Delhi's ITC Maurya all set to welcome Obama

The ITC Maurya in the capital is all set to welcome US President Barack Obama tomorrow as it turned into a virtual security fortress with public barred from entering the facility.

Hotel officials were making the final arrangements for a rousing welcome to Obama, while personnel from the US Secret Services have taken over the facility to ensure that there were no holes in the security of the US president.

All the 440 rooms, including the 29 uniquely-designed suites, of the hotel located in a 5.5 acre plot on Sardar Patel Marg have been booked by the US authorities for Obama's delegation.

On his arrival from Mumbai, Obama will be accorded a traditional Indian reception at the hotel with an 'aarti' and 'tilak' with the officials making all arrangements to make the stay of Obama a complete Indian experience.

Obama is the third US president to stay in the ITC Maurya in the past 10 years. Earlier in 2000, then US President Bill Clinton stayed at the hotel, while six years later, George W Bush also chose the same facility.

The restaurants -- DumPhukt and Bukhara -- in the hotel are also making arrangements for treating the US President.

This time around, the 'Obama Platter' is expected to have fish on it, besides 'murgh khurchan' among other things.

Besides working on various delicacies for the US delegation, the hotel is also preparing to treat them with traditional Indian therapies at their exotic spa. "The spa managers at Kaya Kalp are working on this," a hotel official said.