Travel writer Bindu Gopal Rao discovers a stay at Conrad Bengaluru is sure to elevate a visit to the garden city of Bengaluru with a luxury twist.
Located in the heart of the city’s iconic central business district, Conrad Bengaluru owned and operated by Hilton Worldwide is a place that seamlessly combines leisure, pleasure and business with a dash of luxury that allows you to travel in style.
Design Details
The hotel that formally opened doors in January 2018 has 24 floors (there is no 13th floor). There are a total of 285 rooms with 21 suites. The USP for the hotel is that its curved design allows for stunning panoramic views of the neighbouring Ulsoor Lake from each and every room.
There are 15 Executive suites, 5 Deluxe suites, 43 Executive rooms king, 13 Executive rooms twin, 157 Deluxe standard king, 48 Deluxe standard twin, 3 Accessible rooms and 1 Presidential suite in the hotel. All the plush guest rooms have individually controlled air-conditioning, wired and wireless Internet access, 42 inch HD LED television (in rooms) and 55 inch HD LED television (in suites), coffee maker, tea making facility and mini bar and a 5-fixture bathroom with walk-in shower and soak tub.
An interesting feature is the inbuilt 14 inch mirror TV in the bathroom that is part of the mirror itself. Apart from 24-hour in-room dining, 24-hour laundry and dry cleaning, all rooms are serviced twice daily. Guests staying in executive rooms and suites (15th floor and above) including access to the Executive Lounge, complimentary Wi-Fi, buffet breakfast, afternoon high tea, evening cocktails with hors d’oeuvres as well as all-day coffee, tea, soft beverages and fresh fruits.
There is also personalised check-in and check-out service at the Executive Lounge and two hours complimentary use of boardroom, subject to availability. The Presidential suite also has butler access and the butler has a separate entrance so the guest is not disturbed. The rooms are all ergonomically designed to ensure that guests can work and rest comfortably.
Gourmet Getaways
Conrad Bengaluru has five dining experiences that offer a range of cuisines to the guests. The focus in each restaurant is the live kitchen which allows guests to interact with the chefs to make the meal experience bespoke. The Lobby Brew that leads into the Caraway Kitchen has a complete selection of coffee and tea brews as well as has a high tea menu in the afternoon. Every day of the week between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. is happy hours which are popular with guests. The extensive beverage menu is complemented by tapas and finger foods and the 24 hour diner has 56 covers.
At the Caraway Kitchen located on the lobby level, gourmet preparations of Indian, Mediterranean, Oriental and comfort food, with a separate health and wellness section are on offer. Although there is a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner there is a lot of customization that happens in the kitchens based on guest preferences. In fact each counter also has a special dish of the day that is mentioned in a small board on the counter.
Interestingly the buffet has sections dedicated to each of the other specialty restaurants at the hotel. The Sunday Brunch here is special and happens from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm making it one of the longest Sunday brunches in the city. There are three private dining areas here that are also equipped with a smart TV so you can connect any smart device and also do a quick lunch meeting.
If you like Indian food inspired by royalty make a reservation at The Indian Durbar. This restaurant uses time honoured cooking methods, signature ingredients and the authentic recipes to recreate food from the royal kitchens of India and is open for both lunch and dinner.
If Oriental food is on your mind, head to Mikusu that is focused more on Japanese and Chinese food with a lesser bent on Thai and has a traditional Japanese charcoal grill, four hot woks, a steamer for dimsums and live Sushi bar. All the fish is sourced from Japan’s Tsukiji Market that happens to be the largest market there.
Also Conrad is among the few restaurants that sources sea food thrice a week so the food’s essence and originality remains true. All dishes here are an ode to the culinary artistry of the East and are paired with exquisite sake and exotic Asian cocktails. I also recommend a meal at the poolside Mediterranean Bistro, Tiamo that has al fresco seating that overlooks the pool and serves fresh Mediterranean fare that will have you licking your fingers.
Facilities & More
Walking around the hotel, you will notice a lot of varied art. This is incidentally in sync with the brand ethos and what sets the hotel apart is that it believes in staying locally inspired and there is a lot of local inspiration that is actively promoted. The third level of the hotel houses a fitness center that is equipped with state of the art equipment. There is also trainer-driven running and high intensity interval workouts conducted here as well as yoga sessions.
These are part of a standard daily fitness regimen for both guests and in house members. If you are looking to relax and rejuvenate head to the plush Conrad Spa that has four single and one couple’s treatment room as well as sauna and steam facilities as well as an in-house salon. The temperature controlled swimming pool is also on this floor. Being in CBD, the hotel has a distinct business bent and comes with three lavish ballrooms that have a private foyer, eight meeting rooms and one board room.
Address: 25/3, Kensington Rd, Someshwarpura, Halasuru, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560008, India
Phone: +91 80 2214 4444
Website: conradhotels3.hilton.com
Images courtesy of Conrad Bengaluru
