A new look Great Eastern next year

Kolkata, Nov 8 (UNI) Combining heritage with modernity, a renovated and rechristened 'Great Eastern Hotel will start functioning by the end of next year resuming its 165-year journey.

Under the ownership of Bhrat Hotels that bought the once beleagured state-run property last year, the first phase of the project would be recommissioned by end 2007 and the rest of it would be completed by mid 2008, Ms Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and Managing Director of Grand Group of Hotels, today said.

" We would recreate the famous Victorian and Edwardian charms that had made this hotel the toast of the society in the 19th century. We are going to maintain the heritage of the hotel's two blocks and building a new modern block to keep pace with time, " she told a press conference in the hotel.

Dispelling the doubts that shrouded the future of the Asia's oldest hotel following the death of Mr Lalit Suri, who took over the state-run Great Eastern from the West Bengal Government last year, Ms Suri said the restoration, costing around Rs 120 crore, would be completed in time.

Spread on 2.3 acre, the hotel would be presented in two distinct sytles. " The original building--'the heritage block' would radiate the charms of the British colonial era with the Great Eastern facade while a modern ethos would reflect through a new building, which will incorporate contemporary international hospitality trends, " she said.

The new look entity of the hotel would have a six star deluxe status with all modern facilities. offering 244 rooms and suites, two speciality restaurants, including the famous Maxim's bakery, a 6,000 sq feet ballroom along with five conference rooms, a health spa, swimming pool, two level parking with a capacity to accommodate about 150 cars. The hotel will also have a changed entrance with a well-defined drive in porch.

Ms Suri said the heritage rooms would be specially priced.

For the renovation work, Bharat Hotels had tied up with architects A61 of Singapore and the Kolkata-based D C Consultants.

Giving a presentation of the new look hotel, Mr Ashvin Kumar, Director of A61 said it was a challenging task for them to design having left intact the two heritage blocks. Dismantling of the unsafe structures had already commenced while constracts for construction would be awarded by middle of this month and work was expected to start by the first week next month.

Set up by Englishman David Wilson on November 19, 1840, the hotel was then known as the Auckland Hotel or Wilson's Hotel.

During an expansion drive in 1865, it was renamed The Great Eastern.

The hotel's exterior style and ornamentation matched its interior elegance and it became the favrourite haunt of the city's elite.

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