Satish Kaushik

OT: Which is your favourite hotel in the world?
Satish Kaushik: Though I have travelled and stayed all over the world, the hotel I miss and remember is the Hotel de Rouge­mont (reopening in December after renova­tion; hotelderougemont.com) in Switzerland. The staff there was so hospitable and well trained that I literally felt at home.

OT: How did you come to be there?
Satish Kaushik: My first visit was in 1998. I went to shoot songs for my film Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain with Anil Kapoor and Kajol. Anil is family to me and, clubbed with the warm hospitality of the Rougemont, made the trip memorable. When you have to shoot in an unknown country, if the stay is peaceful, it makes work easier.

OT: Tell us more about the spirit of the place.
Satish Kaushik: It is a small hotel run by a classy old man who used to do everything himself. The hotel was near a station and the locale was amazing. The interiors were very cosy. I could stay in their small rooms forever and never get bored look­ing out at the green, beautiful environs and the passing trains.

OT: What about the food?
Satish Kaushik: Mind-blowing. They didn’t have any Indian food, though. But the owner used to cook the meals himself and I remember the chick­en he used to make and also the awesome salads. He would ensure that every meal was nicely laid out — and on time.

OT: Anyone else you would single out on the staff?
Satish Kaushik: I remember there was a dog who would follow you if you were going out in the dark for a walk and then follow you back to the hotel.

OT: Do you intend to visit again?
Satish Kaushik: I went back again in 1999 for about twenty days for more shooting. It’s been a long time and I am waiting for an opportunity to go back. I am sure a lot has changed but I am sure their hospitality would be intact.