Handlung

As the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has only a single remaining vacancy, posing a rooming predicament for two fresh arrivals, Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) pursues his expansionist dream of opening a second hotel.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the expansionist dream of Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel), and it's making more claims on his time than he has available, considering his imminent marriage to the love of his life, Sunaina (Tina Desai). Sonny has his eye on a promising property now that his first venture, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful, has only a single remaining vacancy, posing a rooming predicament for fresh arrivals Guy Chambers (Richard Gere) and Lavinia Beech (Tamsin Greig). Evelyn Greenslade (Dame Judi Dench) and Douglas Ainslie (Bill Nighy) have now joined the Jaipur workforce, and are wondering where their regular dates for Chilla pancakes will lead, while Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) and Carol Parr (Diana Hardcastle) are negotiating the tricky waters of an exclusive relationship, as Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) juggles two eligible and very wealthy suitors. Perhaps the only one who may know the answers is newly installed co-manager of the hotel, Muriel Donnelly (Dame Maggie Smith), the keeper of everyone's secrets. As the demands of a traditional Indian wedding threaten to engulf them all, an unexpected way forward presents itself.—Fox Searchlight

It's been eight months since the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in Jaipur, India, has been in its current model, with the original British pensioner residents minus Graham (Tom Wilkinson), and Douglas Ainslie's (Bill Nighy's) now estranged wife Jean (Dame Penelope Wilton), still there and immersed in South Asian life for all of its good and bad. In both the good and bad categories, they all, minus Muriel Donnelly (Dame Maggie Smith), are facing emotional issues of the heart in one form or another, which are somewhat affected by their professional commitments. Meanwhile, the hotel is victim of its own success, and as such, the world is seemingly Sonny Kapoor's (Dev Patel's) oyster. He is financially secure enough that he and Sunaina (Tina Desai) can now get married. But he and his business partner Muriel believe they need to expand to a second property, that property which they have chosen and has long been on the market. They are looking for an investor, they believing being a franchise of Evergreen, an American based conglomerate specializing in seniors facilities, the best way to proceed. Evergreen's response is that they will send someone to Jaipur to investigate on their behalf. Sonny is certain the Evergreen representative is an American who checks into the hotel without a reservation, Guy Chambers (Richard Gere), despite Guy stating that he is an aspiring novelist wanting to experience the world for his book. Regardless, Sonny places all of his attention on Guy at the expense of everyone else, especially the other temporary resident of the hotel, Lavinia Beech (Tamsin Greig), a young Brit who is on a reconnaissance trip at the hotel for her mother, and at the expense of his and Sunaina's wedding planning. Sonny's world takes a possible turn for the worse with the arrival back into town of his brother's friend, Kushal (Shazad Latif), as Kushal ends up factoring into Sonny's professional life, as well as is a person who may interest neglected Sunaina romantically. What Sonny is unaware of is that his own actions are a bigger threat to his professional success and future life with Sunaina than Kushal or anybody or anything else. He will also find that eventual heartache is an inherent part of his life in running the hotel in its current model.—Huggo

As the contented residents of the hotel begin settling into their new lives, Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) strives to balance the demands of planning his wedding with the responsibilities of purchasing a new property. Meanwhile, new guests Guy Chambers (Richard Gere) and Lavinia Beech (Tamsin Greig) find themselves in a predicament after arriving at the hotel to find there is only one vacancy. Perhaps with a little innovation new co-manager Muriel Donnelly (Dame Maggie Smith) can find a means of accommodating the hotel's latest occupants, but she'll have her work cut out for her as Douglas Ainslie (Bill Nighy) and Evelyn Greenslade (Dame Judi Dench) begin their new careers in Jaipur while flirting with the idea of a serious romance, like Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) and Carol Parr (Diana Hardcastle). With romance in the air, it's no wonder that Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) has her pick of handsome suitors, and as stalwart Muriel safeguards the many secrets of the vivacious residents, Sonny and Sunaina learn that planning a traditional Indian wedding can be a true test of commitment.

A group of elderly people do everything that they can to adjust to living overseas with each other and new styles. Along the way, they all learn new and shocking stuff about each other that could change everything and everyone and how they live overseas.—RECB3

Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) and Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) travel to San Diego, California to propose a plan to hotel magnate Ty Burley (David Strathairn) for buying and opening a second hotel in India as a companion to the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Sonny is most excited to be in the US and travels across route 66 with the top of his convertible pulled down. This scares Muriel no end.

At the meeting, Muriel tells Sonny that she will do the talking. Muriel ends up teaching a waiter on the right way to serve tea to guests, which impresses Ty. Ty realizes that Muriel and Sonny are all about the attention to detail and taking care of the littlest things that matter to their guests. Muriel says that she and Sonny have been working on the first property for 8 months and phase 1 of the redevelopment is now complete. The redevelopment is happening while the guests are staying at the property. A hard core of regulars have stayed at the hotel from the beginning. Most of the guests are now working in India and none of them have checked-out. Muriel and Sonny present their plans for expansion by buying a 2nd hotel, called the Supreme Quality Hotel.

They are told that a company inspector will anonymously visit India to evaluate the project.

Back in Jaipur, Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) is offered a job as a fabric buyer. Evelyn has an excellent eye as she purchases the Pashmina shawls from the local market and is able to tell what type of thread is being used by the seller to add to the Pashmina wool to give it body. She negotiates the rates from Rs 10,000 for 1, to Rs 5000 for 4. She is concerned that at age 79, the job will require many responsibilities and considerable travel. Douglas Ainslie (Bill Nighy), who is in love with Evelyn, is worried about losing time with her as well, and also eager to introduce her to his daughter.

Norman is helping to manage the local elite club with Madge. Norman and Madge are watering the wines to control costs, but their guests catch on to them. Douglas is working as a local tour guide for the ancient palaces. However, he employs a local boy who reads the script into his ear through a microphone, as Douglas cannot remember a single word he says.

Sonny's life becomes complicated by plans for his upcoming wedding to Sunaina (Tina Desai), plus a possible rival for her affections and in his business interests. Kushal (Shazad Latif) is Sunaina's handsome college buddy. Kushal is now giving dancing lessons to Sunaina, in preparation for the wedding. Also, Kushal has bought the under-construction hotel, which Sonny wanted to be his 2nd acquisition for the expansion of the Marigold hotel. Sonny also is desperate to impress American visitor Guy Chambers (Richard Gere), whom he immediately identifies as the American hotel chain's anonymous inspector. Noting the immediate interest Guy has taken in Sonny's mother (Lillete Dubey), he encourages a romantic relationship between them at first.

Madge Hardcastle's (Celia Imrie) dilemma is deciding between two suitors from India and which to wed. Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) becomes frantic when he believes a local taxi driver (who he tipped generously one drunken night) mistakenly assumed Norman wanted a fatal accident to befall his current sweetheart, Carol (Diana Hardcastle), but then discovers that she has been sleeping with other men. And Douglas' daughter arrives for a visit with his estranged wife Jean (Penelope Wilton) (who returned to the UK at the end of the previous movie) seeking a divorce so that she can remarry.

The engagement party goes badly when Sonny fails to match the dance steps that Sunaina had been preparing months for. Sunaina is angry that Sonny cares more for the future of the hotel than for his future with her. Evelyn is really good at her new job & is able to strike deals that saves her new company millions of dollars in sourcing of local goods. At the Sangeet ceremony Sunaina's parents force Sonny to speak to Kushal, who proposed that he wants to strike a partnership with Sonny to grow the business together. Sensing Sonny's desperation, his mother agrees to respond to Guy's advances, which she was earlier resisting. She wanted to secure funding for Sonny's dreams, through Guy. Sonny then guesses that Guy is not the company inspector and resents the now budding relationship between Guy and his mother.

In order to impress Guy Chambers, Sonny had been completely ignoring another guest, Lavinia Beech(Tamsin Greig), who turns out to be also a company inspector & who is now enamored by Kushal & wants to invest in his new hotel. However, Sonny is proved wrong when Guy turns out to be the company inspector sent by Ty Burley. Lavinia Beech & Guy Chambers work for rivals.

Evelyn & Jean have a heart to heart & Jean admits that she has no proposal waiting for her & that she is only seeking a divorce from Douglas, so that she can date other men. She asks Evelyn for tips on what to do on a first date.

Guy checks out of Marigold & tells Sonny that he would have given Ty his endorsement of Sonny's business with the new hotel, & so does Miss Beech. Both encourage Sonny to make the deal with Kushal. Muriel, having possibly received bad news from a medical appointment, struggles to keep Sonny from ruining his wedding, his business and his future, having become quite fond of him. Decisions come to a head for all during the colorful wedding of Sonny and Sunaina.

Douglas & Evelyn finally decide to come together as a couple. Sonny announces the acquisition of his new hotel, the Viceroy Club, which is a far larger victory that Kushal's new hotel. It turns out that Ty finally made the investment in Sonny's venture that allowed him to buy the new hotel. Ty made the deal as he was enamored with Muriel, who finally checks out of Marigold hotel, thanking Sonny for the wonderful experience in the last few days of her life.