Working as a personal butler at a luxury international resort is no ordinary job. For one Indian butler, the experience has been an eye-opening journey into the varied and often quirky behaviours of guests from around the world — including his fellow countrymen.
The butler, who has spent over a decade in the hospitality industry, currently serves at an ultra-luxurious resort frequented by high-net-worth individuals, celebrities, and well-travelled families. Speaking anonymously to maintain professional discretion, he detailed some of the most interesting and peculiar guest behaviours he has encountered over the years.
According to him, Indian tourists, especially first-time international travellers, often stand out for their unique preferences and requests. “Many Indian guests ask for food ‘just like at home’ — which means extremely customised preparations using homemade spices or ingredients they’ve brought along in their luggage,” he said. In some instances, guests have even requested the butler to prepare meals in their suite kitchen, bypassing the resort’s five-star chefs.
This insistence on traditional cuisine isn’t limited to food. “Some guests ask us to rearrange the furniture according to Vastu or seek specific water temperatures for bathing rituals,” he said, adding that while the requests are always respected, they can be unusual from a Western hospitality perspective.
However, eccentricity isn’t exclusive to Indian guests. The butler recalled incidents involving guests from Europe and the Middle East making equally curious requests — like an American businessman who wanted his bedsheets changed three times a day or a Russian family that brought their own pillows and expected daily laundry for them.
“Every guest brings a bit of their world into ours,” the butler remarked. “And our job is to make sure they feel at home — even if that home comes with unusual expectations.”
Language barriers, cultural miscommunications, and excessive tipping are all part of the daily experience. He recounted a guest who left large sums of money as tips in foreign currency, not realizing it could not be exchanged locally.
Despite these quirks, the butler emphasized that most guests are respectful and appreciative. He believes that such behaviours often stem from unfamiliarity with international travel etiquette rather than deliberate disregard.
He also highlighted the increasing sophistication of Indian travellers. “The younger generation is far more aware of international customs and often blends seamlessly with the global crowd,” he noted. “They’re more likely to request vegan menus or local excursions than bring their own spice boxes.”
For hospitality professionals like him, the job demands patience, cultural sensitivity, and a keen sense of discretion. But the rewards, he says, are equally fulfilling — whether it’s a heartfelt thank-you, a return visit from a satisfied guest, or simply the satisfaction of navigating cultural diversity with grace.
As tourism continues to globalise, such behind-the-scenes accounts offer an insightful — and often humorous — look into how people from different parts of the world interpret comfort, luxury, and home, even when far away from it.
