Chennai Hotels thread

[murlee]

ITC Grand Chola



CC: rajeevan valeriku...
photos

[TShyam]

As I open the heavy, bronze-coloured menu ‘book' at Ayna, the newly launched Indian cuisine restaurant at Hilton Chennai, I let myself be transported back in time. Ayna has an old-world charm that is comforting yet exotic. The soft theme music and plush velvet couches are reminiscent of opulent Indian restaurants, and yet I can't find the ubiquitous paneer makhani or jeera aloo on the menu. I'm pleasantly surprised. Ayna offers very select specialty dishes from all four regions of India, the North, West, East and South. So the menu is not as extensive as other restaurants, but the few dishes that are offered are meticulously prepared and well-researched for authenticity.

Design style



Some restaurants are laid out in such a way that they urge you to take a proper look around. Ayna is one of these, where the design is in the details. It offers a total of 60 covers, of which twelve seats are in the private dining room. Here, true to its name, an entire wall is covered in delicate slabs of glass, with glass doors opening onto a terrace. The restaurant is inviting and warm in ambience, with splashes of colour emanating from the blue lampshades. The upholstery is kept to cream and rust coloured material, complemented by silk cushions with peacock-feather motif embroidery. Silk table runners in shades of gold and bronze are the only adornment to the tables, and they keep the feel of luxury at the right amount. Floral motifs are carved into some of the wooden slates on the walls, while the floors are a combination of hardwood and patterned marble. All the elements come together well, without one outshining the other.

Foodie talk


Mutton roganjosh at Ayna

While munching on poppadums and sipping a refreshing litchee mocktail, I am urged by Mr Rajendran, Ayna's manager to try the different kebabs as starters to the meal. The paneer tikka is well cooked with a soft yet chewy consistency, but it is the smoked mushroom patties with caramelised onions that stand out. The smoky flavour of the finely chopped and mashed mushrooms is distinct and hits the palate immediately.

The beetroot and potato cutlets are well flavoured while the traditional chicken tikka and its variation, the cream-based, tandoor roasted chicken kebabs are succulent and spiced to the right amount. Ayna's signature kebab is the charcoal-roasted prawns with raw mango pulp and chilli paste.


The non vegetarian kebab platter at Ayna

The fiery-looking prawns are surprisingly tangy and cooked well, with no hint of a fishy aftertaste, which highlighted the freshness and quality of the produce. If you prefer South Indian starters, steamed mini idlis and deep-friend banana flower patties are available.


Chicken curry at Ayna

Curries and side-dishes at Ayna are a melange of various cuisines, and I picked a few from different parts of India. The Allepey curry was slightly sweet with crunchy vegetables in a coconut and raw mango-based sauce. The Alur Dum, a Bengali speciality, was a spicy concoction with baby potatoes tossed in a curry with ginger, garlic and mustard seeds for a pungent hit. The quirk factor was added with the Papad Paneer nu Shaak, a Rajasthani dish with poppadums and paneer cooked in a red chilli and yoghurt sauce. A slightly-tangy and creamy dish, it's paired best with hot, crunchy tandoori rotis or fragrant, steamed basmati rice. The prawn curry with coconut, mustard seeds and other spices is a good option for seafood-lovers, but while the mustard flavour was undeniably good, the prawns were not as melt-in-the-mouth as the kebabs. Try the Mutton Roganjosh, a traditional Indian favourite if you like rich curries. The southern-style chicken curry with green chillies and coconut isn't spicy; just right to be mopped up with their signature Zaffrani Paronthi Naan, a heavenly, flaky accompaniment, generously tossed in ghee and sprinkled with crushed almonds and poppy seeds, which adds great textural variety.


Allepey curry, panner and poppadum curry and dum aloo at Ayna

The vegetable biryani made in Lucknowi style was well-flavoured with saffron and cream. A Hyderabadi mutton biryani is available as well.
A fitting end

If you crave something sweet after all this, like I did, try the Chhena payesh and the chef's special chum-chum. Both dishes were sweet but not cloying, with each soft, paneer ball in the former making a delightful mouthful. The kulfi studded with pistachio crumbs and served like a scoop of ice cream was less sweet than expected but refreshing, as was the sweet pongal, a rice-based dessert sweetened with jaggery and garnished with sliced, toasted nuts.


Chhena Payesh and malpua at Ayna

Goan curries, Bengali sweets, breads from Kerala and much more.

This is what Ayna has to offer. While some of the dishes are best tried alone, it is also a chance for the guest to experiment with the best of various regional fares that make up the large, amorphous entity called Indian cuisine.

What: Haute Indian cuisine

Where: Ayna, Hilton Chennai

How much: Rs 3,000 for a meal for two excluding taxes

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...cle3370777.ece

[satchitananda]

SOURCE:

Given the volume of inventory entering the Chennai hotel market in the next couple of years, occupancy levels in the city will come down, says HVS Global Hospitality Services.

The consulting and services organisation, focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming and leisure industries, says demand will grow in the near future, but the increase in supply will make occupancy levels decline in the next couple of years. “We would not recommend developing any more hotels in the luxury and upscale spaces in Chennai for the next few years,” says Mr Kaushik Vardharajan, Managing Director (South Asia), HVS Global Hospitality Services.

With half a dozen top-end luxury brands – Westin, Park Hyatt, ITC Grand Chola, JW Marriott, Leela Kempinski – pitching in for a share of the same pie in the months to come, the rates will come under further pressure. In the next two years, Chennai will add another 2,500 rooms to its existing 3,000 rooms in the five-star category. Of this at least 2,000 rooms will be in the ‘top-end luxury' segment.

Chennai has historically shown greater choice in the mid-market segment. The new luxury and upscale hotels being developed in the city at present will provide additional choices for travellers looking for a more upgraded hotel product.

For example, he said, a hotel such as Grand Chola, with an extensive amount of meeting, conferencing and banquet space, can create additional meeting and group demand for itself and also for other hotels in the market.

However, considering the current occupancy levels in the city, these new hotels cannot price their products above a particular level. Hence, the existing five-star hotels may have to cut rates further in order to compete with them.

[madrasi7777]

This means there will not be any more announcement of new projects.

[murlee]

Radisson Blu Hotel opened at Citi Centre

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world’s largest hotel groups, recently opened its second Radisson Blu Hotel in the city at Citi Centre Mall. “We achieved unprecedented growth across Asia Pacific in 2011 and we are building upon this momentum in 2012 to establish a stronger presence across Asia Pacific,” said Simon C Barlow, president, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Asia Pacific, after inaugurating the hotel.

“The opening of Radisson Blu Hotel Chennai Citi Centre, together with another 13 scheduled openings in India, will bring our India portfolio to 64 operating hotels by the year end. This will entrench our leadership position in India and place us closer to doubling our Asia Pacific portfolio to achieve our Ambition 2015 goal of more than 150 operating hotels,” he said.

Radisson Blu Hotel in Citi Centre has 162 modern guest rooms and suites with impressive views. It has 9,700 square feet of conference and meeting space that can accommodate up to 800 people. Recreational facilities at the hotel include a world class spa, Chakra by Thai Sabai, a gymnasium, an outdoor swimming pool and a discotheque.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/radisson-...98-60-120.html

[bonoslack7]

LOL...Citi centre mall has a Radisson hotel?

[vinodgopal]

aama illa? cycle gap la lorry vandha madhiri irukku?

[lordvijay]

The hotel is called Radisson blu citi centre i think.

[Shan_Sara]

Originally Posted by lordvijay

The hotel is called Radisson blu citi centre i think.

Yes it is the name and not in the Citi Centre Mall .It is in the ethiraj Salai ,I suppose.

[ceeznic pirate]

yes, its in Ethiraj Road

http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-chennaicitycentre

[karkal]

Hotel room tariffs show least hike in city

Mushrooming of new hotels and increasing number of business travellers have contributed to the city being one of the most economically-priced when it comes to hotel room tariffs.

If the latest Hotel Price Index report by Hotels.com is any indication, Chennai has seen a marginal price rise of one per cent in hotel room rates in 2011 when compared to last year. In other cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Goa and Agra, the percentage increase for the same period has been between three per cent and 16 per cent.



Hoteliers say the trend in pricing is here to stay with many more hotels coming up in the city in the next few years. Some of the new hotels are ITC Grand Chola Hotel, Westin, Park Hyatt, JW Marriott and SRM Hotels.

“Because of the steady supply of rooms, Chennai is not likely to see an increase in average room rate (ARR),” says Shafee Ahmed, Director, Velacity.

In an indication of the competitive scenario in the city, the number of days on which occupancy was above 90 per cent has dropped from 200 days in 2007-08 to 100 days now.

“In 2013, this may go down to 70 days,” says Mr. Ahmed. This is a positive sign for customers as it means more rooms are available and rates are unlikely to go up. Three years ago, the ARR was increasing by 5 per cent every year, say experts.

More hotels coming to the city would also mean luxury hotels will either slash their ARR or cope with for lower occupancy. “Maintaining rates is an uphill task. In fact, room rates in the city are stuck for the last two years. The ARR in the five-star category for the last two years has been Rs. 7,000,” says T. Nataraajan, secretary of South India Hotel and Restaurant Association.

“Rates of five and four star hotels are almost on par, and on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the rates dips to as low as 40 per cent,” says Mr. Nataraajan.

The price index would next see a change after September, and industry sources say with service tax for food, liquor and other services, going uphill, the challenge is to strike a balance.

[prakstar]

Originally Posted by karkal

Hotel room tariffs show least hike in city

Naan dhaan appavae sonnen illa! Adding huge influx of rooms in one segment without adequate demand will bring down occupany and ARR......

Damn guys did not even pay me for the research report!

[Murali Bala]

Buisness idhallam sahajam paa. Evvalvoa black money has to be converted so let the party go on. City konjan azghanaa okay.

[Arul Murugan]

sneha marriage reception ITC grand chola thanae nadathathu.... still no much pics of the interiors???

[prakstar]

Originally Posted by Arul Murugan

sneha marriage reception ITC grand chola thanae nadathathu.... still no much pics of the interiors???

Yennaaaadhuuuuuu Sneha kalyanam aayiduchaaaaaa

[krishnaswamy]

Originally Posted by prakstar

Yennaaaadhuuuuuu Sneha kalyanam aayiduchaaaaaa

Aama..Its "All" over and "All" is Well..

[murlee]

Concept Hospitality set to add 5 more properties

The Fern with Ecotel tag, which stands for environmentally sensitive hotels across the country, is the company’s flagship brand.

“We are at an advanced stage of completing five more properties. These include projects in Chennai, Tezpur, Tirupur, Rajkot and Chandigargh,’’ Mr Param Kannampilly, Chairman and Managing Director of Concept Hospitality, said.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...cle3432340.ece

[ORAGADAM]

Hotel Chennai Le-Palace, Porur, Chennai

Porur going to have one more 3 start hotel. It is coming up just opposite to the Reliance Fresh, on the Arcot Road. The construction is on full swing.

This hotel is part of “HOTEL CHENNAI DELUXE” in Koyembedu.

The construction is by Valohre Infra Limited.

[saysenthil]

The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts to open Chennai hotel

The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., is set to open its newest hotel in India, the ITC Grand Chola in Chennai, India. The hotel is scheduled for its debut in August.

The Luxury Collection brand is an ensemble of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries, the company said. ITC Grand Chola will join a portfolio of celebrated and iconic properties around the world including The Gritti Palace in Venice, Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville, Hotel Pulitzer in Amsterdam, The Romanos in Costa Navarino and The Chatwal in New York City.

“Set in an opulent, palatial design which pays homage to Southern India’s grand empires, the ITC Grand Chola, Chennai overlooks verdant parks and gardens. Experience understated Indian hospitality in an exquisite property with a distinct personality.
Discover new flavors from India, Asia and Italy in our exceptional restaurants, indulge in a pampering treatment in the spa and unwind in the three swimming pools and fitness centers. Over 4,700 square meters of meeting space will enhance any event,” the company stated. “Our 600 spacious guest rooms, suites and serviced apartments are the epitome of Indian grace and style, expertly appointed with thoughtful amenities. The needs of the business traveler meld with the personalized desires of a destination connoisseur.”

Originated in 1906 under the CIGA brand as a collection of Europe’s most celebrated and iconic properties, today The Luxury Collection brand is an ensemble of 80 hotels in more than 30 countries.

[saysenthil]

Chennai opens up to fancy dining in the dark

At this restaurant, the decor won't matter. For here, you'll literally dine in the dark. While an array of dishes will cater to the gourmet in you, a pitch-black room ensures that you rely on your sense of smell and taste to enjoy the food.

"Dining in the dark is popular abroad but the concept is new in India," says Nimrat Pahwa. The chef-manager of On The Rocks at Sheraton Park Hotel & Towers, which is all set to introduce Chennaiites to the gastronomical experience on Saturday. "We feel the people here are willing to experiment," she says.

On Saturday night, the restaurant will be cloaked in darkness. While the lower level with the bar will have minimal lighting, guests will be led to a muted dark room upstairs to dine. "While there will be candlelight to help the staff serve, guests will be blindfolded," says Pahwa.

Fine dining in India is getting innovative with restaurants trying new concepts. Bangalore got its own restaurant, Dark - Dine Invisible, a few months ago.

The idea is to heighten some of your senses to enjoy the food. "Without sight, the sense of taste and smell will be stronger," says Pahwa.

Guests do get to state their food preference - chicken, seafood, tenderloin or vegetarian. "But each dish will hold an element of surprise as they won't know what is being placed before them," says Pahwa. "The staff will tell them what cutlery to use and where it is placed." Guests are encouraged to touch and feel the food, if they don't feel comfortable.

The restaurant will offer dark dining once in two months but Pahwa hopes that the service will become frequent. The five-course meal is priced at Rs 3,800 plus taxes per person. "It can be a lot of fun," says executive chef Praveen Anand.

MRR Tagore, who launched the Bangalore restaurant along with Srikarunya Subramaniam, says they wanted to see how the concept will click here. He converted a portion of his restaurant, which is kept dark. "We have employed people who are blind to wait on the guests," says Tagore. "Guests can choose what they want and we give them a platter," he says. "We get four or five people on an average every day," he says. "We are waiting to see if business will pick up."