Sita Lekshmi, General Manager, Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, in an exclusive conversation with Today’s Traveller, reflects on purpose-driven leadership, mentoring future talent, and weaving Bengaluru’s cultural spirit into guest experiences
In a hospitality landscape defined by rapid change and rising expectations, leadership that combines clarity of purpose with operational excellence has become essential. Few embody this balance as convincingly as Sita Lekshmi, General Manager of Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, whose approach to leadership blends integrity, mentorship, and a deep understanding of evolving guest experiences.
As Karnataka WICC convener, ICF-certified coach, and Mrs India runner-up 2023, Sita Lekshmi’s influence extends far beyond operations, championing women in leadership amid talent crunches and embedding wellness into high-pressure hospitality.
Sita Lekshmi represents a new generation of hospitality leaders who believe that sustainable growth begins with people, culture, and meaningful storytelling. Under her leadership, the hotel has strengthened its identity as a lifestyle destination that reflects Bengaluru’s creative energy while staying rooted in Marriott International’s global standards.
TT Bureau: As Young GM of the Year, how do you define “purpose-driven” leadership?
Sita Lekshmi: Purpose-driven leadership, to me, is leadership anchored in values and translated into consistent action. Early in my journey, I understood that integrity cannot be situational. That belief continues to guide how I make decisions today.
In hospitality, we operate in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment, but long-term success is sustained by trust, within teams and with our guests. At Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, the purpose is reflected in how we build people, not only business. Professional growth, inclusion, and advocacy are not parallel agendas; they are central to performance. When we invest time in mentoring, create transparent development pathways, and hold ourselves accountable to fairness, results follow organically.
TT Bureau: Renaissance brand mantra is “local and intriguing”. What’s one Bengaluru story you’re weaving into stays that outsiders miss?
Sita Lekshmi: Being located beside the historic race course gives us a natural narrative anchor. We consciously weave the city’s legacy and contemporary spirit into guest experiences, whether through locally inspired programming, culinary storytelling, or collaborations that spotlight regional voices.
Bengaluru’s spirit is best experienced through its vibrant food culture and the genuine curiosity of its people, a sensibility we amplify at Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel. We bring the city’s culinary identity into the hotel through the curated menus at RBar and Lush and through chef-led residencies that showcase local kitchens, flavours and stories that guests might otherwise miss. These curated moments invite guests to taste the city, not just visit it.
We also lean into Renaissance Bengaluru’s R finds ethos, a global marketplace concept that celebrates artisans, makers and local talents beyond the hotel walls, to connect travellers with Bengaluru’s creative community and hidden gems in a meaningful way.
“Local and intriguing” for us is about more than design and décor: it’s about creating moments of discovery that feel personal and memorable, so every stay reflects the soul of Bengaluru.
TT Bureau: How do you sell sustainability to Gen Z leisure guests?
Sita Lekshmi: Gen Z responds to authenticity and measurable action, and hence, the conversation has to move beyond messaging and demonstrate responsibility embedded into operations.
As part of the larger Marriott International ecosystem, we align with structured sustainability frameworks, but at the property level, we focus on clarity by communicating what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how guests can participate. This transparency is extended to our digital presence.
Our Instagram platform functions as an active voice for the hotel, where we showcase behind-the-scenes moments, culinary showcases, design highlights, and community initiatives in a way that feels current and conversational. For Gen Z travellers in particular, discovery often begins online. By presenting an authentic, visually engaging narrative, we create an image that resonates with their values, encouraging them to see the hotel as a space they want to experience firsthand.
Our sustainable amenities speak for themselves because guests are surrounded by them at every touchpoint. From internally bottled water and eco-friendly packaging materials to elements of biophilic design that bring nature into the built environment, awareness is created through experience rather than explanation. When sustainability is integrated into design choices, sourcing decisions, and everyday practices rather than presented as a standalone campaign, it resonates far more effectively.
TT Bureau: Mentorship is your hallmark. Which trait do you look for in rising stars?
Sita Lekshmi: Attitude over title. Hospitality is a skill-driven industry, but longevity is shaped by discipline and the willingness to learn consistently. Technical expertise can be strengthened through training platforms and cross-functional exposure, but what cannot be easily taught is accountability.
I also look for individuals who are open to feedback and are prepared to take ownership early. Many capable professionals hesitate to step forward due to self-doubt, and in such cases, mentorship evolves into sponsorship by advocating for them in decision-making forums and entrusting them with responsibility.
TT Bureau: With luxury supply rising, how do you differentiate the Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel from your competition?
Sita Lekshmi: Bengaluru’s luxury landscape is expanding, and guests are increasingly discerning. At Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, our differentiation is rooted in storytelling and experience-led design. Today’s traveller is chasing stories; they want to discover, connect, and participate in a narrative that feels authentic.
With social media shaping how travel is experienced and remembered, we invest consciously in being a narrative anchor. Through layered design elements, thoughtful detailing, and curated artwork, the hotel invites exploration at every turn. The R Bar and lobby function as immersive social spaces where texture, light, and visual storytelling create moments that guests naturally engage with and share. These spaces encourage conversation and connection, allowing the hotel’s personality to unfold organically.
We extend this identity through evolving culinary showcases and curated programming that draw both travellers and the city’s own community. When guests associate the hotel with discovery and creative energy, it becomes a lifestyle address woven into Bengaluru’s social fabric. That resonance, sustained through consistency and intent, is what sets us apart.
TT Bureau: By 2027, what’s the one metric proving Renaissance rules Bengaluru’s lifestyle scene?
Sita Lekshmi: A single metric would be sustained leadership in guest engagement and loyalty within the lifestyle segment. Beyond occupancy or rate performance, I would measure success through repeat visitation from the leisure and experiential traveller demographic and consistently high engagement scores across internal and guest feedback platforms.
A key contributor to that outcome will be how deliberately we curate culinary experiences. We want Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel to feel like a portal to an expedition, a place where guests arrive expecting discovery. Through regional pop-ups and outlet menus, we aim to make dining a reason to visit in itself, encouraging both travellers and Bengalureans to return because there is always something evolving within our spaces. When people choose the hotel as a cultural and culinary address, footfall strengthens naturally, and relevance sustains itself.
If, by 2027, we are recognised not only for performance indicators but also for being an employer of choice with strong engagement metrics and visible leadership diversity, that would signal meaningful leadership within Bengaluru’s hospitality ecosystem.
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