ITC’s Bangla Beauty

ITC Hotel Sonar Bangla Sheraton & Towers, Kolkata is the ultimate business destination says Joy Roy Choudhary

If you’re a high-flier who enjoys the comforts of a Concorde and cruises in a ‘C’ class Merc, check in at the ITC Hotel Sonar Bangla Sheraton & Towers, Kolkata’s first ‘business resort hotel’.

The property’s architecture recreates the landscape of Bengal. Architects Kerry Hill and Associates of Singapore drew their inspiration from the River Ganga and the multitude of water bodies that dot the countryside of Bengal, resulting in the 120-metre watercourse that runs the full length of the hotel, connecting its different sections. Courtyards and colonnades separate the three guest blocks and the result is the quintessential ‘bagaanbari’ spread over 15.41 acres of land.

ITC Sonar Bangla boasts 20,000 sq ft of convention facilities, over 12,000 sq ft of space dedicated to the spa, two spacious lounges and eight acres of outdoor facilities that encompass a chip and putt golf course, tennis courts, a jogging track and a luxurious swimming pool. The hotel is divided into five blocks which is no architectural experiment.

The property houses 231 spacious guest rooms, eight suites, segmented into three residential blocks: 21 ITC One rooms, 84 Sheraton Tower rooms and 126 Executive Club rooms. The first, ITC One is an exclusive block catering to corporate bigwigs, wherein each room is equipped with a private fax, a DVD player and a host of other amenities. The Sheraton Tower rooms meant for the senior officials. Lastly, the Executive Club rooms offer state-of-the-art business services in capacious rooms about 360 sq ft. ITC Sonar Bangla, has pioneered a concept called ‘welcomsleep’, which takes into account even such details as the decibel level of the fancoil unit (which has been imported from Japan), the mattresses and pillows. The hotel has also left no stone unturned to woo the palate of the guests. Bukhara, Maroush, Dakshin, Dum Pukht, Pan Asian are today renowned cuisine brands of the ITC Welcomgroup hotels. The property also offers a choice of conference venues besides a host of private boardrooms accommodating anywhere between 10 to 800 people. The giant 7,000 sq feet, ‘Pala’, the pillar-less grand ballroom equipped with the latest technology and hi-tech electronic mood lighting and with two exclusive pre-function areas. The main banquet hall can be divided into three separate rooms, if required. ITC Sonar Bangla has express check-in and out. Business visitors on a short trip can also check out the ‘day-use’ (0800-1800) facility of the hotel. One can check in and freshen up and then go about doing his work, return from his assignments and check out.

ITC Hotel Sonar Bangla Sheraton & Towers, Kolkata 1, JBS Haldane Avenue, (Opposite Science City) Kolkata-700046 Tel: 91-33-23454545 Fax: 91-33-23454455 ARR (Average Room Rate) per person ranges from INR 7,000 to INR 25,000 depending on the choice of room.