lalit the great eastern hotel

Built in 1841 as the Auckland Hotel, the LaLiT Great Eastern has been referred to as the ‘Jewel of the East’ and the ‘Best Hotel East of the Suez’. Over the years, the hotel has been a favoured haunt of royalty and celebrities from across the world. The lighting design for this luxury hotel is understated and serves to highlight the architecture and interior elements whilst providing appropriate levels of light for practical purposes. It seeks to invoke the other-world charm that is characteristic of the bustling cultural city of Kolkata. The lighting is consistently concealed from view or minimalist in nature; this ensures that it is the building and its characterful contents which are highlighted rather than the lighting itself. The recently completed interior renovation features a contemporary reimagination of the old hotel whilst some areas retain the original spirit of Victorian and Edwardian and styles. The lighting therefore also flows from chic to industrial to no frills and fancies type of functional light. Following the same philosophy the façade retains some of the original parts while a new contemporary face is presented to the Waterloo Street. The façade lighting consequently simply seeks to underline the architecture, but using new technology everywhere.