KOLKATA Youth & Old Manhood

This is the 1902 YMCA at 25 Chowringhee Road, on Kolkata Eplanade, now the Seacom Inn Hostel.

It's probably my favourite stay yet, so gets its own post.

Slow to reveal its charms and under very patient renovation (starting in 1973, by the looks), if the Soho House group got hold of this, spent a few bob, then transplanted it to Shoreditch, it would be an absolute goldmine.

Jesus is the man here, none of your cartoon elephants and monkey gods, except a frowning Shiva staring back between us and the Bible Society next door.

Old Mahatma gets a look in too, standing next to the house rules like a club chairman.

The building houses a few companies, including a health spa, an accountant and a property manager, but it is the sprawling floor spaces, ironwork staircases, stained glass windows, Members rooms and curious YM nooks, crannies and oddities that intrigue. And it has an indoor badminton court.

"as though it was put in by an Indian".

After the initial trepidation of the long staircase (no Led Zep puns, please) up to a gloomy atrium, there was the surprise of the original fixtures and fittings in the rooms, with heavy old furniture and the usual rickety pipes and wiring holding things together.

The breakfast room was a delight - polite silver service waiters serving curry on bone china plates among the old masters, plush club chairs and furnishings. It's all heavily draped from the sunlight and the outside world, but illuminated by antique light fittings and a huge chandelier. Did we just go into a different building?

VERY civilised. I'd expected the worst, but couldn't have been more wrong. Lots of middle aged westerners, too.  Oh, just like us.

And the wifi is superb.