All Round Excellence

The new Threesixtythree Degrees at Oberoi Kolkata is sure to make heads turn with its contemporary interiors that nevertheless reflect the heritage of the historic hotel.

- Suman Tarafdar

As the oldest hotel in the Oberoi portfolio, and the first hotel launched by the redoubtable MS Oberoi, it is no surprise that The Oberoi Grand has had a special place in the group’s collection of enviable luxury hotels. It was therefore befitting that the first restaurant in the famed 360 range outside Delhi NCR has opened in Kolkata (Oberoi Delhi has Threesixty Degrees while Gurgaon has Threesixtyone Degrees), while Kolkata now has Threesixtythree Degrees – so named as it is apparently a few notches, or degrees – if you prefer, higher than the initial ones!

A look inside could justify that assertion. Of course, the hotel itself is in a more than century old building, a heritage building that matches its description as the ‘Grand Old Lady of Chowringhee’. The brief to the architect, Akshat Bhatt of Architecture Discipline, was to provide an experience that befitted a modern restaurant without compromising on the heritage legacy of the hotel.

The current restaurant space was occupied by two erstwhile F&B outlets, La Terrasse, an all-day dining restaurant and the adjacent Chowringhee Bar, both of which closed in May 2016. Visitors to these establishments are unlikely to recognise the new space though.

Skylighted

Located on the ground floor, large windows provide unrestricted views of the hotel’s pool, which sits, framed by palm trees, in the sunlit central courtyard of the hotel. No wonder then that a classicmeets-contemporary thread runs through the interiors, which are a study in contrasts. The eye-catching red leather banquettes sit in the middle amidst a sea of white – matt on the walls, marble white tabletops, slightly gray chairs, a flooring of oak timber in chevron, with brass accents. Adding another layer of contrasting colours are the bright cobalt blue rugs, interspersed across the space, which seem to float like islands on timber.