Matthan Hotel, Bangalore

When I informed friends that I was coming to Bangalore， sigh， Bangalore， and staying at a newly opened hotel called Matthan， I evoked a bit of a flurry. Located right opposite the opulent Leela Palace on the old Airport Road， the facade of this hotel with elements of Indian architecture had apparently ignited curiosity in many.

I realised why， as soon as my car rolls into the porch. The romantically lit and ornately carved pillars add some drama to the exterior. The smart reception hardly prepares you for what lies ahead. I check-in， and walk through to find myself in a dramatic atrium. The white sand and blue water body， lit up under a clear glass cover， make for an amazing floor design in the central courtyard. I can almost see this space come alive to concerts and smart events. I am informed that eventually it will have an open bar with beer on the tap.

I take the glass lift to my floor， which gives me a lovely view of the atrium while zipping up. I am in an executive room. It is simple and elegant， but the oriental drama comes in the form of an oversized red couch. What I like is the picture window that adds a nice sense of space to the otherwise small room. The reading lights above the bed are extremely elegant. They are the slim and smart ones that are used with most business class seats of airlines with a nozzle that can be tilted， swivelled and adjusted.

The hotel is particularly proud of its 24/7 coffee shop called ‘20 Char’. Executive Chef Thomas runs a spanking state-of-the-art kitchen with clear cut work stations for every cuisine that he offers. There is also a bakery offering mouth-watering items. I am delighted with the expansive south Indian menu on offer. It is heartbreaking to be in a particular part of the country and not get good food from the area. I feel suicidal when the options on a hotel menu tilt towards pasta and pizza in a land of excellent rasam， sambhar， pandi curry and dosas， but Chef Thomas， with his years in Trivandrum， Kochi and Bangalore， dishes out some authentic and aromatic south Indian fare. He offers the full menu all through the night as well. So you can actually party till wee hours， walk into ‘20 Char’ to grab a complete， fresh hot meal， not just burgers and club sandwiches. Now that’s something to definitely come here for.

I walk into the ‘Wat Bar’ and it is like stepping into another era. The massive heads found at the Bayon temple at Angkor Thom stare back at me through an ultra blue haze of mood lighting. Traditional Indian elements fuse with stylish modern aesthetics making for a very unusual atmosphere. The architecture is inspired by Cambodian elements and these aesthetics gives it a royal edge with a trendy twist.

The hotel currently comes equipped with a fitness centre， but an outdoor pool will be ready soon. The concierge can also arrange for a round of golf at the various courses in the area. The Matthan hotel joins a list of Worldhotels affiliates in the country and this 5-star business hotel is the debut hospitality venture of food and beverage operator Sterling’s Mac Group. Very interesting expansion plans are on the card and this is a group to watch out for.