he Oberoi added a new restaurant into its group on December 7.
Travertino, its luxury Italian restaurant, is part of the redesigned food and beverage outlets at the New Delhi hotel that has seen La Rochelle replaced by a speciality 24-hour restaurant.
Now, Travertino replaces the small coffee shop, Palms.
Closeted between the two diners is a wine tasting room where guests can be helped to choose their wines and, as one understands it, even do food samplings.
The Rs 3.5 crore (Rs 35 million) turnaround for Travertino and its kitchen includes an international partner, Rome's distinguished Hotel Hassler.
And partnering with the wine room is the International Wine Academy of Roma.
"Italian food seems to be trendy and I like it," said PRS 'Biki' Oberoi. He promises the restaurant will not dilute its authenticity.
And if the queues at the neighbouring Threesixty (the coffee shop) are anything to go by, he appears to have another winner on his hand.
The partnership with Hotel Hassler's Roberto Wirth, president, is not just limited to the Delhi operation.
In Mumbai, Oberoi says, The Grill will make way for another Hassler-Oberoi Italian restaurant in September 2005. "These have been part of our plans for the last four years," Oberoi said.
Mumbai saw the launch of the Tiffin Room recently. And in Delhi, the Indian restaurant Kandahar will undergo a facelift.
Arjun Oberoi, who is in charge of new developments within the group, confirms there are other changes being planned, not the least of which will be a growth in the luxury retail space. "It pays very well," he said, adding, "and we would like to grow that segment."
Major brands Hugo Boss and Louis Vuitton have set up shop in the hotel's arcade. If more retail outlets are to be introduced, it is clear the management will have to re-designate the current usage of the lobby.
If that happens, a major renovation for the hotel may well be on the cards.
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