"The renovations-done at a whopping cost of Rs 30 crore-will not only have Internet connections in all the rooms, but also special, separate floors where corporate travellers can check in and check out," says Mr L K Malhotra, the Surya's managing director.

The Surya boasts of luxuriously appointed rooms and suites called the Regent Rooms. Four floors of the hotel have been reserved for these and each of the 196 rooms on these floors is tailormade for discerning executives on the move. Says Mr Malhotra, "The rooms are well-equipped with facilities like mini bars, international and domestic direct dial telephones, AT&T phone facilities, electronic digital safes, live satellite news and entertainment transmissions, and provisions for hooking up lap-top computers to the Net."

At any given time, 40 people can log on to the Net simultaneously, he says with pride.

Besides these facilities, the Regent Rooms offer the best in terms of luxury: 24 hour room service, 24 hour express laundry and a state-of-the-art health club, adds Mr Malhotra. The health club offers sauna and steam rooms, chilled/impulse baths, jacuzzis, Swedish massages, aerobics, yoga counselling and also a fully equipped gymnasium.

The Surya also offers the business traveller its own USP, the Churchill Club. The Churchill Club has been designed keeping in mind the needs and comfort of today's businessman. Internet access, an eclectic library, a well stocked bar, round the clock tea and coffee service, continental breakfast-all these are available to the business traveller in the privacy of the Churchill Club lounge.

For the tourist, the Surya offers a host of inhouse features-multi-cuisine restaurants, banquet facilities, a discotheque and the health club.

Sampan, the Surya's roof-top Chinese restaurant, which is currently undergoing renovation, will take you on an exploration of quintessential China through its exquisite artefacts and decor. It serves authentic mainland Chinese cuisine. Because of its strategic location, the Sampan offers a staggering view of the city through double glazed windows veiled in sheer curtains. The chef de cuisine, Mr Bus Xiao June, has been flown in specially from Suinin City, in Sichuan Province, for the re-opening of the hotel.

The new-look Atrium Bar also keeps pace with the new image the Surya is envisioning for itself. It is a perfect blend of elegant, spacious interiors, innovative drinks and soul-stirring music.

Sikandra, a restaurant at the atrium level, has had its interiors changed completely. Here, you can tuck into the most exotic and sumptuous Mughlai cuisine, especially a range of tender, juicy Lucknowi kababs, and listen to live Indian music as well.

Le Cafe, the Surya's 24 hour coffee shop, will now offer a sumptuous buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner and an equally impressive a la carte menu.

And if you decide to drop in at Le Cafe between 4 pm and 6.30 pm, you can sip at some of the finest teas in the world.

The very latest of gizmos make Mirage, the Surya's discotheque, a very happening place. Mirage's ambience is distinctly Egyptian and it is probably India's only theme disco. Each wall has a story to tell in its paintings.

The dance floor is surrounded with podiums to ensure that people who want to be seen are seen. Julianas of London has provided the state of the art sound systems. The interiors have been handled by a Singapore based design company.