Enjoy Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre's version 2.0 with their new stay packages

Enjoy Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre's version 2.0 with their new stay packages

Don't want to get out of Hyderabad this weekend? Enjoy a staycation at HICC, Hyderabad. 

If the White House’s stamp of approval is a badge of honour, then Novotel Hyderabad & HICC seems to be wearing it on its sleeve in style. The five-star Accor Hotel in Hyderabad’s HITEC City, 
which hosted the three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit in November 2017 and welcomed US entrepreneur Ivanka Trump for her talk, says all the accolades it won are great, but it’s time for a change. “For our happy 12th, guests get to celebrate,” says Bandish Mehta, General Manager of the hotel who took over this April. 

The changes are palpable. For starters, the hotel’s original Tex-Mex restaurant La Cantina is going for new menus which will be finalised soon. The 287 rooms have recently got a new room decor featuring softer lights and pastel drapes. “It’s June and we have an array of summer and monsoon activities for both our global guest and our city dweller who wants to take a staycation,” he informs.

Food at its core
Hyderabad is known for its delicacies and the menu has been reoriented to reflect its ethos. “Food is a sensory experience and we believe that from the cutlery we use to the aromas that emanate from the live kitchens, everything adds to the bigger picture. We are changing even the spice racks in Square, the all-day diner at the hotel,” shares Executive Chef Gaurav Malhotra. We caught Gaurav on a busy summer afternoon post lunch and he was reeling off instructions to his team of 105 chefs for the big, fat Andhra wedding that was to take place that night at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). “HICC is largest and only purpose-built Convention Centre with multiple venues for any plenary. Includes flexible meeting halls, boardrooms, VIP lounge, translation rooms, speaker preparatory rooms, Organizer suits,” says Bandish. As we walk around, we see scores of families taking a dip in the fidget-spinner-shaped swimming pool. Suddenly, the hotel known for its humongous conventions seems to be giving away family vibes. All rooms come with interesting towel origami and of course view of the pool and the lush outdoor dotted with designer palm trees. 


 
Staycation vacation
GM Bandish is busy fielding calls and switching tabs on his mobile phone and says that the hotel understands that time is premium in these busy days and there are many like him who want a holiday but have no time. “Staycation, if you cannot vacation,” he says. The hotel has a special staycation package for the next few months and has an array of activities weaved around families. The 24-hour package begins with a check in at 3 pm followed by cakes and hi-tea at Le Cafe, the European sidewalk café. As I sipped on ice tea, the chef at Le Cafe floored me when he put up a golden neck piece on display. “What’s a piece of exquisite temple jeweller doing in a café,” I ask and Pastry Chef Manu says, “It’s an edible piece of jewellery made of mango pulp and other secret ingredients.” Yes, the hotel got a custom-made mould at a jeweller’s to be able to try out such masterpieces for its staycationing guests that particular long weekend.  


 
No kidding
Children have indoor and outdoor activities (XBox and TicTac tables and tennis courts in the lawns besides the pool) while the adults have the 02 spa and the bar at their disposal. Weekends have live music after the IPL matches and the music gets spunkier post 10 pm. The bar is generous with its accompaniments as all drinks come with spicy peanuts and American Cheese Onion Potato Wafers. I ask the barman what he recommends as a starter and he suggests Podi Idli. Yes, a spicy lentil powder smeared on humble idlis surprisingly went well with the Glenfiddich Single Malt of 15 years we had. The hotel recommends dinner at La Cantina which is soon going to embrace more cuisines. I hope their signature dessert Tres Leches is retained.

Crispy Korean Tofu
Crispy Korean Tofu

Most guests love to sleep in and enjoy a swim in the pool, jog or play tennis. The staff shows me their precious herb garden which is getting ready to become a spectacle to behold with the resident gardeners going all out to make it a hydroponic zone. “It should be ready by mid-June and be an apt option for an outdoor activity,” they add. After that little green detour, the guest typically head to the Sunday brunch (12 noon to 4.30 pm). From Indian to continental and everything in between, their buffets are legendary. Their Blowtorch Prawns (crisp and spicy) and the exotic tasting Vietnamese style Seabass (with subtle flavours) adds to the Sunday lunch vibe. Chef Gaurav says that they are currently under the mango spell and everything from mango salsa to mango rabdi is going to be there until the fruits last in the city.
Post-lunch activities include heavy snoring after the meal and a selfie-session at the various rocky spots in the property before one checks out at 4 pm. The boulder on the poolside seems to be most popular one with guests standing next to it, leaning on it, perched on it and finally even sleeping on it. “When you stay with us, such gay abandon is to be expected,” quips Bandish.

(Staycation packages begin at Rs.7,499 plus taxes.)
Pics: Vinay
Madapu.

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