Built in 1840, Kolkata has oldest functional hotel in Asia

Despite the persecution and injustice we endured over the 200 years we were dominated by the British, one thing sticks out: colonial architecture. The British left the country with some stunning monuments and structures that have withstood the test of time.
This establishment holds the distinction of being the oldest hotel in Asia, not simply India. The most intriguing aspect is that the hotel is still operational.

The Lalit Great Eastern Hotel in Kolkata is a source of pride for the entire country. According to the hotel's official Instagram account, David Wilson erected it in 1840, making it Asia's oldest operational hotel. When he had the hotel completed, he christened it the Auckland Hotel after George Eden. During that period, George was the first Earl of Auckland and the Governor General of India.

The hotel initially had 100 rooms and a retail shop. In 1860, it was extended, and its controlling firm was renamed the Great Eastern Hotel Wine and General Parving Company rather than Dee Wilson & Company.

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Another notable fact is that in 1859, this was the first hotel in which an Indian board of directors was appointed.

The hotel was electrified in 1883, making it the first in India to receive power. The hotel's name was changed to Great Eastern Hotel in 1915. The Great Eastern Hotel, known as the "Jewel of the East" at the time, was described by famed writer and poet Rudyard Kipling in his short story City of Dreadful Nights.
 

In the 1970s, the state government took over administration of the hotel. Management worked for the government for over 30 years. The hotel was sold to Lalit Suri Hospitality Group in 2005. Due to remodelling work, it was closed in 2005. It had previously been Asia's longest-running hotel.

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