OT: Favourite hotel in the world? Amit Chaudhuri: It’s hard to pick just one. In Delhi, my
OT: Last visited?
Amit Chaudhuri: I visited The Imperial a couple of years ago and the Montcalm last year.
OT: The experience?
Amit Chaudhuri: I was at the Montcalm for only a day as I was breaking journey between New York and India. It’s been taken over by a Japanese group [Nikko Hotels], which is probably a good thing. One always feels guilty speaking of hotels, but I am going to be guiltless. This place is very elegant, spacious and beautiful. It has one restaurant, which serves good food and offers great service.
At The Imperial, it’s always a pleasure to be in one of their heritage rooms. Again you have to suppress your guilt, and plunge right in. I love the astonishing prints on the walls of the hotel and the colonial ambience. If you’re going to be in a hotel, then this is the one to be in; there’s some genuine pleasure to be had in staying here.
OT: The food?
Amit Chaudhuri: The Montcalm serves English and Continental food, and offer a great breakfast. When I was there I saw someone have scrambled eggs with salmon and I just feasted on it with my eyes and admired its presentation. At the Imperial I used to like the Spice Route, but two years have passed since I last visited so I can’t speak about it now with confidence.
OT: The hotels’ ‘USP’?
Amit Chaudhuri: The Montcalm is true to its name: it’s calm and has a sense of rootedness and place. It isn’t ostentatious, but elegantly welcoming in a way that isn’t nostalgic. Though it’s not a hotel meant for the super-rich, it isn’t inexpensive either. At The Imperial, as I’ve mentioned, it’s really the revival of their heritage rooms. You get rooms like this in old colonial clubs, but not typically at five-stars, so it’s a welcome surprise.
OT: Repeat visit?
Amit Chaudhuri: Would love to, but have no idea when. Perhaps when someone offers to pay the bill!
The information:
The Imperial
Location: Janpath, New Delhi
Accommodation: 223 rooms, including 43 suites
Tariff: From Rs 20,000
Contact: 011-23341234,
www.theimperialindia.com
Montcalm Hotel
Location: Marble Arch, London
Accommodation: 142 rooms and suites (currently closed for renovation)
Contact: www.montcalm.co.uk
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