Life at the Ajanta Hotel
There are some hotels that either because of their age or long-standing traditions and customs, acquire an 'atmosphere' that cannot be described but only experienced. Hotel Ajanta situated on MG Road in Bangalore, is one such.
OUR CONTACT in Bangalore had forgotten to book our hotel and was untraceable on his mobile. We were in a bit of a jam since we were taking an evening flight from Delhi and would be reaching the city fairly late after the commute from airport. Staying at one of the many hotels that have counters at the airport was not a possibility given their tariffs and the size of our wallets, so I went online to identify a budget hotel in a part of the city with which we were familiar. A hotel, the Ajanta Hotel on MG Road was identified, and a couple of rooms were quickly booked. Still a nagging worry remained, as we knew MG Road was a fairly crowded place.
The first surprise came at Bangalore Airport when we mentioned Ajanta Hotel to the taxi driver and he nodded matter-of-factly. He didn’t seem surprised or worried or have any questions about the location and after about an hour’s ride, he whisked us out of the car and announced that we had arrived at our hotel. It was getting late and after a quick dinner, we retired to our rooms. Since that trip, I have made many more trips to Bangalore, but whenever I can, I have always made it a point to stay in the same hotel.
There are some hotels that either because of their age or long-standing traditions and customs, acquire an 'atmosphere' that cannot be described but only experienced. At first glance, the Ajanta looks like a small township. It is located just off the Trinity Circle metro station (currently under construction) on the perennially busy MG Road and yet is sufficiently tucked away from it to be secluded from the noise and bustle. Inside, it is another kind of bustle that is thriving.
The hotel has been popular as a hotel that hosts wedding parties and it has two large wedding halls. The small township inside seems like a shopping area that one might find in a luxury hotel, only much more utilitarian with shops that cater to all needs. There is a florist; a large travel agency with several taxis parked outside, a well-stocked provision shop, a snack shop, phone booths, and Internet cafes. Though a bit removed from the main road, all shops there do considerable business.
There is a restaurant attached to the hotel that serves you a very filling lunch or dinner for Rs35, a practically unheard of price in most places; much less in a business hot spot. The restaurant is no hole-in-the-wall outfit; in the mornings, breakfast can be had for as little as Rs20 and the fact is not a secret. The dining hall is quite crowded in the mornings, particularly with young working couples usually dropping in for a bite, something quite affordable at these rates.
In spite of all the bustle in the hotel complex, the pace is laid-back and easy-paced. The staff is polite, helpful and refuses to be caught up in the rapid pace of life played out only a few meters away at the construction of the metro station. When it is not wedding season, uniformed waiters (of whom there are many), wander about the lounges waiting to take orders for tea or coffee or room service, at their usual leisurely pace. As I checked out one more time out of the Ajanta Hotel, last week, I couldn’t help but wonder how long such a leisurely pace of life, tracing its ancestry from the time when Bangalore was a pensioner’s paradise, would last. And yet watching the crowded dining room full of laptop-wielding techies, it seems that the hotel is currently a much sought-after bridge between the mad house outside and the measured grace inside. And hopefully sooner, rather than later, I will be back again.
There are some hotels that either because of their age or long-standing traditions and customs, acquire an 'atmosphere' that cannot be described but only experienced. At first glance, the Ajanta looks like a small township. It is located just off the Trinity Circle metro station (currently under construction) on the perennially busy MG Road and yet is sufficiently tucked away from it to be secluded from the noise and bustle. Inside, it is another kind of bustle that is thriving.
The hotel has been popular as a hotel that hosts wedding parties and it has two large wedding halls. The small township inside seems like a shopping area that one might find in a luxury hotel, only much more utilitarian with shops that cater to all needs. There is a florist; a large travel agency with several taxis parked outside, a well-stocked provision shop, a snack shop, phone booths, and Internet cafes. Though a bit removed from the main road, all shops there do considerable business.
There is a restaurant attached to the hotel that serves you a very filling lunch or dinner for Rs35, a practically unheard of price in most places; much less in a business hot spot. The restaurant is no hole-in-the-wall outfit; in the mornings, breakfast can be had for as little as Rs20 and the fact is not a secret. The dining hall is quite crowded in the mornings, particularly with young working couples usually dropping in for a bite, something quite affordable at these rates.
In spite of all the bustle in the hotel complex, the pace is laid-back and easy-paced. The staff is polite, helpful and refuses to be caught up in the rapid pace of life played out only a few meters away at the construction of the metro station. When it is not wedding season, uniformed waiters (of whom there are many), wander about the lounges waiting to take orders for tea or coffee or room service, at their usual leisurely pace. As I checked out one more time out of the Ajanta Hotel, last week, I couldn’t help but wonder how long such a leisurely pace of life, tracing its ancestry from the time when Bangalore was a pensioner’s paradise, would last. And yet watching the crowded dining room full of laptop-wielding techies, it seems that the hotel is currently a much sought-after bridge between the mad house outside and the measured grace inside. And hopefully sooner, rather than later, I will be back again.
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