Grand Returns

The Grand hotel at Vasant Kunj,which was gutted in a fire in January 2008,is again ready for its guests,with most of the hotel functional. The Grand,which had reportedly suffered damage to the tune of Rs 100 crore,has been redesigned by Scottish interior designer Graham Anderson on a budget of Rs 150 crore.

The new lobby is airy and bright,the black marble flooring having given way to a cool white,and a sandstone relief hangs in the reception. The general manager,Harinder Singh,kitted out in a chic pink jacket,welcomed us to the Grand Ballroom,whose dark interiors have given way to opulent chandeliers with French windows opening to landscaped gardens. “The entire look of the hotel has changed. It’s so designed that you get a view of the outside from every part of the hotel,” says Singh,sitting in the Club Lounge on the sixth floor.

The coffee shop Brix is back but G Bar will be operational by the first week of August. Work on Enoki,the basement restaurant,is still going on. It was completely destroyed since the fire had started in its kitchen. But it will open with a new name and a new look. The Indian restaurant Caraway,which was partially damaged,now has an impressive circular bar and some art on the walls to go with the cocktails. In fact,art is everywhere. Crystal Lounge,a cosy place for a business chat over coffee,has a selection of Pichwai. While works of artist B Ratan dominate the lobby walls,monochrome photos of Delhi’s monuments cheer up the washrooms. So next time you are at The Grand,don’t forget to take a peek into the ladies’ room.