Why Douglas Adams wouldn't have stayed here...Hotel review: ITC Sonar, Kolkata
Visiting Kolkata last week, I stayed for a couple of days at the ITC Sonar (previously, the Sonar Bangla), thereby fulfilling a long-standing desire to stay at this hotel. And while the hotel is in a minor state of both disrepair and revamping, the stay was much of all that I had hoped for.
I arrived well past midnight, thanks to a significantly delayed Indigo flight (which is rather surprising in itself, right?). It must've been close to 1.30 am, which explains the very dim lighting at the entrance to the building and also some of the interiors.
I had an Executive Club room booked, and those rooms are in a separate wing at one end of the hotel, having to pass through these rather long corridors.
To be honest, the time of arrival plus my state of tiredness together didn’t give the appearance of a well-occupied hotel, but I was assured by the agent at check in that it was almost fully occupied.
The bathroom was also of rather average size...
Breakfast was at the coffee shop, which opened out from the main corridor that led to the reception and concierge area.
Another thing I realized in the daylight, was the presence of several water bodies within the hotel site. For instance, there was this largish one with a lot of fish, just outside the Executive Club block:
…and this one inside the hotel, by the foyer.
It was also in the morning that I noticed that there was some construction activity going on – and about time too, if you ask me.
Later that evening, I stopped over at the bar for a quick drink. They seemed to have some variety in alcohol, though considering the dim lighting, it’s a wonder people can even see the drinks in front of them. There was a live band too, with the vocalist crooning out some 80s soft rock.
I arrived well past midnight, thanks to a significantly delayed Indigo flight (which is rather surprising in itself, right?). It must've been close to 1.30 am, which explains the very dim lighting at the entrance to the building and also some of the interiors.
I had an Executive Club room booked, and those rooms are in a separate wing at one end of the hotel, having to pass through these rather long corridors.
To be honest, the time of arrival plus my state of tiredness together didn’t give the appearance of a well-occupied hotel, but I was assured by the agent at check in that it was almost fully occupied.
I've mentioned earlier that the hotel was in a slight state of disrepair. What surprised me was that the routine upkeep didn't seem to be as good as it could've been – notice the inside of the elevator doors.
I went up to my floor, and past these rather wide corridors, to my room.
I wouldn’t call the room “large” by any standards, and I’m not sure how different this Executive Club room is / was from the other standard rooms at the hotel. All I know is that the Executive Club rooms are a fair bit pricier than the base category ones – anywhere between 20-25%. Also, the room and all its fittings seem to be from a slightly different era – the words “old” and “aged” come more readily to mind than “colonial” and “historical”. I’m guessing these were a different category of rooms initially, and they’ve done them up and tagged them as “Executive Club” rooms.
The bathroom was also of rather average size...
...but I did appreciate the themed amenities. These are customized for each location, as I noted when I stayed at the ITC Windsor, Bangalore, and the ITC Rajputana, Jaipur, last year.
Oh! And the coffee maker (as also the minibar) is embedded in a little portion of the wardrobe.
After a rather decent night’s rest, the morning brought a different perspective of the hotel along with it. Here’s the exterior view of the Executive block – reminds me of old university buildings! Or even Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal...
It also made me realize exactly how long the corridors at this hotel were. Here, take a look!
Breakfast was at the coffee shop, which opened out from the main corridor that led to the reception and concierge area.
The buffet spread was quite good, and while all the usual cuisines were available, the focus seemed to be on their bakery section and, for some strange reason, the south-Indian counter (specifically, dosas and filter coffee).
Another thing I realized in the daylight, was the presence of several water bodies within the hotel site. For instance, there was this largish one with a lot of fish, just outside the Executive Club block:
…and this one inside the hotel, by the foyer.
It was also in the morning that I noticed that there was some construction activity going on – and about time too, if you ask me.
Later that evening, I stopped over at the bar for a quick drink. They seemed to have some variety in alcohol, though considering the dim lighting, it’s a wonder people can even see the drinks in front of them. There was a live band too, with the vocalist crooning out some 80s soft rock.
Overall a decent hotel, though I'll be glad to be back after they finish the upgradation work that they are clearly in the middle of!
And in case you were wondering about the reference to Douglas Adams in the title of this post, well, this hotel clearly isn't a place he would've stayed. To paraphrase the great man, ...despite its many reasonable (and occasionally aged) facilities, the ITC Sonar is a good place to stay at, because it is slightly closer to the airport than most other hotels in Kolkata, and because it has a switch with the words "PANIC ALARM" in large, friendly letters next to the bath tub!
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