Metropole hotel is back in business

Hotel Metropole, the majestic landmark of Mysore city, which remained shut for seven years, has opened again. The hotel, a contribution of the Mysore maharajas to cater to their guests and tourists, has been renovated at a cost of Rs 4 crore by the Baljee group of hotels.

The hotel has been leased out for 15 years by Jungle Lodges, a Karnataka Tourism undertaking, to the Bangalore-based group.

The hotel, located in the heart of the city, was built by Maharaja of Mysore Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in the 1920s as a residence for royal guests. The majestic building boasts of Mysore's heritage and the mansion is an architectural marvel.

Metropole was a popular hub for tourists and elite of the city. Its reopening has only added to the fervour of the ongoing Dasara celebrations.

The renovated hotel has 30 spacious rooms and offers a multi-cuisine restaurant, a tea lounge, spacious conference rooms, pool tables, separate dining halls and a royal banquet hall. The new management of the hotel plans to shortly introduce a world-class spa.

The prestigious hotel had been leased out to a Mumbai-based hotel chain for a paltry sum for a long period. After the expiry of the long-lease, the state government had taken possession of the building. But, since then it has remained shut.