1. The Lalit, all across the country
The Private Enterprise with the Public Sector lethargy. The Lalit has single handedly destroyed the opportunity of having hotels in prime locations across the country with downright crappy design choices and service that can't even beat ITDC. Add to that a collab with the absolutely unimaginative Intercontinental chain, and then snapping it to lose the little credibility left. Personal experience reminds me off paan stains in the bathroom of the Delhi property (at Barakhamba Road, nothing below 10 digit land prices). And the whole dump houses a rather fine collection of contemporary Indian Art. Thankfully, the chain is going in for an overhaul, and we can see some improvement on the radar. The Delhi Lalit is turning out to be likeable enough, but hope for the best for the rest. Especially Kolkata's Great Eastern. And that website's gotta go.
2. The Ashok, Delhi
Expected, many would believe, but the Ashok could very nearly have been off the list. Only that its temperamental. The Ashok swings between bouts of excellent promise to downright idiocy. An excellent collection of F&B options, the best convention facilities in the city, but rooms that look like they've been ripped off ten year old editions of Inside Outside. And what to say of the lobby and the public spaces... Idiotic signage, crass staff bad carpet choice, panels and partitions that look like they'll fall on your head and graffitied walls in some of the more deserted corridors. The Ashok can very well pull its act together, otherwise itll continuously disappoint, despite the low expectation levels.
3. ITC Hotels, all across
OK, now i'm getting a bit adventurous. ITC figures here purely because of its design choice, despite a fine array of services and a high degree of credibility. Crappy is the word. Neogothic meets Hafeez Contractor for ITC Grand Central in Bombay? How bout a greek temple minus the triangular roof for Grand Maratha. Or maybe the mock english mansion for Windsor. The list is long and sad. Its only bright spots like the Mughal and the delightful Sonar that redeem the chain slightly. But as long as a management with PUPPY tastes rule, and Hafeez Contractor survives, ITC has little chance of stepping out of the Disneyland aesthetic.
4. Leela Palace Kempinski, Bangalore
Another one that features here for its Design (or rather, the lack of it) despite having a fan following that would probably murder me and then murder the owners of blogspot in an effort to effectively eradicate all sources of insults for Leela BLR. Simply put, the design is over the top, gaudy and more suited to a new-money-punjabi couple building there dream home in Patiala, or a Russian Oil Czar wanting to have a Taj-Mahal like retreat with stained glass impressions of himself and his many mistresses along with a fluted column peristyle to house his Rolls Royces. If it has to play grand, then there are better ways to do it. Not by going all out with the most idiotically classical aesthetic one could find. It simply puts to shame the excellent level of service on offer, for which the hotel was declared the Best Biz hotel in the world by T+L last year.
5. Galaxy Hotel, Gurgaon
Boutique? More like coffee table rip-off. Its contemporary, but there's nothing particularly likeable about it. its not bad, but there's nothing worth appreciating either. The service is dodgy at best. And GALAXY HOTEL SPA SHOPPING as the sign? I dont blame you for doubting the intentions of the hotel at first go. A more fine tuned styling would work rather than a blind strategy to market itself as 'modelled' on the finest boutique hotels of the world. Bullcrap. Even Crowne Plaza does better when it comes to design. No character at all. And The Monk? what do you expect to eat and drink at this joint? Old Monk? Saatvik Khana? Monastic silence confounds me. A classic case of a wannabe with and empty skull and a broken compass. Fill 'er up.
6. Neemrana Fort
Its purely because of the astronomical rates. Delhi's favourite weekend escape was once lauded for it's 'simple, rustic' design. No doubt that nath and waczriag did an excellent job in recovering the fort, but the design, for now, is just too simple. and they expect nuns for guests. the rooms are spartan, and kitschy at best. heritage impediments the service. Everything doesn't quite meet up to the expectations except for the atmosphere. More required.
7. Taj, in select places
Especially Taj Bengal Kolkata, Taj Palace Delhi, Taj Connemara Chennai and Taj President Bombay. Taj Bengal was once fine enough, but now that Taj's degraded it to Business from Luxury, along with Taj Palace, its been suffering neglect. Rescue it, please. Taj Palace too. Great stuff on offer, and the club rooms are pretty nice, but market it as a luxe place. Taj Connemara is an absolute waste of heritage status and prime property. But nothing compares to the colossal wasteland that is Taj President. Cuffe Parade? I'd jump off the top floor if i got such prime property and not develop it into the amazing-est hotel the city's ever seen. But no, the management demotes it to tier three and decides that Bandra deserves better. These 4 places need trues saviours.
8. The Claridges, around Delhi
No vision, seriously. Aurungzeb Road, and a heritage status to add to that. Eat me hollow. But making a hotel that competes more with the lines of Janpath than Imperial really knocks me off. and the prices are equally high as well. Its the hotel's choice for going for the mediocre when it can very well afford the best. and dont even get me started about the other properties. Not inspiring enough at all.
9. HHI, Calcutta, Bhubaneshwar and Banaras
Who would ever want to stay in a name like that? especially when you learn it stands for Hotel Hindusthan International? you half expect it to be on the Gurgaon Expressway alongside Hotel Swapnil International and Lalita Towers, with its own vaishnav dhaba. The bhubaneshwar property is still ok, but Calcutta's is a black hole, more so after the opening of a flyover right in front of it. Its almost as if an accident on the bridge means a bus would lunge across the railing right into the suite on the 4th floor. apart from that, little vision, no character. Varanasi's is absolutely horrendous.
10. Radisson, Delhi
Location. Very close to the airport, but idiotic location. Its like having a michelin starred restaurant in the middle of Rewari's busiest market and attached dairy. Peer thru the nettings on the periphery and you can see our very own sea of illegal constructions. not to mention a bad paint job and a half hearted effort at maintaining a 5 star tag. and the opening of the flyover right in front, a la HHI (although Swapnil Intl and Lalita Towers are nearby). Radisson was never famous for any sort of vision in its hotels, so that is not commented on.
