Oberoi Grand, Calcutta

Housed in a British colonial building dating from the 1880s, the Oberoi Grand – formerly the Grand Hotel – is a famous landmark in Calcutta, which retains an air of Raj-era luxury. Service is formal and attentive, with a butler on call around the clock.

The rooms and suites at the Oberoi Grand are traditional and luxurious, designed in a colonial style which reflects the long and rarefied heritage of the hotel. On one side, rooms overlook the bustling markets of Calcutta, and on the other, the beautiful palm tree-lined garden and swimming pool.

The suites have private balconies for enjoying the views, with beautiful bathrooms hewn from red granite. The vast Presidential Suite features no fewer than five balconies, two bedrooms with huge four-poster beds and two bathrooms.

The Oberoi Grand is upholding the fine culinary traditions which the hotel has been known for throughout more than a century of history. At the chic La Terrasse, Mediterranean classics are served alongside Bengali favourites, classic Indian dishes and large, smorgasbord-esque thali platters.

Baan Thai is an award-winning Thai restaurant which serves authentic cuisine, with most ingredients imported specially from Thailand. Delicious steamed dumplings, satay skewers, spring rolls and rich curries are served up in an evocative setting decorated with Buddha statues, carved wooden screens and Thai-inspired artwork.

The luxurious spa is located in a separate wing of the hotel, with colonial chandelier-lit hallways leading off into dark wood and marble treatment rooms, where the range of treatments on offer draw on ancient Indian traditions. Ayurvedic massage, Padabhyanga foot massage, and Shirodhara oil treatments are all great for revitalising and recharging you after a day exploring the chaos of Calcutta.

There is also a fully-equipped fitness centre and a beautiful outdoor swimming pool, sitting in the centre of a tree-lined quadrant garden.

Attractions nearby include the Victoria Memorial, built after Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 and envisioned as a colonial response to the Taj Mahal. While it doesn’t come close to matching the beauty of that white marble memorial to a dead queen, it’s still pretty impressive, and contains interesting exhibitions about the city’s colonial-era history.

The striking Belur Math, which fuses Christian, Hindu and Islamic architecture, is the home of the Ramakrishna Mission, which preaches the unity of all religions. The vast Maidan, a huge urban park and ‘the lungs of Calcutta’, is a great place to people-watch and observe the city life going on around you.