Even after a decade of being in existence, the Raintree Hotel sits inconspicuously on the quiet, tree-lined St. Mary’s Road in Alwarpet. Popular with long-stay guests, the hotel, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary in July, was recently given a complete design overhaul, from the lobby to the restaurants and the 109 rooms as well.
Managing director C. Subba Reddy has a soft spot for this property. “It was our first hotel, and so is very special to us. As a boutique hotel, we wanted the space to reflect the city, and so our new decor was chosen based on that,” he says.
And so the lobby has wide glass windows to let in the sunshine that’s abundant in Chennai and wooden floors. The bar counter has glass jars filled with biscuits and murukus , just like in the neighbourhood kirana shops. In Colony, their multi-cuisine restaurant on the ground floor, one wall has been converted into a crockery cabinet lined with bright yellow and orange Madras checks. The print is repeated on the furniture in their rooftop restaurant, Above Sea Level.
A unique aspect of the redesigned hotel is that there is a more residential feel to it than is usually felt in a five-star hotel. The designer, Jeffrey A. Wilkes, who has worked on several international projects, explains, “Earlier, the space was chopped up into lobby, bar, lounge and restaurant. It was a simple hotel. We wanted a backdrop that allowed things to change. We first united the spaces. Now when you enter the lobby, there is a front desk to one side, but then the space meanders. There is a spot to rest, and then the curved stairs take you to the lounge where you are can have a coffee or a cocktail. The lift lobby is now part of the space. And it all opens up to the restaurant. Upstairs in the rooms, we added some bold fabric on the wall; again, because India is full of colour, and to see a big piece of textile stretched on the wall just makes you feel good.”
The hotel also boasts a couple of works by Chennai artist K. R. Santhanakrishnan, known for his doorway paintings. An installation by artist Anamika V. uses the traditional spice box, or anjarai petti to showcase things that define Chennai.
Swetha Reddy, executive director of Raintree, says that it was quite a challenge to run the hotel in the five months it took to complete the renovation. She adds, “But it was also a lot of fun, especially shopping for items to add to the decor. We picked up the brass tiffin carriers and kodams in Mylapore as well as the traditional pickle jars. It was like launching a new hotel!”
The Raintree is located at 120, St Mary's Road, Alwarpet