Luxury hotel brand expands its footprint in India with the addition of the cutting-edge city sanctuary in the culture capital of Eastern India
Small Luxury Hotels of the World has expanded its portfolio in India with the addition of Chrome Hotel, its first property in Kolkata, West Bengal. Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2011, now has over 520 hotels in more than 70 countries worldwide including 13 properties across India. All of the hotels in the brand’s portfolio represent a single standard of excellence but are independently owned and each has its own unique character and charm.
Chrome Hotel (www.slh.com/chromehotel) is a stylish, contemporary design hotel in the heart of Kolkata, Eastern India. Personal butlers are on standby 24-hours a day to take care of guests’ every need from secretarial work to private guided city tours. Guests are given personalised business cards with direct dial numbers when they check in. The hotel has 63 rooms including eight themed suites with a love room, a music room, colour therapy suite and a sports room for guests to choose from. As well as extensive business facilities including free wi-fi, guests are well entertained with an extensive library, a swimming pool overlooking Kolkata offering poolside manicures and pedicures and a fitness centre as well as different dining options. At Khanasutra, India’s first nouvelle cuisine North Indian restaurant, guests can sample a gourmet 15-course connoisseur menu, backed by Guerdion service with dishes prepared in direct view of guests offering an entertaining dining experience. The ambience in the restaurant is said to be ‘reminiscent of the private dining room of a Czar’.
Reservations for Chrome Hotel or any Small Luxury Hotels of the World property can be made online at www.slh.com, via the Small Luxury Hotels of the World iPhone app which is free to download from iTunes, or by calling 00 0800 650 1456 (India) or +65 6232 5060 throughout Asia Pacific. Travel agents need only remember the GDS code LX for LuXury.
Paul Kerr, CEO of Small Luxury Hotels of the World said: “We are delighted to welcome Chrome Hotel to the Small Luxury Hotels of the World brand. It is a fantastic addition to our portfolio in India and offers our loyal guests a new type of experience in the heart of Kolkata – whether they are travelling for business or pleasure. As a brand, we are all about small hotels and BIG experiences. Guests at Chrome Hotel will be blown away by the architecture and design, the personalised service, and the gourmet experiences. The hotel’s trademark ultra comfortable ‘fat beds’ make it very difficult to get up in the morning as well! We have a very strict selection process for our hotels which is testament to the high standards to be found at Chrome Hotel.”
Paul Kerr continued: “An integral part of our development strategy for 2011, India is a key market for us both in terms of strengthening our portfolio and increasing our footprint as a brand but also as an emerging source market for our hotels around the world. Outbound travel from India is growing by up to 15 per cent year on year and this steady growth looks set to continue. As a source market, we have seen a substantial growth in the number of reservations made by travellers from India this year. We are well positioned to meet this demand for luxury hotels and memorable experiences.”
Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties offer discerning travellers much more than a bed to sleep in. Guests can choose from a range of experiences in India including a dinner of blue marlin on a private boat whilst sailing past paddy fields and temples, a tour of a working coffee plantation, shopping for emeralds at the gem market, elephant trekking, Ayurvedic spa treatments, staying on a houseboat on a lake or sleeping under canvas on the edge of a tiger reserve. Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties offer a taste of local culture and reflect their local surroundings and heritage.
The hotels in the brand’s portfolio in India also include:
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Ganga Kutir, Raichak-on-Ganges, West Bengal, India www.slh.com/gangakutir
1.5 hours from Kolkata and nestled on the banks of the River Ganges, Ganga Kutir is a private haven featuring Sri Lankan architecture and local artwork with only 16 guest rooms. Guests can sit back and watch the view across the river, centre themselves in the meditation room or indulge themselves with a range of spa treatments including Aromatherapy, Ayurvedic, Swedish, Javanese, Thai, Reflexology and Stone Therapy.
The Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa, Goa, India www.slh.com/kenilworth
The Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa is a stylish getaway set on Utorda’s white sandy beach nestled in 14 acres of beautifully landscaped garden, with four great restaurants, an unusual sunken bar, Agua spa and an infinite variety of leisure activities.
Kumarakom Lake Resort, Kottayam, India www.slh.com/kumarakom
A bird-watcher’s paradise on the shores of Lake Vembanad, Kumarakom Lake Resort features authentic traditional architecture of Kerala nestled amid the picturesque backwaters of Kerala. Set in 25 acres of coconut groves, the resort has an Ayurveda spa, a 250-metre-long meandering pool and another infinity swimming pool, a restaurant serving regional and international cuisine, as well as houseboats.
The Oberoi Amarvilás, Agra, India www.slh.com/amarvilas
The Oberoi Amarvilás is renowned for great views of the Taj Mahal, yet it is palatial in its own right. Influenced by Moorish and Mughal architecture the majestic mansion encircles an impressive colonnade filled with fountains and reflection pools.
The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, India www.slh.com/rajvilas
An exquisite interpretation of an ancient royal fort, The Oberoi Rajvilas sits in 32 acres of grounds with tranquil pools and pavilions dotted amongst shady lawns.
The Oberoi Udaivilás, Udaipur, India www.slh.com/udaivilas
A breathtakingly beautiful Mewar-style residence on the shores of Lake Pichola, The Oberoi Udaivilás is a magnificent blaze of domes and spires set around courtyards and surrounded by gardens, pools and fountains. The location is perfect for exploring Udaipur.
The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Rajasthan, India www.slh.com/vanyavilas
Sleep under embroidered canvas in the jungle home of tigers. The Oberoi Vanyavilás is a lush green estate dotted with 25 sumptuous tents on the edge of the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. As well as exotic wildlife, guests can expect gourmet delicacies, a heated outdoor pool, a holistic spa with yoga and a library bar.
Old Harbour Hotel, Fort Cochin, India www.slh.com/oldharbour
Tantalisingly close to the fascinating, ancient Chinese fishing nets at Fort Cochin and immaculately restored, this 300-year-old hotel is set in wonderfully serene gardens. Retaining its Dutch colonial architectural features, this glorious treasure has 13 spacious rooms and Kerala-style garden cottages, an Ayurvedic spa with an open-air terrace, a large swimming pool and a delightful restaurant.
Orange County Coorg, Siddapura, India www.slh.com/orangecountycoorg
Bordered by the legendary river Cauvery, and surrounded by virginal forests, this 300 acre working plantation resort perched at a height of 800m gives guests a unique insight into the deepest secrets of this mystic mountain. Coorg is 235kms from Bangalore Airport. Orange County Coorg is the sister property of Orange County Kabini, which is also part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World brand.
Orange County Kabini, Mysore-Kabini, India www.slh.com/orangecounty
Nestled on the banks of the Kabini River, close to the Nagarhole and Bandipur National Parks, Orange County, Kabini provides a unique setting from which to experience this stunning region’s abundant wildlife and culture. The spacious thatched cottages, inspired by the local tribal villages, provide an elegant and comfortable retreat following a day’s safari.
The Raj Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India www.slh.com/rajpalace
A truly magnificent Maharaja’s palace, located in the heart of Jaipur, The Raj Palace is a former royal residence and a multi-award-winning hotel. It is a marriage of museum, stately mansion and pleasure palace with restaurants, a spa, exclusive cinema, pool, gardens, courtyards and stunning decorative features. Featuring 24-carat gold fittings, stucco, brocades, mirror work, hand-painted frescoes, massive crystal chandeliers, antiques and priceless artefacts, this is a monumental palace with an immense wow factor.
The Paul Bangalore, Karnataka, India www.slh.com/paulsuites
Providing a tranquil refuge in this bustling city, The Paul Bangalore is an extremely elegant all-suite, boutique hotel with spacious accommodation, a gym, sauna and pool, conveniently located right opposite The Embassy Golf Links in Domlur. Whether staying here on business or for leisure, the hotel is within easy access of Bangalore’s business areas, as well as the city’s main attractions including the18th century Tipu Sultan’s Fort and Palace.
About Small Luxury Hotels of the World
About Small Luxury Hotels of the World: The Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) brand is an unrivalled portfolio of some of the world’s finest small independent hotels. Comprising over 520 hotels in more than 70 countries, the diversity of the individual hotels, and the experiences that they offer, is exceptional. From cutting-edge design hotels to palatial 17th century mansions, city centre sanctuaries to remote private islands, historic country houses to idyllic resorts, Small Luxury Hotels of the World offers only the very best. Reservations can be made at any Small Luxury Hotels of the World property online at www.slh.com, via the free SLH iPhone app or by contacting your favourite travel planner. You can also call a Small Luxury Hotels of the World reservations office; to view a listing by country please click here: http://slh.com/reservationnumbers.html.