DIFFERENT THOUGHTS: ITC Grand Chola Experience

It was like a dream come true when I read the venue for the Indi blogger meet on 27^th October, 2012. The Grand Chola! Wow! I registered for the same without any second thought. The D day dawned and I was on cloud nine even as I entered the Gates of the Grand Chola.

The very fact that I was about to enter Grand Chola filled me with pride. From the very end of the road towards the grand Chola my eyes were thirsting to catch a glimpse of it. And I should add that when cars passed by this hotel you could see a number of heads vying to peep out through the windows to catch sight of the hotel’s splendor, not wanting to miss the captivating structure, tracing its origin to Chola regime .Before entering this hotel I thought it was a typical replica of the old Chola Sheraton maybe with some updates. I was not prepared for what met my eye. My jaws dropped. The sheer magnificence of the architectural splendor in front of me stunned my senses. The intricately carved elephants on the wall near the entrance and the fascinating colour combination magically transported me to the Chola kingdom and of course I felt like a king. This was evident when I was warmly welcomed by Renie, the convener of Indi blogger. The hotel staffs were hospitable and cheerful and shared the values behind building such a great hotel which we thought was a seven Star category but were told that it is a 5 star super deluxe luxury hotel to be reckoned with. Each and every executive of the Grand Chola including the Area Sales & Marketing Manager, Mr.V.Prakash, Mr.Baldev Dhir, Manager E-Marketing and Ms.Meghna rao Asst. Sales Manager were most hospitable. As I entered the lobby, my eyes were basking in the beauty of the interior of the hotel. It was a mind blowing experience. The grand marble staircase brought to our mind the grandeur of the bygone chola era. Cameras clicked incessantly with people posing by the staircase. The lighting, the ambiance and the temperature inside was really perfect .The huge chandeliers in different shapes drew the attention of all. The escalator which took us to the second floor was a surprising feature. The 45000 sq.feet pillar-less Rajendra hall inspired from the great kingship of Rajendrachola Deva is an architectural wonder. The fact that Rajendra chola constructed the one and only temple for the wind god in the 12^th century must have been taken note of by the architects of the hotel, who did not compromise on the air-conditioning which was on the dot. Not too cold, not very hot, perfect just like I prefer my coffee. There were about 10 round tables inside the hall (Rajendra) where the event took place, each ornate with flowers and an ipad which I thought was classic .They were also accompanied by an appetizing bowl of chocolates and a jar of mouth-watering cookies. There were two big screens, one updating us on the tweets by the bloggers .The other screen showed the agenda for the day. Not only were the ipads kept to be exploited to our hearts content but so was Wi-Fi. Apart from this we also had free electricity provided by them incase our cell phones or laptops were dead. This was like “kanna rendhavdhu ladoo thinga asaiya?”

The events unrolled. Anoop Johnson, the master of ceremonies, was spontaneous and endeared himself to one and all with his cheerful demeanour. We were showered with a lot of treats from the generous Grand Chola, who awarded redeemable gift coupons worth Rs500 to the people who had arrived first and to those who won a few games conducted by the Indiblogger committee. Then we were briefed upon the tweets for treats game which evoked enthusiastic participation from the bloggers. Then we had an introductory session where each one of us had a minute to introduce ourselves and talk a few words about our blog. Then all of us both young and old played the GANGNAM STYLE musical chair.

ITC GRAND CHOLA has the unique distinction of holding the Indi bloggers meet in their hotel for their hotel!

Then we dispersed for high tea. I drooled over the sumptuous spread in front of me. This included items like samosa, kachodi, vada and bonda with the red, white and green chutney and also saunth. Different kinds of cookies, cakes, salads, bread and desserts set our taste buds tingling. It was really scrumptious and lips smacking. And of course I cannot fail to mention the rejuvenating fresh fruit juices served along with aromatic coffee and tea. I must really thank Mr. Amit bangera the chef, who undoubtedly won all our hearts with his awesome culinary skills.

Thereafter came the highlight of the day – THE GUIDED TOUR OF THE HOTEL. We were so full that we welcomed the idea of walking around the hotel and savour the experience. We were introduced to a group of girls and boys clad in traditional sarees and suits. They were the guides who split us in groups of ten each to take us around the hotel. Ms.Meghna Rao, Asst. Sales Manager was our guide. Every group had to choose a group-name for themselves and also a team leader with four people who should tweet their experience continuously while on tour and then spin all the information collected into a story, ‘A story of the tour’. The generous ITC wanted to spread joy among all of us by doling out more gift coupons - for the best story and the best photo click of the day .Each and every one of the guides was well versed with the history of the hotel and could answer to all the queries put forth to them without hesitation. We began our guided tour from the lobby. We all had our Kodak moments (photo taken). That was really enjoyed by all and then we also clicked a picture along with the friendly staff of ITC. Then all of us were lead by our guide and were explained about the lobby in detail. From the embossing on the floor, (which was really interesting and had much historical reference) to the self-play piano everything was awesome. The stylish Bar which was not yet opened to the public spelt luxury. The high backed chairs looked chic and elegant. The sofa sets were so soft that I could sink myself in it and for those who didn’t like the soft ones could settle for the firm leather-finish chair.

The fine art work on each floor and the number of artifacts arranged in a very pleasing manner and also the detailing, lighting and the understated elegance of the rooms set this hotel apart from the others. The icing on the cake was the plush and luxurious presidential suite. ITC has followed the pure room concept which offers you the best business and luxury services in a completely allergen-free environment. The building stands tall amidst many other structures around and nearby with an imposing chola traditional look. It is amazing to know that there are 600 rooms built on a 2.5 acres area consisting of 10 floors. The sprawling complex redefined the concept of space with a combination of luxurious accommodation. The aesthetically designed rooms reflected the rich heritage of the Chola dynasty.

This made me draw the conclusion that ITC Grand Chola was Chennai’s Burj Dubai. I could sense the same kind of lighting effect and aesthetic sense. But our ITC is different in its own way owing to its desi theme.

We also had the privilege to see the different restaurants which displayed an array of delectable dishes both continental and intercontinental and trust me our experience with food was exquisite. The Ottimos, Madras pavilion, Café Mercara, Nutmeg the Gourmet shop, Royal Vega, Peshawri, Pan Asia are the restaurants we came across. Some are functioning while the others are yet to open. Then we headed to The Cheroot, Malt and Cigar lounge. On our way to the Cheroot, we were enlightened with a very interesting piece of information by our guide. She threw light on the hotel’s detail to its acoustical features reminiscent of the Chola era. There was an embossing of a lotus flower on the ceiling which I had thought was just another architectural splendor but soon realised that it was acoustically tuned to echo sounds when one stood under the centre of the flower. As one stepped back the echo faded away. Another interesting stop drawing everyone’s attention was the famed Louis XIII and the famous Armenteros brand cigars. The tables were carefully arranged keeping in mind the Chola theme. There were old coins of the chozhan era displayed under a sealed glass table which also displayed different cognacs. There was a mini bar too which was yet to open. The small room dedicated for smoking purpose was a thoughtful addition.

We had the time of our lives at the Tranquebar where we were served with a variety of thirst quenchers to the extent that our stomachs would burst. The hospitality of our host, the ITC Chola stole my heart.

The room we were shown by our guide was more tech savvy than me. The rooms would be a haven to all the lazy people who prefer not to move their ass from their couch or bed as all that one wanted to do could be achieved in one click of the ipad. From the lights to the blinds and the door, everything would be under the control of the person in the room. It also helps one to see the person outside the room and to reach the receptionist very soon. The sliding wall sized mirror in the room concealed the bathroom behind it. The use of sliding doors a space saving feature blended well with the traditional décor.

Then we were lead to the techno gym which lived true to its name. The treadmill had access to face book and twitter and one could also watch TV while working out. The pool could be viewed from the Gym as also a partial view of the hotel’s front side grandeur. Wasn’t that awesome? I think a hotel couldn’t give more to please its customers.

And oh I must not fail to mention Kaya Kalp, the royal spa, inspired from the Turkish bathing sense which is called Hamam. The entrance to the spa had a small pond with many lotuses’ floating in it. This was the most prominent flower during the Cholan period.

Our next stop was the Gentleman’s barber shop which was a class apart from a normal saloon. The ladies could make use of the state-of-the-art manicure and pedicure saloon. The last lap of our tour ended with a visit to the Cauvery. This was not the river but a room where board meetings and other important official meetings could be held. Again ITC did not fail to surprise us with its unique feature. Any piece of written matter kept on the table would be scanned and could be projected and viewed by all. It also had very effective audio detailing. A small cloak room adjoined the main meeting room.

Then we headed back to the Rajendra hall where we were in for a pleasant surprise. The meeting came to an end with every participant getting an invite for a complimentary dinner for two at Café Mercara or Madras Pavilion or Ottimos or Peshawri. The event was a memorable one for me and I am sure for others too. My experience was indelible and will remain in my mind for ever. The chola dynasty is a legend and has been portrayed in this building by way of art work and the building structures.

Centuries ago the Cholas took India to the world. Today, the Grand Chola invites the World to Chennai…

SEKAR SAPTHARISHI

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com