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| The Bangala is located in the heart of Chettinad and
is easily accessible by Road,Train and Air. Earlier known as "Senjai
Bangala", The Bangala is now in its 9th year as a heritage stay. The
origins of the Bangala dates back to around 1910, when all the lands
were bought and consolidated into one property.The first building which
is the front office room and the verandah around it was built at that
time. Sometime in the 1930’s two guest rooms were added to the first
building, to become what is today the block with Room 1 & 3.
Subsequently the lobby and rooms 2 & 4 were built. Room No.2 was
originally built as a dining room for VIP visitors. During the war years
the whole family stayed here, for which the block at the back was built. |
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During these years the Senjai Bangala as it was
known, was mainly used for entertaining VIP Visitors. The Governer of
Madras, Sir Athur Hope, visited in the 1940’s. All the furniture,
cutlery and crockery used by him is still in use. Subsequently Senjai
Bangala became more of a Guest House/ Club and a venue for formal tea &
dinner parties during functions. There was also a tennis court. Leading
players from Madras came to play tournaments in the 50’s. In the 80’s
and 90’s with the family almost entirely living in Madras, the usage of
the Bangala declined drastically and the maintenance and upkeep was
minimal. In due course the buildings were crumbling and in total
disrepair. |
| In 1998, the family decided to restore it and bring
it back to its former glory. After a year's hard work, the job was done
and the buildings with the original furniture was brought to life.
However unless it was put to proper use, we felt the building would
again decay. That was when the decision to convert it into a heritage
stay was made and the Bangala was born. |
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Starting with four rooms in 1999, we now have 25
rooms. A dining facility has been added to enable us to serve elaborate
Chettinad Meals on Banana leafs, wedding style. More additions like the
swimming pool and the spa to cater to the discerning traveler will find
the Bangala back in it's glory days. |
| The heritage home stay at The Bangala is a pleasant
diversion to an elegant past with its traditional interiors, beautiful
gardens and the classic banquet hall. The Bangala offers two types of
comfortable, air-conditioned double bedrooms for you to choose from. The
luxury dining with the rich Chettinad cuisine that's on offer adds
another dimension to your stay. Be prepared to be fussed over by the
attentive staff as you get pampered with multi-course meals for
breakfast, lunch and dinner. |
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These luxurious rooms are the perfect combination of
modern amenities with classic Chettinad mosaic work and stylish
verandahs. Each room features entirely different furniture and its own
unique ambience with varying floor color schemes with each floor. Room
numbers 1, 3, 5 to 12A are the Club rooms. |
| Part of the original 95-year old structure, these
rooms transport you to the lifestyle of a century ago with antique
furniture from across the Chettinad, Belgian mirrors, glasswork ,Burmese
teak pillars and other intricate woodwork. Room numbers 2 to 4 and 14 to
25 are the Classic rooms. |
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The Amenities
Along with these well-appointed rooms a host of other amenities are
available to suit the tastes of the international traveler.
Dip your toes or take a full plunge at the new swimming pool in the
garden area.
Surrender yourself at the Spa and step out a new you.
If you should maintain your fitness, well nothing should stop you- Just
step into the smart gym next to the spa.
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Get your morning cuppa served at your room as you start the day at
leisure.
Stay connected with Internet over Wi-fi.
Lounge around in the Verandahs and dig into the old library full of
classics and some local pulp as well.
Step into the kitchen for a quick cooking demo or schedule an elaborate
culinary demo. |
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The Bangala Cuisine
Authentic Chettinad cuisine is best sampled in the elegant ambience it
deserves- like the banquet hall at the Bangala. Every meal here is an
elaborate affair running into several courses resembling a typical
chettinad wedding feast. There is no standard menu- everyday a fresh
menu is drawn out and you can simply lean back and let the culinary
expedition take over. A 7-course meal is usually reserved for a wedding
feast. At the Bangala every lunch is usually more elaborate and the
courses are repeated as many times as you want to. Chettiars are famous
for spoiling their guests. Moving beyond the authentic chettinad fare,
dinners are an elegant fusion of European cuisine with the local fare
sometimes giving a surprising twist to some typical dishes. |
| Desserts are a must in every meal and a variety of
original recipes like the tender coconut pudding or the rhubarb cheese
cake with a local icing make an exotic ending to the elaborate meals. If
you're so inclined a cooking demo of your favourite dish can be
arranged. It's usually set up in the garden, with detailed instructions
and is entertaining as well. The Kitchen tour is another feature that
all serious food lovers would enjoy. An important pit stop for any
culinary tour of South India, The Bangala welcomes gourmets exploring
local cuisines with special packages. |
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The Bangala Coffee
160 kilometers north of Mangalore, in Karnataka lies the sleepy town of
chikmagalur surrounded by hills covered with coffee plantations. It is
here that the coffee beans that eventually end up at the Bangala is
grown- by the promoters. Freshly washed Arabica beans are sourced
directly from these plantations and is used without blending with other
coffes or even chicory. It is roasted in small quantities, periodically
so as to ensure that the flavour and aroma are retained. The coffee is
prepared in traditional south Indian style using a filter drip to obtain
the decoction which is more potent than the average western coffee.
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| Our guests have always enjoyed it and this is what
Guy Trebay had to say in his article for Travel + Leisure: "Every so
often this happens to the traveler. There is a city or a hostelry that
one is hesitant to quit. I feel this way at the Oriental hotel in
Bangkok, and in New Delhi at the Taj Mahal, and in Berlin, wherever I
happen to stay. Now, at the Bangala, it is easy to imagine many mornings
of waking up to a steaming cup of South Indian coffee that, as a
houseman with teeth of neon Hollywood whiteness explains, "is decocted
drop by drop, then filtered and mixed with milk to become highly
good.''" |
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| Tariff |
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| Rooms |
Price |
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| Club Rooms |
Rs 5,650/- |
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| Classic Rooms |
Rs 4,700/- |
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Additional cost for Meals |
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| Breakfast |
Rs 300/- |
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| Lunch |
Rs 600/- |
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| Dinner |
Rs 600/- |
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Tariff Effective 1st October 2010 to 30th
September 2011 (inclusive of all taxes and service charges)
Extra bed will be provided at a cost of Rs.1500 per bed per night |
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