For a resort like Anandas in the Himalayas, which ...

For a resort like Anandas in the Himalayas, which prides itself as a world class spa and wellness destination, one has a legitimate expectation and implied assurance of proper care and safety of guests. Such an assurance is no less than a promise which the hotel makes to its guests. A promise that the guests will have the same level of care as that in their own home. This expectation only multiples in a situation where the daily tariffs are sky-high, where the property is located at a desolate location where medical help may not be immediately available, and where majority of the guests are of a certain age group that warrants constant medical care and attention.

Unfortunately for us, this was merely a unilateral expectation, with no reciprocation of responsibility, that led to the worst nightmare of our lives. The untimely and sudden parting of our beloved Mr. Amarendra Sharan (my father-in-law) at one of his most frequented and favorite destinations has not only turned out to be one of the biggest ironies, it has also raised critical questions about the preparedness and capabilities of Anandas that has so far been able to function sans any accountability and liability, to handle critical situations such as the one suffered by us - our father's death.

In situations like these, it is but a matter of a few seconds and minutes that make a difference. Interestingly, it was these very seconds and minutes that could have made the difference in our case as well, but are now just a series of if's and but's in all our minds. The lackadaisical and apathetic attitude of Anandas personnel to even assess the gravity of the situation was startling to say the least. The lack of decisiveness and clarity regarding what is to be done in a medical emergency was apparent and made it clear to us that they were utterly unequipped to handle any similar situation, much less provide a degree of solace to their guests. The unavailability of emergency medical assistance or a doctor/ ambulance on call or even a medically trained nurse/ paramedic at Anandas, especially in view of the reasons outlined above, robbed Mr Sharan of his chance to fight for survival.

It is important to note that according to guidelines issued by the Government of India, a hotel/ resort is required to meet a prescribed set of requirements in order to maintain a certain categorization. A top-rated resort such as Anandas is inter alia required to ensure that a doctor on call at all times. Notably, this is not a one-time, but an ongoing requirement.

It is often said that in the hotel industry, the number of stars assigned to a hotel are suggestive of a certain level of professionalism, achievement and quality of service, which is projected to the public at large. It is also natural that the degree of care provided should be commensurate with the charges levied by the hotel/ resort. When a person walks into a premises and if the premises is open to accept entry, then such person has a right to assume that they will be afforded a certain degree of care and attention. However, when properties such as Anandas are permitted to function without regular checks, it culminates in such instances.

August 12, 2019 will go down as a day on which we suffered an unquantifiable and irretrievable loss at Anandas. A loss which was so sudden and immediate, we are still struggling to come to terms with it and perhaps will never be able to. All we are left with is a question: What if? What if the staff had recognized the urgency of the situation at hand and made adequate provisions rapidly? What if there was even one staff at Anandas trained in providing basic emergency medical care? What if a doctor on call or even a paramedic had been made available to respond to the situation? What if there were defibrillators available? These are that will always linger in our minds but we sincerely hope is not one which anyone else should have to ask.