Here is our review of The Den Bengaluru, a luxury business hotel in the midst of the IT hub of the city

The constant hustle of the corporate culture these days leaves us with little time to unwind. Weekends pass in a jiffy and we long for longer weekends to turn them into vacations. Taking cue, millennials have now started looking for ways to make their work lives more interesting instead of waiting for leisure. Business hotels across the city have also started to focus not just on bettering infrastructures for meetings but have also been expanding options that help you relax after those tiring conferences. Situated at the heart of the IT corridor in Whitefield, The Den Bengaluru is one such hotel that we had been hearing about since a long time and when we were invited to spend a weekend at the property, we were curious to find out what sets this luxury hotel apart.

We checked into the hotel on a Saturday morning and were greeted with a welcome drink, followed by a smooth check-in process. We then headed to the breakfast buffet at their all-day dining restaurant The Creek. While it boasts an al-fresco space, we chose to sit inside. The beige-and-brown aesthetic — from the upholstery to the blinds — made the space warm and inviting. The aroma of baked goodies like tender banana cakes and fluffy cherry danishes filled the air. We ordered a good ol’ English breakfast — comprising toasted bread with brittle peanut butter, baked beans and chicken sausage — which was delectable.

Now that we put our growling tummies to a pleasant stop, we checked into our room. Categorised as The Den Room, the room was luxurious but grounded. The first thing we noticed was the sunshine gushing through the glass walls. The view of a construction site just opposite our balcony compromised the aesthetics a bit but the vibe of the room quickly took to us in. The beige walls and dark brown furniture were complimented by the cerulean carpet and pastel-hued upholstery. The restrained opulence in the décor of the room made the space cosy and comforting unlike several other hotels that overwhelm you. Anyway, that was just a long way of saying that we loved the room. The washroom, with a bathtub and walk-in shower, looked tech-savvy and alluring. Oh, and extra points for the balcony! You can never go wrong with adding a cute, little balcony.

Our reverie broke when we were called for a pre-lunch at The Nest bar and lounge. The artsy and chic décor seemed to be the perfect place to catch up with a friend and unwind. A stream of appetisers started coming our way: Salmon Bruschetta, Spinach Puff, Ricotta Cheese, Orange Cheese Balls, Chicken Meatballs, Chicken Gilafi Kebab, Cheddar Cheese Sticks and more. The crunch of mixed veggies accentuated the texture of the sausages in the Chicken Gilafi Kebab and was our best pick. Since it was a dry day, we could not sample the cocktails at the bar that we had heard so much about. But the food paired well with their signature mocktails — Sexy Freckles and The Den Trio.

We followed it up with a mellow-yet-wholesome lunch of Egg Fried Rice and Cantonese Chicken at The Creek and then dawdled to our room to indulge in some siesta. While drawing the blinds, we could still hear the distant, metallic humming at the construction site. But the soft bed lulled us to a deep slumber soon enough.

We woke up just in time for sunset and hurried to Layla, the Mediterranean cuisine restaurant at the property. Situated on the 21st floor, the rooftop restaurant is probably one of the highest in the city. Basking in the beauty of a picturesque sunset, we sipped on the mocktail Lomi Lomi (a concoction of basil, green apple, honey and orange), which impressed us with its on-point blend of earthy and citrus flavours. For starters, we sampled the Cold Mezze Platter and could not get over the tzatziki — a dip made of yoghurt, garlic, dill and cucumber — that was quite simply, finger-licking-good!

Chicken Pastel, Lamb Sigar, Lentil Falafel, Vegetable Kibbeh from the Hot Mezze Platter were also a few things that we tried and highly recommend. For the main course, another array of wholesome dishes arrived but what we simped on the most was the humble Pilaf and the flavourful Fish Tagine (red snapper cooked in a gravy of chickpeas, cilantro, dry red chillies and olive). We ended our meal on a sweet note with Knafeh — kataifi pastry with a filling of melted ricotta and goat cheese, flavoured with cardamom and rose water. Initially skeptical of a salty filling in a dessert, we were amazed by how scrumptious it was and were inspired to get more experimental in our food choices going further.

Given that the hotel was the first luxury hotel outside of their country that the Israeli hotel chain The Dan Hotel had opened, you would obviously expect the property to drip of luxury. But unlike the rest of its kind, it does so with a dash of humility, which is sure to appeal a lot to the millennials. The warm (yet not annoyingly enthusiastic) hospitality of the staff is sure to add to the subtle charm of the property, attracting new guests and retaining its regulars with ease.

INR 15,000 onwards. At Whitefield

Email: prattusa@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @MallikPrattusa

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