Luxury Getaways in India

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In light of the terror in Mumbai, the compelling question of just how safe India is requires a rethink. Don’t abandon India as a destination, even though the answer is complicated. Terrorists will select high-profile targets, especially those they call “soft”, with weak security. But that should not deter a trip. Security has been beefed up and the bad guys have been arrested. Let these simple cautions apply:

• Don’t spend your time in big city destinations, especially tourist haunts
• Make sure your connections are definite, safe, secure, in the care of experienced guides or handlers
• Whenever possible, avoid high-traffic public transport
• Steer clear of the urban glitz and glam spots
• When you first walk to your hotel room, count the doors to the fire exit, in the unlikely event you need to find your way there in the dark.

Having established these parameters, India still has much of the remarkable and incredible to offer, especially luxury experiences far from the teeming crowds. You can still find the soul of India, at a safe remove from the chaotic hubs of transformation. But progress intrudes, an aggressive national highway building program will soon render many of the outposts more easily reached. So, as always, go now while you can, when the values are good and the demand is low. Think of India as an opportunity.

The four destinations reported here were visited in October-November 2008, just prior to the Mumbai attacks. Three are in rural Rajasthan, one in the northeast state of Uttrakhan in the low Himalayas. Each offers exceptional and rewarding experiences for the intrepid traveler willing to go far afield from the mainstream.

Chhatra Sagar, an eco-friendly tent camp in Rajasthan, India, summons to mind the motto of Hoshi Ryokan, a Japanese inn located outside Osaka, Japan, first opened in 718 and today run by the 46th generation of founding family: "Take care of fire. Learn from water. Cooperate with nature." In many ways Chhatra Sagar is a living illustration of that quality of enlightenment. The camp lies a 2½ hour drive from the city of Jaipur. It's a lifetime project of the Rathore family, direct descendents of the Maharajah of Jodhpur, owners of this land for 17 generations. Originally in 1890, great-grandfather Thakur Chhatra Singh decided to dam a seasonal stream flowing through his estate and changed the face of the valley, turning arid scrub into lush farmland. Over the years irresponsible farming, well-drilling and animal grazing damaged the water table. In 2001 the family decided to give the land back to nature, and established this eco-resort of 11 camp-style tents overlooking 365 protected acres on the east side of the dam, which fills with water from October to March. Following their conservation effort, over 200 varieties of wildlife have returned, egret, heron, kingfishers, antelope, wild boar, small jungle cats, all easily observed from the ramparts of the dam or on nature walks into the habitat. The sustainability quotient is optimal- the camp serves all locally-sourced food, has intense community involvement, and is furnished by indigenous craft. The property employs 30 local families from the nearby village of Kheda Deogarh, sponsors teachers, provides medicine, classroom furniture and brings specialized educators who address subjects ranging from family planning to recycling to soil conservation. The Rathore family deeply love the land, and view water-harvesting as an ancestral responsibility. Stewards and guardians of a unique place, their personal involvement and constant presence reinforce the commitment. They bring to the equation a natural grace and elegance, making the experience an altogether authentic one. They have created utterly comfortable lodging, and the ‘one price-everything included’ policy makes for an even-more attractive offering. By far the most romantic beds are found in “the tents on the hill”, with their 360 degree view, to the east the Aravali Hills, to other directions the rolling contours of rural Rajasthan. Come for the silence, the bird-watching, the isolation, the bats who fly over the dinner tables at dusk, the fresh pomegranate juice on the terrace, the tangible humanity of this singular place.

Chhatra Sagar

Nimaj

District Pali 306 303

Rajasthan INDIA

Tel +91 2939 230 118

www.chhatrasagar.com

harsh@chhatrasagar.com

Romance and fantasy are the keywords which describe Devi Garh, a converted maharajah’s citadel 28 kilometers northeast of Udaipur, overlooking the village of Delwara in the Aravali Hills. This ambitious regeneration of a heritage structure fuses traditional architecture with splendid modern details, design, materials and conveniences in a setting so far from the here-and-now as to place one in a separate mindspace altogether. You can’t quite decide where you fit in time, with the unspoiled vistas, classical balconies and turrets, acres of white marble, and bathrooms of outstanding opulence, counterpoised with works of contemporary art and touches of tasteful modernism. You never wake up from the dream. The high service component only adds to the experience, with a staff:guest ratio that insures extreme attention if you want it. Accommodation goes from just-plain-cushy to over-the-top posh, and it’s virtually impossible to pry oneself away from the poolside, leafing through your bestseller, sipping lime water, punctuated by refreshing dips in water held to a perfect bathing temperature, and the lazy napping this kind of escapism encourages. All this before your visit to the Serena Spa, where the signature Marma treatment will leave you near-anesthetized in a zone of total relaxation. I’m not convinced there’s all that much to do in the area, though a walk with a guide through the settlement below can be a good introduction to a typical Rajasthani village, albeit one accustomed to a luxury resort in operation up on the hill for a decade, meaning higher prices than other hamlets. There is an amazing temple dating to 1100 AD well worth a visit, an offering, a prayer. A local astrologer will tell your future for about US$20, and there is a very fine naïve stone carver whose reliefs make excellent mementoes. Then a hike back up to the gates, a return to the sweet unreality, followed by a masterfully-executed traditional meal, perhaps in a mirrored private dining room high in the palace, accompanied by the strains of traditional flute. No wonder this spot was once called Raza Inayat, which translates Place of Gods and Goddesses. The resort is perfectly sized for meetings and events, delivering a singular getaway from the realities of the world, and ample time and space to rest and renew. Unforgettable.

Devi Garh

Delwara, NH 8, Near Eklingji

Nathdwara, District Rajsamand 313 202

Rajasthan INDIA

Tel +91 11 2335 4554

www.deviresorts.com

reservations@deviresorts.com

Amanbagh, situated in a secluded oasis of lush vegetation east of Jaipur, paints a brilliant picture of rural splendour and cultural heritage, while delivering high comfort, luxury and pampering. This remote getaway of only 38 rooms, designed by Edward Tuttle, features elegant walled pool pavilions rich in sandstone and pink and green marble, two restaurants and a spa. The guest can be assured of security and privacy, at the same time experiencing authenticity and sincerity in the service proposition. Aman hires great managers, and emphasizes humanistic principles in their staff training. This secret first-class escape, open just 4 years, built its reputation on repeat business (typical stay 3-11 days), where travellers kick back at poolside and then go forth in search of history and anthropology, all comfortably accessible nearby. Hearty Indiana Jones types endure the bumpy road up the precipitous side of a mountain top plateau to visit Neelkanth Temple, dating to 700AD, home of carvings both artistic and provocative. The way down affords a view of Mansarovar Lake, where a tranquil and leisurely floating lunch can be taken in the shadow of an abandoned fort, to the gentle lapping of the oarsmen’s strokes on the placid water. Another worthy half-day expedition, the deserted city of Bhangarh, allows wandering through ruins where 50,000 people once resided. Today it’s populated mostly by monkeys, who dart among the temple and palace on the hillside above. Ask for the guide Sita Ram, who can name every animal, plant, and ayurvedic remedy one encounters. His expert knowledge and great gentility add to the expedition. Amanbagh is a perfect place to celebrate pivotal life events like weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions. But one could dream up other compelling reasons to spend a week there. Rajasthan’s legendary marble quarries, known for signature white, green and red hues, lie within reach. There are miles of marble brokers on the main roads about 30 miles west, vast yards full of cut slabs and enormous blocks- a shopper’s dream if one, for example, sought that exotic commodity. Budget allowing, copter in directly to the hotel’s private helipad. This alleviates a ½ hour flight from New Delhi to Jaipur, followed by a 1½ hour drive to the property. The last 45 minutes of the drive out are memorably bone-shaking due to washed out sections of road from last year’s monsoons. But definitely go. This outstanding destination has so much to offer in the details, more cultural experiences than a single stay allows, a wonderful menu to suit any taste, yoga at sunrise, the remarkable classic Rajasthani jewelry available in the boutique, and a wise little owl, avatar of Laxmi- goddess of wealth, who sits in a tree next to the entryway watching over every guest who arrives.

Amanbagh

Ajabgarh

Alwar 301 027

Rajasthan INDIA

Tel +91 1465 223 333

www.amanresorts.com

amanbagh@amanresorts.com

Escape and renewal figure mightily at Ananda in the Himalayas, a destination spa situated on a lofty hill overlooking the river Ganges, near Rishikesh. First you have to get there, and that alone takes some commitment. You can ride the train up from Delhi to Haridwar, around 5 hours of grueling track, with 1st class often sold out, so reserve early and lower your expectations. (If your only choice is to ride in 2^nd class, keep your hands on your bags and don’t let them out of your sight. Foreigners are targeted on the trains as easy victims and valises can disappear in a second.) Alternately you could take a private car, an exhausting 6½ hour trek from Delhi, through miles of Muslim villages, then navigate a twisty mountainous pass through a state reserve, home to wild elephants which you don’t see. You will meet a lot of monkeys, who congregate on the roadsides waiting for handouts. Flights into the airport at Derha Dun are frequently cancelled, so short of private aircraft into that airport the best option is to charter your own helicopter from Delhi, which will follow the lazy path of the Ganges north, finally settling on a helipad just down the hill from the property, which is set within the confines of a maharajah’s estate above a forested gorge. The view of sacred river through the haze from that altitude evokes visions of ancient culture and wisdom, and complete separation from the accelerated world of big cities and throngs of humanity. This could be the ultimate destination spa in the world, if seasoned travel pundits and major publications are be to believed. Think of Ananda as a place to reflect , an uncrowded oasis and never rushed, where you quickly forget there are 73 rooms and 3 villas (which each have private pools and come with butlers) nestled among the conifers. People typically stay one week or longer. Guests often extend, in fact 70% of the property’s business are 10+ days. You will meet an unusually high number of single travelers, 35-50 years old, 60% from abroad, many of them women traveling alone. People seem to be doing a lot of networking. You may be at the time of your life when you are asking, “Is that all there is?” This could well be the place to find some answers.

Your stay commences with a consultation at the spa under the watchful scrutiny of an ayurvedic doctor, who will no doubt tell you to reduce intake of all the foods you like, and eat more of everything you’d rather not, advise you which spices and herbs are good for you, what body type you are. It’s a nice experience, though, talking about oneself for nearly an hour, and at the completion the doctor meets with Executive Chef Anup Gupta, and briefs him on your dietary profile. Thus surfaces the next dilemma, since the kitchen believes that while the cooking of foods is a ritual and a worship, you need not torture yourself unduly. Chef Gupta offers a prayer before a meal, “let this food do good for me,” and he will indulge your preferences. He visits your table, discusses the lunch or dinner, and then asks, “May I have your permission to cook for you?” His ulterior motive is to give his guests a lifestyle, which they take home with them after they go. This is a kitchen unafraid to dispense large portions , enlightened enough to list calorie and carb counts on the menu. A chef and waiter are assigned to each guest. You can attend twice-weekly sessions in Chef’s show kitchen, where he freely dispenses the secrets of his trade. Of course, it will be difficult to duplicate the flavor of his Eucalyptus wood fire grill. This kitchen does excellent work, with both Western and traditional Indian fare.

The other cornerstone of the Ananda experience will be your visit to the spa. The extensive and modern facility spreads out over 3 levels adjoining the pool area, and offers every imaginable iteration of ayurvedic treatments, from full body massages and clinical hydrotherapy to heated oil dripped over the forehead and things so exotic you will need a good hour to read through the menu of offerings, an embarrassment of choice. Be bold, daring, adventurous and you will be rewarded. The spa is committed to ethical values, and strives to be as green and sustainable as it can, using mostly locally sourced herbs and oils and minerals, including a range of outstanding products. There’s a palpable humanism present, and a high pampering quotient made possible by a staff of 75 devoted spa professionals.

Daily yoga ought to figure in any visit, and it’s available at a variety of levels from gentle beginner stuff to private hard-core instruction. Weather permitting, you can get oriented with a 7am class outdoors in a lovely amphitheatre, or you may be fortunate enough to catch a session in one of the lofty rooms of the palace up the hill. To fill out your itinerary, you might audit Vedanta lectures. Recently Shri Ronan, senior disciple of Swami Parthsarthy, acted as guru-in-residence, and conducted a series on topics relevant to finding fulfillment in the lives we lead. As if that is not enough, you could study Ayurveda, do some serious meditation, avail yourself of the 6-hole golf course, set a fitness regimen, or delve into past life regression. Or take some unforgettable side trips to a temple at the snow line of the Himalayas, trekking through local reserves in the company of expert guides, seek the blessings of local swamis, or journey down into Rishikesh to wander among the pilgrims, and end your day with a sunset ceremony on the banks of the Ganges.

While management positions the property as a place for de-stress, detox, purification, anti-aging, or weight management, there is a deeper level of experience to be found. Ananda in the Himalayas has a splendid isolation, miles away from the commodified world of commercial spas. You have made a major journey to an ancient spiritual capital, the birthplace of yoga, where guests regard the time taken as a necessity, a place for recharging the batteries, for reconsidering the meaning of life, and for finding the strength to go forward. Highly recommended.

Ananda in the Himalayas

The Palace Estate

Narendra Nagar, Thhri Garhwal

Uttrakhand 249 175

INDIA

Tel +91 1378 227 500

www.anandaspa.com

sales@anandaspa.com

The greatest dilemma with travel in India comes in two areas: The first concerns transit, the simple fact of getting from one place to the next. Connections are often problematic, or filled with cultural obstacles that aren’t easily understood. These might be as mundane as getting stuck in your vehicle on a country road somewhere in the thick of an endless line of cars, all waiting for a traffic accident to clear at a remote railway crossing; going through the arcane protocols of multiple baggage checks at a secondary airport; negotiating for a taxi back to your hotel; choosing the right inter-city flight; or the simple process of finding the right train platform, then coach, then seat at the Delhi station. The second comes in selecting the right guides, destinations and lodging which fit your individual preferences.

The key in India is to work with an expert firm who create exclusive itineraries and personalized travel experiences. This is an indispensible part of the process. Delhi-based Travelscope India pays personal attention to each traveler, and brings a wealth of insider knowledge gleaned from years of working in this fascinating market. The firm has created customized itineraries for things as exotic as elephant trips from city-to-city to archaeological tours, and their expertise reaches into all corners of the subcontinent. Mohan and his staff of travel specialists can handle any requests with the optimum of efficiency, aplomb, insider knowledge and a real human touch. This dimension of involvement can make the difference between a trip that is simply memorable or one that is memorably outstanding.

Travelscope India

118, DLF Qutab Plaza, DLF City, Phase-1

Gurgaon 122 002 NCR of Delhi

INDIA

+91 124 438 1801

www.travelscopeindia.com

contact@travelscopeindia.com

www.travelscopeindia.blogspot.com

An Interwoven Tale, Part II
















Readers of these ramblings may recall the account of an odyssey to the Hebrides of Scotland in August 2007, following the footsteps of Johnson and Boswell (see http://smoss-endlessroad.blogspot.com/2007/09/interwoven-tale-part-i-in-late-summer.html). There a coat length of real Harris tweed was purchased at the Kenneth MacKenzie Mills in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. The tweed eventually found its way to the premises of John Pearse in Soho, London in February 2008, where measurements were taken, and the venerable process of custom tailoring a bespoke jacket began. (The archaic term 'bespoke' refers to the practice of first buying the cloth before it is actually made into a garment: the cloth was said to be spoken for, and thus could not be taken by anyone else.) While jackets can be made up in a matter of weeks, owing to the itnieraries of the client, this finished garment was delivered in August 2008, but well worth the six-month wait.
Mr. Pearse's minimalist shop, a few steps from Saville Row, is an oasis of contemporary style mixed with traditional standards of fine tailoring. There's a selection of Pearse-created ready-made suits, jackets, coats, shirts, caps and pajamas on hand, but John is best-known for superior made-to-measure, both for ladies and gents. In addition to cutting a very fine, fitted silhouette, his jackets often sport eccentric, colorful and idiosyncratic linings. For the tweed jacket Mr. Pearse located a printed silk of newspaper headlines from the 1968 Paris student demonstrations, a perfect match ideologically for the jacket's intended wearer. With the leftover cloth he cut a beautifully finished vest. As always, the details shine, the angle and placement of pockets, the drape of the shoulder, the slight curve of the waist, even the color of stitching on button holes becomes an aspect of perfection.
The joy of working with a master tailor cannot be overstated. Pearse's creations do not come cheap. Your patience is required. These are garments which last a lifetime, cut to the client's unique dimensions, built to bring out the best of the wearer and the beauty of the cloth. The first time you don a jacket made just for you, the irrefutable pleasure of wearing a singular personalized object comes close to a true sense of all which is sublime.

John Pearse
6 Meard Street
W1F OEG
London UK
tel:020 7434 0738
fax: 020 7287 3862
jp@johnpearse.co.uk
www.johnpearse.co.uk

David Kapp at Ruth Bachofner


I am a big fan of this artist, who only gets better and better as the years pass. Had the pleasure of visiting Kapp's latest installation of work completed in 2008 at the opening in Santa Monica last night, and found the canvases as durable and surprising as ever. His color palette evolves with deep layers of paint, scraped back, overpainted, rubbed out again, an archaeology in nuances of cool blues, greys, mauves, taupes, contrasted by piercing stabs of oranges and reds. The theme image 'Sqaure Crowd' is a tour de force of gestural paint applied in large scale- too late to grab it, as it quickly sold- though 'Chinatown (Age of Man) a 60 x 48" allegory has seductive content and some racy visual wit along with an adventurous composition. There's a fine, small work just to the left of the entry, which could easily have been painted by an AbEx artist, if it didn't have the solid trappings of figuration. Mostly it's a color field painting in modest scale, and a super bargain for a work by one who counts NYC's Metropolitan Museum of Art as a collector. There's still time to look at the show, which stays up until February 21.


Ruth Bachofner Gallery specializes in contemporary art.
2525 Michigan Avenue, Suite G2
in the Bergamot Station Art Center, Santa Monica, California
(adjacent to Santa Monica Museum of Art)
Telephone: 310-829-3300
www.ruthbachofnergallery.com

Humble Pie

England’s staggering expense can overwhelm the dollar-bearing tourist, so any foodie experience combining parsimony and adventure make the UK all the more delectable. Franco Manca, a storefront pizza joint just opened in London’s Brixton Market on the south side of the Thames, serves up an amazing, delicious, authentic and totally organic Neopolitan-style pizza for £5.40 ($10.50US), well worth a visit. You’ve got to call this a bargain unequalled in central London, where a mediocre slice could set you back the same amount or more, with no local color and maybe a bellyache for dessert. It sounds hard to get to, but Brixton is quite easily reached by Tube- simply head south on the lite blue Victoria Line to the last stop (Brixton Station). This takes maybe 20 minutes max from Green Park tube station. Walk out of the tube, turn left, then take the first left into the open air market lane where vendors hawk all manner of wares, then the first right into a narrow street, and then the first left in to the covered arcade called Market Row, clearly marked. Not difficult, actually quite accessible, and an adventure into the wild and wooly market- not a genteel, chi-chi destination, more of a foodie Mecca where the perfect balance of tomato, garlic, oregano, capers, olive, anchovy and mozzarella settle happily onto a perfectly-executed crust, hand-made by real Italians. You can quaff local brew, or try the home-made organic lemonade, an ideal accompaniment. Young locals have discovered this place which offers top-quality flavor, honest ingredients, a great price and a bohemian atmosphere a stone’s throw from Central London.

Also, see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/sep/21/restaurants.foodanddrink1

Franco Manca

Sourdough Pizza

Unit 4, Market Row

London SW9 8LD

Tel 020 7738 3021

Multiple Energies in Mumbai

Mumbai means business, and so does the new Four Seasons Hotel, opened barely a month ago in the up and coming Worli district, in the city they used to call Bombay. When the property goes fully on-line in September, the 33-story structure dominating the skyline will feature 202 top-grade luxury suites of uncompromising comfort and quality, catering to the international business traveler, and celebrating the awakening of India’s global aspirations. What an impressive property this newcomer is.

The lodging aspect tracks with the established Four Seasons style of over-the-top comfort. Much thought has been put into these quarters, with memorable and unexpected details like loaner books and top-grade Darjeeling teas hand-selected by GM Armando Kraenzlin, placed in each room. Tea and silk, accented by warm woods, café au lait marble baths, L’Occitane amenities, glass-walled rain showers, soothing light and rich tapestries enhance the sensual package. Both business and leisure travelers stopping over will find extreme comfort in these, the largest guest accommodations in Mumbai.

Because of the hotel’s excellent situation in the geographical center of Mumbai, any room boasts astonishing views of the city. Outside the hotel windows hawks ride the thermals in the stifling mid-day heat, sometimes to the background sounds of the call to prayer from a nearby mosque. West-facing rooms overlook the Arabian Sea, where whitecaps roll in and break dramatically along the curvaceous waterfront. South-facing rooms have panoramic angles on the Mahalaxmi Race Course and the teeming business district. The most spectacular vistas will be found from the Presidential Suite, a 3,336 square foot aerie with private elevator, configured to expand up to a 3-bedroom apartment if needed.

Dazzling public spaces have just the right variety. There’s a comfortable vaulted lobby lounge with a full bar, illuminated by backlit marble, ideal for casual business conversation. Off to the left is the entrance to the molto moderna Prato Italian restaurant, which doubles as a bustling breakfast room. Its very authentic menu transports you to the Mediterranean, through a creative array of innovative and flavorful interpretations executed by Chef Matteo Arvonio. He’s backed up by the endlessly intriguing work of Chef Patissier Thierry Methee, whose gateaux and cakes never cease to delight- hot tip: available for take-out, an added bonus. Behind the bar you will find Prato’s spacious terrace: the hotel has a removable window system which installs during the oppressively humid monsoon season, thus maintaining a constant and comfortable climate-controlled temperature year-round.

The real centerpiece of pubic spaces is the adjacent San-Qi (“Three Energies”) restaurant, an outstanding fusion concept with its own separate entrance, which brings together under one roof the best of Indian, Asian and Japanese cuisines, housed in a spectacular bi-level restaurant, ringed by a variety of opulent private dining spaces. These windowed rooms and the very desirable eight-seat Chef’s Table are prime locations for theatrical culinary entertainments, especially those involving live cooking. The partnering of three top-notch chefs (think: The Three Tenors, except with food) is a brilliant stroke, allowing a confluence of wisdom and tradition which delivers a striking array of tastes. Try the signature dumplings called “momos”, or the Indian thali-style platter, or anything sushi. This restaurant steps into the marketplace as a premier dining and entertaining destination in the city, featuring power lunches built for speed and simplicity, opulent dinner options, and even a Sunday brunch ideal for families.

A business hotel needs to provide more than bedrooms and dining, and this Four Seasons has a state-of-the-art business center equipped with wood-paneled conference rooms and comfortable workstations augmented by an accessories box next to each monitor, staples, tape, pens, paperclips, the stuff you always need that you always forget to bring along. Details like these make the difference between just-plain-great and extraordinary properties. After you sleep, eat, meet and send your emails, some healthy endeavor sounds like a worthwhile alternative. Here the Four Seasons does not disappoint, with a stylish outdoor pool terrace; owing to its newness it’s a favored location for fashion shoots, so wear your shades and coolest swim togs. You can avail yourself of morning awakening and evening enlightenment yoga sessions in the Chi Studio, under the direction of Dr. Kannan, in-house ayurvedic guru. There’s also a Rossano Ferretti hair salon, and a complete day spa occupying two stories of light-filled space, where guests can savor a bevy of treatments aimed at wellness, rejuvenation and wellbeing. Check out the VIP suite at the spa- and get ready for 500 square feet of major pampering. For the truly adventurous the hotel offers a guided mountain bike tour of Worli, a total immersion into the sights, sounds and occasional smells of the neighborhood.

How do you build a property offering such a complete package? You begin with experienced management who possess career dedication to the craft of hospitality. Four Seasons has posted a team of their most talented executives to Mumbai for the launch of this, their first property to open on the subcontinent. Next, you hire and develop young staff from the local area, and impart to them a corporate style which emphasizes the highest standards. In the process you generate a real family feel, which every employee interaction successfully communicates. Finally, you pay attention to local sensitivities, backed up by meaningful community involvement.

Mumbai is primarily a business hub, not a tourist destination. Though it is known as the gateway to Goa most visitors arrive to do business. Abundant shopping, nightlife, eating, the excitement of the racetrack or perhaps a Bollywood studio tour can round out the activity package. Ask the concierge. You might even score a ride in GM Kraenzlin’s spiffy red Ambassador Avigo, and really attract some attention.

Four Seasons has spent years perfecting skills in meeting the unique demands of top-tier business travelers, and here one finds the first class standards one expects from the brand. Repeat guests understand the benefits: easier business travel, more rewarding leisure travel. Which explains what inspires such incredible cross-property loyalty whatever the location.

Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai

114 Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli

Mumbai 400 018, India

Tel +91 22 2481 8050

Fax +91 22 2481 8177

www.fourseasons.com/mumbai

reservations.mumbai@fourseasons.com

Authentic and Indian
When hotels in France are awarded stars to indicate their quality, the guest welcome -what the French call l'acceuil- figures greatly in the final evaluation. If this were the test in India, Shanti Home, a boutique hotel set in a residential quarter in West Delhi, would easily get the top rating of 5 stars. Operated by former hospitality professionals who understand what intrepid wanderers crave the most, this mid-range property is a warm outpost, both traditional and real, away from the horrors of the road. It is one where your visit begins with a sincere welcome which sets the tone for the entire stay. Here the weary traveler discovers everything good about the Bed & Breakfast model, enhanced with 24-hour room service and a cozy spa. You quickly find comforting human touches you would never get at an Oberoi property where you could easily pay five times the money every night and never feel the soul of India. But don't expect that weird, opportunistic, sucking-up behavior the big chains seem to always provide with their high-cost lodgings. Vagabonds suffering from the malady called monolithic hotel fatigue will find that Shanti Home offers true relief.

What are some of the differences?
It's smaller, only 17 rooms, so few in number they don't even bother with numbers, using names drawn from Indian culture and geography. You're only obliged to remember which of the 4 levels your room is, and punch the appropriate elevator button. This also means the staff to guest ratio of 1:1.5 insures attentive service and security. It's comfortable, modern, clean and spacious, an excellent value at US$125-175 per night.
The rooftop terrace restaurant features home cooking. Chef Adil Khan faithfully recreates his mother's traditional recipes with the utmost affection and accuracy. His range of breads are a brilliant discovery, always perfect. While the kitchen offers Western-style dishes, there's such a beautiful variety of traditional fare it could keep your palate busy for a long time. Stay with the Indian food, and graze the menu.



The decor is authentic, interesting, eclectic, varied, much of it custom-made for the hotel. Here is a hotel which values local craft, and has drawn its decor from every corner of the Indian subcontinent. It's all in the details, like an authentic elephant's headpiece or stills from Bollywood classics, unique ceramics and wood carvings or an armoire made from an antique temple door.

There's a no-tipping policy, so service people won't hang around after an interaction, palm upraised. If you are so moved to tip, tips are shared by all at Shanti Home- you simply discreetly put what you want into one of two ceramic duck banks, which can be found at reception or at the restaurant. If you want to tip, owner Rajat Verma says, "feed the duck."
There are no televisions, except for a big plasma screen in the 2nd floor theatre. This escape from the oppressive and omnipresent media makes the hotel environment all the more peaceful. A property for readers, not watchers. But there are also loaner laptops in the public spaces, and free wi-fi throughout the property so one does not feel digitally isolated.



It's located in West Delhi- and why would anyone choose a property there? For openers it's quiet. Your correspondent stayed in a perfectly acceptable chrome-and-marble business hotel in East of Kalish for about $25 a night more. It fronted the metro construction site, meaning constant traffic noise and dust. Had to ask for a room on the back side of the property. All the rooms at Shanti Home are tranquil. And West Delhi isn't Siberia, just the opposite from what the travel agents want you to believe. The hotel sits only 20 minutes from the airport, and 40 minutes by car from downtown. The Uttam Nagar metro station lies 300m from Shanti Home, and it will get you all the way to Connaught Place without any fumes or horns or potholes or beggars in about 20 minutes, no hassles about the driver parking and waiting. This is both a sustainable act, not to mention a great convenience, especially at a maximum fare of Rs.14, about US 35 cents each way. The Delhi metro is modern, clean, efficient and cheap. Unlike the chi-chi competitors, Shanti Home provides a metro map in your welcome package- and on the back of the sheet are helpful Hindi phrases, something not ordinarily seen at other hotels in Delhi.
The hotel can issue you a loaner mobile phone for your use while in town. This means you will never get lost, or be too far from an instant consultant-concierge. Simply hit the autodial and you may reach the ever-reliable Pooja at the front desk. She can negotiate anything.

Let's be perfectly clear: Shanti Home isn't a luxury property. But it has all the trappings: en suite baths, abundant hot water, big towels, great ayurvedic soaps, a nice restaurant, efficient room service, and management can arrange anything from a day at the Taj Mahal to a motorcycle tour of the South. It's certainly secure, and caters mostly to leisure travelers. The hotel doesn't advertise in flashy glam publications, building its healthy repeat business by word of mouth. If you like the aloof and antiseptic style of super-high-end hospitality, and rubbing shoulders with entitled tourists traveling with excess attitude, then go elsewhere.
But the little pleasures and human touches of this lovely property are the secret surprises: you might stumble upon a sitar lesson in progress in the second floor lounge, or spontaneously join a yoga class. Or simply relax up on the terrace poised on a soft cushion and sip one of Chef Khan's deletable mango lhassis as the breezes pick up and the sky turns ruby to orange to saffron, to the strains of a night raga. It is then that you will know you have arrived in the true India.

Shanti Home
A-1/300, Janakpuri
New Delhi 100 058
Tel +91 11 4157 3366
contact@shantihome.com
www.shantihome.com

At the intersection
of land and sky


July 18 and 19th the Rocket Mavericks Foundation hosted its second annual Competition in the Black Rock dry lakebed, about 2 1/2 hours northeast of Reno, Nevada, in the same general area Burning Man is held.









It's a rough-and-tumble affair, where grizzled and not-so-grizzled rocketeers truck their privately built devices out to the open spaces and fire them into the sky, sometimes as high as 100,000 feet, high enough to record the curvature of the earth on little webcams that instantly transmit photos back to earth. The whole thing has to be cleared with the FAA and the BLM beforehand, and the monument has what they call a "leave no trace" policy, meaning everything you bring in you are obliged to bring out. If the friendly ranger finds any sign of transgression he gleefully writes a big fat ticket. The Mavericks assemble an RV city, an instant camp that during the baking hot day, under an intense sun, hums with people at tables putting together strange electronics, vehicles rushing about the lakebed kicking up dust clouds, and the occasional moment when the whole camp freezes, absolute silence and the guy with the red button starts a countdown everybody can hear, "5-4-3-2-1." Then out to the north comes a crackling gutteral roar as the engine ignites and for a few brief seconds you catch the slender shape kick up a cloud of dust and head skyward, borne atop a brilliant flame.

Higher she climbs out of sight, until someone spots her floating down, parachutes unfurling. Later when the rocket cools they drive out to retrieve it wherever it fell, in whatever shape it lands. Some come back souvenirs, others live to fly another day. At dusk another atmosphere envelops the camp as worktables shut down -except for those about to do a night launch, of which there are fewer- and as the sun sets over a distant mountain range the fires are lit and the bravado kicks into high gear. For the faint of heart who don't mind a drive of 30 minutes over the dry lake, rudimentary hotel rooms can be booked at Bruno's Motel in nearby Gerlach at around US$60/night. The desert's splendid isolation and the 360 degrees of sky make this remarkable. But it's the cast of characters who contribute to the madness that makes this experience an extraordinary one. To view a souvenir booklet documenting the event go to http://community.shutterfly.com/gallery/post/start.sfly?postId=/gallery/1/post/GMGDFgxaOG7hszZg7QXjMy. For more information see www.rocketmavericks.com

Delhi in Stitches

A ‘To-Do’ List in Delhi runs not very long. Guides will drag you to government buildings, monuments, craft markets set up for the tourist trade and where the guides collect commissions, tombs, mosques, temples, gardens, and Old Delhi, all easily ticked off in 2-3 days. You can spend time in the world-class art museum, home to an astounding and exhausting amount of traditional artifact, but fatigue from so much good stuff quickly sets in. People go to the Indian capital city for government business- or just ‘passing through’ en route to other destinations in the North. So, how to spend the long zones between running here and there, mostly confined to private vehicles? Eat, shop, or visit the tailor.

Tailoring is a bargain in India, owing to the low cost of labor, or what is locally referred to as “stitching.” India also boasts remarkable, reasonable home-grown textiles, excellent silks, linens, wools, fine cottons and cottage industry cloth of traditional woven patterns. Recently producers even introduced new ayurvedic fabrics, infused with therapeutic herb dyes. Typically the tailoring customer buys the cloth first, then pays additionally for the stitching. The prices beat Hong Kong, Thailand and Korea by miles, with the level of skill often on par. While one needs to look carefully at the aspect of workmanship –specifically thinner threads used for the finishing- the fast turnaround and Saville Row style of cutting makes New Delhi a sweet surprise for the sartorially sensitive. Most top-tier hotels have in-house tailor shops, but prices there can be competitive to similar establishments in other big cities in the world. The best strategy is to find an established local tailor at one of the traditional markets. The other insider trick: copying your own favorite garments which you bring along for the ride.

Perhaps the best custom-made clothing value in Delhi can be found at Grover Cloth House, located at the Khan Market. A family business for over 30 years, Om Prahesh Grover, his brother, son Bobby and nephew operate a low-key shop with an excellent reputation. For surprisingly reasonable prices most garments can be made up overnight. Grover’s client list includes top Indian politicians, Chelsea Clinton and family, Cherie Blair, CNN correspondents, and even President Bush and his entourage. A recent price list for stitching: Gentleman’s Jacket Rs 3000 (US$72); Suit Rs 3500 (US$84); Trousers Rs 550 (US $14); Shirt Rs 300 (US$7.20). The shop stocks a fine assortment of cloths for shirting and suiting- remember that this is an additional charge to the stitching! Material for suitings can cost $16/m and up, shirtings begin at $10/m. Figure a length of 3.25m for a suit, 1.25m for trousers, 1.8-2.5m for shirts, depending on the width of the cloth.

One other lovely detail at Grover is a vast selection of silk and pashmina scarves, all at excellent prices. These low-cost, low-weight, low-volume items make superb gifts, easily transported home in the bottom of your traveling bag. But it is the custom-made garments that really satisfy, both for their uniqueness and quality. In a world of mass-production, what greater pleasure than wearing something made specially for you, to your own measurements in a matter of hours, an enduring souvenir from a romantic and exotic foreign capital?

Grover Cloth House

47A, Khan Market

New Delhi 110003

+91 9810026788

grovers_tailors@yahoo.co.in