Raj Hotels

a fast disappearing phenomenon. The Imperial in Delhi was one, still has some of the traces of it, but is unaffordable to most now.

some are charming, some are . . . Well, I still believe the Ashby in Tiruchy tried to poison me with BROWN hotel water!

MY favorite is the hotel Jhansi. I asked the waiter who the 10-foot tall portrait of the english hentleman decked out in scottish hunting tweet represented. He thought for a moment, and said "I think it is Hitler" Priceless!
Anyone have any updates on raj hotels?

I will be looking for my favorite, the King Edward Memorial Hotel, in Ajmer (right across from the train station). Alas, from what the Lonely Planet says is in that spot, I fear it's no longer there.

WW- if you're not too busy, can I bend your ear?

PM'ing you my home phone

I used to love The Imperial in Delhi! How about that icy swimming pool! It used to be pretty affordable...so sorry to hear the prices changed. Are these "heritage hotels" the same thing? Does anyone have any experience with these?

I am staying at The Imperial in a week or so. Luckily I'm on a business trip. I'll give you an update when I return.

when I used to stay in budget flops off Janpath, I would take my breakfast in Imperial splendor at the . . Imperial. Do let us know how it went, Owen!
Expedia lists a room in winter at over $200/night

The Oberoi Maiden in old Civil Lines in Delhi is also a Raj hotel and much cheaper than the Imperial (and a couple of decades or so older). Low season is about US$55 a room with ensuite and breakfast (book through an agent). There was a good article on it on the Net - an Englishwoman took "a rickshaw to the Raj" (she was exploring Old Delhi and the old British part of Delhi) and she stopped at the Oberoi Maidens for drinks or tea. I'll find it this week and post the link about it.

I would love to stay at the Imperial but it's so expensive. I thought the Oberoi Maidens sounded very nice though, from what I researched about it - Lutyens and the Prince of Wales both stayed there. Was the Raj hotel in Delhi before the Imperial was built.

Don't forget Oberoi Clarks in Shimla - scenes in the Jewel in the Crown series were shot there. The room views are great! Also Chapslee, near Shimla, where the 'Simlah Manifesto' was issued in 1838 declaring war on Afghanistan - if they only knew what a pandora's box they were opening. Also in Shimla,Wildflower Hall - once the residence of Lord Kitchener - how Raj is that? And the Savoy in Mussorie which played host to Her Royal Highness, the princess of Wales (later Queen Mary)at a garden party in 1906!

On our first trip to India in 1997 we stayed at the legendary "Lauries" in Agra. I don't think the place had been touched since the days of the Raj - certainly the staff dated from that era! We had real concerns when the little old porter with jam-jar glasses tried to carry both of our packs, he wouldn't let us help him, insisting he could manage. What the place lacked in comfort, it more than made up for in atmosphere.

Is the hotel still there - can't find any mention of it using the "search" function?

Funny story, Mr. Pastry. I was told that Laurie's is now no more and the lack of goggle info on it seems to confirm this.

The Great Eastern is expected to reopen as The Grand Great Eastern Kolkata sometime next year.


And the Oberoi Grand, Kolkata which began its life very modestly as Mrs. Monte's Boarding House at 13, Chowringhee Street.

What was the fate of this place, also known as the King Edward Memorial Resthouse?

Indian Raj-era hotels have by and large gone the same way as similar hotels elsewhere in the bits of the map that were once coloured pink to the delight of Englishmen of those days but the regret of many others: they have been "Herry-taged". To "Herry-tage " a hotel, you
* remodel every 3 rooms into 5
* turn the ballroom into a bistro
* install contemporary plumbing disguised as Edwardian plumbing, so you can have a shower just like at home
* kit out various hotel lackeys in Hollywood-Raj outfits and teach them to bob and weave obsequiously at every opportunity
* cover as many surfaces as possible in brass
* and, finally, jack up the prices by 350% (++)

You can tell when Herry-taging has been successful. You hear (cannot help but hear) a beamy Midwestern lady of middle years wearing orange/brown/white check Bermuda shorts exclaim to her husband "Oh George!!! Can't you just feel the Herry-tage???" Also IM-ers can no longer afford to stay there.

Nostalgia isn't what it was.

From more searching I found that this old time Ajmer rest house is most likely still open. See link:

http://www.indiahotelreview.com/king...er_reviews.htm