Bangalore: An iconic luxury hotel in Mysore could not accommodate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his entourage as the booking request was made too late and a wedding group had already taken most of the facility.

As Modi's 24-hour visit to Mysore on Sunday night, was planned late, Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel had to turn down the booking request placed by the deputy commissioner's office.

"An official from the deputy commissioner's office had visited us just four days ago, seeking room reservations for the Prime Minister and his entourage. But weeks earlier, a family had booked all but three of the 54 rooms we have during the same period," Joseph Mathias, the hotel's general manager, told The Telegraph on Monday.

The two-story hotel at the foothills of the Chamundi Hills was built by the Maharaja of Mysore in 1931 to entertain his British guests, including the Viceroy of India. It was later handed over to the Karnataka government. Since 1973, the Indian Tourism Development Corporation has been managing the hotel.

The hotel would once again change hands in March when the Karnataka government will take it over.

"Since our hotel has always hosted Prime Ministers, including Modiji, and Presidents during their visits to Mysore, we know how many rooms they would need and what kind of arrangements are to be made, considering security details and food safety," Mathias said.

"If there was any possibility of even cancelling a few bookings, we would have accommodated the Prime Minister as it is a real honour for us," Mathias said.

The deputy commissioner's office then booked Modi and his team into Radisson Blu. "We knew very well three rooms would not have been sufficient for the Prime Minister and his team of officials and SPG (Special Protection Group) members. Before each visit, the SPG takes control of the entire hotel or a section," Mathias said.

Modi had stayed for two days at the hotel when he visited Mysore in 2016.

"I had personally received the Prime Minister when he came in 2016. I still remember him asking for some Karnataka dishes for breakfast and we made bisi bele baath (a rice dish) and ragi mudde (finger millet balls), which he really enjoyed," Mathias said.

"This hotel has hosted Indira Gandhi, and all Prime Ministers who visited Mysore. President Abdul Kalam stayed here and even insisted on paying his bills, which we could not allow as it was against the protocol. So he paid for someone who had accompanied him," Mathias recalled.