From the moment I got off my Q7, the fleet that the Lodhi possesses, amidst the Gangapur Stone clad walls, there was a sense of joie de vivre. To be met in style makes all the difference to any luxury experience. There was standing to greet me, the lovely Robyn Bickford, co-general manager of the property, exuding stylish warmth with her very pleasant persona and Lotus Art earrings – panthers, black in one ear and gold in the other. I am also told, my dinner tonite has been selected by Ms. Bickford herself including the pairing of alcohol and i do know that this is going to be an evening far from boring or mundane. I also love the fact that she takes such a personal interest and doesn’t leave the staff to decide the menu, which is generally the case.
Walking on the Khareda stone floor I am embraced by the gentle scent of lemon grass that flows through the entire hotel. I am happy to see no overwhelming lobby, just an unobtrusive desk with the smiling Aman Sood the assistant front office manager behind it, he would also be my guide during my stay, and explain to me the finer details. I was whisked up almost immediately in the golden lift so i could freshen up before my lunch with Manav Garewal the other general manager.
The lobby is filled with art and sculpture from the Apparao gallery. It works both ways, for Apparao it serves as a chic gallery and for the hotel, the art pieces grace their walls and also keep changing from time to time bringing a newness to the place.
About the Lodhi
Previously a part of the Aman group, it was rebranded as ‘The Lodhi’ in February 2013, it retains the Aman Resort sensibility – 40 rooms and suites with 28 additional apartments. Run by dynamic duo Manav Garewal and Robyn Bickford. Lodhi is a part of the DLF group.
The Lodhi – luxury in the heart of Lutyens Delhi. A part of history.
The Lodhi sits right in the center of Lutyens Delhi. The breath taking view of the historic Humayun’s tomb from my suite on the 8th floor, is enhanced by the floor to ceiling glass windows which are not covered with heavy drapes, instead have elegant wooden sliders and a personal plunge pool. Greeted with a Louis Roderer in an skargaarden Ice bucket, they had all the small details of my preferences. And I have no idea how Suveer Sodhi the super efficient and charming, Director F&B knew I loved smoked salmon or fresh watermelon and feta with my chilled flute of goodness.
Ne peut pas faire mieux que ce quotient
The king size beds in the Lodhi have 1035 coils per mattress and a thickness of 9.8 inches. Any luxury hotel would generally have a mattress with over 900 coils, and a depth of over 11 inches. The thread count of the sheets should be between 200-300 in pure cotton. These norms signify the epitome of luxury and the closest to using these would be the likes of the Ritz Carlton, 111/4th inch thick mattresses, 300 thread count of pure cotton frette linen etc.
What I do want to mention are the little things that have made me fall in love with the Lodhi. Many are difficult to explain verbally, like the very much in tune with the ambience, robes by Abraham and Thakore, instead of heavy towel ones usually found in hotels, not that there’s anything wrong with those, just that the silken cotton feels very sensuous against the skin. But these details can be best described as creating that sense of yin and yang that enhances both the productivity and serenity and the yang in the brightness, passion, growth and positivity in the air – tough combination but the Lodhi excels at this. Even their logo represents its dynamic present and exciting future, add in the growing sense of history that this hotel embodies and you are pretty close to perfection.
The location and the size of the hotel are real advantages. Location – quiet yet central, just 40 rooms, the thin size leaves you feeling more Chateau Retreat than a hotel. Of these, 11 have a direct view of the historic Humayun’s tomb, and each of the 40 rooms has a private balcony and a personal plunge pool. I go down the plush, carpeted 33 steps of the grand staircase with an out of the ordinary light installation from the Klove studio to reach the spa and recreation area. The Lodhi possibly is one of the rare spa’s in India that has a Turkish Hamam, complete with sheep skin gloves to get that authentic experience.
The fitness center is a very modern Techno gym with ample space to work out and an offering of personal trainers. Due to my short visit, I was unable to experience the gym, but the equipment looked first rate in a very well equipped gym. Next to the gym is the 50 meter lap pool, which is heated in winter. The Lodhi salon on the same floor is managed in house by Usman – the salon manager, who did my hair after the spa. Yes he made me look like a diva.
Taste – A treat for the taste buds and senses.
My lunch had been set with Manav Garewal, the co-gm of the hotel. The bottle of Prunotto, a Barolo 2009 was a good choice, very well suggested by Shiv, who looks after the bar. Every moment was memorable thanks to Bhupender Bisht, the very fine gentleman who looks after the restaurant – On The Water Front and knows the preferences of each of his regular guests. The highlight of the lunch was the Steamed Spinach Rolls made by the talented and gentle Chef Prem.
Dinner at Elan, as mentioned was crafted by Robyn Bickford, including the choice of pairings, flavors et al. Luxuriously elegant, the only thing missing was possibly Live Jazz, playing as an accompaniment to enhance the experience. Created to perfection by Executive Chef Ritesh Negi a lovely soft spoken man, formerly from the chic Setz restaurant, the presentation of each dish looked like a work of art and complimented the flavors taking it many notches up. Negi kept presenting one treat after another starting with a Steamed Cochin Sea Bass and Steamed Prawns with light soya and tobiko, paired with a vodka shot with a lemon grass stick. What a refreshing start. Next came the Palak ki chaat with Dry Sack, Fino Sherry from Spain. This sherry will make me go back again and again. This pairing was spectacular.
Good company is imperative to take any experience to another level and Ms. Bickford regaled me with her many wonderful adventures and stories, while flashing her million dollar smile and sipping on a 2012, Yalumba Shiraz that was served with the Lucknawi tawa chaap and a beetroot raisin paratha. Unlike usual palate cleansers that are flavored sorbets, Chef Negi served iced tomato consomme – leaving me with a happy, fresh palate to go on to the next course. The Pearl Barley Risotto was a very adventurous choice. Its simplicity and boldness gave it a comfort element making it healthier option than eating rice. This was accompanied by a 2007, Louis Jadot, Pommard Burgundy.
I have to mention here, the great pairings with spirits of different genres complemented the meal and not only brought out the flavors, but created that sense of mystery making it seem like Firebird, a composition by Stravinsky, where the suddenness of the next note keeps you very intrigued and engaged . Dessert was homemade Baklava, Bitter Chocolate Mousse and a Maboni Lemon Curd Sandwich. After dinner, i wandered the shops and enjoyed taking in the beautiful variety of clothing, jewellery and other creative delights that are available for guests to peruse and purchase if so desired.
La Fin
“A relationship takes more commitment. When you leave a place, evaluate the experience trust your instinct. This is your journey, the route is up to you” – A Five Star Life.
