Located within Prestige Shantiniketan, with a view of the city’s now-beloved cherry blossom canopy, Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center is more-popular as a host to well-heeled travellers visiting the IT heart of the city, aka Whitefield. From expats to consulates and corporate crowds suited in shades of grey or blue, the five-star hotel offers luxurious accommodation for anyone who means business or more.
While the weekdays witness a corporate rush, meetings and deadlines ought to take a back seat over the weekends and we decided to check out the properties’ bespoke amenities at a recent staycation.
We picked a weekend stay to truly embrace the ‘bleisure’ experience and checked-in at their Premiere Room that came with a pool view. While we wanted to kickstart our stay at this property with a plunge, we swapped it instead for a Pan-Asian lunch at Inazia. And we were glad we did.
Our first impression of Inazia, helmed by chef Rungtiwa Sorlae, was positive, credits to the welcome beverage served in Yunomi cups and chopsticks elegantly placed on a hashi-makura for an authentic culinary experience. The lunch menu, curated by the Thai Cuisine Specialty chef included an array of pan-Asian dishes. For starters, we sampled light and crispy fare like Edamame, Malaysian Lotus Stem and Hat Yai Fried Chicken. Our main course featured Sorlae’s specialty, a fluffy Thai Omelette with juicy chunks of crab meat. It was, however, the Jasmine Rice with Thai Curry and Mapo Tofu that made our lunch worth the trip. We concluded the meal with Bo Ran Ice Cream.
With a little break in-between to freshen up and change into our resort wear, we moved to Shine, the salon-spa offering body therapies and beauty services. We had pre-booked our appointments and as we patiently waited for the spa room to setup, we were offered green tea. With a hot beverage known to relieve stress and soothing music playing in the backdrop, we found bliss in doing nothing. Something most Bengalureans would kill for. After the de-stressing session, we decided to maximise our time with shopping at Nexus Shantiniketan Mall which is at a walking distance from the property.
After an hour-long window shopping session at stores such as H&M, we found ourselves back at the hotel and headed straight to Chime, a classy bar inside the property.
A small interaction with in-house mixologist Salvin Melson over what beverages we might enjoy, he seemed confident enough about his offerings suiting our tastes and they did. We were served a cocktail where blueberry purée was blended with vodka and water. With subtle earthy notes of clove, the beverage was equal parts refreshing and delicious.
We then headed to Feast, an upscale all-day dining space for dinner. During our staycation, the property was running a Mexican fiesta and our last meal of the day included everything from Chicken Toastadas to Refried Beans Tacos and Avocado Tortilla Cones with guacamole.
We later took a quick walk by the poolside and enjoyed the breezy evening. First day concluded with a long hot tub bath and a binge-watch of The Big Bang Theory with complimentary wine and adorable mini desserts on the side.
Day two for us started at the pool. After a quick butter croissant with coffee power brekkie, we switched to our swimwear and spared no minute in getting into the pool. An hour and a pretty bad tan later, we dressed for brunch, one of the property’s key offerings. At the hotel, Sunday brunches are themed and during our visit, chef Sounder took culinary inspiration from Rajasthan and served Jodhpuri Murgh Dum Biriyani, Rajasthani Dal Tadka, Jodhpuri Bhawan Paneer, Marwadi Murgh Curry and Pitod Ki Subzi (prepared with yoghurt and chickpea flour) at the buffet. The theme was well-complimented with a live tandoor section where the chef served a ghee-laden Dal Baati Churma. Apart from offerings from Rajasthani cuisine, the buffet also included live pizza and pasta stations with a salad bar.
We skipped the traditional Indian sweet treats and picked a Chocolate Madeleine, Hazelnut and Coffee Tarts and a Cherry Baked Yogurt from the dessert counter. Post brunch, we were ready to check out.
As the team compiled the final formalities, we indulged in a rather enriching conversation with someone from the property on what makes this hotel impeccable. Their answer was simple actually. Spread across an area of 6,68,675 square feet, the five-star hotel is a hybrid between corporate getaways and luxury travel and is perfectly situated — not too close or too far from anywhere in Bengaluru. `
₹ 19,600 onwards.
Mail: muskankhullar@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @muskankhullar03