Luxury hotels in the Capital put up a hospitable front, even as security was beefed up. The porters who bowed and salaamed hotel guests politely, but firmly demanded identity cards and frisked them personally.

The terror attack on the hotels in Mumbai has exposed a chink in the country’s VVIP security armour. Even The Grand in Vasant Kunj, though not officially opened to the public after a major fire early this year, is not taking chances and has beefed up its security.

Chief Security Officer at the Grand, Amarjeet Singh said, “We had around 25 CCTV cameras. Now we’ll have 72. In addition, all workers currently working at the renovation of the hotel are thoroughly frisked, right down to their tiffin boxes. We’ve also drawn up a list of hotel staff, contractors and labourers.”

Maurya Sheraton in Dhaula Kuan resembled a fortress. Atleast nine security guards manned the main gate and did not allow anyone through, including journalists. Security officers said the registration numbers of the cars belonging to hotel staff and taxis generally hired by them were recorded.

At the Oberoi Hotel in Lodhi Road, security presence was not heavy at the main gate. At the entrance to the lobby, however, two security guards personally frisked and refused entrance to anybody who was not a guest or a member of staff. A security officer said all guests at the hotel had been informed and requested to cooperate.

At the Hyatt Regency in RK Puram, security personnel refused to divulge additional security measures explaining, “such information can become handy to terrorists.”

At Taj Man Singh Hotel near Union Public Service Commission building, an armed policeman in a bulletproof vest stood with the four security guards at the main gate. Additional guards with rearview mirrors inspected the vehicles passing through the gate and demanded identity cards.

Contrary to the assumptions that guests in star hotels would be rushing back to the safety of their hometowns or countries, several guests said they would not change plans. They all agree, however, to have been “shaken up” by reports pouring from Mumbai.

A Russian guest at the Vasant Intercontinental in Vasant Vihar, Natasha Ulyanov, on a holiday in the Capital said, “I don’t mind the frisking as I understand the need for precautions. The Mumbai incident was unfortunate, the security arrangements here are fine. I think I will stay on.”

Another guest, Hashim Ali, an NRI from Sharjah, said, “I saw the news on TV and just can’t imagine what the victims must be going through. But I am here for business and can returnonly after my work gets over.”

It remains to be seen if the Mumbai attack has affected occupancy rates in hotels. Coleen Lobo, a spokesperson at the Hyatt Regency, said, “It is actually too soon to say how bad this crisis has hit us. Guests who had booked their rooms in advance checked in as usual. But theloss in attendance can only be estimated in a couple of days.”

The district police held meetings with the general managers and security officers at the star hotels on Thursday giving them security tips.