OH! CALCUTTA!
Once the British Raj’s seat of power, the city of Kolkata in West Bengal has long since lost its political and economic clout but it retains its chaotic charm and reputation as a cultural and literary powerhouse. With few upscale lodgings available, travellers can look forward to the opening late this year of the nine-room The Penthouse, near the Victoria Memorial. The Prakash family, owners of Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling, are transforming the top two floors of a new glass office block into a highly personalised hotel with a spa, rooftop pool and eatery. Follow a stay here with a trip to Rajbari Bawali, a stunning 31-room boutique hotel opened last year in a former palace about 30 kilometres from Kolkata in West Bengal’s rural hinterland. thepenthousecalcutta.com; therajbari.com>