Elgin Fairlawn

Top choice in Kolkata (Calcutta)


The elegant Raj-era Fairlawn bungalow dates back to 1783, and the charmingly mothballed hotel that ran here since 1936 has recently been taken over by a luxury hotel group. Renovation is still in progress, and involves retaining all its antiquities and marrying them with requisite touches of modern creature comforts. The tropical greenery fronting the building adds to the appeal.

The hotel counts Patrick Swayze, Sting, Dominique Lapierre and Günter Grass among its celebrity guests – see their photos hanging with countless other precious moments frozen from the past in the central hall.