HIDDEN GEMS

They've stood tall for decades, and continue to show a side of the times gone by. Take a look at four of the city's oldest hotels, and the stories they have to tell

- SAMREEN TUNGEKAR

GRAND HOTEL 

With an unmissable exterior protruding on to a quiet lane in Ballard Estate, Shapurji Sorabji founded Grand Hotel in 1922 as a three-storeyed hotel, and a fourth floor was added in the 1950s, almost 35 years after its existence.

George Wittet, known for landmarks in Mumbai such as the Gateway of India, The Prince of Wales Museum, Institute of Science, and Bombay House, was the designer of this iconic hotel. 

Shantanu Engineer, the fourth generation member of the family, currently runs the property, which was built with the purpose of servicing the nearby Ballard Pier Port (now Mumbai International Cruise Terminal). 

The hotel continues to have a similar clientele, along with a mix of corporate and cruise travellers. The dome and the lift of the hotel are key areas that keep the hotel's original structure alive, as does their stone facade.

BENTLEYS HOTEL

Nestled in the quiet bylanes of Colaba, Bentleys Hotel opened some time around 1937 and was founded by Arthur Joseph Bentley. Since 1977, Homi Farrok Kaka owns the hotel, and believes in keeping its original style alive.