As a traveller, let this be your credo, ‘Thou shall never cease to explore and discover… spaces, faces and places in life’.
Figure this: We are living in a world, where the unexpected is expected and the impossible is possible. It is a world, where opulence is no more an extravagant need, but a necessity. Cut to chase: the present society is a place where luxury is the new catch phrase and the today’s traveller is no more the average ticket rider, but someone who is seeking more and exploring new travel ideas, which are literally ‘out of the brochure’…
So, what’s next to explore? If that’s the eternal question on your mind, then here are some travel options for you to splurge and discover: Tennis at the heli-pad of Al Burj in Dubai; Speed thrills at 200 mph at Mojibe Desert, USA; Back-water fun in Kerala, India; Surfing in Hawaii…But, if your travel dossier says, ‘been there and done that’. Then, it’s time you embark on a journey, to chase a colonial dream and to relive the romantic charm.
So, enjoy some of the best colonial hotels across the world, where the old-age charm, the rickety chairs and the mosquito-net around the bed is a must. Enter a world where luxury and service have no short cuts and where old is gold and detailing is the king. Thus, pack your bags and get ready to crisscross through countries, cultures and cuisines, to explore the colonial magic and allure.
India:
The Windamere Hotel is situated on historic Observatory Hill in Darjeeling. Established in the 19th century as a cozy boarding house for bachelor English and Scottish tea planters, this place was converted into a hotel just before the outbreak of the Second World War. Since, then the hotel is a well known place and is known-world over for for its unique ambience and old-world charm. The Windamere hotel has two main living areas for its traveller. The Windamere wing and the Little Windamere.
The Windamere wing is for those like the secluded and a peaceful retreat. The Little Windamere wing, on the other hand appeals to those who need to remain in touch with the old-world charm with the modern necessary inputs and outlook. Along with the excellent accommodation and the warm service, the hotel is also known for it’s, ‘Christmas Celebrations’, which runs from 18th December to 1st January every year. The hotel has been celebrating the Christmas, in the same way, without interruption, since 1939.
Details: www.windamerehotel.com
Don’t miss:The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (The DHR), also known as the "The Toy Train", is the world's most famous, two feet gauge railway. It is a masterpiece of 19th century engineering, a product of the world's first industrial revolution. There are active DHR societies in the UK, and Australia, affiliated to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Heritage Foundation, which share the common goal of ensuring the preservation of the railway in perpetuity.
The Green Hotel
Located in Mysore around three hours drive from Bangalore, the Green Hotel was originally the Chittaranjan Palace, built for the Mysore princesses. The palace was later restored as a small hotel. With extensive gardens, formal lawns and majestic trees, the hotel is a fitting place to relax and to rejuvenate. The hotel has been renovated and furnished using traditional Indian crafts. It offers comfortable surroundings, friendly staff, and a restful, creative atmosphere. Mysore, the charming town immortalised by RK Narayan in his Malgudi novels, provides an excellent base from which to tour South India. The Western Ghats, the coffee plantations of Coorg, the game reserves of the Nilgris and the Ooty hill station are all within a few hours drive.
The hotel was once selected as one of the "World's Best Ideas" by the Institute of Social Inventions, London. The hotel is also one of the best green hotels in the world. Besides this the Green Hotel has been set up as a model of sustainable tourism to preserve a historic building and to incorporate, wherever possible, energy saving and environmentally aware practices. All profits are distributed to charitable and environmental projects in India.
Details: www.greenhotelindia.com
Don’t miss:The Lalitha Mahal, the Maharajah's summer palace and the Mysore market, which is a popular attraction among the guests and a perfect place to spend those lazy afternoons. In short, the Mysore market is not just a visual treat, but also a treat for the senses!
The Imperial Hotel
Opened in 1931, the Imperial Hotel is known for its marvelous mélange of victorian, colonial and art deco styles. The Imperial Hotel is a unique blend of old and new, it successfully preserved its past aura not forgetting the comfort of modern amenities to provide its guest with lifetime memories. The spacious, high ceiling guest rooms, massive crystal chandeliers, sparkling marble floors, huge glossy mahogany tables, hotel personnel dressed in regal Indian garb not to mention the vast original 18th and 19th century art collection that adorns the corridors of the hotel are all a constant reminder of the elegance of the colonial era. Situated on the famous Queensway nowadays known as Janpath, The Imperial Hotel is centrally located close to famous shopping district and all major tourist attractions and only 30 minutes away from the airport. In spite of its location, the hotel is known to be a true oasis for those who want to escape the hectic Delhi life.
Don’t miss: Connaught Place, which is a busy shopping centre right in the heart of the city. The shopping centre is just minutes away from the hotel and is a must see.
Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai
Since it opened in 1903, The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai has created its own unique history. From Maharajas and Princes to Presidents, CEOs and entertainers, the Taj has played the perfect host, supportive of their every need. Built in 1903, the hotel is an architectural marvel and brings together Moorish, Oriental and Florentine styles. Offering panoramic views of the Arabian Sea and the Gateway of India, the hotel is a gracious landmark of the city of Mumbai, showcasing contemporary Indian influences along with beautiful vaulted alabaster ceilings, onyx columns, graceful archways, hand-woven silk carpets, crystal chandeliers, a magnificent art collection, an eclectic collection of furniture, and a dramatic cantilever stairway. With 565 rooms including 46 suites and various restaurants the Taj is the place to stay to enjoy the sights and sounds of Mumbai.
www.tajhotels.com
Did you know: The Taj Mahal Hotel, Bombay was born out of Jamsetji N. Tata’s dream. Tata believed that Bombay (now Mumbai), the commercial capital of India, required a grand hotel, one that would enhance its reputation amongst the great cities of the world.
Egypt:Old Cataract Hotel, which is perched atop a granite hill at the Nile River’s edge in Aswan, Egypt. Known for its sights and location, the Old Cataract Hotel is a great place to stay. Staying at the Cataract has been described as walking into a painting, or looking through a period picture postcard. With its high ceilings, long halls and Moorish decor, the Old Cataract Hotel spells the Egypt's Victorian charm. Located at the edge of Nile River, this place offers all the best views. Besides enjoying the colonial hospitality charm and the excellent service, one can also indulge in exploring the various sights tours of the mysterious and the magical world of Pharaohs.
The Cataract's guest list includes Czar Nicolas II, Howard Carter, Sir Winston Churchill, Agatha Christie, the Duke of Connaught, the 3rd son of Queen Victoria, the Aga Khan III, King Farouk of Egypt, the Shah of Iran, Nahas Pacha, Khedive Abbas Helmi Soverein of Egypt, Mohamed V King of Morocco, Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, Helmut Kohl, Queen Noura of Jordan, Lady Diana and the Princess Caroline of Monaco.
Did you know: this place is also the location where Agatha Christie shot some of the scenes from the movie Death on the Nile.
Don’t miss: The sunset views over the Nile.
www.sofitel.com
Mount Nelson, South Africa
The Mount Nelson Hotel is the most iconic luxury hotel in Cape Town. It is situated within a sprawling lush garden estate in the heart of the city’s vibrant cultural centre and close to the bustling V&A Waterfront and some of Cape Town’s best beaches.
The hotel is an urban sanctuary with a romantic heritage, a unique sense of style, and a commitment to unparalleled service excellence. Whether travelling for business or leisure in Cape Town, a family holiday, a honeymoon or a solo adventure, the Mount Nelson Hotel is an elegant oasis in a world where privacy is the new luxury and pleasure is all about peace and serenity.
Mount Nelson Hotel, was opened on the 6th of March 1899. The hotel was designed to emulate the finest luxury and services avaliable in London to the South African country capital. An elegant heritage, excellent service, state of the art facilities, and a secluded setting in the heart of Cape Town’s cultural centre, has seen Mount Nelson Hotel playing host to some of the world’s biggest music and movie stars, sporting legends, authors, high profile politicians and statesmen, and even royalty.
Actors, directors and musicians: Michael Buble, Joe Cocker, Robbie Williams, Kate Moss, M Night Shayamalan, Robert Carlyle, Sam Neil, Joanna Lumley, Charlize Theron, Stuart Townsend, Ethan Hawke, Oprah Winfrey, Donald Sutherland, Colin Farrell.
Royalty: HRH Prince Michael of Kent, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Margaret of Denmark and Queen Beatrix of Holland.
Politicians and statesmen: Nelson Mandela, Coretta Scott King (wife of Martin Luther King and President of the Martin Luther King Centre for Non Violence), Winnie Madikazela Mandela, George Bush (Senior), FW De Klerk and Margaret Thatcher.
Details: www.mountnelson.co.za
Hong Kong
The Peninsula Hotel, has held court over the southern tip of Kowloon ever since opening its doors in 1928. The service is immaculate, the rooms supremely tasteful, with European elegance and Chinese flourishes. The hotel is on its sixth fleet of Peninsula-green Rolls-Royces, employed to glide guests on airport transfers, and is one of the few colonial classics to have added an extension that actually works. The 28-floor tower brings the Pen bang up to date too, with the Starck-designed Felix restaurant: famous for fabulous harbour views, and the floor-to-ceiling windows behind the gents’ urinals.
Details: www.peninsula.com
Singapore
Declared a National Monument in 1987, the hotel has grown from strength to strength. With its restoration and reopening in 1991, Raffles Hotel today stands as a jewel in the crown of Singapore's hospitality industry, renowned and loved for its inimitable style and unsurpassed excellence in service and facilities.
Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 in a rather sombre-looking old bungalow known as the Beach House. It was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. Tropical suites and sola topis were as much a part of Raffles Hotel's early style as bentwood tables and rattan chairs. Over the years the hotel has evolved into one of the world's most beloved grand hotels and welcomed innumerable celebrities, writers and royalty. Somerset Maugham once called it the legendary symbol for "all the fables of the Exotic East". Few hotels can look back on more than a century of legendary service to so many distinguished guests and fewer still have preserved their past with a more loving attention to detail.
Today, Raffles Hotel is more legend than hotel, and is one of the most memorable experiences travel can offer in today's world. Raffles Hotel is delighted to be heralded amongst the world’s best for a second time on Robb Report’s famed list of “Luxury Hotels: The World’s Ultimate City Escapes,” a special annual publication that showcases a collection of premier luxury accommodations in the world. The list of one hundred luxury addresses that spans over forty-two countries on six continents aims to bring discerning travellers the best of the best worldwide – where only one property in a given city is selected.
Don’t miss: Enjoy shopping at the Orchard Road. The Orchard Road is synonymous with shopping in Singapore, and is the venue for some of Singapore’s signature annual leisure events such as the Great Singapore Sale, Singapore Fashion Festival, Christmas in the Tropics light-up and Chingay Parade of Dreams.
Details: www.raffles.com
Sri Lanka
In the heart of Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, stands the Galle Face Hotel, a premier legend hotel and one of the best places to stay in Asia. With an impressive arched façade that overlooks a kilometre-long stretch of lawn called the Galle Face Green, the hotel borrowed its name from this charming promenade way back in 1864. Built by four British entrepreneurs who were looking to start a business in the city, Galle Face Hotel is the only Heritage city hotel overlooking the Indian Ocean.
The hotel follows a simple philosophy of offering guests the romance of old-world charm complete with modern day luxuries that enhance the experience. A masterpiece boasting graceful Victorian Architecture, Galle Face Hotel continues to attract royalty, world leaders and celebrities to this sanctuary of perfect serenity in a bustling city.
The Galle Face Hotel is situated in the heart of the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. An oasis of tranquillity amidst the hustle and bustle of the city by the side of the Indian Ocean. A feature unique among the hotels in Colombo.
A fact to remember ...
A few of the rich and famous who patronized Galle Face Hotel in the bygone era – Richard Nixon, Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Neru, Emperor Hirohito, Don Bradman, Roger Moore and the legend Yuri Gagarin.
Details: www.gallefacehotel.com