Fact File
Area: 80,000 sq.ft
Design Team: Ar. Anil Badan, Ravinder Chauhan
Date of Completion: September 2021
Photo Courtesy: ITC Katra
Set in the scenic foothills of Trikuta Parvat and located at a stone’s throw away from Ban Ganga - the starting point of the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage - WelcomHotel by ITC at Katra allows guests to relax and also explore the area’s tourist attractions, such as the majestic Patnitop and the stunning Chenab River.
Manifested by the regional influences and picturesque valleys and hills of Katra, the hotel takes inspiration from various contextual elements present in the city like temple bells and regional motifs to reflect the rich cultural heritage of Vaishno Devi. This concept is translated to a contemporary interpretation through its colour scheme and overall decor elements; for instance, a standard colour palette of rust, green, and saffron imparts a tone of holiness. Steeped in the beauty and the cultural influences, various recurring themes can be seen in the hotel. The gold from religious bells has been used extensively in the hotel as an art piece.
The hotel has a banquet cum conference hall in which an enormous asymmetrical chandelier is a breath-taking facet of this area. A tea lounge offers views of the Vaishno Mata Shrine with its floor-to-ceiling windows, which also let in the bright sun. A wooden flooring, a high ceiling, and hanging lights complete the space. Adding to the expansiveness of the hotel is an enormous lawn that faces the magnificent hills. The hotel has stylistically designed rooms and suites, a gym, a spa with steam rooms and sauna baths, and a pool on the terrace of the fifth floor. The overall lighting scheme is subdued, offsetting the furniture pieces created by local artisans.
The design of the hotel has been crafted as an uber-modern hotel, which is also rooted in the traditional elements of the geographical region, and is low maintenance as all the resources were shipped from Jammu or Delhi.
Ar. Anil Badan, Principal Architect, Studio B Architects
