When about to embark on a staycation, it’s not uncommon to underestimate the preparation required. As the day of our stay at The Oberoi drew near, we found ourselves coming to terms with the fact that a fair amount of packing was necessary, after all. In addition, the house help had to be informed, as did the milkman, the car cleaner… you get the drift. So save for getting our passports and visas in order and hailing an Uber, we pretty much did everything that needed to be done if we were in fact, heading out of town. But, we’re not complaining, as what awaited us was a whole day of pampering, great food and unmatched hospitality. The beautiful gardens and gorgeous day typical of the Monsoon, didn’t hurt either.
The Oberoi, Bengaluru which turned 25 on August 15 celebrated the landmark year with drinks on the terrace of the presidential suite, a formal sit-down dinner and a complimentary one-night stay for some of its guests.
Making an entrance
A chauffeur-driven car deposited us at the hotel poolside, where we were warmly welcomed and escorted to the check-in desk. After settling into our room on the second floor, with views of the garden and poolside below, we were presented with a fresh watermelon juice by the floor butler. This was just what we needed after making it through Bengaluru’s dreadful morning traffic. The room, fitted with teak wood, is spacious and cosy at the same time. The charming balcony, accessed by sliding wooden doors is just the right spot to wind down with a hot cup of tea and a book. And though luxury comes at a price, the hotel makes sure to reduce its carbon footprint wherever it can. For instance, the air conditioning in the room is automatically turned off when you step out into the balcony. One can’t help but surmise that it’s this sort of attention to detail that has gotten the hotel to where it is today.
Sea of green
While the thought of sitting idle at the balcony was tempting, we had a packed day ahead of us, including a leisurely lunch at their award-winning Thai restaurant Rim Naam and a relaxing spa treatment. So, turning our backs on the room for now, we headed back to the lobby, for a walk around the property, at midday. History has it that the plot on which the hotel is built was originally a private home with a sprawling garden. One of the raintrees on the grounds dates back over a 100 years and the hotel was designed around the tree. The lobby brings the greenery indoors with ceiling-to-floor windows and a water feature (something that’s common across all their properties). “The idea was to celebrate the greenery the city was known for in every way possible,” informs Priya Nanda-kumar, the Rooms Division Manager, who guided us on our walk.
Once outside, we took in the lush green space, which Priya tells us is designed in the Oriental style. “It’s a lot more natural and organic, than the English style, which is all sharp edges, well defined flowers beds and neatly pruned shrubs,” Priya explains. This space, with trees gentling bending over each other, shrubs running along the edge of water bodies and a thick carpet of grass so inviting, is definitely far more agreeable and soothing. After the stroll through the green environs of the hotel, lunch couldn’t have been at a setting more perfect. Rim Naam, set atop a water body with a terracotta roof and semi alfresco seating, allows you to take in the gardens as you tuck into authentic Thai food. As the afternoon started turning into dusk, we made our way to our much awaited spa appointment for a full body massage. A one-hour treatment and a quick session in the steam room later, we emerged from the spa ready to take on the evening, which was to entail quite a lot of wining and dining.
Looking back
The pre-dinner drinks at The Presi-dential Suite, hosted by the General Manager Visheshwar Raj Singh and his wife, Sanaya was just starting to warm up as we entered the living area which opens out onto a large terrace. The party then moved to Le Jardin for a formal dinner where the menu from their opening day on August 15, 1992 was recreated in a modern way. The highlight was the dessert course with a smoked chocolate cigar (made with dehydrated dark chocolate) and raspberry and white chocolate ice cream. As dinner drew to a close, we headed back to our room and spent what was left of the night on the balcony, which we had earlier reluctantly left. While the food and drinks were definitely much appreciated, we felt that the chilly, wet evening was truly warmed by the gracious hospitality of our hosts.
Feeling well rested and utterly pamp-ered the next morning, we partook of a quick breakfast at Le Jardin and headed back home with a glimpse into what goes into the making a great hotel.
The writer stayed at The Oberoi, Bengaluru on invitation from the hotel.