Swati Agarwal of Radisson Udaipur on The Changing Trends in Hospitality

In an exclusive conversation with Priyal Dutta, Senior Correspondent, Safari India, Ms. Swati Agarwal, Owner, Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Spa, Udaipur, talks about Udaipur’s rise as a luxury wedding and MICE destination and shares insights into evolving guest expectations and experiential hospitality.

Priyal: Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Spa, Udaipur, has become a prominent destination for luxury weddings and MICE events. What key factors have contributed to this positioning?

Swati: Udaipur itself is a dream canvas, and Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Spa sits right at the heart of that magic, overlooking Fateh Sagar Lake with expansive views of the Aravalis.  Our positioning has been built on a clear vision: to offer a truly “palatial” experience with the reliability of an international brand. We combine one of the city’s largest inventories of rooms and suites with multiple indoor and outdoor venues, including a vast pillarless ballroom and grand lawns spread across more than 40,000 sq. ft., which are ideal for large weddings and high-impact corporate events.

We also focus on seamless execution with end-to-end planning support, trusted partnerships with wedding planners and event agencies, and a team that understands the nuances of both big-fat Indian weddings and serious MICE business.  Over the years, this combination of scale, location, and service culture has helped us become a preferred address for luxury celebrations and conferences in Udaipur.

Priyal: How are guest preferences evolving in the luxury hospitality and destination wedding segment, particularly in cities like Udaipur?

Swati: Guest preferences have now evolved from “grand and beautiful” to “grand, beautiful, and deeply personal.” They still want the royal backdrop, but they also want every touchpoint to reflect their story – be it bespoke itineraries, curated local experiences, or hyper‑personalized menus.

We see a strong shift towards immersive, multi-day celebrations where guests experience the city, not just the hotel: sundowner events by the lake, heritage walks, local artisan showcases, and wellness-driven mornings.  Sustainability and wellness are also becoming non‑negotiable; guests increasingly ask about eco‑friendly practices, responsible sourcing, and meaningful ways to connect with the local community.  In Udaipur, this means designing experiences that honour our heritage while feeling contemporary, inclusive, and conscious.

Priyal: The property blends heritage-inspired design with modern luxury. How important is experiential hospitality in attracting today’s travelers?

Swati: For today’s traveller, luxury must be anchored in experience. Our palace‑style architecture, courtyards, and lawns provide the royal canvas, but it’s the experiential layer that makes a stay truly memorable.  Guests want to feel that they have “lived” Udaipur for a few days. Experiential hospitality is central to how we design weddings and MICE events as well, whether it is transforming venues around a theme, integrating cultural rituals thoughtfully, or creating off‑site experiences for delegates.

When guests leave feeling emotionally connected to the place, they don’t just remember the marble and chandeliers; they remember how the destination made them feel.

Priyal: With growing competition in the premium hospitality space, how does the property differentiate itself in terms of guest experience and service offerings?

Swati: Udaipur is welcoming many wonderful hotels, which is great for the destination, but it also means we must be very clear about who we are. We differentiate ourselves through our scale, our location, and our style of service. As one of the city’s largest palace‑style resorts, with approximately 244–245 rooms and extensive banquet spaces, we are uniquely positioned to host large, complex events while still delivering personalised attention.  Our lake‑facing setting, two‑tier pool, spa, and multiple restaurants allow us to create layered experiences for different segments – from wedding guests to corporate delegates and leisure travellers.

Above all, our culture of hospitality is rooted in genuine warmth and consistency; we invest heavily in our people so that every touchpoint, from arrival to farewell, reflects both professional excellence and the spirit of “Atithi Devo Bhava.”

Priyal: Could you share insights into the role of large-format events, weddings, and corporate gatherings in driving the property’s growth strategy?

Swati: Large‑format events are central to our growth story and our future strategy. Udaipur’s rise as India’s timeless wedding capital has directly benefited properties like ours that can handle scale without compromising on experience. Grand weddings, multi‑day celebrations, and destination events not only drive higher occupancies but also create significant ancillary revenue across F&B, spa, and curated experiences. On the MICE side, the combination of a serious meeting infrastructure and a resort‑like setting is very attractive for conferences, incentives, and corporate offsites that want both productivity and leisure.

Together, these form a strong, resilient base that supports our year‑round performance, and they will continue to be key pillars of our long‑term growth strategy.

Priyal: The company profile mentions expansion plans and a new property launch next year. Could you share more details on the vision behind this growth?

Swati: Our broader group has always believed in backing destinations with strong long‑term potential. Our growth vision is to replicate the same philosophy – heritage‑led, experience‑driven luxury – across new properties while tailoring each asset to its unique locale. The goal is to create destinations, not just hotels, where local culture and sustainability are central to the guest proposition. We remain focused on reinforcing Udaipur’s position on the global map as a leading destination for weddings, leisure, and experiential luxury.