Once among the swankiest hotels this side of London, Watson’s Hotel, now Esplanade Mansion, is a poor reflection of its past. Erected between 1867 and 1869 by John Watson, a wealthy draper, the building is the oldest in the Kala Ghoda area. When the heritage conservation act came into force in 1995, the four-storeyed structure was declared a Grade II A. “At that time we thought the conservation committee would give us money to restore the building,” says 65 year-old Saadiq Ali, owner of Esplanade Mansion. “However, we were told that the government has no money and that we’d have to figure it out on our own.”