The grand old lady of Chowringhee is now rubbing shoulders with the Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carltons of the world.

The Oberoi Grand, once regarded among the four jewels in the East alongside Bangkok’s Oriental, Singapore’s Raffles and Rangoon’s Strand, has got top billing among Indian ‘city’ hotels rated by the New York-based Zagat Survey, which recently released International Hotels, Resorts and Spas Survey 2005.

The “first and only hotel” from this region to get this ranking, The Oberoi Grand has tallied the highest rating points among the 13 city hotels surveyed all over India by Zagat.

In all, 19 properties from India made the cut, including six resorts and country hotels. The latest edition of the Zagat Survey guide covers 1,019 hotels, resorts, spas and chains worldwide.

“Zagat is like the Oscars of the hospitality industry, the Bible seasoned global travellers swear by. Being rated by the survey and scoring top of the heap among urban properties shows we have reached the international arena and reached it in style,” says Amitabh Rai, general manager, The Oberoi Grand.

The survey comments: “The Grand old lady of Calcutta provides an oasis with its luxurious, elegant rooms and superb service. The management does a stellar job of maintaining the highest standards.” Its “central location”, “good restaurant featuring local specialities” and “great gym” are the other pluses mentioned.

Zagat covers the world’s best hotels, resorts and spas as reviewed by nearly 10,000 avid travellers and travel professionals who stayed at hotels an average of 40 nights per year. Thus, the survey is “based on roughly 380,000 nights at hotels annually ? that’s 1,040 visits per night”.

A total of 45 hotel chains and marketing groups were surveyed. Using Zagat Survey’s signature 30-point scale, surveyors rated and reviewed establishments in 94 countries for the quality of their rooms, service, dining and public facilities.

The Oberoi Grand has scored an average of 24 to 27 in all categories, “the most among the Indian properties rated”, which included Maurya Sheraton, Delhi, and Taj Palace, Mumbai.

According to the survey, scores of 20-25 are rated “very good to excellent” and 26-30 “extraordinary to perfection”.

“This is not only a very important feather in our cap, but also catapults Calcutta into the international scene, providing great impetus to the city’s leisure travel trade. Anyone who looks up the Zagat guide will see a Calcutta hotel in pole position. It does wonders for the city’s image,” Rai stresses.

What started in 1979 as a hobby involving 200 friends rating local restaurants, today has over 250,000 Zagat surveyors covering entertaining, golf, hotels, resorts, spas, movies, music, nightlife, shopping, sites and attractions as well as theatre.