#PastForward: This brand new property in the heart of Bengaluru is redefining the idea of longer hotel stays

One of Bengaluru’s latest additions to its growing list of premium stays — Marriott Executive Apartments Bengaluru UB City stands out for its blend of homely comfort and hotellike conveniences. With large rooms, thoughtful service and a central location, it offers a relaxed experience right in the middle of the city. Offering 190 luxurious residences designed for extended stays — the rooms come with living, dining and kitchen spaces. Guests can enjoy an outdoor pool, fitness centre, their Solace Spa and diverse dining — from open-sky venues to modern South Indian cuisine — across the property. Being the newest hotel to open in the city, we couldn’t help but visit and experience the hospitality that the Marriott group has always been known for.

Here’s our review of Marriott Executive Apartments Bengaluru UB City

We began our visit on a Saturday afternoon, right on time for lunch. Before we headed to The Market — the hotel’s modern all-day dining restaurant, we had a quick and seamless check-in. Following the check-in, we quickly made our way to the restaurant and were greeted by an array of delicacies. We made ourselves comfortable and went through a range of familiar and global flavours that the buffet offered. Our meal came to a close with a scoop of chocolate ice-cream — perfect in flavour and texture.

With our tummies full, we headed straight to our room — the 1 Bedroom Apartment. This spacious and thoughtfully designed residence felt more like a pied-a-terre than a typical hotel room. The apartment offered a generous living space, a separate dining area and a fully equipped kitchenette — perfect for people who wish to cook meals for themselves. The room was a perfect balance of comfort and contemporary design with plush bedding, modern furnishing and plenty of natural light. We quickly finished some pending office work and made our way to their Solace Spa for a much-awaited relaxing period. We chose to go with a 60-minute full-body massage. After a quick consultation, the masseuse eased into a slow, steady routine that worked on the shoulders, back, legs and feet. We just let the warm oil and the magical hands of the masseuse do the work. Following the massage, we felt light and rejuvenated, almost as if all the stress inside our body had vanished.

We took a hot shower after the spa session and made our way to The Bar, the hotel’s chic and intimate bar for an evening of cocktails and small bites. We tried the Malabar Monsoon, a concoction made with gin, cardamom, curry leaf and lime juice. We paired it with Chicken 65 and Crispy Prawns, which were the perfect accompaniments for the drink. Our next stop was Madras Kitchen, the restaurant for our dinner. This speciality diner reimagines the culinary traditions of Southern India with contemporary flair and artistry. The dishes we tried at The Bar also came from this restaurant, so we moved directly to the mains. We opted for the Appam Chatti or Mini Rice Pancake Platter. These were five small appams — each layered with a different topping. We had pickled mutton, pepper chicken, quail egg stir fry, stir-fried prawns and pickled sea bass. All these appams were a burst of flavours, with each one having its own unique texture and flavour. Our meal came to a close with the Caramel Ethakka Appam — a modern take on the much loved Kerala speciality. Only this time, the banana fritters were caramelised and served with coconut ice-cream.

We called it a day following this hearty meal and our comfy bed was calling out to us more than ever now. The next day, we were greeted with water droplets outside our window. A rainy Bengaluru morning with greenery around our property — the sight couldn’t have been more beautiful. We could have stayed in our room and behaved like sloths, but decided to head straight to The Market for breakfast. After a cup of filter coffee and a masala omelette, we went back to our room, only to find ourselves back at The Market for The Sunday Brunch. With a vast spread including delicacies like Surkh Lal Mirch Tikka, Chongqing Chilli Chicken and Malai Paneer Tikka, among other options, we were spoiled for choice.

Thoroughly satisfied with the meal that we just had, it was time for us to go back to our room and check out. As we bid goodbye to the property and a much-needed weekend getaway, we realised how perfectly Marriott Executive Apartments Bengaluru UB City fits into the ‘forward’ theme of our anniversary edition. With its focus on extended-stay comfort, the property reflects how today’s travellers look beyond a basic stay and seek spaces that support work, relaxation and long visits.

INR 14,160 onwards. At Vittal Mallya Road.

Email: alwin@newindianexpress.com

X: @al_ben_so