squad

Nipper a brainy blonde male dog, resides at the south west corner of Lemon Tree Hotel, Indore, adjoining the staff entrance gate. Nipper would embody our core value of "Inquisitiveness", had we such a value.

Lottery aka Lot Tree

Associate, K9 squad

Lot Tree, a black and white female dog of indeterminate origin, frisks around the Lemon Tree Hotel, UdyogVihar, Gurgaon. As far as we can tell, her skill set indicates a marked preference for games-of-chance and somnolence. Lottery embodies our core value of 'Fun'.

Snippy aka Snippet-Of-A-Tree

Associate, K9 squad

Snippy, a richly bewhiskered chocolate brown dog presently frolics at the Lemon Tree Vembanad Lake Resort, Alleppey, Kerala. Snippy may symbolize our core value of 'Integrity' as she never shirks any of her self-assigned duties, no matter how inscrutable these may appear to be.

Tommy aka Tom Tree

Top Dog, Guest Protection Services, Pune Region

Tom Tree, a male tan and white Indian dog, is located at the Lemon Tree Hotel, Hinjawadi, Pune. Tom Tree embodies our core value of "Respect and Concern for others" and is responsible for guarding. Update: Subsequent to his confirmation and assurance of a steady job at the hotel, Tommy has started a family. Lemon Tree is delighted to introduce these three new additions to the group: Tic, Tac and Toe.

Lemo

Deputy Associate

In keeping with our mantra to reduce bureaucracy, Lemo has been hired as Deputy Assistant Associate to the Assistant Deputy Manager reporting to the Executive Assistant to the Chairman. His purview is to make management lean.

Blotch

Horticulture Associate

Blotch, a white, tan and brown Indian dog lives in the Rock Garden of the Lemon Tree Premier, HITEC City, Hyderabad. In spite of the natural camouflage offered by his coat, he may occasionally be glimpsed from guest rooms facing the South West.

Foxy

Foxy, a black and beige pup resides in Red Fox Hotel, East Delhi and can often be spotted at the perimeter of the hotel slightly recumbent. Having acquired a gourmet’s taste for bread, she now enjoys a position among the ranks (and hearts) of the neighborhood bakers.

Pixy

Pixy is an angelic white dog with gentle eyes who lives in Red Fox Hotel, Jaipur. Playful by nature, she is frequently seen bouncing outdoors with sudden bursts of inexplicable intensity.

Roxy

Training Associate

Roxy is the cutest kid on the block. This cuddly beige ball of joy is often seen basking in the sun and rolling around in the lush green grass of Red Fox Hotel, Hyderabad’s Heritage Garden. With the classiest bowtie around, this bonny hound is the apple of everyone’s eye.

Snuggles aka Eat Tree

K9 Squad

Snuggles, a black and white Indian dog resides in the Lemon Tree Premier at St. Johns road, Bengaluru. Snuggles seems to like snuggling and cuddling.

Pointy

Assistant Administrative Officer

Pointy, a beige Indian dog of female gender resides all over the Lemon Tree Hotel, Shimona, Chennai. Her name is derived from her ability to always face North, no matter what the temptation to turn elsewhere.

Geek

Customer Analytics Specialist

Geek, a yellow Labrador Retriever typically lounges within a 14.35 meter radius of the coffee shop kitchen. His ability to collect, analyse and review customer behaviour helps the hotel to anticipate the changing needs of customers and deliver guest delight.

Battery a.k.a Bat Tree

K9 security squad

Battery a.k.a Bat Tree is an Indian male dog who generally resides in the North West quadrant of the Lemon Tree Hotel, Gachibowli, Hyderabad. His nocturnal habit of stealthy patrolling is greatly aided by his pitch black color.

Queen Mala aka Ma’ lady

Wellness Associate

All dressed in charcoal grey and white, Queen Mala is as exquisite as her name. Perfectly sculptured and with deep pristine eyes, this charmer with a slightly husky bark, can be found engaging with the hotel staff as if to check on every ones well-being and health.