NEW DELHI: The Centaur Hotel, located near Indira Gandhi International Airport, will shut operations on October 31 as the government has directed its owner, Hotel Corporation of India, an Air India subsidiary, to hand over the land to Airports Authority of India for expansion of the airport.
A landmark of the national capital, the hotel was among the iconic buildings, stadia and flyovers that came up in Delhi in 1982, when the city hosted the Asian Games.
Constructed in a record 18 months to open before the Games, the 376-room business-cum-leisure facility is remembered by old-timers for its world-class hospitality, though in recent times it has earned negative reviews from visitors, scoring 1.5 stars out of 5 on travel rating website Tripadvisor.“Before Centaur came up, passengers were either left stranded at the airport or they would be given taxi fare to go back home,” recalls Atul Gupta, who patronised the hotel for long.
Gupta, president of the Architects Association, Noida zone, becomes a little emotional talking about his favourite hotel. Centaur was his first experience of a five-star hotel.“The year was 1991, when I was travelling to Singapore and my flight was cancelled. It was a Malaysian Airline flight which broke down at Karachi and we were shifted to Centaur Hotel. It was only there that I could call my sister in Singapore, who was worried sick as I hadn’t reached her in time,” he said.
“The young generation does not relate with these icons of modernisation, but those of us who emerged from the middle class still remember our first flight, and that first visit to a five-star hotel. I remember when I first flew on India’s national carrier, Indian Airlines, and visited Centaur Delhi to have dinner with my family; I felt on top of the world. It is sad to know that the hotel is getting demolished,” said film-maker Atul Pandey, adding that there was an old-world charm associated with the hotel. “The food back then was simply amazing and service almost military-like,” he said.
For Gautam Anand, executive vice president, ITC Hotels, the Centaur Hotel was his first experience of a “real” club sandwich and ginger ale, at its coffee shop. “The hotel was a grandstand impression of what Air India was all about. The airline was being pushed as a grand endeavour and the hotel exemplified it,” he said.
Another admirer of the Centaur’s food is Aditya Ghildyal, who thinks it is unnecessary to shut the hotel and demolish it. “It has always been a fairly good hotel and the food was available at very reasonable rates. I don’t know why the government is closing it down,” said the president of Greater Noida Industries.
“Having been working with various airlines and aviation firms, I have frequently experienced Centaur Hotel’s services over the last 34 years in professional as well as personal events. I have always found it one of the best-managed hotels,” said aviation expert Sanjai Kumar.
“I loved spending time at the coffee shop and the Indian restaurant during my visits. It was the first five- star hotel near the airport, which made it convenient for travellers in transit and also for the layover passengers. The staff always seemed like an extended family as the hotel was the preferred choice for all family occasions. I wish they continue with the same spirit,” Kumar added.
The AI link
Air India, which has a tie-up with Centaur Hotel, will now have to look for alternative accommodation for its crew. For years AI has used the hotel to accommodate its staff and even passengers in case of overbooking, flight delays etc.
An icon bows away
Hotel Centaur will shut operations in October and make way for the expansion of the IGI Airport
With inputs from Chhavi Bhatia