Rooms With A View

Achal Dhruva experiences ‘royal’ hospitality at Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Bhopal

Room with a view’ is a cliché; nevertheless it is difficult to resist using it in this context. Apart from the other trappings of a grand heritage property, the stunning view of the Bhopal lake and the Vindhya Ranges from every room is one of the USPs of Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, making it the preferred address in the city for discerning business and leisure travellers. Constructed in 1920 by Nawab Hamid Ulah Khan and considered as the best residential palace of the erstwhile Bhopal estate, Noor-Us-Sabah was converted into a hotel in 1984 after some careful restoration work. Part of the WelcomHeritage hotel chain, the sprawling white stately edifice perched on a hillock and spread over 18 acres of lush manicured lawns remains the vanguard of gracious living and charming traditions of Bhopali hospitality.

A stay at the hotel, no matter how brief, is sure to transport one to a bygone era. Right from the vintage cars and horse carriage of the Nawab's family in the driveway to artefacts like the original palanquin of Shah Jehan Begum, the 70-room palace, including six suites, is a seamless blend of old world charm with all modern five-star amenities.

The hotel boasts of facilities to match its grandeur and has the largest conferencing and banqueting space in the city with a capacity of up to 2,500 persons. Between the 4,500 square feet pillarless Emperor Hall, Dewan-e-Khas, a conference hall for 40 people, state-of-the-art boardroom, banquet lawns, pool side lawns and lake view lawns, the property can host any function. The well equipped business centre, in room internet facility, safe deposit vaults, money exchange facility etc. take care of the requirements of the corporate guest.

However, it's the sheer feeling of space in the rooms, especially the suites, which distinguishes Noor-Us-Sabah from five-star properties. And the royal experience also extends to food and beverage with a speciality restaurant serving Bhopali Mughlai cuisine. Other options available are Dynasty, an exclusive Chinese restaurant and Marble Arch, a multicuisine restaurant. For those who require a good view and ambience to stimulate their appetite, Sunset Barbeque is an open air barbeque offering sweeping vistas of the lake and city while Wellingdon Bar is a small quaint corner cluttered with antique guns and trophies. Top all the above with attentive and personalised service and you are sure to feel like royalty.