As you slide the French windows open from your luxurious room with a private garden at the Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa, you realise it’s not just the Bay of Bengal you have for company, but it also feels like you’ve just stepped into the Garden of Eden. Petrichor and the scent of freshly cut grass awaken your senses, and you can’t think of another way to unwind over the weekend. Marriott International announced the opening of Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa this week — a stunning resort property, the first of its name in the city.
All things Chennai
Located along the scenic East Coast Road, overlooking the pristine Bay of Bengal, the property is spread over 10 acres of land, that includes beautiful, landscaped gardens that open onto miles of virgin beach sands and an endless ocean. Deriving inspiration from the 4S’s — Sun, Sand, Sea and Southern India — the architecture and design in the resort eloquently represents the waves, shimmering sands and vast greenery. Rich wood accents, soothing colour palettes, intricate tapestry and the inclusion of copper displayed throughout the property, subtly depict local elements that capture the charm of the city. “The Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa is a stylish, modern hotel experience for guests, designed to provide the best in-house service and facilities for the business and leisure traveller. We are excited to offer our guests fresh concepts in service and food and beverage with personalised touches that aim to set new hospitality standards,” says Shibil Malik, General Manager, Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort
& Spa.
The 4S’s have me curious and I am now walking around the property looking for these elements in pretty much everything. Soon enough I come across the well-lit corridors and diffused lights which depict the sun. Prominent elements of sand can be found in the rooms and restaurants in the form of cement lamp stands and traditional stone installations. The flair of the popular South Indian lifestyle can be seen through the rich artwork, copper artifacts and the intricate upholstery of beautiful net weaved chairs. And the sea, well we are on the East Coast Road! The showstopper is a stunning copper installation of water buffaloes while the lobby itself is designed to replicate the famous South Indian Catamaran, which is very symbolic to the city and the lives of the natives.
Surf and turf
After all that walking, I popped into The Reef, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant which has an impressive number of counters — from their noodle soup station to their chaat, and even a brick oven made pizza station. Chef Mukesh Kumar, the executive chef at the restaurant, has put out a rather luxurious spread with large blocks of Eldam cheese, fresh oysters, clams and crab, an enviable assortment of noodle soup toppings, and succulent cuts of steak. “The restaurant is perfect for Sunday brunches, with our wide sunny patio and the pool right outside,” says Chef Mukesh. He also adds that they’ve made sure to introduce a variety of chaat as well into the lunch spread.
As you walk across the property, you chance upon the infinity pool called Splash, which overlooks the turquoise sea and makes quite the spot for an evening dip or even some summer soaking. The hotel features about 125 guest rooms, all that open out into the vast expanse of greenery in the front. While there are 59 deluxe rooms, 24 sea view rooms, 14 sea view rooms with a private garden, six executive suite rooms, two bay suite rooms and one presidential suite (Amara suite) — it’s the 19 crocodile park-view rooms that get my attention! Peek in from the window and sure enough, you can get a view of the crocodiles at Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. This, we realise, isn’t for the faint hearted! I decide to take my mini getaway from the city one step ahead by opting for the Deep Sleep Therapy Spa treatment at Shine Spa. The ambience is relaxing and soothing, and the services are aplenty. From hair treatments to pedicures to basalt rock treatments, the spa has everything.
Tariff for a night starts at
`9,975 plus taxes. Details: 3342-2222
(The writer was at Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort &
Spa by invitation)