Anything that comes with the ?heritage? tag in Bangalore gives on goosebumps, seeing how the city loves to consign its past to oblivion. The Jayamahal Palace Hotel- an icing sugar-white miniature castle complete with turreted parapets, a royal standard and sprawling grounds- is a lovely anomaly in the traffic-choked heart of the Cantonment. It was apparently built only a century ago by then British Resident, Sir James Austin Bourdillon, though no one can actually confirm that. What is known is that it passed into the hands of the Wodeyars of Mysore who, just after Independence, sold it to Maharaja Bhojraji of Gondal, a princely state in Gujarat. (The wives of the two Maharajas were sisters so it stayed in the family.)



The Gondals used it as their summer retreat till the withdrawal of the privy purses put a stop to such royal indulgences. Up to a couple of years ago it was one of Bangalore's best-known secrets-a crumbling palace hidden behind acres of jungle, out of whose lounge some persevering soul ran a makeshift restaurant for those who enjoyed their beer in a decadent setting. Then the Gondals, who'd earlier converted two of their Gujarati palaces into heritage properties, got to work on Jayamahal.

The results give Bangalore something to be proud about in the heritage hotel department, even through the fa?ade is more heritage than the interiors while some of the older architectural features like a broad teakwood staircase, parquet flooring, wooden rafters, and stained glass windows remain, the rooms themselves have not been redesigned with any particular heritage concept in mind. One of the suites has a giant jhoola and animal murals on the walls but that apart these are much like anonymous luxury hotel suites anywhere. Except for their dimensions, which are based on and older, much more liberal sense of space. The bathrooms especially are vast.

What is also heritage is the lookout. Each suite opens onto a different aspect of the grounds and most have spacious balconies from which to take in the view. This alone is an excellent reason to stay in Jayamahal palace Hotel-ensconced in your room you will hear nothing but silence and birdsong and see nothing but green, green, green. Surely, few centrally located hotels in Indian metros can compete.

Since the palace itself has room only for 11 suites, the major addition has been a new wing with ?standard rooms? slung along two corridors. These are naturally less charming and also much smaller but, thankfully, most of them face the gardens.

As for the food, jayamahal's open-air restaurant seems to only increase in popularity despite (or maybe because of) its standard North Indian-Chinese with passing reference to Continental. This is one of the best places in the city for an al fresco drink.

There are other small ways in which Jayamahal could improve. It's shame if the toiletries in such a gorgeous hotel aren't quite fresh, for instance.

THE INFORMATION

LOCATION: - Jayamahal Road, Bangalore. ACCOMMODATION 26 standard rooms; 4 deluxe rooms; 4luxury suites; 3 royal suits

TARIFF: - Standard room $110; deluxe room Rs. $125; luxury suite $175; royal suite $200, (exclusive of taxes but inclusive of breakfast.) But not fixed.

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