Last week I was in Bangalore, the trip proved to be nostalgic. The saying whatever comes after a good long wait is sweeter holds true here as I was at The Park Bangalore after 2013!
The Park Bangalore
The first ever-contemporary boutique hotel, The Park Bangalore exudes luxury and sophistication. The stylishly designed hotel, that made its way to Tatler Magazine’s list of best 101 hotels in the world, promises a rich experience to any visitor or patron. It is one of the first boutique hotels in Bangalore located at Mahatma Gandhi Road exudes luxury, sophistication, and intimacy. It provides an elevated standard of style, contemporary design and decor. The state-of-the-art technology and amenities for commerce, leisure and relaxation makes this hotel in Bengaluru an ideal choice for patrons, guests and travelers whether on business, leisure or a weekend retreat. The Park Bangalore promises complete indulgence with its facilities, restaurants and bars – making it a preferred destination of discerning patrons looking for luxury hotels in Bangalore.
Monsoon, the 24 hours restaurant exudes warmth and freshness; it serves Pan-Indian & International cuisines. Italia is acclaimed as one of the best Italian restaurants in the country and has won numerous awards. I-Bar offers an envious collection of liquors or single malts & other spirits. Aqua is a perfect lounge by the pool to set the mood. The Aura, an intimate spa is a perfect form of indulgence with treatment rooms, well-equipped gym and, steam and sauna booths. The Bangalore hotel is also home to The Box, a perfect shop for keepsake gifts, carefully selected items of home accessories, jewelry, ayurvedic beauty products, and designer merchandise.
Arrival at The Park Bangalore
I was totally floored by the beautiful welcome I received; that’s one of the reasons why I love The Park Hotels and my job! I have visited the other properties many times but not The Park Bangalore, I am grateful to the team lead by General Manager Mr. Ajit Singh Garcha for creating the ‘wow’ for me.
The arrival experience was one of the best I’ve had, was received by one of the most professional and very engaging chauffeurs Mr. Pradeep, who did his job extremely well. I was feeling as if he was living the entire script and the welcome that needed to be extended to a guest; I was an internal guest. He created a very positive Moment of Truth for me. The arrival at the hotel was smooth, the staff at the Front Desk was polite; I was escorted to my room on the first floor. The room was a renovated one, looked different from my last visit. What I totally loved was the welcome note and my family photograph kept on the bedside table. I generally carry my book of prayers- the Durga Chalisa and a family picture but this time I carried the book but missed taking the picture along. Seeing the picture frame I was delighted beyond words. To add to the dazzle factor was the logo of IWH on the platter of chocolates. The experience was superlative.
My sister came visiting with her little daughter; whose toys I was carrying from Mumbai. She wanted to step out on the balcony and she went barefoot. I was a bit apprehensive as I knew she’d get on the bed and stain it with the dust from the open balcony. Like a true Houskepeer, I checked her feet, they were as clean as they could be. My sister who was observing me asked why did I do that and I told her that I wanted to check how good the housekeeping in the hotel was, I must add it was fabulous! And compliments must go to the lady who has been one of the best EHKs the country has today- Director Housekeeping Ms. Vinita Choudhary. She is extremely observant and brings with her rich experience, she is one of my contemporaries and also a homegrown manager at The Park Hotels. Her thoughtful care is observed by every guest who stays at this beautiful hotel which boasts of being the first boutique hotel in the country.
The next morning the laundry Manager Mr. Sanjay Singh visited me along with the valet asking about the services, this is the first time that a laundry manager came for seeking feedback and later I learned that he tries to meet most of his guests. I started my training programmes and was impressed with the lady at the time office, Mrs. Radhika was extremely courteous and delivered exceptional service highlighting the importance of serving even the internal customers well. The HR team consisting of Mr. Daniel and Ms. Deepa ensured that all was taken care of; I didn’t have to ask for anything. I experienced anticipatory service from them.
The teams were good and I enjoyed my classes. I must add the honour that was bestowed on me by the hotel team, I was invited for their town hall where they celebrated team member’s birthdays and also ‘I make the difference awards were handed to the winners. I was requested to deliver a lecture on one of my favourite topics, ‘Diversity and Inclusion’. I then gave away the awards to the much deserving winners.
The hotel uses space very well and has created beautiful gardens around. Compliments also for the efficient laundry created at the hotel; speaking for sustainability, use of space and generating revenue.
I used the food and beverage facilities at the hotel, the food was good and the service matched it to the T. I wanted to dine at the famous Italian restaurant I.T-alia and I kept that towards the end of my stay there, as they say, save the best for the last. I never hesitate to do just that! Chef Baseer Ahmed and the service team Assistant Manager Mr. Shubham Sharma and one of our Management Trainees Mr. Rishabh Kapoor delivered an exceptional experience. I told Chef Baseer that I was having vegetarian food though a bit of non-veg was fine with me as I know how difficult it is to create a 4-5 course veg menu in Western cuisines. Finally, it was time to live my long-awaited dream of dining at the I.T-alia. The table was set just right with candle lights and the perfect setting for Italian fine dining. The Chef had planned a 5-course menu and kept the portion sizes as per my request, still, they were large. The food was as delectable as one could imagine and I am a fan of Italian cuisine. Chef Baseer had planned all-vegetarian courses and his experience of working in Italy, France, and Dubai was evident. He churned out a great meal giving me a taste of authentic Italian food after really long. I loved the version of tiramisu served at the table. The ambiance was beautiful and the service very attentive. The restaurant is a must-visit for anyone in Bangalore.
Among the many ‘wow’ moments for me were the traditional snacks/mithai bento with compliments from the Exec Chef Krishna Sharma; everything was drool-worthy. So was the detox water and ajwain that the attentive housekeeping staff kept for me, I guess seeing the antacid placed on the table. They also had a very thoughtful farewell note with a present that I shall always hold dear.
Friday was the last day of my training there and time to head back home by the evening flight. The hotel gave equally fond farewell, it was nice to see our good old Mr. Rajgopalan seeing off the hotel guests for over two decades now. I come back with memories I shall always cherish, can’t thank the team at The Park Bangalore enough for the Anything But Ordinary experience.
