Billionaire Michael Dell Was Once Refused Late Check-Out By Gurgaon Oberoi Hotel

New Delhi: Billionaire Michael Dell was once refused a late check-out at a five-star hotel in Gurgaon, as divulged by the former president of Oberoi Group, Kapil Chopra, during a podcast.

Chopra shared this incident with Shantanu Deshpande, founder of Bombay Shaving Company while talking about hotel customer complaints.
Recounting an incident involving Michael Dell, the billionaire chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies, who was refused a late check-out at the Oberoi Gurgaon, Chopra said that  strict check-in and check-out policies are a common grievance among hotel guests.

Dell, needing to stay until the evening, approached the receptionist in an "unassuming way" to request a late check-out, said Chopra. 

Unfortunately, it was the receptionist's first day, and she didn't recognize Dell, added Chopra. "The country head of Dell and all the other Dell executives were on their phones, so Michael Dell was alone in the lobby... he walks up quietly, in his unassuming way, to the front desk and asks if he can get a late check-out," Chopra recounted.

The receptionist, unaware of Dell's importance, told the hotel policy: "Sir, check-out is till 12 pm. If you stay till 6 pm it's a half day charge. If it's post 6 pm, it's a full day charge," Chopra further stated.

This minor incident exaggerated, leading Michael Dell to zero-in to check out of the hotel entirely. Chopra recounted receiving a call from Dell's country head.

"The country head called me saying, 'You could have charged us more. Why was Michael Dell refused?' Now he wants to check out because he wants to set an example."

"Michael Dell is very particular about setting an example," said Chopra, who left Oberoi Group in 2018 to launch The Postcard Hotel and EazyDiner.

Michael Dell, 59, is the founder of one of the world's largest technology infrastructure companies and is worth an estimated $105 billion, according to Forbes.