The legendary American hotel brand opened its first property in India, in Bangalore, and is hoping to extend its footprint to other locations.

Ritz Carlton, Bangalore

Ritz-Carlton finally debuted in India with a beautiful property in Bangalore’s toniest suburb – Residency Road, in the heart of the city’s downtown area.

Known across the world as a global IT hub, Bangalore is fast emerging as a luxury destination, thanks to the younger generation – many of them migrants to the city, who are employed in its burgeoning software industry. The city is also home to over 400 of the Top Fortune 500 companies, and has a vibrant fashion, art and cuisine scene.

The luxury hotel has 277 suites. The contemporary building embraces a host of traditional Indian architectural elements – like jaalis or lattice screens that allows for air circulation and for natural light to flow into the building, as well as archways, both elements borrowed from the Mughal era. There is also a liberal use of marble.

Ritz Carlton, Bangalore

A sweeping marble staircase is the centerpiece of the hotel. Coupled with beautiful paintings and sculptures, they define the hotel’s character. With 1,280 pieces of contemporary art from prominent artists, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore is home to the largest collection inside a hotel.

“We are redefining the international standard for luxury hospitality in India with a truly unique property in Bangalore,” says Herve Humler, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. “The hotel will bring our Ritz-Carlton service philosophy to life in this magical country, and blend it with traditional Indian hospitality to create memorable experiences for our guests. Our first hotel in India underlines our commitment to the Indian people who have long been supporters of our hotels overseas.”

Ritz Carlton, Bangalore

The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore has also introduced seven dining venues to the city, which are to be run by Michelin Star chef Anupam Banerjee. There is The Lantern, designed by Japanese interior designers, SuperPotato, a three-level restaurant that’s shaped like a glass Lantern. Authentic Chinese dim sum and cuisine from different provinces of China are served here. The Market all-day dining room, also created by SuperPotato, includes a wine room and private dining spaces for guests. And the signature fine dining restaurant Riwaz, designed by Peter Silling, translates tradition by serving authentic dishes from India’s North West Frontier in a contemporary space.

The city’s highest rooftop bar and sky lounge, Bang, enjoys sweeping views of the city. For that famous Ritz-Carlton Afternoon Tea service and cocktails, guests can head to the lobby lounge.

The hotel also has a Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, the first managed Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA in Bangalore, a Rossano Ferretti salon, and the city’s largest no-pillar ballroom also take center stage. Business facilities offered at the hotel include a range of meeting rooms featuring a 600-square-meter Ritz-Carlton Ballroom, one permanent boardroom and three function rooms with natural light.

Ritz Carlton, Bangalore

An urban resort oasis can be found on Level 5. The sanctuary includes The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA, an experience with native Ayurvedic and internationally-acclaimed treatments. The holistic wellness enclave features an expansive state-of-the-art fitness facility with a fully-equipped Technogym, and an outdoor swimming pool with poolside lounge and bar surrounded by lush foliage. Guests can relax in private cabanas with inviting daybeds and cocoons that offer privacy and comfort.

According to Bob Kharazmi, Global Officer, Worldwide Operations, Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, “India is not an easy market for us. It is a dynamic market and we took a long time to enter because we had to find right partners and right locations. We started working on our first property in Bangalore way back in 2007. We plan to expand our footprint to several other locations in the country. We are currently constructing the second hotel at Gurgaon near Delhi, which will be ready in 2015.”

Ritz Carlton, Bangalore

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company currently operates 83 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. In the next two months, it will open new hotels in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Aruba and Tel Aviv in Israel. “The main USP of Ritz Carlton is its individualized service and memorable offerings. We offer tailor-made services through our well trained employees,” says Kharazmi.