Art house hospitality

Place: CHURI AJITGARH

Hotel: VIVAANA

While Vivaana offers the comforts of a modern boutique hotel, its heritage will make your visit memorable

The haveli is an imposing 125 year old richly
adorned erstwhile townhouse

However much you think you have ‘done’ Rajasthan - seen all the majestic forts, lived vicariously as a pretend royal in palace hotels, been to camel safaris and heard desert music, shooed birds and made faces at tigers – from a distance of course, shopped and gorged and swung between the authentic and exotica, along comes the next destination. 

Shekhawati is a special part of Rajasthan. Unlike most of the state, is green, lays high priority to education, exports entrepreneurs and paints its houses as few anywhere do. At first glance Churi Ajitgarh, a little brown hamlet somewhere in the middle of this edge-of-desert region, has little to offer to the tourist. 

Vivaana's best feature are its
original paintings, lovingly restored

But look closer, and every wall of the old havelis of the now twin villages of Churi and Ajitgarh are just waiting for people to decipher their tapestries. A royal court here, traders there, a garden in its splendour, Radha and Krishna dancing, scenes from the ancient myths, impossibly attired people, floral patterns, even British soldiers – it’s a rich tapestry of visual history that entices anyone willing to spend time traipsing around the unpaved, soft twisting lanes that are flanked by many majestic havelis, an occasional mandir, madrasa or johad, and even a colonial style garden, complete with follies with cupolas! Check out Nemani Kothi for the best art. 

Painted havelis are a hallmark of the region, and many today have been restored, some well, others criminally badly. Vivaana, a new boutique heritage hotel, the first in Churi Ajitgarh, has chosen to let its richly painted walls remain as they were, while restoring a two adjacent late 19th century havelis and converting them to a 23-room hotel. For owners Atul and Devna Khanna, it has been a labour of love. And it shows – each room is distinct, stocked with period furniture, and complemented by modern amenities, though no television or refrigerators. 

Paintings cover most wall surfaces at Vivaana. Note the expressions on Radha and Krishna in this work. Priceless.

The rooms even have original frescos – while most have religious or everyday life themes, there are even erotic ones. Restoration took quite a few years, say the Khannas, a Delhi based entrepreneur couple. While they have tried to maintain the traditional look, some changes had to be made for it to be modern hotel. The rooms added washrooms, electricity has been brought in. Some open spaces have been converted (the elephant stable is now the spa). Changes included adding a green colour to doors to rnliven the inner courtyards, a step not well received by purists, recollects Atul Khanna. 

Intach was involved in the restoration, and there is actually a little tucked away museum that illustrates the story of restoration. It offers a fascinating story of how this property transformed to a hotel, from when Khanna and his son Shiven, now a lawyer in Bombay, found this haveli about five years ago to how the former owner's family had to be persuaded to sell an adjoining haveli. 

A grand tea room on the upper level of one the havelis

For the average guest however, a stay here is akin to time travel, albeit with a modern spa, pool, bar, restaurant, tea lounge, library, game room, gardens and other modern facilities. Rich detailing in the selection of interiors, from furniture to crockery to curios, is guaranteed to make the guest delight in quaintly informal home. Look out for the old world safes, the beautiful courtyard flanked on one side the reception, the way the name of the hotel is written outside (on an orange Amby’s numberplate).  Service unsurprisingly is personalized, right from the entry heralded by musicians playing traditional trumpets to gently falling rose petals. 

While an art lover will fall short of time, given the huge expanse of paintings in Vivaana, and indeed Churi Ajitgarh, other options for entertainment are also available, such as camel safaris, admire the visiting peacocks or visits to neighbouring towns such as Mandawa, Nawalgarh and Fatehpur, also known for their painted havelis. The evenings have cultural shows, but you could relax by the pool, or indeed in it, or marvel at the brightness of the stars in the inky blue skies that India’s urban dwellers no longer get at home! Vivaana is a corner of Rajasthan you will be glad to have discovered. 

Churi Ajitgarh has many havelis
that if restored, could make it a
 bigger destination for tourists

-----------
Checklist: 

GETTING THERE: About 260 kms from Delhi, and 142 kms from Jaipur. Easy access by roads, which are of decent quality too! Nearest airports at Jaipur, nearest railway station at Mukundgarh, 5 kms away 

WEATHER: North Indian weather – hot summers, cool winter, can get chilly in the evenings

ROOMS: 23, each unique

AMENITIES: Includes free internet - check connectivity though :); pool, spa, fitness centre, room service, kitchenette; missing - televisions, refrigerators

TARIFF: Mid range

Starry comfort

The Holiday Inn is located by
the historic Straits of Malacca

Place: MELAKA

Hotel: HOLIDAY INN

Melaka, about an hour and a half south of Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, is one of the its two UNESCO world heritage sites. The Straits of Malacca have been a very crucial route for east Asian economies, and the sense of history is still there, through a lot of museums and ships replicas strewn around this picturesque city, which unsurprisingly also has some old hotels. 

Well, I got to stay in one of the newest. And it was just the best stay I have had a 4-star hotel anywhere. I was very pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of this Holiday Inn. Holiday Inn anywhere has a winning combination in their colour scheme – white and lime green, which just makes it more soothing to look at. When I looked up this hotel online, I was a little surprised to see it was away from the centre of old Melaka, but then I realized a walk to Jonkers Street is about 15 minutes if you stop and take pictures on the way! Though I later discovered there are shuttles to the old town from the hotel, and from morning to night! 

The infinity pool and the sea beyond. Just spectacular. 

The views are very good, and even though the sea view was amazing from my room, I actually thought the city view is better, just because Melaka is such a heritage town, and it has been done up beautifully, so what if all of it is not authentically antique! It is next to a large mall, and an adjoining night market. As this is one of the tallest buildings in the city, the views from the higher floors are very rewarding. 

It is a largish hotel, 20 stories, 275 rooms and suites. The lobby is huge and welcoming in warm oriental colours. I was fortunate to visit ahead of the Chinese New Year, when it was additionally done up. There is lots of art all across the public spaces in the hotel. 

A view of es.sense

The all day dining, es.sense is again a nice option for meals. I had a sumptuous breakfast, which had Continental and local options. For a large hotel, it wasn’t that crowded either. The gym is large, the Tea Tree Spa very pretty, though did not try, the pool large. It is an infinity pool, facing the sea.

The room was great too. Spacious, well lit naturally. The white bed was good, and the colours watercolours of Melaka contrasted well. Little touches, like a great platform to keep luggage at a good height, added to the pleasure. It has all the requirements of a business hotel. Most important, the net is easy to connect to. TV, pillows, ample docking stations, alarm clocks, easy to figure out switches(!), ironing board, tea maker, slippers, toiletries – all good. As was the staff in general.

hotel: ITC GRAND CHOLA, Chennai

Place: CHENNAI 

For over a millennium, the Chola royal power held sway over much of southern India. The grandeur of  their structures holds visitors spellbound even today. So it is not surprising that as ITC Hotels, one of India’s largest hospitality groups makes a push for greater prominence, they make a statement that reverberates with Chola grandeur and royal lineage in Chennai.  

Whether it will it usher in a new era of hoteliering in India, just as another hotel in another coastal city by a bay did more than a hundred years ago, remains to be seen. However this hotel has the scale and and the ambition to be a game changer.  It is however difficult to comprehend ITC’s newest and biggest hotel, the Grand Chola without going into getting into some numbers. 

The Sangam staircase is as impressive an entrance as any in India

Built at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore, this 600-room hotel, spread over 1.5 million square feet in an eight acre plot, one of the largest to date in India, promises to change Chennai as a destination by significantly adding MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) capacities to the city. It has 100,000 square feet of banqueting and convention space which includes 30,000 square feet of pillar-less ballroom, named after one of the greatest Chola rulers, Rajendra. It is another matter that this seemingly unending ballroom, in which one cannot see from end to end due to the slight curve of the building, can be divided into eight individual ballrooms and can accommodate 2,500 people.

Rajendra is the largest banquet hall in the city

This hotel is slated to alter the tourism and convention landscape in the region, ITC group chairman Yogesh Deveshwar had said at the launch of hotel complex in Guindy, which was inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa. MICE accounts for about 10-15 per cent of the city’s total hotel demand. Growing that the segment will be a challenge, admitted Deveshwar. 

Nakul Anand, Executive Director and head of the group’s hospitality division said, “The Grand Chola is ITC’s tribute to Tamil Nadu and an iconic asset for Chennai, as an archetype of the culture and ethos of the region. The grandeur and unique attributes of the hotel will provide a fillip to the hospitality sector in Chennai in addition to transforming Chennai into India’s convention capital.” Chennai, more a gateway to south India than a genuine tourism destination itself in the past, in recent years has seen the growth of industrial hubs in its periphery, with significant presence of sectors such as IT, auto, shipping, leather, woodwork, FMCG, etc. 

That it might. The hotel, the ninth in ITC’s Luxury Collection and part of global chain Starwood, reportedly even left the Chief Minister spellbound. After rumoured delays in allocating time for the inauguration, J Jayalalitha spent about the double the allocated time as she toured the expansive property, even though the state government reportedly denied permission for a planned helipad last year. The hotel, which has opened partially, is expected to finally employ over a thousand personnel, while about four times the number have worked for a number of years to realize this dream in concrete and imagination. With four separate entrances, and three wings, with the first housing Executive Club rooms, while the second wing has ITC One rooms, Towers rooms and all the suites and the third wing is for long stay residences.

The Lotus Lounge, an undemarcated area where one cannot hear outside noises, is a modern
application of Chola technology

Design antecedents

Those coming in from the main or West entrance for a meeting or convention could straightaway take a choice of extensive escalators from the pre lobby area, but would impressive the grand staircase in the main lobby, called Sangam, and reminiscent of magnificent palaces of yore. It used Traventine Romano Classico marble, interspersed with symmetrically arranged pillars finished in elegant white stucco, reminiscent of the temples of South India.

Rich detailing and numerous nods to the region's
history make this hotel a delight to explore

The architects, Singapore-based Smallwood Reynolds Steward & Steward LLC, have used Chola architecture as the inspiration for the façade and motifs in the hotel. Once inside, take note of Thanjavur’s Brihadishvara Temple inspired pillars and wall textures. In contrast to the rich mélange of the exterior façade, the walls in the interior are serene, almost sparse, and in neutral tones, lending an added feeling of serenity across this vast hotel. Visual leitmotifs include carved elephants raising their trunks in veneration, the Wheel of Life or Chakra, the four petalled clover floral motif and the intricate fretwork on panels and columns—each chosen for its relevance to Chola themes. And impressively, they have been hand carved by artisans from Mahabalipuram! Among the materials used are stone, granite, marble and wood. Note the impressive backlit onyx marble at the bell desks, though in other parts of the hotel the marble has  been sourced from distant parts of the world, including Italy, Spain, Morocco, Turkey India, China and Pakistan. 

Understated may the language of the hotel interiors, but look out for the individual works of art. A spectacular bronze and copper horse in the lobby is a reminder of Chola valour.  Large urns in deep brown and black grace the entrance to the lobby. These water urns were traditionally used to store water during summer months, and today are meant to symbolise the concept of responsible luxury. Pillar designs are sourced from Gangaikondacholapuram Temple. Door handles are exquisite metal peacocks in pairs. Even the exhaust in The Madras Pavilion is in the shape of a lotus! Water design elements are comparatively scarce, though there are three pools over the western entrance atop the banquets. Innovative features include a 'lotus lounge' an undemarcated area within which you can hear echoes but not a foot outside of it, a modem application of Chola technology.

Food destination

Cafe Mercara's warm interiors

When finished, the hotel will have 10 food and beverage outlets, offering a variety of cuisines, which includes the outlets the group is hoping will later expand to other hotel properties, including a fine dining Italian restaurant Ottimo, whose cooking range alone costs a crore, along with Madras Pavilion, a three meal buffet outlet and Café Mercara Express, a 24-hour signature coffee house. 

A much anticipated restaurant is Royal Vega, which will offer signature vegetarian dishes from across the country. Regular ITC hallmarks such as Peshawri and Pan Asian will also feature. Also on offer is the ambitious single malt and cigar lounge, Cheroot and Tranquebar, a bar for understated luxury, not forgetting 'I' Place - The Fun Pub! The gourmet shop, Nutmeg, with its extensive collection, sold out on the very first day itself.

The hotel will have 23,000 square feet of ITC’s signature Kaya Kalp spa and 21,000 square feet of luxury retail space. It became the world’s largest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum rated hotel.

The digital valet has multiple uses

The hotel abounds in many firsts. It uses cutting edge technology in many aspects, including one-of-its-kind iPad controlled technology that will have all the controls in the room, from lights to AC and even looking at who is at the door without getting up. Of the 600 accommodations, 78 will be serviced apartments, which are yet to open. Just in case it is all too large to comprehend at one go, there is an interactive concierge display system in the lobby that can map out the direction to follow, and transfer the information to your phone!

ITC, which had started its hospitality journey in 1975 from the same city, already has 8,000 rooms in the country, and plans to add another 5,000 odd in the next five years with an investment of about Rs. 25,000 crore in the next five years. The Grand Chola is probably the glittering crown of this extensive empire.

Open to the directions

A view of Madras Pavilion

Vallavan is the north entrance, a drop off point for the Grand Raja Raja Chola Suite

or the Grand Presidential Suite guests and for ITC One. Guests get personalised check-ins here.

Sembiyan, the drop off facing the east, is the dedicated entrance for the high end luxury retail area – the Grand Luxe Street.

Killi, the drop off facing the south, functions as the entrance to the Chola Residences – the high end serviced apartments at ITC Grand Chola.

The grandest entrance, to the west, also serves as the main gate. This entrance is called the Chola drop off and leads to the Grand Stairway in the palatial lobby – Sangam.

The total quantity of marble used in the hotel is 92,000 square metres

The total quantity of external granite cladding is 12,000 square metres

The total external painted area is 15,000 square metres

An inhouse theatre, Kalai Theatre will be on 2,625 square feet with a seating capacity of 45 persons