The brand new Royal Bengal, located next to the previous flagship of the ITC group in Kolkata, the Sonar, towers over Kolkata’s skyline and blends fine indigenous architecture with luxurious yet contemporary design. In terms of truly royal treatment, no one can beat India, and the ITC chain has a reputation of being one of the very best when it comes to luxury stays.
The entrance is grand, and once you enter you are swathed with the amount of marble on display. Immediately after the entrance, you are flanked with two enormous swirling staircases each with a glittering chandelier illuminating the steps. Talk about luxury! The entire hotel lobby is filled with interesting artwork harking back to the history of Kolkata and its distinctive culture.
We visited Kolkata to attend a friend’s wedding, which happened to coincide with our anniversary, so we splurged and got the suite at the Royal Bengal. The accommodation includes a living room, huge bedroom and an enormous bathroom draped in marble. To put it in perspective, our 2 bedroom flat in Singapore is smaller than the suite we stayed in.
The staff were top notch going the extra mile for the comfort of the guests. They gave us a beautiful bouquet and a delicious chocolate cake for our anniversary which was a thoughtful touch.
The ITC staff took extra care to help us celebrate our anniversary
Special mention to three of the dining establishments in the Royal Bengal. First up, the Grand Market Pavilion which is inspired by New Market, Kolkata that serves up a delicious breakfast buffet. We stuffed ourselves silly with some of the most lip smacking street food delicacies and breakfast staples. A lot of 5-star buffets don’t do breakfast buffets too well, and tend to have a very generic spread. Not the Royal Bengal, they take the breakfast spread very seriously and all dishes served have a ring of authenticity.
Next is the elegant bar, Brass room. Stylish interiors, and gilded décor with the quiet glint of brass and a splash of jewel-like colours. The complimentary happy hour is hosted here with an accompaniment of Indian style tapas. Do not miss it when staying at the Royal Bengal.
Last but not the least, is the terrific Darjeeling lounge. We had a flight out of Kolkata at 6am, so we spent a good part of the night lazing here. The lounge is dotted with design elements from the North-Eastern tea estates woven into casual contemporary aesthetics. The menu consists of speciality teas and coffees from around the globe served in bespoke glassware.
Overall, this is one of the most luxurious hotels we have stayed in, with excellent service and terrific dining options. If you’re visiting the city of joy and want to have the best accommodation look no further than the Royal Bengal!
More details
ITC Royal Bengal
Website: https://www.itchotels.in/hotels/kolkata/itcroyalbengal.html
Address: 1, JBS Haldane Ave, Tangra, Kolkata, West Bengal 700046, India