Grand Hotel (Kolkata): Difference between revisions

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{{EngvarB|date=March 2017}}  
{{Short description|Hotel in Kolkata, India}}
{{Other uses|Grand Hotel (disambiguation){{!}}Grand Hotel}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Other uses|Grand Hotel (disambiguation){{!}}Grand Hotel}}
{{Infobox building
{{Infobox building
| name                = Oberoi Grand
| name                = Oberoi Grand
| former_names        = Grand Hotel
| former_names        = Grand Hotel
| alternate_names    =
| alternate_names    =  
| status              =  
| status              =  
| image              = File:OberoiGrandHotelKolkata_gobeirne.jpg
| image              = OberoiGrandHotelKolkata_gobeirne.jpg
| image_alt          =
| image_alt          =  
| image_size          = 250px
| image_size          = 250px
| caption            = The Oberoi Grand Hotel
| caption            = The Oberoi Grand Hotel
| map_type            =  
| logo                = Grand Hotel Kolkata logo.png
| map_alt            =  
| pushpin_map        =
| pushpin_map_alt    =  
| map_caption        =  
| map_caption        =  
| altitude            =  
| altitude            =  
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| location_town      = [[Kolkata]]
| location_town      = [[Kolkata]]
| location_country    = [[India]]
| location_country    = [[India]]
| coordinates        = {{coord|22|33|40.42|N|88|20|56.46|E|display=title}}
| coordinates        = {{coord|22|33|40.42|N|88|20|56.46|E|display=inline,title}}
| groundbreaking_date =  
| groundbreaking_date =  
| start_date          = Late 19th century
| construction_start_date = Late 19th century
| completion_date    =  
| completion_date    =  
| opened_date        =  
| opened_date        =  
| inauguration_date  =  
| inauguration_date  =  
| renovation_date    =  
| renovation_date    =  
| demolition_date     =  
| demolished_date     =  
| destruction_date    =  
| destruction_date    =  
| height              =  
| height              =  
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| ren_oth_designers  =  
| ren_oth_designers  =  
| ren_qty_surveyor    =  
| ren_qty_surveyor    =  
| ren_awards          =
| ren_awards          =  
| parking            =
| parking            =  
| url                =  
| url                =  
| embedded            =  
| embedded            =  
| references          =  
| references          =  
}}
}}
The '''Grand Hotel''', now called the '''Oberoi Grand''', is situated in the heart of [[Kolkata]] on [[Chowringhee Road]]. It is an elegant building of [[British India|British]] era and is a famous building in Kolkata. The hotel is owned by [[Oberoi Hotels|Oberoi chain of hotels]].
The '''Grand Hotel''', now known as the '''Oberoi Grand''', is situated in the heart of [[Kolkata]] on [[Chowringhee Road]]. It is an elegant building of [[British India|British]] era and is a famous building in Kolkata. The hotel is not owned by [[Oberoi Hotels|Oberoi chain of hotels]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Manglik |first=Mr Rohit |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Introduction_to_Hotel_Business/3K8zEQAAQBAJ |title=Introduction to Hotel Business: [9789368751526] |date=2023-11-23 |publisher=EduGorilla Publication |isbn=978-93-6875-152-6 |page=21 |language=en}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
[[File:Street in front of the Grand Hotel, Calcutta - LIFE.jpg|thumb|Old [[Chowringhee Road]] in front of Grand Hotel (Calcutta)|left]]
The house was converted into a boarding house by Mrs. Annie Monk who later expanded her business to include Numbers 14, 15 and 17. 16 Chowringhee was occupied by a theatre owned and managed by [[Arathoon Stephen]],  an [[Armenia]]n from [[Isfahan]]. When, in 1911, the theatre burned down, Stephen bought out Mrs. Monk and, over time, redeveloped the site into what now makes up the modern hotel.<ref name="denby">{{Cite book|last=Denby|first=Elaine|title=Grand Hotels: Reality and Illusion|publisher=Reaktion|date=April 2004|pages=197–198|isbn=9781861891211|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NhLyGME7734C&q=%22Great+Eastern+Hotel%22+%22Spence+Hotel%22&pg=PA197}}</ref> Built in an extravagant neoclassical style, the hotel soon became a popular spot amongst the English population of Calcutta. It was known, in particular, for its annual New Year party that, along with iced champagne and expensive gifts, involved the release of twelve piglets in the ballroom. Anyone who caught a piglet, could keep it.<ref name="denby" />


[[File:Grand Hotel Calcutta (c. 1903).jpg|thumb|Grand Hotel (Calcutta) in 1903s]]
The site where the hotel now stands was first developed at No. 13 Chowringhee Road as the private residence of a Colonel Grand in the early nineteenth century. The house was converted into a boarding house by Mrs. Annie Monk who later expanded her business to include Numbers 14, 15 and 17. 16 Chowringhee was occupied by a theatre owned and managed by [[Arathoon Stephen]],  an [[Armenia]]n from [[Isfahan]]. When, in 1911, the theatre burned down, Stephen bought out Mrs. Monk and, over time, redeveloped the site into what now makes up the modern hotel.<ref name=denby>{{Cite book|last=Denby|first=Elaine|title=Grand Hotels: Reality and Illusion|publisher=Reaktion|date=April 2004|pages=197–198|isbn=9781861891211|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NhLyGME7734C&q=%22Great+Eastern+Hotel%22+%22Spence+Hotel%22&pg=PA197}}</ref> Built in an extravagant neoclassical style, the hotel soon became a popular spot amongst the English population of Calcutta. It was known, in particular, for its annual New Year party that, along with iced champagne and expensive gifts, involved the release of twelve piglets in the ballroom. Anyone who caught a piglet, could keep it.<ref name=denby/>
[[File:Street in front of the Grand Hotel, Calcutta - LIFE.jpg|thumb|Old [[Chowringhee Road]] in front of Grand Hotel (Calcutta)]]
[[File:Grand Hotel Ad.png|alt=Old Advertisement|thumb|Old Advertisement]]
In the 1930s, sometime after the death of Stephen, a typhoid epidemic in Calcutta resulted in the death of six people at the hotel. The drainage system at the hotel was suspected and it was closed in 1937. The property was  leased by [[Mohan Singh Oberoi]] who reopened the hotel in 1939 and  was able to buy the property outright in 1943.<ref name=denby/>
In the 1930s, sometime after the death of Stephen, a typhoid epidemic in Calcutta resulted in the death of six people at the hotel. The drainage system at the hotel was suspected and it was closed in 1937. The property was  leased by [[Mohan Singh Oberoi]] who reopened the hotel in 1939 and  was able to buy the property outright in 1943.<ref name=denby/>


The hotel got a major lift during World War II when about 4000 soldiers were billeted there, and would party regularly. Events like the U.S. Marines' Ball at the hotel remind visitors of such times.
The hotel got a major lift during World War II when about 4000 soldiers were billeted there, and would party regularly. Events like the U.S. Marines' Ball at the hotel remind visitors of such times.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Manglik |first=Mr Rohit |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Accommodation_Front_Office_Foundation_I/k3gzEQAAQBAJ |title=Accommodation & Front Office Foundation - I: [9789368754411] |date=2023-11-23 |publisher=EduGorilla Publication |isbn=978-93-6875-441-1 |page=32 |language=en}}</ref>{{Wide image|Grand Hotel Ad.png|200|Old advertisement of hotel}}


==Features==
==Features==
The hotel features a large white building covering an entire block, colonnaded verandahs and balconies on the upper floors, projecting portico for the entire length of the block supported on paired columns with Ionic capitals, and stucco ornamentation in the facade.
[[File:Grand Hotel Calcutta (c. 1903).jpg|thumb|Grand Hotel (Calcutta) in 1930s]]The hotel features a large white building covering an entire block, colonnaded verandahs and Executed in an extravagant [[Neoclassicism|neoclassical style]], The Oberoi Grand features a full‑length portico upheld by Ionic columns, stuccoed facades, and colonnaded verandahs that wrap the upper floors.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-01-14 |title=Sun shines on Kolkata landmark after years, but for how long? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sun-shines-on-kolkata-landmark-after-years-but-for-how-long/articleshow/106825929.cms |access-date=2025-07-03 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> The five‑storey block is arranged around a central light well and landscaped courtyard, ensuring natural ventilation and daylight. Inside, the ground‑floor lobby retains original mosaic flooring and teak paneling, while the Grande Ballroom with its ornate cornices, crystal chandeliers, and sprung dance floor has hosted celebrations ranging from state banquets to charity balls.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rodricks |first=Tyrel |date=2017-11-22 |title=Kolkata's Oberoi Grand welcomes Threesixtythree Degrees restaurant |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/oberoi-grand-kolkata-threesixtythree-degrees-restaurant/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=Architectural Digest India |language=en-IN}}</ref> The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, was honoured on 10 May 2024 with the [[Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage]]’s blue cultural plaque, recognising its century‑long heritage as the “Grande Dame of Chowringhee” and its role in Kolkata's architectural and social history<ref>{{cite news |last=ET Bureau |title=The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata Honoured with the INTACH's Blue Plaque for Cultural Significance |work=The Economic Times |date=10 May 2024 |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/hotels-/-restaurants/the-oberoi-grand-kolkata-honoured-with-the-intachs-blue-plaque-for-cultural-significance/articleshow/110018067.cms |access-date=2025-07-02}}</ref>


==Awards==
==Awards==
*Top Hotels in India ... [[Zagat Survey]], Top International Hotels, Resorts and Spas 2005
*Top Hotels in India [[Zagat Survey]], Top International Hotels, Resorts and Spas 2005
*Best Business Hotel in Asia: Nominated ... International Business Asia and [[CNBC]]
*Best Business Hotel in Asia: Nominated International Business Asia and [[CNBC]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=5 Star Hotel in Kolkata with Highest Standards of Hygiene {{!}} The Oberoi |url=https://www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-in-kolkata/ |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=Oberoihotels.com}}</ref>
*Best Hotel in the Five Star Deluxe Category in Eastern India ... Department of Tourism, [[Government of West Bengal]]
*Best Hotel in the Five Star Deluxe Category in Eastern India Department of Tourism, [[Government of West Bengal]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tourism.gov.in/sites/default/files/2020-02/Hotel_Guidelines_From%2019-01-2018.pdf|format=PDF|title=Hotel Guidelines From 19-01-2018|website=Tourism.gov.in|access-date=27 July 2022}}</ref>


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery mode="packed">
File:OberoiGrandHotelKolkataCourtyard gobeirne.jpg|The Interior Courtyard of Grand Hotel (Kolkata)
File:OberoiGrandHotelKolkataCourtyard gobeirne.jpg|The Interior Courtyard of Grand Hotel (Kolkata)
File:First Floor Lounge - Oberoi Grand - Kolkata 2013-05-23 8235.JPG|First Floor Lounge of Grand Hotel (Kolkata)
File:First Floor Lounge - Oberoi Grand - Kolkata 2013-05-23 8235.JPG|First Floor Lounge of Grand Hotel (Kolkata)
Line 105: Line 103:


==External links==
==External links==
{{commonscat|The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata}}
{{commons category|The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata}}
*[https://www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-in-kolkata/ The Official site]
*[https://www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-in-kolkata/ The Official site]


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[[Category:Hotels in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Hotels in Kolkata]]
[[Category:The Oberoi Group]]
[[Category:The Oberoi Group]]
{{India-hotel-stub}}

Latest revision as of 23:05, 28 March 2026


Oberoi Grand
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
The Oberoi Grand Hotel
The Oberoi Grand Hotel
Former namesGrand Hotel
General information
LocationChowringhee, Central Kolkata
Address15, Chowringhee Road
Town or cityKolkata
CountryIndia
Coordinates22°33′40.42″N 88°20′56.46″E / 22.5612278°N 88.3490167°E / 22.5612278; 88.3490167
Construction startedLate 19th century
OwnerOberoi Hotels & Resorts

The Grand Hotel, now known as the Oberoi Grand, is situated in the heart of Kolkata on Chowringhee Road. It is an elegant building of British era and is a famous building in Kolkata. The hotel is not owned by Oberoi chain of hotels.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Old Chowringhee Road in front of Grand Hotel (Calcutta)

The house was converted into a boarding house by Mrs. Annie Monk who later expanded her business to include Numbers 14, 15 and 17. 16 Chowringhee was occupied by a theatre owned and managed by Arathoon Stephen, an Armenian from Isfahan. When, in 1911, the theatre burned down, Stephen bought out Mrs. Monk and, over time, redeveloped the site into what now makes up the modern hotel.[2] Built in an extravagant neoclassical style, the hotel soon became a popular spot amongst the English population of Calcutta. It was known, in particular, for its annual New Year party that, along with iced champagne and expensive gifts, involved the release of twelve piglets in the ballroom. Anyone who caught a piglet, could keep it.[2]

In the 1930s, sometime after the death of Stephen, a typhoid epidemic in Calcutta resulted in the death of six people at the hotel. The drainage system at the hotel was suspected and it was closed in 1937. The property was leased by Mohan Singh Oberoi who reopened the hotel in 1939 and was able to buy the property outright in 1943.[2]

The hotel got a major lift during World War II when about 4000 soldiers were billeted there, and would party regularly. Events like the U.S. Marines' Ball at the hotel remind visitors of such times.[3]

Old advertisement of hotel

Features[edit | edit source]

Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Grand Hotel (Calcutta) in 1930s

The hotel features a large white building covering an entire block, colonnaded verandahs and Executed in an extravagant neoclassical style, The Oberoi Grand features a full‑length portico upheld by Ionic columns, stuccoed facades, and colonnaded verandahs that wrap the upper floors.[4] The five‑storey block is arranged around a central light well and landscaped courtyard, ensuring natural ventilation and daylight. Inside, the ground‑floor lobby retains original mosaic flooring and teak paneling, while the Grande Ballroom with its ornate cornices, crystal chandeliers, and sprung dance floor has hosted celebrations ranging from state banquets to charity balls.[5] The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, was honoured on 10 May 2024 with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage’s blue cultural plaque, recognising its century‑long heritage as the “Grande Dame of Chowringhee” and its role in Kolkata's architectural and social history[6]

Awards[edit | edit source]

  • Top Hotels in India Zagat Survey, Top International Hotels, Resorts and Spas 2005
  • Best Business Hotel in Asia: Nominated International Business Asia and CNBC[7]
  • Best Hotel in the Five Star Deluxe Category in Eastern India Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal[8]

Gallery[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Manglik, Mr Rohit (23 November 2023). Introduction to Hotel Business: [9789368751526]. EduGorilla Publication. p. 21. ISBN 978-93-6875-152-6.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Denby, Elaine (April 2004). Grand Hotels: Reality and Illusion. Reaktion. pp. 197–198. ISBN 9781861891211.
  3. Manglik, Mr Rohit (23 November 2023). Accommodation & Front Office Foundation - I: [9789368754411]. EduGorilla Publication. p. 32. ISBN 978-93-6875-441-1.
  4. "Sun shines on Kolkata landmark after years, but for how long?". The Times of India. 14 January 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  5. Rodricks, Tyrel (22 November 2017). "Kolkata's Oberoi Grand welcomes Threesixtythree Degrees restaurant". Architectural Digest India. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  6. ET Bureau (10 May 2024). "The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata Honoured with the INTACH's Blue Plaque for Cultural Significance". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  7. "5 Star Hotel in Kolkata with Highest Standards of Hygiene | The Oberoi". Oberoihotels.com. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  8. "Hotel Guidelines From 19-01-2018" (PDF). Tourism.gov.in. Retrieved 27 July 2022.

External links[edit | edit source]