The House of MG: Heritage of Ahmedabad
On a recent trip to Ahmedabad with the Gujarat Tourism Board, I had the pleasure of staying in a suite at the House of MG, a vintage hotel noted for providing an in-depth look into the city’s rich culture. If Ahmedabad, India’s first UNESCO World Heritage city is linked with cultural riches, then this 200-year-old property is unquestionably the best place to start learning about its art and history. But, beyond the art, what makes this 20th-century boutique heritage hotel so exciting? There are far too many things!
Before all else, the House of MG (Mangaldas) greeted Mahatma Gandhi when he returned to India from South Africa for the first time. Implying that Gandhi wandered everywhere in this beautiful mansion, once the home of Sheth Mangaldas Girdhardas, Ahmedabad’s biggest benefactor and industrialist. Staying here means being able to walk on the same floor as India’s founding father. I spent the entire evening on the front porch glorious swing, imagining how and what Mahatama Gandhi thought about while he was here.
As a result of Mahatama Gandhi’s memories, the philosophical imagination will give you chills; such is the power of Gandhi’s determination and simplicity. Perfect ideological reproduction, in my opinion, the House of MG represents all that is straightforward, steadfast, and yet refined. Its central location in the city also works in its favour.
This is especially true now that the House of MG has been transformed into a boutique hotel and is open to the public, allowing them to admire it in the same way that Mahatama Gandhi once did.
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The House of MG
There are 25,000 square feet of visual splendour spread across three floors in what appears to be a maze of tunnels and stairs at first glance. The first floor opens to an impressive greeting hall with beautiful tiled floors, which leads to a waiting area furnished with antique wood furniture and vintage photographs on the walls. A gallery and an open patio with traditional seats are also on this floor.
Take a stroll through the gallery and the tribal heirlooms boutique to learn more about the Mangaldas family’s collection of traditional Indian textiles. The newest addition is a heritage bookstore, which ensures that a sense of history hangs in the air. The second and third levels provide attractively appointed rooms and suites.
Accommodation
During my visit to Ahmedabad, I stayed in the CG-128 Suite, a new addition to the property; however, if you are looking for a suite, I recommend the Mangaldas suite (priced between 10,200 and 14,300), which was once Sheth Mangaldas’ bedroom. Alternatively, the ambient Kanchangauri suite which, includes a kitchenette and dining table, is available.
Swings, work tables, dressing spaces, and spacious bathrooms are included with each opulent suite. Modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs with DVD players, fast Wi-Fi connectivity, and work tables with iPod docks are featured, in the decor, brimming with traditional wood furniture and stained glass doors and windows.
The House of MG Restaurants
Old-world charm is evident in the eateries of the Houses of MG. Drink freshly brewed juices, eat traditional and western cuisine, or indulge in an array of ice cream flavours at the Pol Kholi restaurant. You can savour authentic Gujarati cuisine beneath the shade of old trees at the Green House restaurant. Whereas you can have tea, coffee, and other beverages on the veranda’s red stone tiled floor throughout the day. Breakfast is served in the courtyard café.
I spent the majority of my vacation lounging in my suite swing or reading from the in-suite library. On the third level, Agashiye Lounge and Garden, a rooftop eatery with views of the city and the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, serves the most delightful Gujarati food in a classic fine-dining setting. You can dine either indoors or outdoors, and whichever option you pick, the attentive personnel will provide you with the best service possible. One of the reasons Prime Minister Narendra Modi opted to eat here a few years ago.
Choose from a silver thali or a Kansa thali at Agashiye, both of which include a tremendous motley of Gujarati (vegetarian) food. The dinner is customarily presented on silver platters and includes sweet and salty welcome drinks, savoury appetisers, main course, lentils, yoghurt-based gravies, and a choice of rice dishes. All you’ll want to do after eating a thali is sleep. However, because each restaurant serves fresh, slow-cooked food prepared from seasonal ingredients, service may take a little longer.
In addition to being one of Ahmedabad’s oldest structures, the House of MG’s 38 tastefully decorated rooms and suites showcase early 20th-century colonial architecture while maintaining a lavish yet modest ambience. In addition, they have a one-bedroom service apartment, however, none of the rooms or suites has bathtubs. Every piece of textile and furniture in this opulent hotel is made from recycled materials.
The Lotus swimming pool is a terrific place to relax. The 55-foot pool is surrounded by a digitally generated lotus fresco, with a 300 kg Calder-inspired lotus suspended in the middle. The health club and the Chakra Spa are located nearby for those who prefer to be active. Shopaholics should not miss the in-house design studio and gift shop, where they can find Ahmedabad-made goods that are one-of-a-kind. Valet parking is available at the House of MG.
