PEAKLIFE

Only a few exceptional places in India are working towards preserving and promoting the exquisite art, history and culture of India. Noor Mahal proudly dons the hat of being amongst those few.

A few hours drive away from the prominent capital of India, Delhi, Noor Mahal cascades at a perfect place overlooking the rich green fields and farmlands in Karnal. Inspired from the rich Indian heritage and royalty, every corner of this royal abode tells a story. 

Noor Mahal offers a selection of 122 heritage-imbued rooms and suites, 3 dine in options filled with drool-worthy cuisines on their menu, 13 beautiful banquet halls for any type of events to host, a spa- 7th Heaven Spa, a Noor’s Makeover Studio by celebrity hair artist Tarun Kapoor, and an open swimming pool with play area for children. Whether it is a romantic getaway, a family weekend, or an outing with your friends, Noor Mahal has got you all covered in one property. 

Start you day with an all-day dining and scrumptious breakfast experience at Brown Sugar which offers both buffet meal and an A`la Carte menu showcasing global favourites. To cherish a drink, a unique Polo Bar serves a drink for every mood in a colonial style English bar. End your day right at the award-winning restaurant designed recreating the legendry Frontier Mail that operated between Mumbai and Peshawar during pre-independence days; elements taken from the actual train and also the name, Frontier Mail. Live music and lit candles, the aura just adds to the overall experience.

Luxury and Grandeur describes this interior and exterior just appropriately, and why wouldn’t it? It is designed by country’s notable architect Himmat Singh and vetted by Nimish Patel, the famous architect from Gujarat, and has been cautiously selected and inspected by Mrs. Binny Chaudhary. an Art and Heritage Conservationist. It was the efforts of Mrs. Binny Chaudhary and her husband Mr. Manbeer Chaudhary which established a luxury hotel palace in Karnal and now has involved their son Roop Pratap Chaudhary for further progress.

With father being an Army Officer and mother a Heritage Conservationist, Roop Pratap Choudhary embraces the family legacy of heritage hospitality by being a hotelier in both profession and passion. He says, “Since my childhood I knew I only wanted to get in to hotels. When I was in 9th grade, I was already planning to enroll myself in the top universities.” Being the Managing Director of Jewels Group of Hotels (parent organization of Noor Mahal Palace Hotel), Roop has achieved so much at such a young age by firmly believing carrying on the rich tradition of the Jewel Group of Hotels dynasty. By the time he was 15, he was done with his 12th grade, by 20 with MBA, and joined his father at the age of 24. 

PEAKLIFE engages in a conversation and explores more about Noor Mahal’s journey through Roop:

What actually drove you to the hotel business?

I did my majors in Hospitality and because I have a flair of writing, did minors in Journalism. And then did my MBA from Singapore where right after that I was picked up by Kingdom of Dreams as a Corporate Sales Coordinator. By the time my dad being an ex-army officer, started Jewels Group of Hotels whose main occupation was Agriculture and then forayed in to hospitality with the first luxury hotel ‘Noor Mahal’. Soon after that, I joined my father and started working for Noor Mahal. Hotel was growing and now is spread over 10 acres with 130 rooms, and is India’s 8th largest convention center. My area of interest is primarily Finance and Marketing and while aggressively working since the past 4 years in Karnal on Noor Mahal, I am planning for expansion in London with a chain of boutique hotels. I never wanted to work for an A-list company, I always wanted to work under a visionary man.

What defines the success of Noor Mahal?

We have been slow but steady in our approach. I’ve been groomed in a way seeing tribe and tribulation as my parents had to learn everything from ground zero. I grew up watching al that. We focused all our energy, blood, and soul in one hotel which is why we are now at a place where it is very well settled. Located at NH1 and being the only luxury hotel in the area, marketing, hospitality, everything has played an important role in the success of the hotel.  

On the basis of the clientele growth, what is the hotel most occupied with?

Running with 80 per cent occupancy in the hotel, Noor Mahal has a lot going on all the time. Till March there are weddings lined up back to back. Last year we managed to do 13 wedding in one day! Then March is the corporate season, and May, June, July are more recreational and long weekends. Rest, the hotel is occupied with film shootings, photoshoots, etc.

The influence of art and architecture is reflected at every corner, how did that come about?

My mother is actually the main person who is done the interiors and architecture. She has been a very passionate historian. Her meticulous care in selection and position will tell a story behind every art. She has travelled small villages, met artists, worked so closely with them that they have become a family and have been working with Noor Mahal since generations.