New Delhi, Sept. 9 -- Delhi hotels are humming with the arrival of foreign delegations for the 18th Brics Summit this weekend, sending room rates up to Rs.2 lakh a night.

At The Leela Palace, the kitchen has acquired an unusual new rhythm. Chefs have arrived with chopping boards, knives and other equipment in hand, working alongside the hotel's culinary teams to prepare dishes requested by visiting heads of state. Premium ingredients have also arrived with the delegations, while embassy officials are helping fine-tune the menus.

All its restaurants and in-room dining now have special dishes from its signature Indian food restaurant, Jamavar.

Elsewhere in the fully booked hotel, protocol officers are coordinating other services as it do...