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The Leela Palace Chennai
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India · The Leela Palaces · Grand Luxury
Designed by Atlanta architect John Gerondelis of Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates, this seafront hotel borrows its fortress-like massing from the historic merchant mansions of the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. It opened on January 11, 2013, on land bought from industrialist M.A.M. Ramaswamy, after delays pushed the debut more than a year past its planned September 2012 date. The 326-room, 11-story hotel is Chennai's only sea-facing five-star property and holds LEED Platinum certification.
- 326 rooms
- Opened 2013
- Neighborhood: Adyar Seaface
- Architect: John Gerondelis (Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates)
About The Leela Palace Chennai
- Architect John Gerondelis of Atlanta firm Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates modeled the hotel on Chettinad merchant mansions.
- It is Chennai's only sea-facing five-star hotel, sitting on 4.8 acres overlooking the Bay of Bengal at Adyar Seaface.
- The hotel opened on 11 January 2013, a date chosen because it was a staff chef's birthday, after delays pushed the debut past the planned September 2012 date.
- The Leela Palace Chennai earned a MICHELIN One Key distinction in 2025 and is LEED Platinum certified.
The setting
8 km from Valluvar Kottam monument.
Restaurants and bars
- Spectra — Restaurant · All-day dining
- Jamavar — Restaurant · Signature Indian
- China XO — Restaurant · Authentic Chinese
- The Library Bar — Bar
- The Leela Palace Cake Shop — Restaurant
Experiences
- Palace Art Walk — Guided walks through the palace's collection of Indian art and the cultural stories of Mylapore.
- Ceremonial Ritual — Ceremonial lighting of the mashaals at dusk, accompanied by a soulful Carnatic performance and curated regional refreshments.
- Elai Saapad — An authentic South Indian feast served on traditional banana leaves, celebrating regional flavours and customs.
- Sightseeing: Fort St. George, Marina Beach, Santhome, Basilica, Kalakshetra, Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry — Places of interest listed by the hotel near the property.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
Awards
- MICHELIN One Key (2026)
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More The Leela Palaces hotels
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- The Leela Palace Bengaluru — Bengaluru, India · Grand Luxury
- The Leela Palace Jaipur — Jaipur, India · Grand Luxury
- The Leela Palace New Delhi — New Delhi, India · Grand Luxury
- The Leela Palace Udaipur — Udaipur, India · Grand Luxury
- The Leela Hyderabad — Hyderabad, India · High Luxury
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