13th January 2017
The Lalit London, the first overseas property from 11-strong luxury hotel portfolio of Lalit Suri Hospitality Group is opening a £50 million venue in Tooley Street, near Tower Bridge.
The Grade II listed property was designed by Edward Mountford (who also designed the Old Bailey) has also housed St Olave’s Grammar School and Lambeth College.
Each of the 70 guestrooms will be different in design and layout, but all use of traditional fabrics and fine Indian materials and artefacts. Bedrooms on the top floor – boast 30-foot high ceilings. The Headmaster’s Room has been transformed into a luxury suite, whilst the former Governors’ Room is now a cocktail bar with an elaborate plaster ceiling. The former Great Hall has had its timber panelling, vaulted ceiling and gallery restored, to provide the backdrop for Baluchi – the pan-Indian restaurant.
The restaurant menu will feature a diverse selection of flavours from many Indian regions, including Kashmir, Bengal, Kerala and Goa. Dishes will include suroor e shorba (Keralan-style lobster bisque with coconut and cognac), and phalahaar (melon, blood orange, pink lady, fresh figs, grapefruit and carom seeds with honey dressing). The kitchen will be headed by executive chef Arup Dasupta using ingredients from far-flung destinations such as Kashmiri Gucchi mushrooms from the foothills of the Himalayas, alongside a selection of teas from the Tea Lounge in Kolkata. The venue, will also feature a bread bar – the Naanery – and the Baluchi Gallery, which will offer “traditional English tea-time snacks with an Indian twist”, such as Bangla-Scotch egg with kasundi relish and Punjabi samosas.
The hotel will also featureo Rejuve – The Spa, offering holistic experiences including aroma, ayurvedic, herbal and natural therapies, patented colour healing and yoga.