3-Star Hotel "Sian: Spa and Resorts"

Project Location: Darjeeling, West Bengal

Project Architect: Ar. Sonam Tashi

Status: Complete

Client: Mr. Saseesh Agarwal

Interior + Exterior / Retreat Sian Resort and Spa 

Known for its sprawling tea gardens, roads and lanes, colonial history, toy train rides and so many more wonderful things, Darjeeling is among the most popular hill stations in India. The footfall of travellers coming in from all around the world creates a demand for hotels of all varieties in this little town. Our task here was an intriguing one: to design a hotel over an old school.

Situated in a busy area with dense, urban sprawl, the existing six-storeyed structure was to be renovated on a 40-45 degree slope. The cross section through the site was almost about 100-120 feet, a normal phenomenon in a  populated hill town like Darjeeling. Though the steep slope brought along its own set of challenges for construction, the advantage was that the buildings around the hotel wouldn’t hinder the view of the picturesque mountains around.  

Positioned in the heart of Darjeeling’s many splendours, the structure reflects the charms of the erstwhile Victorian-styled buildings around. The space has been organised into 39 rooms with a magnificent view, that provides its guests much more than mere accommodation. A 60-seater restaurant, a spillout lounge and a 2-storeyed bar for another 60 people, the space has been designed in a way that emphasises on the overall holiday experience. There is also a banquet hall for 200 people, attic rooms, coffee lounge, open deck lawn and guest parking. Each of the 39 rooms has a balcony along with a standard-sized attached toilet. The structure has been organised in a way for housing the staff comfortably.

Extending the last structure horizontally using an RCC frame in the first 3 floors, the interiors have been partitioned in a way exactly for a hotel building. Timber and plywood clad the interiors and the laminated wooden floors have been designed with the intention to exude warmth, in the cold hill town. Ceramic tiles and granite have been used sparingly in bathrooms and the staircase. Timber is also used for roofing the structure as well as for the sloped ceilings under the roof. These have also been adapted into the other architectural elements like the roof design, eaves board, the cast iron railings. 

Retaining an old-world charm for the modern traveller, a well-thought-out structure can even take the tourist travelling back in time in a space as this.