Amit Chaudhuri

OT Favourite hotel in the world

Amit Chaudhuri It&rsquos hard to pick just one. In Delhi, my favourite is The Imperial. Outside India, I really like the Montcalm Hotel, tucked away on a lane just off Marble Arch in London.

OT Last visited

Amit Chaudhuri I visited The Imperial a couple of years ago and the Montcalm last year.

OT The experience

Amit Chaudhuri I was at the Montcalm for only a day as I was breaking journey between New York and India. It&rsquos been taken over by a Japanese group [Nikko Hotels], which is probably a good thing. One always feels guilty speaking of hotels, but I am going to be guiltless. This place is very elegant, spacious and beautiful. It has one restaurant, which serves good food and offers great service.

At The Imperial, it&rsquos always a pleasure to be in one of their heritage rooms. Again you have to suppress your guilt, and plunge right in. I love the astonishing prints on the walls of the hotel and the colonial ambience. If you&rsquore going to be in a hotel, then this is the one to be in there&rsquos some genuine pleasure to be had in staying here.

OT The food

Amit Chaudhuri The Montcalm serves English and Continental food, and offer a great breakfast. When I was there I saw someone have scrambled eggs with salmon and I just feasted on it with my eyes and admired its presentation. At the Imperial I used to like the Spice Route, but two years have passed since I last visited so I can&rsquot speak about it now with confidence.

OT The hotels&rsquo &lsquoUSP&rsquo

Amit Chaudhuri The Montcalm is true to its name it&rsquos calm and has a sense of rootedness and place. It isn&rsquot ostentatious, but elegantly welcoming in a way that isn&rsquot nostalgic. Though it&rsquos not a hotel meant for the super-rich, it isn&rsquot inexpensive either. At The Imperial, as I&rsquove mentioned, it&rsquos really the revival of their heritage rooms. You get rooms like this in old colonial clubs, but not typically at five-stars, so it&rsquos a welcome surprise.

OT Repeat visit

Amit Chaudhuri Would love to, but have no idea when. Perhaps when someone offers to pay the bill

The information

The Imperial
Location Janpath, New Delhi
Accommodation 223 rooms, including 43 suites
Tariff From Rs 20,000
Contact 011-23341234,
www.theimperialindia.com

Montcalm Hotel
Location Marble Arch, London
Accommodation 142 rooms and suites (currently closed for renovation)
Contact www.montcalm.co.uk