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Road
2 Recovery
Bhubaneswar
is rapidly emerging as a significant business hub in eastern
India. Joy Roy Choudhury highlights some of the hotels
that offer not just traditional Oriya hospitality and mouth-watering
local delicacies, but a memorable business experience
Apart
from the world-famous Konark and Puri temples and the Jagannath
Rathyatra, very little has been written about Orissa. Very
few lines have been devoted to Bhubaneswar, the state capital,
its magnificent temples and monuments, its people and its
potential to become a major Information Technology (IT) hub
of the country. This, despite thousands of people visiting
Bhubaneswar frequently, be it on leisure, for a business meeting
or advanced medicare. Bhubaneswar is a city of temples, be
it the ancient Lingaraj temple or the post-modern citadels
of Satyam or Infosys. The city has not only grown in size
and become commercially vital, it has also started to offer
the best of advanced medicare and educational facilities.
It has the potential to lure people from different parts of
the globe, not only to crack business deals, but also for
leisure travel. It has some of the finest hotel properties,
offering world-class accommodation. Following the rapid growth
of IT and other industries, several new hotels too have sprung
up. Swosti Plaza (which boasts Eastern India’s biggest
convention centre with a seating capacity of 1,500 people)
is worth mentioning. Other important luxury hotels of the
city are The Marion, The Royal Midtown, Hotel Sishmo, The
Mayfair Lagoon, The Oberoi and Quality Inn Crown among others.
Most of the hotels are located in Janpath and Station Square
at the heart of the city and Nayapalli on the outer fringes.
In spite of the internationally comparable facilities offered,
the hotel industry in the city and the state as a whole is
passing through troubled times sans Puri. Hotel owners blame
it on the super-cyclone which ravaged the state a couple of
years ago. They charge the media with overemphasizing the
impact of the cyclone leading to customers staying away from
the state. Despite the constraints, hoteliers are putting
up a brave front. Many of them have formulated long-term strategies
to combat the situation. Hotels in Orissa, with their blend
of quality service coupled with traditional Oriya hospitality
and mouth-watering local delicacies, offer a memorable business
experience. Check out the options offered by Bhubaneswar’s
luxury hotels to ideally mix pleasure with your business trip.
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City
Centre Bargain
Hotel Keshari
113, Station Square,
Bhubaneswar-751001
Phone: (0674) 535093, 534994,
535095, 534597
Fax: (0674) 535553, 535554
E-mail: keshari@orissaindia.com
Tariff:
A/C Rs 1,300 Single, Rs 1,450 Double, and Executive
Suite - Rs 2,800
The 50-room (A/C and Non-A/C) hotel is
very close to the main railway station of the city,
hardly a minute’s walk. The marble-white hotel
is situated at Station Square, the nerve centre of Bhubaneswar,
just a stone’s throw away from important business
establishments and tourist spots. Hotel Keshari, a unit
of Bimala Projects Pvt Ltd, is ideally located to suit
all your business and entertainment needs. As soon as
you enter, the ambience of the hotel exudes warm hospitality.
The luxurious rooms too create an atmosphere of ease
and comfort. Dining at Keshari is a memorable experience.
The multicuisine restaurant of the hotel offers a wide
range of Continental, Indian and Chinese delicacies.
Some of the finest cocktails flow in the bar. The varied
needs of business travellers are taken care of by the
business centre. The conference hall, mini-conference
hall and banquet halls are ideal for hosting meetings,
conferences and other business meets. “We believe
in providing value for money to our customers,”
said D K Nanda, one of the hotel’s directors. The
Tours & Travels Division of Keshari Hotel takes
care of all your ticketing needs and organises transport
facilities. Guests can also carry back home world-famous
handicrafts of the state from the Keshari Crafts Emporium
situated on the ground floor of the hotel.
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Anti-Clockwise
from top right
Conference facilities, room and restaurant at Hotel
Keshari |
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Comfort
Zone
The Royale Midtown
52-53, Janpath, Bhubaneswar-751009
Phone: (0674) 536138-141
Fax: (0674) 536142
E-mail: midtown@royalehotels.com
Tariff:
Standard - Rs 1,200 (Single), Double - Rs 1,400 and
Exclusive - Rs 1,600 (Double)
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| The
Royale Midtown |
As
soon as you reach Bhubaneswar railway station, a glow-sign,
welcoming you to the city, also invites the traveller
to savour the warmth and hospitality of The Royale Midtown
Hotel. Located at Janpath, The Royale Midtown, a unit
of Royale Hotels Pvt Ltd, provides the ultimate staying
and dining experience. The hotel believes in providing
value in hospitality. It is situated in the hub of the
city, hardly a kilometre from the railway station and
three kilometres from the airport. The State Secretariat,
the State Assembly and offices of other important public
and private sector undertakings are a few minutes drive
from The Royale Midtown Hotel. Dining at Host, the multicuisine
restaurant of the hotel, is a gourmet delight with a
spread of delectable fares ranging from Mughlai and
Chinese to Continental. Oasis is perfect for guests
to socialise, merely unwind after a hectic day’s
work or simply exchange pleasantries with fellow guests
over a drink. Conclave - the banquet and conference
facility - is spacious enough to accommodate 50 delegates
with an excellent ambience to convene meetings, organise
seminars or host a party. The business centre of the
hotel offers secretarial services, communication facilities
and office equipment to fulfill the secretarial needs
of the business executive.
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Corporate
Convenience
Hotel
Sishmo
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| Exterior
view of Hotel Sishmo, Bhubaneswar |
86/A-1,
Gautam Nagar, Bhubaneswar-751014
Phone: (0674) 433600, Fax: (0674) 433351
E-mail: hotelsishmo@satyam.net.in
Tariff: Single Occupancy - Rs 2,200 Double Occupancy
- Rs 2,900 and Family Suite - Rs 4,200
The centrally located hotel, painted in stark white,
has 64 well-decorated rooms and eight luxury suites.
The hotel is hardly a kilometre from the railway station
and two kilometres from the airport. The hospitality
is comfortable and caring. The Lounge Bar, the well-stocked
bar of the hotel, is an ideal place to relax. Sangam
offers guests a premier multicuisine dining facility
serving sumptuous Chinese, Indian and Continental cuisine.
Adding to your gastronomic delight is the lilting live
music. Nandan, the open-air barbeque serves mouth-watering
tandoori and grilled preparations like kababs. JLord,
the 24-hour coffee shop-cum-restaurant, serves tasty
delicacies and beverages. The business visitor will
find the ideal boardroom setting at the Ashok Darbar
and Baithak. After a hectic day of meetings, cool off
at the health club complete with steam and sauna bath,
and state-of-the-art equipment. Or else, take a dip
in the swimming pool set amidst lush green environs.
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Crème
De La Crème
The
Oberoi Bhubaneswar
CB-1, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar-751013
Phone: (0674) 301010, Fax: (0674) 301302
E-mail: reservations@oberoibh.com
The Oberoi Bhubaneswar is the premier
business and luxury hotel of the city. Characterised
by charm and gracious hospitality, this property is
a unique combination of subtle elegance and modern efficiency.
Its accommodation includes completely refurbished rooms
and suites, elegantly designed with plush fabrics, finely
detailed modern furniture and traditional statues. The
64-room hotel features an all-day dining restaurant
Pushpanjali serving Indian and Continental cuisine plus
a bar - Madhushala. Oberoi Bhubaneswar has banqueting
facilities for conferences and receptions, and meeting
rooms for board meetings and seminars. The hotel also
has a large swimming pool, gift shop and a business
centre equipped with modern facilities. Besides two
flood-lit tennis courts and a one kilometre long jogging
track, it is surrounded by eight acres of beautifully
maintained lush green gardens. The hotel is in the process
of introducing a state-of-the-art gymnasium for its
health-conscious residents.
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| Exterior
view of The Oberoi, Bhubaneswar |
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Service
À La Carte
The Crown Bhubaneswar
A1/(a), IRC Village, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar-751015
Phone: (0674) 555500, Fax: (0674) 550001
Website: www.crownbhubaneswar.com
Tariff: Standard Room (Single) - Rs 2,150, Double
Rs - 2,800, Deluxe Room - Rs 3,000 and Suites - Rs 4,000
The
selling point of The Crown Bhubaneswar is, undoubtedly,
its location. The 68-room hotel situated on the National
Highway (NH-5) opposite to the Kalinga Stadium, near
the ISKCON Temple, promises guests a memorable experience.
The spacious and elegant rooms of the hotel provide
luxury and business comforts to its guests. Other selling
points of the hotel are its services. For corporates,
the hotel offers all business facilities including conferencing,
secretarial services, e-mailing and Internet access.
Dining at The Crown is a gastronomical delight. Zodiac,
the coffee shop, and Bollywood 70s are the right places
to pamper your taste buds. Hunters Bar is the ideal
place to chill out and enjoy the evening. The Club De
Regalia, a unique institution in the city, offers guests
privileged benefits.
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| Exterior
view of The Crown, Bhubaneswar |
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| Coffee
Shop at The Crown, Bhubaneswar |
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Oriya
Delight
Hotel Swosti
103, Janpath, Bhubneswar-751001
Phone: (0674) 534497, Fax: (0674) 534794
Tariff: Standard (Single) - Rs 2,430, Double
- Rs 3,250 (MAP)
All
the 60 centrally air-conditioned rooms of Hotel Swosti,
Bhubaneswar, boast an 11 channel CCTV with in-house
movies, satellite dish antenna for 24- hour TV reception,
individual temperature control system in every room
and direct dial EPABX facility. When it is time to tempt
your taste buds, Exclusive Swosti and Executive Swosti
serve the choicest delicacies from all over the world
- Indian, Continental, Chinese, South Indian and Special
Orissan food. Swosti’s bar serves some of the world’s
finest cocktails. Hotel Swosti offers various conference
facilities. The gorgeously decorated banquet hall with
a seating capacity of 300 guests, is ideal for cultural
programmes and parties. It is equipped with the most
advanced and modern audio-visual aids and equipment
for conferences, seminars and congresses.
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King-Size Hospitality
Swosti Plaza
P-1, Jaydev Vihar, Bhubneswar-751013
Phone: (0674) 301936, Fax: (0674) 301880
Tariff: Single - Rs 2,750 and Double - Rs 3,500
With the new millennium, the Swosti Plaza promises a
new experience. The 21st century will usher in hospitality
king size. The Swosti Plaza is set and inspired by ancient
architectural traditions of Vastu Sastra. Its also boasts
Eastern India’s largest convention centre with
a 1,500 passenger seating capacity, four large capacity
conference halls and three furnished boardrooms. With
140 Royal Rooms and 18 superb suites, the hotel’s
atrium lobby features a capsule elevator. It offers
a host of dining options. It also has a leisure centre
with cyber games, kiosks, pool tables, video juke box
etc. The ‘Platinum Class Club’ comprises billiard
tables, card tables, private dining, health club and
massage parlour, besides a 4-lane bowling alley.
Note: All rates subject to revision. Taxes and charges
as applicable.
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| Swosti
Plaza |
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