To ask employer to pay for 5* hotel in India

[Hummusandcrisps]

I'm a freelancer with a potential new client who has a big company based in India. They have asked if I will travel to India from the UK for a week. I have told them I'm prepared to do this in premium economy which they are fine with. They asked if a 4 star hotel would be ok and I said I would come back to them. Anywhere else in the world it probably would be ok, but having travelled to India a few time s would I be unreasonable to ask for a 5 star hotel (chain)

Depends on the city. Where is it?

Have they given a budget for your hotel? Then you can choose your own. I think 4/5 star is a bit meh but if I was travelling alone to India I 100% would want to choose my own hotel

I'd ask. They can refuse, but you won't know unless you ask.🤷‍♂️

I’d also specify an international chain.

You do know a 5 star represents the facilities available and not the cleanliness?

Depends on which city but we only use 5 star in some Indian cities as the 4 star rating is less predictable quality wise. The 5 stars tend to be in the better locations for safe travel as well.

@sandrapinchedmysandwich I imagine the poster is concerned about her personal security rather than the facilities.

Your employer should be conducting a risk assessment and part of that should be your personal security as a solo female. In similar circumstances a young acquaintance of mine agreed that she would stay in an international chain hotel only and she took one of those alarmed door wedges with her for her hotel room door. She also goggled and had to hand international customer services contacts for the hotel ( which she ended up contacting when a male member of staff was pestering her and local management were unhelpful.) Ashe needs to check out transport - reliable taxi options too. Local knowledge is key as these kind of precautions will be needed in some places more than others.

Fair enough. But why would a 5 star be safer? This is a genuine question. Most 4 star hotels I have been at have 24 hour security. Would a 5 star give you anything else over and above what a 4 star would?
... Ah just seen the other post about better locations. Maybe that is it

I’m afraid that I’ve found that the more expensive options are almost always more secure and attentive to travellers. It’s essential to look at reviews though.

I think maybe because 5 star has extra facilities it is more likely to need more space, and so be on a site or resort area of its own rather than on a street?

It totally depends on the hotel and difference in costs and their overall budget. I used to live in India and I’d be happy with a 4 star hotel with the right facilities for business and safe commuting options. I’d be much happier being at, say, a 4 star hotel that was walking distance to the office, restaurants, a nice park, supermarket than a stuffy 5 star where I had to take a taxi everywhere.

I’d be inclined to select a few hotels and bounce them over to them for review. Realistically, if they have a set budget for the project, the more you spend on hotels, the less there is for financing your costs.

My friend travels various Indian cities and stays in Hyatt hotels, with business centres if you need to organise meetings. He also uses a personal driver, is picked up and dropped off inside hotel security. And uses a lot of hand gel!
This minimises a lot of the need to think on a business trip. I was on holiday in India and less particular, but see his point.

I'd just go back and say that you want the right to vet the hotel. As PP said it's less the stars and more the precise location etc so just have a right of refusal that is all.

100%

I'd imagine as OP is freelance so self employed she would actually be responsible for her own risk assessment not the company contracting her

5* or nothing for me in India.

I stayed at a Leela hotel (Indian Chain) in Mumbai. Superb.

I work as an independent - I always choose my own accommodation according to a pre-negotiated budget with the client. That gives me more control. The only time I did not do that and the client was meant to arrange travel for me was an unmitigated disaster.

The important thing is a filtered water system. This means that you won't get sick from using plates / cutlery and can brush your teeth with tap water. It's what I always insist on for India. Many large western chains like Marriot have filtered water systems.

ETA Leela's are lovely and water is filtered.

Absolutely , as someone who stays in hotels in Kolkata when visiting husbands family I would say this is critical.
Usually look at Taj or ITC hotels.
Any company worth its salt would be aware of risks to sole female travellers and would want your safety to be the number 1 priority

I have to travel to Mumbai fairly often for work, I would only stay in a 5 and that is all that our company will book. I have stayed in Novotel and Radisson, both 5 in Mumbai but more like what we expect from 4* here.

@sandrapinchedmysandwich

In some parts of India there is a significant security difference between 4 and 5 star. When I stayed at the Marriott in Mumbai it had armed security at the front and back, a secure boundary, and a security barrier for vehicles. A four star hotel would not have this.

Have you ever stayed at a 4 star in a large Indian city?

We not only restrict our hotels in cities like Mumbai to 5, we restrict them to particular chains with high standards on critical areas such as security and filtered water. The security in particular is on a different level to 4* (including safer locations).

You say you are a freelancer and then you talk about ‘your employer’. If you are self employed pick your own accommodation but I would insist on an international chain.

This!