A major new build project located in a rapidly developing district near the airport, the hotel is designed as a luxury hotel for business travellers. Francesca Basu of Francesca Basu Designs devised the complete interior design programme from establishing the footprint of the building to site supervision, FF&E and art selection

Part of the client's brief was to give the hotel a sense of location and history, to be distinquishable from any number of anonymous hotel interiors worldwide.

With such a cultural mix in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and so many influences, ethnic and religious over the years no single tradition can be pinpointed.

The designer's starting point was to research and photograph around Mumbai looking at the colours and architecture of the region. The resultant interior schemes celebrate the history of Bombay incorporating elements from its past including British, Maratha, Gujerat, Parsee and Goan cultures and the hotel takes its name from the Maratha, a dynasty in western India.

Aim to surprise
There is no visible evidence from the exterior of the atrium, so the aim was to surprise guests when they come upon this huge courtyard style atrium complete with a replica domed Gateway of India, the landmark of Bombay. The ceiling in reception was deliberately kept as low as possible to maximise the dramatic change in volume on entering the atrium.

Guests exiting bedrooms onto corridors overlooking atria usually suffer a lack of privacy. Here the atrium balconies are partially screened with a decorative fretwork and shutter treatment allowing a view over the atrium but providing privacy to the guest rooms. Upper levels have the fretwork pattern etched in glass to provide a safety screen.

The hotel has five guest floors with some 400 rooms. Public areas include the Atrium, Reception Lobby, two Indian Restaurants, a Lebanese Restaurant, a Pan-Asian (multi-oriental show kitchen) Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Bar, Conservatory Tea Lounge, Banquet Hall, Pre-Function, Business Centre, Meeting Rooms, Retail Arcade and a luxury Health Club and Spa.

The hotel within
There are three types of guestrooms each with two colour schemes. Tower rooms are on the first three floors with separate lounge dedicated to guests. Grand on the fourth and Luxury the fifth. These two floors also have their own private lounge, fine dining, and a high level of separate meeting and corporate facilities. Almost an hotel within an hotel.

Development Team:

Designer:
Francesca Basu Designs Ltd

Architect:
RTKL, Los Angeles

Main Contractor:
Larsen and Toubro

Photographer:
Ram Rahaman