By Union Minister Suresh Gopi to inaugurate the renovated heritage hotel
An architectural splendour blending Portuguese aesthetics into Kerala’s vintage features has got a makeover, turning a 120-year-old mansion in the state capital into a heritage hotel giving it a fresh opening to relive its 1970’s reputation as a ‘Home for Movie Stars.’
Manicured lawns and tastefully-laid pathways update the sylvan ambience of erstwhile Hotel Amritha that had been a beehive of film actors half-a-century ago. Originally Essenden Bungalow, the eave-roof building from the early 1900s is today poised for guests to stay in its five regal rooms that form the core of the complex now rechristened as ‘Amritha Heritage’ to live up to its colonial opulence.
A charming slice of history thus springs back to life, as Amritha Heritage facilitates a meeting point of the old and the new. Beyond throwback nostalgia, the management have co-opted a lot of new hospitality features to meet the contemporary requirements.
The single-storey building had in the 1950s became part of the Hotel Amritha, grabbing attention due to its unique incorporation of time-tested elements in design from the west and east of the globe. This opened a new chapter to Essenden Bungalow, which was originally the home of Portuguese citizen Eunice Gomez and her husband T. Shivaramasethu Pillai.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi will inaugurate “Amritha Heritage” at a function at the hotel premises at 10.30 am on November 11.
The bungalow, which distinctly houses both Travancore and Portuguese designs, had been a visual treat to the green surroundings of Thycaud, which went on to become as a peaceful residential locality. Standing in the middle of a large property, the hotel, with its garden graced by grandpa trees and fresh shoots of flowering plants, has now undergone another reinvention while keeping intact its flair to highlight bygone glory.
As the management notes, Amritha Heritage offers visitors a nostalgic journey through time. This is complemented by the hotel’s famed Kohinoor Restaurant, the tastes of which still linger with old-timers. The aroma those days was supplemented by the sights of leading cine personalities, who made Amritha their virtual home in the 1970s. In fact, the regal interiors of Hotel Amrita featured in some of the movies of that decade.
Today, restored to its past glory with timely modifications, the mansion’s five key rooms have been styled with heritage furniture while adding modern features for a pleasant stay. The interiors provide a seamless throwback to history even as the facilities are state-of-the-art. It doesn’t require the guest to be a historian or long-time Thiruvananthapuram resident to enjoy the charm of the stay.
In any case, the early 1900s were a time when Kerala society was experiencing the first brushes of a defining change in lifestyle. Attitudes transitioned into modernity with a streak of European influence. Mirroring the confluence, Amritha Heritage has its rooms ingeniously arranged around a central hall, while the bedrooms offer privacy with individual verandas.
The spacious hall serves as the dining area, enhanced with indoor courtyards of allure, reveals Managing Director Krishna Prasad, who put together a team that carried out the makeover. “We will focus on quality and service to ensure utmost satisfaction for every visitor,” he adds.
The kitchen will be headed by a team that combines decades of experience and the cuisine will be an eclectic mix of the old and new: the blends European with Indian foods. Also, there is a selection of oriental dishes, thanks to the staff trained by renowned Thai food consultant Pinagjai who was on a visit to India recently.
Amritha Heritage also brings back ‘dining on the lawn’, the first-ever experience in the city. Its location and precincts make the hotel a perfect arena for banquets.
