Weekend Getaway at Vivanta By Taj

 It was time to celebrate our 5^th wedding anniversary and babymoon and I was searching for a good hotel package to have a great memorable time.  I had just a week left and hadn’t still decided and that was when like a light at the end of the tunnel, Vivanta by Taj came up with the “Weekend Getaway Package” at Whitefield, Bangalore. The offer was too good to be true and we immediately grabbed it.

The reservations team was kind enough to allow an early check in. The hotel is located at the entrance of the International Tech Park (ITPL) and the architecture merges with the IT companies behind. The lobby has a classy touch and you mostly notice business travellers around.  But from there, you start feeling at home with the warm welcome by the reception staff Rajesh and Sreekumar who quickly take care of the check in formalities and give an overview of the hotel before leading you to the room.

 

The room we chose was Superior Charm room which had a view of the lawn, IT companies and shopping mall nearby. It has all the facilities like wifi, home theatre system, mini bar, safe locker, iron board etc. Perfect for both business and leisure travel…

 

A couple spa was arranged for us which I had to opt out as I was pregnant. My husband took up the relaxation massage that involved a 60 minutes aroma oil full body massage followed by steam and sauna. He looked rejuvenated. What could be a better gift than this for his 5 long years of patience to deal with his wife’s tantrums? 

When my husband was enjoying the spa, I walked around and came across the baker’s shop called Caramel. There were a few IT employees taking respite from their work and hanging out at this quiet and peaceful setting. There was wide range of pastries displayed but I restricted myself to chicken puff which was quite filling and yummy too.

We had still time left to get to the next agenda which was to go to the pub ‘Tease’. So we headed towards our room. On the way we met one of the housekeeping team members Nitu, who was quite excited to see my baby bump and started chatting with us. From the conversations she picked up the other reason of holidaying and started suggesting ways to celebrate anniversary. But I shied away as we were not used to such romantic ideas. But after an hour, there was a knock on the door and the hotel staff brought in a cake and a bouquet for us. I was too overwhelmed.  Now when I do a flash back, it was more like a pose given when winning Miss Universe pageant, with flowers in one hand and the other hand fanning for air and eyes widened and a big smile trying to hold back tears of joy. I cut the cake and distributed it to the staff too. I couldn’t thank her enough for such a wonderful gesture that will be remembered forever.

 

So once I was able to recover from this surprise, my husband and I went to ‘Tease’ lounge. There was live music and the bartenders immediately attended to us. They had a good menu of cocktails and mocktails named very uniquely like “My wife is out of town”, “I lost my job” and so on. The ambience was really good to spend a silent evening. While we were sipping our drinks, we were told that our private dinner arrangement was done and we could go to the venue whenever we were ready.

I thought it would be a corner table in their Indian restaurant Terracotta but lo! it was actually a private dinner surrounded with flowers and candles with a chef for us with our very own choice of menu. The manager greeted us and apologized for the not so high profile arrangement since there was evening showers and the weather spoilt it. “Are you kidding me?” This entire set up was so romantic and perfect that I was dumbstruck and anymore decorations or attractions would have blacked me out completely.  We had a nice barbeque prepared by Chef Thoufeek. When we had a little chat with him, I came to know that he wrote blogs on Calligraphy and Jewish History (visit his blog). Our server for the day Surojit was so nice and sweet and was there to attend to our requests and at the same time not invading our privacy. After having the main course which was a combination of Indian breads and non-veg curry, Surojit offered dessert. At first I hesitated in ordering dessert as my tummy had no space but when he brought in Chef’s choice of dessert which included carrot halwa, chocolate pastry and rose petal ice-cream, I got the motivation to tuck in more food inside.  The dinner ambience really gave a good finishing touch to our anniversary celebration. We never had a candle light exclusive dinner before and this was something really different and a moment we may not get in years to come with the new member coming into our lives. 

The next day morning I woke up smiling and I knew I still had the hangover of previous day’s royal experience. Our breakfast was at the restaurant called Latitude which had an array of Indian and International cuisine. It was good to find the staff again and was surprised to see them with the same zest and zeal in service.

We walked around to see the other amenities at the hotel which included an outdoor pool, gym, business centre, retail outlet and an exclusive VIP Lounge. Then went back to room again to relax. Meanwhile the housekeeping team arranged some fruits for me in the room so that I still eat healthy.

When it was time to check out, there came another surprise… A beautiful gift hamper from the hotel as souvenir. The entire package was worth every penny spent and more than that, it was the experience that lingered on which was priceless.

Backpack Guide

• The hotel is amidst the IT centre of Whitefield and has easy access to shopping malls, movie theatres, offices, restaurants, etc in that area.
• The dress code is mostly smart casuals.
• The lift access from basement car park to lobby is not good so it is better to give your vehicle for valet parking.
• The Superior Charm room may not be a good choice for a family with small kids as it is not so spacious and the bathrooms only have showers with no tub or water taps.
• You can opt for in-room movie experience and collect the DVDs from the reception. 

 

Picnic to Bannerghatta National Park

Age doesn't matter for a trip to the zoo. From my childhood days to present, I still maintain the same enthusiasm and excitement when visiting a zoo. A trip to Bannerghatta National Park at Bangalore was planned as a birthday surprise for one of my nephews turning 4 years old.

 This zoo is within Bangalore city limits and you should be here in an hour’s time from other parts of Bangalore. I had visited this spot 3 years ago and when I went there last weekend, there was a major expansion and development of this site.

The entrance to the zoo is like a flea market with sale of caps/hats, sugar cane juice, raw mango and cucumber mixed with red chilly powder and salt, toys etc. Spending a little time there filling up our bellies with some food, we went ahead to get our tickets for the zoo and the safari.

There is nothing much to talk about the zoo. It is the usual birds, leopards, zebras, elephants, lots and lots of ugly crocodiles for display. A typical zoo with lots of are to walk around and sit idle. But yes, it is an entertainment.

After those long walks, you will realize the calling bells from your stomach. Take my advice; start returning 10 minutes before your hunger goes out of control as it is a long way back. There is one new restaurant by Jungles Lodges called Hill View Restaurant near to the zoo gate. The food served there is ok but you don't have much options. Otherwise you need walk all the way back to the main entrance to find some food centres.

The grand safari which has the bear, deer, lion and tiger safari starts from the zoo entrance. Looks like the roads have been laid and the safari vans have been serviced recently. Once the safari begins, you may get a feeling that you are inside the cage and the animals are having a jolly good time seeing you as exhibits. But unlike other safaris, you are sure to spot a few wild.

What I missed again is the butterfly park which is next to this national park. I did not find any sign boards on that. But if you are visiting, do check out this place also.

Backpack Guide

• There are frequent buses from Majestic Bus stand to the National park. Bus facilities can be availed right outside the zoo main entrance. There is a parking lot for private vehicles too
  
• Try to reach the place by 10.30 am. So that you can plan zoo, lunch, safari and butterfly park itinerary
• Plastics are not allowed inside
• You can carry food but please have some civic sense and do not litter
• Grand safari cost Rs. 210 and there are concessions for kids and senior citizens. There is a special Aircon bus which costs Rs. 500 per head but I don’t see any value to it.
• Zoo ticket costs around Rs. 60 and there are concessions for kids and senior citizens.Camera costs additional charges
• Have your sun hats and glasses handy. It is needed for the walks.
• The park is closed on Tuesdays

Ayurveda treat at Bangalore

I had been always thinking of gifting my husband with a spa treat but was not happy with the places I found on Internet. One day I accidently came across this resort called Ayurvedagram Heritage Wellness Centre in Bangalore and I decided on his birthday gift.

Ayurvedagram is located near Whitefield area in Bangalore. I assume that when they started the resort, it would have been in the outskirts but as the city expanded, it is now within the city limits.

The moment you enter the gates of the resort, the environment changes to the ambience of Kerala. The typical “Nallukettu Veedu” style and the auburn touch and added to that are Kerala furniture and showpieces which give a very good first impression.

The resort offers a choice of day tour and stay. I just opted for a full body massage and steam for my husband and we spent almost half a day there.

While my husband got pampered with the traditional Kerala massage, I waited in the campus filled with medicinal plants and trees. After some time I rested on one of the wooden benches and slowly drifted to a peaceful sleep which was made more comfortable with cool breeze and silence.

The lunch served was delicious. Though there was not much of variety in dishes and the theme was healthy vegetarian, I still cherished the food.

Backpack Guide

• You should reach the venue at least 30 -45 minutes before your reservation for treatment as there is a doctor’s consultation to attend first
• It is vegetarian food served with focus on health. You can request for Kerala rice (red boiled rice) too.
• I wouldn’t recommend the day tour which costs Rs.4000 per head unless you really want to get involved in yoga and meditation session. You can opt for just a service and spend your time in the resort instead.
• You should reserve your service a day or two in advance especially for weekends.

Calicut = Paragon Restaurant

There were times when we had re-organized our travel plans to pass through Calicut during lunch hour to hop into this restaurant. Why? They serve the best Malabar Biriyani and Meals. 

The restaurant is always buzzing with hungry foodies and sometimes you have to wait for nearly one hour to get a table. Sadly there is no advance reservation. That’s the toughest part as the aroma of Biriyani keeps lingering and that elevates your hunger even more.

If you order rice, see that you got enough space on the table for side dishes. Try the Prawns Tawa fry and also the day’s special menu. Chicken Biriyani is my favourite and it tastes amazing.

So the next time you visit Kerala, make sure to indulge in the mouth-watering Malabar cuisine at Paragon. It is one of the “Top Things To Do” at Calicut (Kozhikode).