BUSINESS TRAVEL • MICE • METRO TRAVEL • HOLIDAYS • TOURISM a cross section publication
GONOW volume
14. issue 1. july 2013. ` 50
leisure
DUBAI Family Holidays FORTUNE SAVOY MUSSOORIE Reviving a Heritage
metro travel
HERITAGE
JODHPUR Travelling with
HIROSHI TAKASHINA, MD, Nikon India
SHANGRI-LA Opens in Mumbai CHENNAI Dining options tourism connect
Kingdom of Dreams Revisited Cinema – The Life of Pi Mid Town Business Hotels
THIS ISSUE EDITORS’ PAGE BUSINESS TRAVEL • MICE • METRO TRAVEL • HOLIDAYS • TOURISM a cross section publication
GONOW volume
14. issue 1. july 2013. ` 50
leisure
DUBAI Family Holidays FORTUNE SAVOY MUSSOORIE Reviving a Heritage
metro travel
HERITAGE
JODHPUR travelling with
HIROSHI TAKASHINA, MD, Nikon India
SHANGRI-LA Opens in Mumbai CHENNAI Dining options tourism connect
Kingdom of Dreams Revisited Cinema – The Life of Pi Mid Town Business Hotels
If travel incites you just the way it incites us, share your experiences on
Dear Readers, With this issue, we enter the 14th year of publication. We cherish our long association with you, dear readers, who have guided us into focusing on their developing and ever diverse and evolving needs. Truly, the Indian traveller has evolved more in the last decade than perhaps most other nationalities. From earlier travelling in groups, Indians prefer to do it alone. While our interest in culture and sightseeing remains unabated, more of us prefer to equally hang out and experience people and lifestyles. It is not just scotch any more, Indians have taken up to wines, and exploring new experiences. In the last few issues we have created new sections and some of these are now beginning to take root. Our business travel section goes more in-depth this month with our feature on Lavasa and its recently opened International Convention Centre. Also, we have explored the new impressive features that Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre is offering its guests after the reopening. We continue to give you reflections and feed back from business travellers across all segments. We bring you expert advice on managing your travel expenses more judiciously. We also give you an exclusive with MD of Nikon India. There has been talk of some premier hotels doing away with room service. Explore with us this month the newly opened Shangri-La in Mumbai – the chain’s second property in India. In our Metro Travel section, discover five new exciting Asian restaurants in Chennai. We introduce a new section, Tourism Connect, wherein we bring you an exclusive interview HH Jodhpur, Gaj Singh, who has pioneered heritage tourism in Rajasthan and more particularly around Jodhpur. We understand the phenomenon of small town hotels with Anil Madhok, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels. For the best of entertainment, and a venue for out of the box events, Anumod Sharma, MD, Kingdom of Dreams, tells you what he has to offer. In cinema, we bring you the achievement of a recent film, Life of Pi.
/gonowlifestylemagazine
In our Holiday Travel section, we take you on a photographic journey to New Zealand and an extensive discovery of Dubai for family fun filled holidays.
/gonowmagazine
Happy Reading!!
/gonowmagazine
READERS WRITE IN Chennai: New Venues Enable Large Meetings
It was a delight to see some of the largest and finest conference facilities available in Chennai. The detailed description of the capacities of each facility helped me further in deciding the next venue for my company’s event. There was a lot more in the magazine for a reader like me who looks out for some tips on MICE. Vishal Anand, Bengaluru
How Hotels pamper Business Travellers
Being a frequent business traveller myself, I have been generally pleased with the personalised service at various five star hotels. Sometimes it is very necessary to have this personalisation as the constant travelling makes us homesick. With the warm hospitality of hotels these days I don’t miss my personal space. Isha Oberoi, Delhi
How Maruti Travels
Reading about the incentive tour and travel strategies of a company of this stature was very informative. Many companies these days have stopped encouraging the incentive tours but while reading the interview I observed its importance and the strategies that made it possible for Maruti Suzuki India. Saurabh Gandhi, Ahmedabad
Shopping in Bangkok
One of the hottest tourist spot with Indians today, Bangkok is burgeoning with shopaholics like me from all parts of the world. And your article motivated me to go there for my next shopping spree with your informative shopping guide. I have been following various guides you have been publishing about regarding different destinations. Sanya Garg, Delhi
BUSINESS TRAVEL
• • MICE
METRO TRAVEL
•
HOLIDAYS
•
TOURISM
Editor: Navin Berry Managing Editor: Priyaanka Berry Editorial: Anupriya Bishnoi, Nikita Chopra, Varalika Vij Advertising: Saurabh Shukla Design: Ashok Saxena, Neelam Aswani Go Now is printed and published by Navin Berry, on behalf of Cross Section Media Pvt. Ltd. Printed at Rakesh Press A-7, Naraina, Phase II, New Delhi. Go Now is published from IIIrd Floor, Rajendra Bhawan, 210, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi - 110002. Tel: 91-11-43784444. Fax: 91-11-41001627. E-mail: info@crosssectionmedia.com This issue of gonow contains 88 pages plus 4 pages cover
drop us a line
Like something we wrote? Wondering how to get somewhere? Or been to a place you want to talk about? Write to us and let us know. Don’t have the words to describe a place? Don’t worry – send us your best travel pictures and we’ll let them speak for you. If your letter or photo is published, you will get a year’s subscription to gonow absolutely FREE! Send your letters and photographs to E-mail: info@crosssectionmedia.com Material not used will not be returned
July 2013 GO NOW
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CONTENTS
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Business Traveller 14 Camera can be an avid travel partner: In conversation with Hiroshi Takashina, MD, Nikon India, we tell you his experiences of business travelling. 16 The Travellers: Corporate travellers tell you about their journeys.
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Business Destination 18 An enterprising tale of two planned cities: The hill-city of Lavasa has a lot of options for MICE groups, leisure breaks and second homes. 22 Convene with Accor at LICC, a boutique centre: Anand Ganesan, GM, Mercure Lavasa talks about the LICC, MICE opportunities and more.
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Travel Trends 26 Manage your travel expenses effectively: Experts tell you how effectively a travel agency manages your tour expenses. 28 What, no room service?: Let’s see what the experts of the Indian hospitality have to say about elimination of room service.
MICE Destination 32 Suntec reopens with new impressive features: SICC open its doors for events, conventions and exhibition with better facility. 36 The promise of Shangri-La comes to the commercial hub: Maintaining its hospitality and comfort, it serves an unforgettable experience.
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Metro Travel 40 For you to savour, five new exciting Asian restaurants: Grab a casual lunch or a plush dinner in new Asian restaurants of Chennai 44 In East Delhi The New Meeting Point for All Reasons: Kempinski Ambience, Shahdara, New Delhi, adds a feather to Delhi’s hospitality. 48 Food is our strong point, gets better: In conversation with 2
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Aseem Kapoor, GM, Hyatt Regency Delhi, we tell you about the future plans of the hotel. 50 Old Hospitality Returns to the Queen of the Hills: Fortune, The Savoy, Mussoorie offers luxury in a Victorian style resort.
For the well informed traveller 54 Indians should explore and understand India: In conversation with HH Jodhpur Gaj Singh discover the Indian traditions. 58 Understanding the phenomenon of small town hotels: In conversation with Anil Madhok, MD, Sarovar Hotels, discover a new breed of hotels. 62 KOD brings the best of entertainment: In conversation with Anumod Sharma, MD, KOD, we take you to this masterpiece. 66 Looking Beyond the Life of Pi: Explore how Ang Lee has beautifully described India, its culture and landscape beauty.
Holiday Travel 70 Geothermal New Zealand: Discover the unusual colours of Earth through our pictorial description. 74 Dubai – The Perfect Family Experience: From exciting fun activities, to adventures in the water, and thrilling activities in air, Dubai has it all. 78 Magnificent Mall Magic: Dubai, a paradise for shopaholics, its effervescing, dazzling malls are packed with designer brands, etc. 82 Borne Golf Odyssey: With unique typography of beaches, tropical jungles and highlands, Kota Kinabalu also offers distinctive golf courses. 85 Chiang Rai: A land of natural beauty, a getaway from the bustle of the city.
On the Cover RATHORE HALL, UMAID BHAWAN PALACE, JODHPUR scene from a recent auction conducted for charity
July 2013 GO NOW
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
Now Fly Turkish Airline’s New 777
GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP WITH BRITISH AIRWAYS
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ith their new virtual Sleep Channel, British Airways makes it easier for their passengers to have a good nap. They have chosen a range of specially selected audio CDs which would help the passengers to relax and unwind, while onboard in a long haul flight. Passengers can select each tailor-made track to send them off to snooze. Adults can choose from two programmes to encourage
sleep or to relax. Options like a hypnotic voice, gentle music and soothing sounds will help the customers to relax and unwind. With especially composed music and soft rhythmic sounds, there are two stories for children; ‘Twinkle’ and ‘Wee Willie’. For Further Information, visit: www.ba.com
Expanding capacity to meet the growing passenger base, Turkish Airlines deploys Boeing 777-300ER on its Mumbai-Istanbul-Mumbai route. The Boeing entails 38 business class seats and 274 economy class seats and is one of the biggest aircraft in the Airline’s fleet. This new aircraft will have more capacity for passengers as well as cargo. It also offers full flat beds in business class with all seats in both cabins fitted with individual TVs with in-flight entertainment system and ample leg-space. The flight has been deployed on the route for an initial period of 3 months and is subject to continuation. For Further Information & Reservations, Visit: www.turkishairlines.com
Fly with Jet Airways to Bangladesh
Air India’s Holidays go Online
6/18/13
www.airindiaholidays.in
Home | Air India | Email Us Agent Login
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This vacation season, Air India has launched all inclusive holiday packages to major tourist destinations. These packages are available on sale through Air India’s website. Now you can book your holidays with direct payment to Air India’s PNR account. Make My Trip is the partner to power the holiday section on the Air India’s website. This will make it easy for its customers, as they can now access the complete details of the packages and choose out the best deal and value based domestic and international holiday packages.
Managed By MakeMyTrip.com
When: Effective from 15th July 2013 For Further Details, Visit: www.airindiaholidays.in
holidaypackages.airindia.in/holidays/landing
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The airline has launched attractive JetEscapes Holidays to Bangladesh. They have introduced two exciting all inclusive holiday packages, ‘Amazing Bangladesh’ which is a three nights and four days trip, and ‘Best of Bangladesh’ which is extended to six nights and seven days. Both the packages showcase historic and touristic Bangladesh, taking you to its natural wonders. The JetEscapes Holidays for both the packages include, return air travel in Economy on Jet airways, airport transfers, three star hotel accommodations with breakfast, sightseeing, etc. Price: Amazing Bangladesh – starting from ` 35, 105 Best of Bangladesh – starting from ` 49, 725 1/1 For Further Information, visit: www.jetairways.com or call: 022 – 42495 999
NEWS YOU CAN USE
British Airways gets new Boeing 787s
Expanding its fleet, British Airways is adding
ECONOMICAL PACKAGES TO DUBAI BY EMIRATES
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mirates have introduced special packages for its fliers to experience the city at its best. It welcomes passengers at a very good value for money rates including many attractive facilities. The attractive holiday packages include three nights accommodation with buffet breakfast, and assistance on arrival at Dubai International Airport, transfers from the airport to hotel. The package also includes
airport departure taxes, service taxes, room taxes and service charges. The offer does not include visa fees. There are various packages available for you to choose from as per your preferences and comfort. Price: starting from ` 31,212 When: Offer valid till 5th August 2013 For Reservations, Visit: www.emirates.com
two new sparkling Boeing 787 along with the Airbus A380. These new aircrafts will have smarter cabins, finer lounges, and updated technologies to make travelling more convenient in the air and on the ground. Both the aircrafts will also contribute towards the environment in noise and carbon reduction. Seats on the A380 are currently on sale for travel from October 15 to Los Angeles and from November 15 to Hong Kong. The airlines will be adding many more aircrafts in the coming months. For Further Information, Visit: www.britishairways.com
IndiGo goes from Mumbai to Muscat
‘Visa on Arrival’ at RGIA, Hyderabad The airlines have launched three new weekly non-stop flights connecting Mumbai and Muscat. This new introduction will further strengthen the airline’s presence in the Gulf. The 6E flights will serve the customers with a hassle free travel experience. These non-stop daily flights will fly from Mumbai at 8:20 pm and the same from Muscat will fly at 10:45 pm. The flights will allow passengers to have 30 Kgs check-in baggage per person per sector. The 6E flights serve widest range of food and beverage items (including alcohol) on board. Both corporate and leisure travelers can now experience this world class service by IndiGo. Price: Introductory Return Fare – ` 9,998 For Reservations and Further Details, Visit: www.goindigo.in
To add on to the convenience of passengers, Govt. of India has introduced the Visa on Arrival service at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. This facility would be available for visitors from eleven countries with a maximum validity of 30 days. The countries to which this service would be extended include Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia. This introduction will enhance the tourism opportunities to India and in particular to Hyderabad as it will make Hyderabad as a preferred point of entry to the country for many tourists. For Further Information, Visit: www.hyderabad.aero
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
EXCITING WEEKEND IN SAN FRANCISCO
Fun Never Stops in Germany
A perfect destination for holidaymakers, Germany calls you for an exciting vacation with splendid culture, art, fashion, events, festivals, and more. It is a place worth visiting at any time of the year. Maritime Hotels is one of the largest chains of four star hotels in Germany which will serve you with warm hospitality and comfortable service. You can also indulge in a shopping spree; choose from the 500 major spectacular shopping centers in different parts of Germany. You can also enjoy with your kids at the World War Tank just outside Berlin or go for skydiving, rides on a train and many more adventurous activities. For Further Information, Visit: www.germany.travel
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ith 4th July being the Independence Day for the nation, it is the best time to spend a weekend in this bustling city by the bay. Observe the striking fireworks of San Francisco on 4th July from some of the selected locations including, Pier 39, Twin Peaks, Tank Hill, etc. Also you can catch a baseball game at AT&T
Park which is a three game series and will go on from 5th to 7th July. The Lous Vuitton Cup Boat Race where teams of sailors sail through challenging course off the coast of Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghiradelli Square. For Further Information, Visit: www.sanfrancisco.travel
Gent Jazz Festival in Belgium Visit The Munich Theatron Music Festival
More than 280 festivals, the biggest bands, the most original sceneries and World’s best festivals make Flanders top of the bill as a music destination. You can enjoy live music in lovely and trendy cities as Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels and Leuven. Spread over two weekends, the Gent Jazz Festival entertains millions of people coming from around the world.
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The first weekend of the festival is purely for the Jazz lovers whereas the second weekend has something in store with more fusion artists. This is the largest Jazz festival of Belgium and presents various international artists. When: 11th to 21st July 2013 For Further Information, visit: www.gentjazz.com/en/
Munich calls all the music lovers this August for a rocking ensemble of bands from pop and rock to hip hop and chanson or classical music and many internationally renowned bands. This 24 day long festival is one of the longest music festivals in the world. It will showcase the best of Munich’s thriving live music scene and will host over 1, 00, 000 spectators for free at the concerts. Held at the open-air theatre at the lake of Olympic Centre, the festival promises an ever changing line-up of musical guests. The small lake stage with a diameter of 20 m provides a framework with a special atmosphere. For Further Information, Visit: www.muenchen.de
NEWS YOU CAN USE
New Eateries in New York City
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and to the airport and exciting shore excursions. They have very well organized private guided tours, yacht chartering, cruising and a lot more. They have tours of various kinds, like heritage tours, sightseeing, classical Greece and the islands, honeymoon packages, etc.
NYC has always been known to house some of the finest culinary delights. Adding on to the glory, they have recently launched some exciting new restaurants. ABC Cocina, a very romantic and sexy outlet serves delectable ham and cheese fritters, mezcal-cured salmon and spring pea empanadas. Bugs is another option for the foodies in East Village, Manhattan. It features Sho Boo, a rare female Sushi chef who creates lovely sushi tasting menus and a la carte items. If you are looking for something around Brooklyn then Fritzl’s Lunch Box is the perfect place. Harlow and Hybrid in Manhattan are also open along with a few more.
For Bookings, mail at: services@destinationgreece. com or Call: 888 473 3238
For Further Details, visit: www.nycgo.com
CUSTOM ITINERARIES BY DESTINATION GREECE
lan your incentive or MICE tours to Greece with Destination Greece which provides you with highest quality of service at the most competitive prices. They have standard packages available along with custom made packages which you can adjust as per your exact requirements. Their packages include accommodation in hotels and villas, transfers from
Climbing the slopes of Mt. Fuji
This being the best time to visit Japan and to experience the challenging slopes of Mt. Fuji, Japan National Tourism Organization has launched an exclusive 2 day climbing tour to experience the heights. The tour starts from Mt. Fuji’s 5th station and takes you to its peak at the right time when the sun rises over Japan. It will also give you a chance to rest upon one of the popular mountainside huts, at the 7th station before proceeding for the final lap of your journey to the top. The journey would undoubtedly be extraordinary and worth all the efforts. For Further Information, visit: www.jnto.go.jp/eng
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
GET MARRIED THE AMARI WAY IN BANGKOK
Suite Temptations at Mandarin Oriental, Prague
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mari Atrium Bangkok brings you an opportunity to get married in the vibrant city of Bangkok and make your special day unforgettable. With their team of expert planners, they can create personalized themes for your lifetime memories. Everything from mandap setting to flowers, décor, cakes etc, they will take care of all. Along with the Indian essence added to your wedding you can also include a touch of Thai tradition according to your needs. They have various set packages available for you to choose from and different menus to make things easier for you, from Thai-Chinese Menu to Chinese Menu, Cocktail Reception or an International Buffet Menu.
Set in the beautiful city of Prague, Mandarin Oriental introduces magnificent suites for the discerning travelers. The Moser Crystal Suites serve its guests with the most beautiful experience of the Bohemian Crystal. Located in the Baroque wing of the hotel, these suites display an elegant picture of the 17th Century. On booking a Moser Suite you can enjoy the package with a complimentary third night, daily buffet breakfast for two, special VIP welcome amenity, EUR 90 credit on spa treatments and more. The suites have arched ballrooms, tall windows and antique wooden flooring. Price: Starting from EUR 775 For Further Information, Visit: www.mandarinoriental.com/prague
Price: Packages starting from ` 1, 84, 120 For Further Information, Visit: www.amari.com
Thrilling New Rides at Aquaventure
Atlantis, The Palm is ready to unveil its latest edition to the Aquaventure Waterpark. A tall 40 meter tower known as The Tower of Poseidon will have thrilling rides, the likes of which have not been seen before. It will feature world’s largest diameter slide, the world’s first vertical banking family ride with a double hump at the end. It will also have the first double slide within a slide experience, allowing tube riders in one ride to watch the other ride sliders dramatically in action. It is scheduled to open in August 2013. For Bookings or for More Information, Visit: www.atlantisthepalm.com
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The Oberoi goes to Dubai
Overlooking the iconic Burj Khalifa, The Oberoi launches its first property in the United Arab Emirates. The Oberoi Dubai, offering highest standards of luxury embodies height, light and space. It presents you its introductory offer, which includes, accommodation in a deluxe room on single or double occupancy along with breakfast at NINE 7 ONE. You also get a credit of around AED 200 per stay on dining and complimentary wireless internet. The hotel is situated just minutes away from the Dubai Mall and the Dubai International Financial Centre and serves its guests with well appointed 252 rooms and suites. Price: AED 1, 000 For Further Information, Visit: www.oberoihotels.com
NEWS YOU CAN USE
RACE EXTRAVAGANZA PACKAGES IN SINGAPORE
Gentleman’s Tonic at Atlantis, The Palm
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or a luxurious experience during the Formula One Race sea son in Singapore, Mandarin Oriental Singapore has launched exclusive packages for the season. Located within the walking distance of the Pit Building, it is an ideal location to enjoy the show. The package includes accommodation in a luxurious Bay Suite, round trip airport transfers in Mercedes Benz limousine along with complimentary benefits at
The Oriental Club. The guests would also be treated with special in-room welcome amenities and indulgent weekend champagne brunch. The guests would also be entitled to one pair of threeday entrance ticket to the Formula One Green Room. Price: SGD 9, 500 per room per night When: 20th to 22nd September 2013 For Reservations, mail: mosin-reservations@ mohg.com or Call: +65 6885 3030
SALA Hospitality launches new hotels in Thailand
SALA Hospitality Group comes up with two magnificent properties in Thailand. They launched two boutique hotels, sala lanna Chiang Mai and sala rattanakosin in Bangkok. These two products assure you the best of SALA Hospitality and comfort. The former is located along with the popular east bank of the Ping River and consists of 16 styl-
ish guest rooms and exclusive dining options. Whereas, the latter is located along the eastern bank of the legendary Chao Phraya River and serves its guests with 17 stylish guest rooms having mostly river views. For Further Information, Visit: www.salahospitality.com
The guests can experience traditional shaves and grooming treatments in a retro environment at the newly launched men’s salon, Gentleman’s Tonic at Shui Qui Spa & Fitness. It offers a wide range of lifestyle and grooming treatments including shaves, haircuts and styling. With a variety of traditional grooming services tailored to the modern man, Gentlemen’s Tonic comprises elements of old and new where wood, leather and marble are mixed with high-tech LCD screens. Designed for men who love grooming them self luxuriously, the 45 minute Royal Shave priced at AED310 focuses on refreshing and recharging the face by thoroughly rejuvenating the skin and promoting tissue regeneration. For Reservations, mail: dxb-spa@atlantisthepalm.com For Further Information, Visit: atlantisthepalm.com
Hyatt Place to Debut in Brazil
In a joint venture with FSA Group S.A (FSA), Hyatt Hotels Corporation announces nine Hyatt Place Hotels in Brazil. The hotels will range from 150 to 200 rooms, and will be located in the key locations all around. Complimented with the signature Hyatt luxury and comfort, the hotels will be equipped with adequate meeting spaces, and 24/7 access to meal and amenities. Hyatt will manage each of the Hyatt Place hotels with its vast experience in the hospitality industry. The first hotel is anticipated to be launched in the year 2016. For Further Details, Visit: www.HyattPlace.com
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
STAY FOR 3, PAY FOR JUST 2 AT LEMON TREE
Experience Royalty at Udaipur City Palace
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he newly launched, Lemon Tree Premier Jaipur brings to you an irresistible inaugural offer. With this offer, you will get a complimentary night’s stay. You need to pay for only two nights and avail a stay for three nights. Offering 108 stylish rooms and suites, it has the state of the art facilities for the business travelers at their business centre, meeting rooms, etc. Along with this; they also have their flagship 24x7 multi cuisine coffee shop – Citrus Café, for its guests to relish some quick bites. SLounge, the recreational bar and Fresco, the revitalizing spa adds up to the splendor of the hotel.
For Reservations, Visit: www.lemontreehotels.com, or Call: +91 9911 701 701
Adding another dimension to its grandeur, The City Palace Museum in Udaipur has inaugurated a photo exhibition, titled, Long Exposure: The Camera at Udaipur, 1857-1957. As the name suggests, the exhibition will feature pictorial archives of the Maharanas of Mewar over a century from 1857-1957. It takes the visitors back to Udaipur’s most photogenic 100-years tracing the evolution of Udaipur’s photographic heritage. The collection includes portraits, hand-painted photographs, Albumen Print, etc. it takes you from the period of Maharana Shambhu Singh to the time of Maharana Bhagwat Singh. Where: The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, Rajasthan
Family Vacations in the Himalayas at Wildflower Hilltop Vacation with Jaypee Residency Manor, Mussorie This summer, pack your bags and experience ultimate luxury in the Himalayas. With Mussorie being generally referred as Queen of Himalayas, it gives you breathtaking views of the mighty hills. Jaypee Residency Manor, Mussorie is spread over a lush green area of around 9 acres and is like a mini heaven in the hills. The hotel has introduced packages for its patrons
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to spend a classic retreat at this unique five star deluxe hotel. The hotel’s architecture and its interiors are a tribute to the majestic splendor of Mussorie and its culture. The package is for a stay of 2 Nights and 3 Days. Price: ` 22, 500 + Taxes When: Valid Till July 15, 2013 For Reservations, Visit: www.jaypeehotels.com
Situated at a height of around 8,250 ft in the Himalayas, Wildflower Hall invites you to escape into the cool tranquility of the hills. It is set in 22 acres of virgin woods of pine and cedar and serves its guests with a taste of the colonial era. Complimenting the splendor of the hotel, the comfortable rooms have a spectacular view and special retreats for its guests. They have special package for the season which includes accommodation for two guests and complimentary additional room for two children between the age of 10 – 17 years along with daily breakfast and more. Price: ` 28, 700 When: Valid till 15 July 2013 For Reservations, Call: 011-23904474
NEWS YOU CAN USE
PREMIUM SERVICED APARTMENTS IN MANESAR
Dimsum Bliss at Island Bar
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ith its easily accessible location on the National Highway 8, Savoy Suites Manesar invites travelers from around the world to its comfortable, well appointed suites. Along with the Serviced Apartments, the property also includes a retail section, banqueting facilities and is planning to come up with a modern fitness club and a revolving restaurant. It offers its guests with 108 elegantly appointed one and two bedroom Suites spread across five floors. The architecture and the interiors of the property are such that ample amount of light is generated in
the corridors and the rooms. The suites also include an Italian kitchen which is fully equipped with the required amenities for your assistance. It has only one two bedroom suite and the rest 107 are one bedroom suites. The large banquet and conference hall are well assisted with the latest technologies and can easily accommodate up to 700 people in a banquet style seating. For further details, visit: www.savoysuitesindia.com For Reservations, Call: 0124 – 3355600; or mail: reservation.manesar@savoysuitesindia.com
Quality Inn Comes to South East India
Offering you an international experience in the temple city of Kumbakonam, Choice hotels has recently launched Quality Inn Viha. This luxury business hotel offers you well furnished rooms, selection of dinning and meeting options and wide-range of other guest facilities. The hotel has a total of 42 rooms comprising of Superior Rooms and Executive Suites. The rooms and suites are thoughtfully designed to serve a comfortable stay to the guests with various modern amenities. The MICE facilities at the hotel include, three meeting rooms, modern conference facilities and fully furnished banquet hall. For further Information & Reservation, Visit: www.qualityinnviha.com
Experience Shangri-La’s gourmet magic, with refreshing fruity cocktails perfectly paired with suitable basket of Dimsum. A wide range of dimsums available include options in both, vegetarian as well as non vegetarian categories. Starting with Spinach, Enoki and Mushroom Dimsum, you can also try out the Spicy Radish and Glass Noodle Dimsum. For non vegetarian delights, you can opt for Crystal Prawns and Chives Dimsum or Chicken and Shitake and Celery Dimsum. If you order from the selection of exotic cocktails at Island Bar, then you can get a complimentary basket of delectable dimsums. Price: ` 700 onwards + Taxes When: Till 10 July 2013 Time: 3pm to 12 midnight For Reservations, Call: 011 - 41191030
Incredible Passage to India with Taj
From lofty mountain ranges to scenic backwaters, discover the elegance and beauty of India with Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces. A 13 night’s itinerary, this offer will take you to Taj at Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and many more exotic places including Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru and Kochi. A couple only offer, it does not allow any extra person or child. You can avail this offer on single occupancy or double occupancy. The offer includes of Rooms, Breakfast and current applicable taxes. So, discover fine luxury in the exquisite settings prepared by Taj. Price: Single Occupancy – ` 2, 05, 000; Double Occupancy – ` 2, 25, 000 When: Valid Till 30th September 2013 For Details and Reservations, Visit: www.tajhotels.com, or Mail: reservations@tajhotels.com
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE GETS A NEW LOOK AT SUN-N-SAND
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un-N-Sand hotel, Juhu, Mumbai has revamped its Presidential Suite and given it a more luxurious look. The flooring of the hall, pantry and powder room has been done in beautiful Brown Armani Marble. The terrace and the bedroom have wooden flooring. To add to the glamour of the suite, the bathrooms are
Power Lunches at Ekayana
floored with Sicis and White Kararra and you can enjoy the Jacuzzi with the surround sound system available in the bedroom. The Presidential Suite consists of three rooms with an attached terrace which is spread over 3000 sq ft. For Reservations, visit: www.sunnsandhotel.com
For an exhausting day between your busy schedules of meetings, grab a quick lunch which will keep you energized for the day at Ekayana, Shangri-La Hotel, Mumbai. These basically specialize in two cuisines, Indian and Lebanese. The menu includes mouthwatering options from both these versatile cuisines. You can choose any one from a spread of two appetizers or a chef’s special soup of the day, four main courses, three deserts and a beverage. Some of the delectable dishes from the menu include, Mezze Sampler Platter, Chicken Shawarma, Lebanese Pizza, Mutton Kolhapuri and more. Price: ` 995 + Taxes Time: 12:00pm to 3:00pm For Bookings, Call: 022-61628000
Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre Opens 12
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Exclusive Meetings at Radisson Blu Hotel
With a widespread area dedicated to exclusive meetings and conferences, Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar comes up with all inclusive packages for various kinds of residential conferences. These packages give a great opportunity to corporate houses and MICE Planners to organize meetings and conferences at the hotel within their budgets. The packages include rooms, taxes, buffet breakfast, morning tea/coffee with assorted cookies and bakeries, buffet lunch, evening tea/coffee and buffet dinner and also the usage of the magnificent Banquet Hall. The hotel has comfortable accommodation and is perfectly suitable for Business as well as Leisure travelers. When: Valid Till 30th September 2013 Price: ` 6, 499 For Further Information, Visit: www.radissonblu.com
Located in the heart of Bangkok, it involves a fully integrated fivestar hotel, convention centre and lifestyle complex under one roof. With such accessible location they have all of Bangkok within easy reach and it is one of the most convenient MICE facilities in Bangkok. The convention centre can accommodate up to 7,000 delegates for a reception or 5,000 attendees seated in theatre style in a single pillar-less environment. Adding on to this, the World Ballroom has a capacity of 1,000 seated in theatre style. It is complimented by three Lotus Suites, a VIP room, a boardroom and two pre function areas located on the same floor. Where: 999/99 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Call: +66 2100 1234
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BUSINESS TRAVELLER
HIROSHI TAKASHINA, MD - NIKON INDIA
CAMERA CAN BE AN AVID TRAVEL PARTNER We bring you travelling tips with Hiroshi Takashina, who meticulously plans his pre-travel arrangements. Not to be surprised, the camera is his best companion.
H
ow frequently do you travel for business?
My work at Nikon India involves a lot of travelling which I truly enjoy. On an average, I usually travel 3-4 times in a month and the trips I make may vary depending on the territory and the nature of my business in that particular region. Travelling to different places in India and abroad allows me to understand the changing trend in market dynamics, technology and also helps me to interact with a wide range of customers and business associates.
Where do you travel the most for business? Since the company has established the
total of 5 Nikon owned Service Centers (5 Branches), 25 ASCs (authorized service centers), 58 Nikon Collection Centers and over 3000 dealer base along with 112 COOLPIX and D-SLR zones pan India, company’s presence in India allows me to travel to different cities. These business trips also allow me to discover potential markets in various regions and help plan our strategies.
Tell us something about your top three airport experiences I personally like New Delhi and Bangalore airport. Recently I visited Raipur for a business trip and was astounded to look at the airport. It has facilities
Hiroshi Takashina in Kovalam, Kerala 14
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BUSINESS TRAVELLER which match standards of most of the metro city airports.
What are the essential comforts and facilities you look for while travelling? I mostly travel for business and these trips are generally for a day or two, so I prefer booking a hotel room and cab for local travel in advance for attending the business requirements well in time.
Do you plan your travel through some agencies or you do it yourself? I usually make my own travel plans and with the help of our own administration team the bookings are made accordingly.
What gadgets do you always travel with? The gadgets I usually take while travelling is my Nikon1 J 1 or Nikon D90 camera, my phone, iPod touch and my laptop.
Can you give out some tips to the fellow business traveller… Some of the important tips for the fellow business travellers which I also follow are: • Web Check-in: This saves a lot of time at the airport and also gives you enough time to reach on time. • Traffic and Reporting time: Traffic on roads
The camera I usually carry while travelling is my Nikon1 J 1 and recommend the same to fellow travellers. It is a small, intelligent and powerful interchangeable lens digital camera.
can result in missing a flight for an important meeting, therefore planning well in advance for a pick-up and drop to Airport is highly advisable. • Recharge your phone/ tablet: Usually we realize much later t hat we are running out of battery. It is very important to recharge the phone/tablet well before boarding the flight and to carry a spare battery/charger just in case one is running low on the battery. • Pack a light suitcase: Ta k e o n l y w h a t i s essential, along with a couple of nice shirts, ties and business suits. You will have fewer luggage to worry about getting lost or carrying through airports. You will also not have to endure delays in waiting for luggage. • Camera can be an avid travel partner for capturing some beautiful moments.
What kind of traveller are you? (Fussy,
Relaxed, Casual or Spontaneous). Since I am a frequent traveller and usually travel 3-4 times a month, I chose to consider myself a relaxed traveller.
How much time do you spend for preparing yourself before travelling? Most of my business trips last for a day or two, so the packing time required is less. I usually carry fewer luggage, just a couple of shirts, business suits and ties.
Any country/city you are looking forward to visit?
TANMOY DAS
I would like to visit Leh Ladakh, have heard a lot about the scenic beauty and monasteries of that place and would like to go for a holiday and indulge in the land of high passes to capture the beauty and wilderness of Ladakh. Another city I would like to visit is Dubai, the city has beautiful combination of beaches, shopping areas, bustling city life, and world class infrastructure.
I would like to visit Leh Ladakh, have heard a lot about the scenic beauty and monasteries of that place and would like to go for a holiday and indulge in the land of high passes to capture the beauty and wilderness of Ladakh.
Do you think spending extra money for a Business Class seat is worth? If the flight duration is long, or is with stop overs, I think it is necessary to book business class seats.
How do you spend your time in the flight? I usually like to read or listen to music while I’m travelling. For the same reason I always have my iPod and a book while I’m on the go. by NIKITA CHOPRA July 2013 GO NOW
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BUSINESS TRAVELLER
‘I like road journeys’
‘Travel is what keeps me going’
ANISH GOEL, Managing Director, Victorinox India
GULNAR VIRK, Gulnar Virk, CEO & Founder, GV Inc. (Brand Management Consultancy Services)
“I
travel very often for business, but even on my official trips I like to squeeze in a bit of leisure time. I like to travel light, as it makes travelling much easier and convenient. I prefer to carry a stroller because of its functionality. While I’m abroad, one thing I always keep in mind is to keep my passport with myself and not leave it in the suitcase. I like road journeys because I think driving is as stimulating as reaching to the destination. Even when I am abroad, I like to rent a car and drive around the country, and that is why my international driver’s license is always right up there on my checklist when I am packing. Driving between major cities often takes you through countryside where you get to experience the villages and smaller towns. That is something which you miss out on when you take a flight or a train. I like to visit places which are not only in the guide books but I also discover my own version of the country. Travelling is all about forming your own personal memories and not about replicating someone else’s. Being a foodie I also love to try out different cuisines wherever I am. The essence of a place can be sensed in its traditional authentic food.”
‘I select hotels down town to get the flavour of the country’’ ACHAL PAUL, Director, BUZZ Communications Pvt. Ltd.
“S
ince I don’t like reaching for meetings; seminars or events tired because of travel, I prefer landing a day prior to the event. This gives me ample time to take a run check of the situation; meet key officials. All this helps in making my visit a super success. Travel is an intrinsic part of me. My companion for travel is my Blackberry, which helps in keeping me connected without any hassle of switching on the laptop and connecting internet. Being a Frequent traveller, Jet Privilege card facilities help in more ways than one, be it flyer miles, priority check in, lounge services and extra baggage allowances etc. I select hotels down town to get the flavour of the country or the city I am travelling. Local cuisines; souvenir is a must to complete the visit.’’
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“E
xplore, Dream, Discover- Something my father always told me and through the years travel has meant more to me than ever - be it for leisure or work. One’s mind set to travel has a lot to do with the purpose of travel but the technicalities involved remain the same. Choose the correct flight and timings to visit a place, there is no point in going to a place with uncomfortable weather, and my experience has told me to always travel light. One should do one’s homework well for the place of travel to prevent any regrets later on, what with so many online groups available to speak of the best hotels to stay, restaurants to eat, and interesting places to see, one can gather all the useful information and eventually end up travelling smart – which is the best way to travel. Travel is what keeps me going, no pun intended.’’
‘I believe in spoiling myself’ DEEPAK AGGARWAL, MD, Kazo
“I
mostly travel to Europe and US and have always had a keen interest in travelling. I usually prefer a relax travel and always make sure that I get something back with me in terms of fashion. I feel like experiencing every bit of my travel with all the exotic locations it has to offer. I leave everything behind in exchange for a life of freedom. I always pre-plan my trips, do my research and keep myself updated about the place I plan to visit. From airline to hotel booking, from car to restaurant booking I always intend to choose whatever best is available. My overall experience in terms of travelling has always been great as apart from seeking peace I also try to gain knowledge from my trips be it for business or just a leisure one. I always go for a unique, grand experience when staying abroad as superior 5-star hotel brings you hospitality like no other. I believe in spoiling myself with luxury rooms furnished with antique items. Italian food is something that I cherish the most and always make sure to dine at the most exquisite Italian restaurants.’’
BUSINESS TRAVELLER
“I prefer a luxury hotel only when mandatory”
“Travelling has become an integral part of my life now’’
PRAMOD KUMAR SINGH , Founding Partner, The Legist
HARI NAIR, CEO and Founder, HolidayIQ.com
“T
“I
ravelling to me is all about exploring new horizons. For me it includes the excitement of not knowing what’s coming next and meeting new people. What fascinates me the most in travelling are people and their way of life. Monuments and places always come second to me. Most of my travels are business related. I always prefer mixing my business trips with pleasure and adventure. When travelling abroad, I prefer travelling with public transport like metro, bus or tram that gives me an opportunity to observe people closely. One of the most important things I believe while planning my travel is to plan the right hotel to stay, which is near to the place of conference, meetings or the client’s office. The second criteria is the cost related to conferencing, internet and business meetings. I prefer a luxury hotel only when mandatory lest my preference is mid segment business hotels. An impeccable customer service, facilities for business meeting and good dining opportunities are the hallmark for choosing my stay.’’
“I love to explore local and traditional cuisines of places I visit” ANIRUDH DHOOT, Director, Videocon
“I
always make sure that I explore new places along with work and business meetings. Whenever I get a chance to stay over an extended period of time in a city, I try to socialize rather than concentrating solely on work. I feel that if you just sit in your hotel room after work at the end of the day you are just wasting your time. But if you go to the theater, a horse show, a museum, or a unique store, your whole trip seems more like an adventure than just a travel. I prefer to travel light and usually carry gadgets which keep me connected at work and locate interesting places to visit and dine. I love to explore local and traditional cuisines of places I visit. I recently visited New York and would love to suggest Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle, Ritz Carlton at Central Park and The Westin at Times Square, where the experience was inexplicable.’’
have always loved travelling, which is one of the main reasons behind the genesis of HolidayIQ.com. Undoubtedly, my work requires me to travel to different places in India and abroad on a regular basis. Though these trips are essentially business-related, I combine them with leisure travel. Travelling gives you a whole new perspective about different places, people, culture and cuisine which as well helps immensely in enriching our information databank as a travel information portal. Travelling has become an integral part of my life now and I make it a point to travel at least once a month. Since I spend lot of time at airports, my travel necessities include an iPad for music and movies, hardy Samsonite pieces which can survive the checked-in luggage treatment and books. For domestic travel, I prefer IndiGo; otherwise Singapore Airlines or British Airways are my preferred choice of flights.’
“I prefer travelling in Emirates and IndiGo’’ PRITI MEHTA, Founder & Director, Omved
“W
ith the constant travelling I have turned into an absolute nofuss traveller. Some of the must-haves when I travel have to be the local country mobile connection, unlimited internet access, my laptop, an interesting book and a Tumi (non-leather) handbag that fits everything I need. I try and catch up some sleep on the flights so that I don’t take much time to get adjusted to the different time zones. I prefer travelling in Emirates and IndiGo. Travelling light is second nature, an invaluable lesson honed over time and umpteen numbers of trips I have made. My absolute essentials are my Omved aromatherapy de-stress roll-on, my hydrating face mist, kokum butter lip-balm and my Ylang Ylang face soap that has to be a part of my travel kit no matter how long the trip is. Ayurvedic Triphala tablets for keeping a clean gut and Khadiravati for boosting immunity are my medical basics that I always have in my medical kit.” by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI July 2013 GO NOW
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BUSINESS DESTINATION
LAVASA
AN ENTERPRISING TALE OF TWO PLANNED TOWNS
India’s first planned city has its first town up and running; its second is nearing completion and even a third is underway. There are already lots of options for MICE groups, leisure breaks and second homes
T
he hill-city of Lavasa is located about five-and-a-half hours from Mumbai and two hours from Pune. When completed, the city, which spans seven hills and 60 kms of lakefront, is to be a self-contained city like any other with businesses, homes, educational and medical institutions, hospitality, leisure and retail. The core difference is that everything is predesigned – by a four-times award winner in urban planning, US-based HOK. All of Lavasa’s towns will be created on the basis of new urbanism, which simply implies that all components of essential city life will be located within walking distance. The planning of towns takes the environment seriously. Everything is expected to be professional and smooth – for instance, Lavasa will have a City Manager (something like a head) and e-governance portal that will unify all city services and facilities. Business expected to set shop in Lavasa include IT & ITES, R&D, training, film-production and animation.
TOWN #1: DASVE
Dasve, the first town, has been open-forbusiness for about two years. It is packed to the seams every weekend with families from nature-starved Pune and Mumbai pouring in for their share of Lavasa’s green landscape. Weekdays see MICE groups flocking to the destination to make use of its open spaces and adventure sports centre X-thrill. “We’re also starting to see senior citizens and school-picnic groups making their way here on weekdays. Single business travelers are absent from the mix as commerce is yet to come up here,” says Jimmy Shaw, owner of The Waterfront Shaw, an all-suite hotel along Dasve’s promenade. Take a cue here – it is best to make bookings for weekends a month in advance and to also to make an 18
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advance booking even for a weekday visit. Since, commerce is yet to develop Lavasa, so much of its business is tourism-driven. Its peak season is fairly comparable with Maharashtra’s best-known hill-station, Lonavala. It kicks off in May as people look to escape the summer heat with numbers at their highest in mid-August, around Independence Day. It slows down a little just before Diwali and picks up for Diwali, carrying on until the year-end. Shaw says that 70 per cent of his guests come from Mumbai, 20 per cent from Pune and the rest from other parts of the country. While Mumbai and Pune were Lavasa’s sole footfall generators once upon a time, today bookings emerge from all over the country, with Delhi, Chennai and Ahmedabad taking the lead. Besides overnight travelers, who check into hotels, the city also draws dayvisits. “People come here simply to enjoy nature,” says Anand Ganesan, general manager, Mercure, Lavasa.
Hotels and conferences Besides The Waterfront Shaw, Lavasa’s first town boasts India’s largest international convention centre, after its sister-property in Hyderabad. Also run by Accor, the Lavasa International Convention Centre (LICC) can host 1,500 people in a pillar less set up. It can also host an expo of about 100 exhibitors. Accor (the same people who run the convention centre in Hyderabad) runs LICC. It stands 2,000 ft above sea level. It has approximately 34,500 sq ft of space, spanning 1.5 acres and three levels. It is a member of international meeting bodies like ICCA and AIPC. What does that mean to you? Well these bodies regulate their members’ service and set standards for global meeting spaces and professional services. So you know that you’re getting the best. There’s only one glitch: While the con-
vention centre accommodates up to 1,500 people, there are only 250 rooms – between The Waterfront Shaw, Mercure (an Accorrun hotel), Fortune Select (which bears the ITC stamp) and Ekant, a quaint hotel located at the top of a hill – which means that even on a twin-sharing basis, only 500 people can actually stay overnight. “However another 192 rooms from Novotel will be in by mid-2014, meaning that 800-pax sized MICE activities can be planned for a little later,” says Rajiv Duggal who heads tourism promotion at Lavasa. Corporates reportedly love lots of things about Lavasa. “Those coming in for strategy meetings are appreciative of the large number of breakaway rooms available at LICC,” says Ganesan. He adds that nearly every corporate group opts to turn the staple cocktails and dinner into a relaxing lakeside do. Another option that Duggal anticipates will do well is what he is calling boat meetings. “A nine to 10-person meeting can be arranged on board a Pontoon – or a floating plank – in Lavasa,” he says. Versatility is definitely a visitor-magnet. “I assure you that you can launch anything from a pin to a car and even a helicopter here,” says Duggal. He paints an outstanding picture – describing 5,000 people about the promenade along the lake with a car being launched from a raft-like creation in the middle of the lake. Corporates are also big fans of the build a part of Lavasa initiative where teams can paint + plaster a wall at Kapse, the third town. Volunteers are awarded with a certificate. Of course, incentive and team-building groups are drawn to Lavasa most for the adventure sports at X-thrill. “Jungle treks, open lake swimming, waterfall rappelling, night treks are a few of the adventure activities that the teams can undertake under the guidance of trained instructors,” Duggal says.
Pontoon boat ride at Dasve lake
Generally local people are employed for various occupations
Adventure sports
Dasve, Lavasa’s first town
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Mercure Hotel
Hotel Fortune
Dasvino Dasve,Country Lavasa’sClub, firstLavasa town
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Hotel Waterfront Shaw
BUSINESS DESTINATION X-thrill also has 40 air-conditioned tents, which can host about 80 to 90 people. Small team-building groups veer towards this more adventurous accommodation option. The destination’s hotels are also working towards excellence on every front. Shaw shares a few recent initiatives that he’s taken at his hotel and plans to suggest his counterparts implement as well. “The American Hotel & Lodging Association has a Guest Service Gold training imparted to guest-facing staff. When every member of your staff is trained, you become a Guest Service Gold star hotel. We’ve had our staff trained and I’m sure that Lavasa will soon become a Guest Service Gold star destination,” he says. Shaw also offers free wi-fi at his hotel. Standards are of utmost importance in Lavasa.
Residences Each of the five towns to be developed at Lavasa will have residential units. The options currently are villas, apartments, rental housing, retiree housing and hostels for students. Care has been taken to provide homes to people from every class of the socio-economy strata. Residential properties at Dasve are an mix of colours – these are the ones you see on all the advertisements for Lavasa – Portofinoinspired lakefront apartments to the earthy Goan-Mediterranean inspired villas. Villas on offer at Dasve are from 1 / 8th acre to 1 acre. Prices are scaling up rapidly as the homes become hot property. They began sales three years ago and sold at a price of about ` 2,500 a sq ft. Today, the same places are going at nearly ` 4,000 per sq ft. Villas that were priced at ` 1.5 crore, are now being sold at about ` 3.5 crore. There is a whole segment of apartments with prices ranging that cost ` 10 lakh to ` 20-25 lakh and to even ` 35 lakh. It goes all the way to in excess of ` 2 crore.
Tourism and attractions
Past conference clients include: • APCO • UBM India • Ernst & Young • Wipro • Skoda Auto • Emcure Pharmaceuticals • Capgemini • Bank of India • Vodafone India • Maruti Suzuki • Suzlon • Videocon • Cox & Kings • Atlas Copco • Elder Pharma • Ranbaxy India Ltd • Johnson & Johnson • Elle Magazine • Bayer Healthcare • Brand Capital • ICICI Bank Conferences have also been hosted by: • UBM India • Cox & Kings Key events: • Times of India’s Literature Live • The TED - INK Conference Between the hotels, there are about 20 restaurants and you can find anything from Oriental cuisine to European fare, fast-food and local Maharashtrian delicacies.
Education
TOWN # 2: MUGAON
Mugaon is 6 kms from Dasve and is being developed as a centre for residential, educational, business and commercial activities. This town is to have shops, cafes, cultural institutions, spiritual centres, schools and colleges. In terms of homes, over 2,000 apartments – all come complete with a spectacular view – will be developed on both sides of the lake. They are expected to be ready within the next four years. Options are studio apartments, one, two and three BHK homes. At present apartment prices vary between ` 3,550 to ` 3,950 per sq ft depending on location and size.
Panwel Mu m ba i- P un eE
Proposed Mumbai International Airport
Lavasa has tied up with a London-based school concept called Christel House that only admits the poorest and the most marginalized in society. “Three years ago, when we started out, we went to all the villages nearby and explained to parents why their child – whom they saw as yet another helping hand at home or in the field – should attend school. We now have a packed school, and many of the students are girls. Things have come a long way. Aspirations of these children were once “farmer” or “driver” since they saw Lavasa-branded cars cruising around. Today it is anything from NASA scientist to designer,” Duggal explains. I’ve seen the school personally – it is very heartwarming. Besides, Lavasa has a great plan to ensure limited dropouts. They pick the students up early in the morning, bring them to Lavasa where they are bathed and fed before class begins, and are dropped home at the end of the day after an evening snack.
xp re ss wa y
A host of big educational names have signed up to set up programmes and facilities in Lavasa. These include the Biomimicry Guild, USA, Birla Edutech, Bangalore-based Christ University, Switzerland-based Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Euro Kids School, Germany-based University of International Business Relations and Pune-based Symbiosis University. by RAYNAH COUTINHO
filefact • The Main Hall at “Convention Level” at the LICC is divisible into 8 smaller halls with maximum capacity to accommodate upto 240 delegates (theatre style seating, Hall 4 or 5). • There are 7 seating styles on offer. • The Promenade level boasts of 6 additional small meeting/break out venues 1 Board Room, a VIP room and Media Room, adding up the total capacity for small meetings in the LICC to 1,030 delegates (in a theatre style, using convention & promenade level), meeting simultaneously.
Lonavala
Proposed Pune International Airport at Chakan
17 HyN wa gh Hi oa iG ba um M
Lavasa Tourism Development Corporation is constantly upping the destination’s points of interest. Bombay Point allows you a good view of the city-that-never-sleeps and is also said to be the place where Shivaji charged visitors a tax to move on into the city. Since Shivaji is such an icon in Maharashtrian history, there is also a viewing point that allows you a view of one of his historic forts. Another thing you might want to see are their arms display. Besides these, there is a bamboo crafts and souvenir and a spa at the Dasvino Country Club.
CSR
Conference chronicles
Pune Domestic Airport
Kolad
To Kolhapur NH-4
To Goa NH-7
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BUSINESS DESTINATION
LAVASA
CONVENE WITH ACCOR AT LICC, A BOUTIQUE CENTRE The Accor Group is managing the Lavasa International Convention Centre and also Mercure Hotel in the city. Together, they make a formidable bid for your next convention. If you are looking at a new destination for your next MICE needs, Lavasa could be the ideal answer. The centre piece here would be the Lavasa International Convention Centre, located at 2000 ft above the sea level. Managed by the Accor group, LICC offers 34, 500 sq ft of flexible floor space to host a variety of events and conventions. The group also runs its Mercure brand of hotel, situated at close proximity to this world class facility, with its 130 rooms in mid-scale segment. In conversation with Anand Ganesan, General Manager, Mercure Lavasa, we discover further about the international centre and Lavasa as a MICE destination. 22
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W
hat is the concept of the international centre. Why Lavassa?
The Lavasa International Convention Centre is located in the picturesque valley of Lavasa. Dasve the first of the four cities planned at Lavasa offers Lavasa International Convention Centre (LICC) with world class conferencing facilities, expertise in event planning and design, an opportunity to immediately break out with multiple incentive locales which is unique for its category. The meetings are conveniently distanced at three and a half hours from Mumbai and one and a half hours from the heart of Pune posing as a perfect incentive for conferences and more. The Lavasa International Convention Centre is an architectural masterpiece which blends well with the exquisite natural surroundings and at the same point of time provides one with flexible facilities which are equipped with state-of-the-art communication equipments. Based on new urbanism principles, and
located near Pune, Lavasa is a township developed over an area of approximately 10,000 rolling acres by Hindustan Construction Company. Lavasa is located on the backwaters of Warasgaon Dam on the Western Ghats between Pune and Mumbai. The township is master planned with the objective of striking a balance between cosmopolitan architecture and environmentally friendly surroundings. Lavasa, not just offers the option of green getaways but world’s best hospitality when it comes to hotels, meeting spaces, entertainment, sports and fitness, spiritualism, health and education. The master plan of Lavasa is developed by internationally renowned design consultant HOK, of USA and is a recipient of many international accolades for incorporating principles of New Urbanism. City has many firsts to its credit - technology leadership, e-Governance, India’s first e-city; the first Indian city developed using Geographical Information System (GIS), etc. In association with The Biomimicry Guild (USA), the science of Biomimicry is used
BUSINESS DESTINATION
where learnings from nature are integrated in the planning and development. It is a perfect combination of technology and infrastructural advancements, where the amenities and facilities of modern day living are offset by an environment that allows life to thrive.
ensure that your multiple meeting sessions are not effected and co-exist without downsizing any services. The Promenade level boasts of 6 additional small meeting/break out venues 1 Board Room, a VIP room and Media Room, adding up the total capacity for small meetings in the LICC to 1030 dele-
When did your facility get started. What are its sizes, and capabilities? LICC has been functional since May 2010. Our first event was the HCC Strategic Meet and was followed by regular conferences and meetings of various national and multinational companies. Spread across 1.5 acres of land, the centre offers 3 levels of conference and meeting space. The centre is already a member of leading international meeting bodies like ICCA and AIPC, which set standards to the global meeting spaces and professional services. Meetings at LICC: The Main Hall at Convention Level is divisible into 8 smaller halls with maximum capacity to accommodate upto 240 delegates (theatre style seating, Hall 4 or 5). With 7 seating styles to suit your agenda and the capacity, the hall molds itself to offer the best you would ever find out of the city. Interoperable walls
ANAND GANESAN General Manager, Mercure Lavasa
We would like to tap newer segments like corporate trainings and development, social – weddings and B2B exhibitions, product launches etc.
gates (in a theatre style, using convention & promenade level), meeting simultaneously. Incentives at LICC: The 3200 sq mts on the 1.5 acres of land is ideal not just for Meetings or Conferences but also Incentives for guests and delegates. We encourage you to try the tea/coffee session on the Promenade Terrace which is seconds away from the Meeting rooms at the Promenade level, and offers an encapsulating view of Lake Dasve and the Oase Fountain. The Convention Centre is also an ideal choice to host celebrity events or cocktails as a part of incentive deals for 1000 delegates Conferences at LICC: The Convention level offers 1500 sq mts of large Conference area. With 1 main hall which can accommodate upto 900 delegate (theatre style seating), and further divisible into 8 smaller halls to conduct multiple breakout sessions. The extended foyer area on both The Convention and Promenade Level allows space for networking sessions under multiple thematic setups arranged by the event management team in-house. The world class AV setup helps your sessions go global through live webcasting and telepresence. Inbuilt speakers affixed on the ceiling for speech reinforcements, inbuilt July 2013 GO NOW
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BUSINESS DESTINATION
wall speakers for program audio (Promenade Level), Ceiling mounted drop down screens accessible at the touch of a button and simultaneous language interpretation facility to accommodate up to 6 interpretators are a must try to experience the sharp difference between LICC and the rest. Exhibitions at LICC: Also unique at LICC is the presence of service pits, which offers connectivity for water and electricity. This you will find approximately every 10 24
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ft. Making this an ideal venue for Exhibitions. The Registration desk at the entry can accommodate around 100 exhibitors simultaneously and at ease. LICC has hosted various exhibitions from Pharmaceuticals to Automobiles, Travel and Services to Media. The fact that a growing city centre which offers different services from Infrastructure to branding options and various category of venues to stay, there is no limit to experience your own stall on an interna-
tional platform. Socials at LICC: Lavasa is the upcoming weddings hub of Western India, where the convention centre acts at the venue offering world class hospitality coupled with international standards in event management, F&B and Audio Visual. LICC has hosted close to 10 wedding/ pre wedding ceremonies since 2011. T he multiple rooms at LICC (convention and promenade level) helps the guest to carry on with different ceremonies in a short turn around time. Like a Mehandi session at the Promenade Foyer a Sangeet on the Promenade Terrace, a R in g ceremony in t he Smaller rooms, Wedding in the main hall, and Cocktail and Dinners on the Foyer area. What also comes together in a wedding at Lavasa is the additional services that the city offers like a special candle light dinner on a boat, special honeymoon packages at hotels like Mercure Lavasa and ITC Fortune, in proposal is the branding of the couples on a fountain in the centre of a lake, world class cuisines and eateries around the venue.
BUSINESS DESTINATION
What has been the success so far? Which major conferences have been held so far? As far as the success of LICC is concerned, the already famous destination like Mumbai, as a business and movie nucleus of India, and Pune to a fair extent for its many offsite experiences will now have to make way for Lavasa. Picking a meetings venue from Mumbai and a leisure getaway from Pune has thus far been a norm with some of the conference and meetings organisers of the Mumbai-Pune ‘knowledge corridor’, but Lavasa which offers the best of conferencing facilities and opportunity to immediately break out with multiple incentive locales is unique for its category. Good connectivity and a great meeting centre is most crucial to associations across the world and LICC is located away from the hustle and bustle of the city giving an opportunity to host events in a peaceful and serene environment, a location well controlled and technologically advanced systems of security making it a safer destination outside the city. Providing a unique setting and being a part of the first hill city development in Lavasa, LICC has been successfully hosting some major conferences for renowned clients. Some of the major conferences and meetings at LICC have been IAPCO Regional Seminar, UBM Business Meet, Ernst and
Young Offsite, Centre for Advanced Gastrointestinal Oncology Conference (CAGO), TED- INK Conference, The Association for International Schools in India (TAISI) Conference, Swadeshi Marketing India Meet, Times of India – Literature Live, Skoda Meet to name a few.
How has the development been for supporting infrastructure - in terms of roads and accessibility, hotel rooms and others? The hospitality infrastructure at Lavasa includes global brands offering services ranging from 5 star hillside resorts to dormitories, under brands such as ACCOR, Hilton, ITC and others. Currently 130 room Mercure Lavasa by Accor, 60 room Fortune Select Dasve, 43 room The Waterfront Shaw Serviced Apartments and 20 room Ekaant – The Retreat, are functional. ‘Considering the growth in the MICE and the vast development planned by the Lavasa Corporation, Mercure, the world’s largest brand of midscale hotels, has immense opportunity under its feet today. With diverse category of audience; regards to dialect, tastes and palettes, and mere choices of living, can experience the international warmth with typical choices. If looking beyond tourism then Lavasa is not merely a weekend tourist destination; Contributing to work force, the city will offer
diverse work possibilities to non-polluting industries like the IT and biotech, KPOs and R&D companies, as well as from the world of art, fashion and animation.
Where do you see it going from here? Growth of Lavasa as a city is the way forward and will make a rush for LICC. The marketing strategy is to promote ‘Destination Lavasa’ through tourism and hospitality marketing windows, which can leverage new outlook to promote a new city near Pune and Mumbai. We would like to tap newer segments like corporate trainings and development, social – weddings and B2B exhibitions, product launches etc. The focus is to promote the city of Lavasa through Tourism and Hospitality marketing windows which can leverage new outlook to promote a new city near Pune and Mumbai. With Lavasa – new urbanism concept and in the midst of nature promotes the fresh look as an achievement of its own. New ideas and innovations, professionalism helps in overcoming these challenges in a destination. Personalised nurturing of guests help to bridge the gap and create a new relationship for the business. At Lavasa we offer a destination which provides work, learn, live and play as a concept to emerge as the leader in next generation conferencing in India. by NAVIN BERRY
July 2013 GO NOW
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BUSINESS TRAVEL
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
‘MANAGE YOUR TRAVEL EXPENSES EFFECTIVELY’ From arranging the travel, accommodation to team bonding activities, travel agencies play an important role in developing interesting itineraries for your incentive or MICE tours. However, doing it within your budget is the biggest challenge.
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ith the increase in trend of MICE travelling and incentive tours, the travel agencies are gearing up to serve their customers with the best service, rates and more. Business travel is increasing with every year, but companies are being more careful with the expense incurred on travel and forcing their employees to stick to the travel policies. Some of the top tour and travel companies take up effective measures to manage the costs incurred by corporations on bulk bookings. Explaining the role that a travel agency plays in planning the whole trip, with better price and facilities, Indiver Rastogi, Senior VP & Head – Global Enterprise and Business, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. says, “The plethora of routes, airlines and accommodation
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solutions available today, are truly complex and mind boggling. In today’s hectic corporate world, where time is at a premium, the value of a travel expert is significant. We step in to allow the corporate to focus their energies on their core business, while our experts take care of the entire trip – pre, during and post purchase.” “Our role is highly appreciated especially by CFOs as we bring in our expertise in T&E Management and work together with our corporate partners’ right from the planning stage to ongoing MIS dashboards with analysis and recommendations,” he adds. Elucidating it further, Vishal Suri, CEO, Tour Operating Kuoni India says, “The discounts and deals offered by us can benefit our clients’ immensely. Plus we offer an array of choices and customised holiday
packages tailor made to suit the needs of our consumers. Therefore our corporate clients can choose to holiday at an incredible range of destinations, fly the airline and stay at hotels of their choice.” With travel becoming expensive with time, companies have restricted budgets for incentive tours and business travelling. The travel agencies help you in choosing the perfect airlines and making your plans feasible within your budgets. With their close connections amongst the hotels and airlines, they can help you with the best discounts. “We take measures to manage the expense. For example, just changing the airline or advising them of alternate routing to the final destination are some of the many advices that we provide the client. I would
INDIVER RASTOGI
VISHAL SURI
KARAN ANAND
Sr VP & Head – Global Enterprise and Business, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd.
Chief Executive Officer, Tour Operating Kuoni India
Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings Ltd.
“We step in to allow the corporate to focus their energies on their core business, while our experts take care of the entire trip – pre, during and post purchase.”
“Destinations like Australia, England, Turkey, New Zealand, Oman, and Abu Dhabi are proving to be preferred MICE tourism destination with the Indian corporate sector.”
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“I would suggest them to plan early and freeze the travel plans as this itself will save them between 15-20 per cent of the overall travel costs.”
suggest them to plan early and freeze the travel plans as this itself will save them between 15-20 per cent of the overall travel costs. The planning should start at least six months in advance for a large group. We adopt a 360 degree approach and cover all aspects of travel and stay for our clients,” elucidates Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings Ltd. Talking about the efforts put in by Thomas Cook (India) in reducing the travel cost effectively for their corporate customers, Indiver Rastogi says, “we have one of the most aggressive and effective Corporate Travel Cost Management programs in the industry. This strategy is applied efficiently across all sections of travel including MNCs, Indian Corporate Houses, SMEs and MICE groups. Effective management of travel expenses is done by identifying the various travel patterns and their relation to the travel policy. At Thomas Cook India, we also proactively seek cost reductions from our vendors to ensure optimum value to our customers.” Adding further, he says, “In this day and age, travel budgets require a more holistic approach – and air transactions form merely an element of the complex picture. For ultimate efficiency, travel expense needs to be analysed with a ‘Cost Per Trip’ approach - a term that was coined in the Thomas Cook India Whitepaper titled ‘Trends, Outlook, Opportunities 2011’.” They constantly put efforts to offer unique experiences and best in class service to their corporate clients. These agents intelligently prepare packages and deals with a personalized touch to serve the MICE travellers with an exclusive experience. “We always believe in providing the best
value in the market with innovative offerings and focus on customer and operational excellence. Apart from introducing new MICE destinations, we have been adding new experiences to preferred MICE destinations enabling us to tap this growing travel segment. As MICE specialist in tours, we organise pre and post tour programmes, and arrange for accompanying guests, specialised exclusive theme dinners along with basic planning and arranging of venues and technical assistance,” says Vishal Suri. Karan Anand tells us that Cox & Kings is on call 24x7 with the group; and assist them with visa support, guide them with meal preferences, dealing with any emergencies on the tour, etc. They also have experienced staff deployed with the group during the trip. Thomas Cook (India) takes care of the minutest details during the trip of a corporate group with end-to-end services prepared by their specialized MICE team. Rajeev Kale, COO – MICE, Domestic, Sports & Cruises, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. tells us about the further details, “Our tour managers are MICE specialists who have experience coupled with extensive knowledge of destinations & an understanding of the nuances of a MICE traveller. For our MICE Team at Thomas Cook India, every minute detail, from a masala chai sachet to a perfectly choreographed gala event ensures personalized service, and the outcome – par excellence! On tour team bonding activity too is personalized to ensure that magical “wow factor”. We had organized an exclusive “Russian Military Experience” – a truly impactful, unique, fun bonding experience. Participants were given militia outfits and had to
undergo obstacle course and activities.” Along with interesting itineraries, there is another added advantage of hiring these agencies to plan your incentive tours or other business tours. They suggest you some out of the box destinations for an incredible conference, meeting or exhibitions. Karan Anand states that South Africa and Thailand are some of the leading destinations for MICE this season. Whereas, Vishal Suri says, “Destinations like Australia, England, Turkey, New Zealand, Oman, and Abu Dhabi are proving to be preferred MICE tourism destination with the Indian corporate sector. The State-of-the-art facilities combined with the unique local culture make them perfect MICE destinations that offer unique experiences.” Comparing the trends from the last season to the present, Rajiv Kale tells us about some interesting destinations too, “Last season has seen phenomenal success with unique destinations like Russia, Prague and Eastern Europe which continue to be in top demand, along with Germany, Austria and South Africa. This year has seen some interesting trends with exotic Morocco, and long hauls like Canada and South America. Japan is a destination that we believe holds much potential. Our MICE product teams have been able to deliver truly outstanding cruise experiences – and this cruise opportunity is a top draw for Corporates as cruises offer an all inclusive, hassle free holiday with fascinating on board entertainment & sightseeing- at a fraction of the cost. Cruise partners that have seen strong uptake courtesy our MICE demand have beenNorwegian Epic, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Star Cruises.” by NIKITA CHOPRA
July 2013 GO NOW
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BUSINESS TRAVEL
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
“WHAT, NO ROOM SERVICE!?” It is a service that is recognized as a benchmark for luxury hotels across the world. It is also one which travellers are most loathe to relinquish. Some hotel industry experts see the elimination of the labour-intensive amenity as a way for hotels to save money.
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he Manhattan-based New York Hilton Midtown has announced that it will discontinue room service to all its 2,000 rooms this August. In its place will be a new self-service – ‘Herb n’ Kitchen’ stocked with grab-and-go items. The announcement has expectedly created a kerfuffle in the global hospitality industry surprising both travellers and hoteliers. The concept of room service grew in popularity across the world with privileged guests of the iconic Waldorf-Astoria (a chain of which Hilton Midtown is also a part), in the 1930s and soon emerged as a sought-after perk. Hilton’s decision thus poses a threat to a vital privilege in the luxe hotel segment that almost all its guests value enormously. Some hotel industry experts see the elimination of the labourintensive amenity as a way for hotels to save money. Many hotels
Room service at The Leela Palace New Delhi
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TRAVEL TRENDS admit losing money on room service, which requires maintaining an army of waiters and kitchen workers throughout the day, even though orders typically dwindle after breakfast and come in sporadically afterward. What do Indian hoteliers feel about this? Have they ever mulled over discontinuing room service? It must surely have crossed their minds at some point in this no-frills age when resources are being optimized and costs whittled down? However, withdrawing the perk will undoubtedly acquire a piquancy in a market like India which thrives on pampering its guests. Contradictions abound as no one is sure what will work. But everyone knows the stakes are huge. The luxury hospitality sector is valued at an estimated €127 billion a year, up from €91 billion in 2009, according to Bain & Co., the Boston-based global management consulting firm. And the target audience for luxury is growing exponentially too. By 2022, there will be 4,076 billionaires in the world, an 85 per cent increase from the 2,198 billionaires in 2012, the international property agency Knight Frank predicts. There also will be 285,000 high net-worth individuals with at least US$30 million in assets, a 50 per cent increase from 2012, the agency’s analysts say. In many parts of the world, luxury hotels have recovered from the global recession far more quickly than other economic sectors. The average price for a night in a luxury hotel last year in Paris was 617 euros, up from 532 euros in 2010, according to data tracked by STR Global, a hotel research company. And in Hong Kong, the average daily rate for a luxury room in 2012 was HK$2,585 (S$414), up from HK$1,901 in 2010. In response to the market forces, developers now are building 458 luxury hotel projects with 123,325 rooms around the world, according to STR data. Of those, 253 are in the Asia-Pacific region, the area with the largest predicted growth in billionaires. The rapid development of the luxury market in Asia is sending ripples of excitement through the entire industry. Given this scenario, can hotels really afford to do away with room service? Meanwhile, Indian travelers are bemoaning the prospect of losing a cherished hotel perk regardless of whether they use it or not. For even though most guests balk at outrageous room service rates, and rarely order from it, it is nevertheless comforting to know that such items can be door delivered, its arrival punctuated by a few knocks and exactly two words.
Room service at Hyatt Regency Delhi
For instance, when Jai and Juhi Mohapatra called for a pot of coffee at a luxe five-star hotel in Udaipur last month where they were celebrating 10 years of their marriage, it was delivered on a silver tray by a butler in a tuxedo. “It felt very nice,” says Jai though he admits not being a huge room-service fan. Most Indian room service menus cover several pages and offer everything from populist burgers (` 1,000) to exotica like teriyaki tenderloin (` 15,00, The Oberoi Mumbai), mixed grilled seafood (` 1,900, Hyatt Regency New Delhi), Grain Fed Angus Ribeye and Wagyu (Leela Palace, New Delhi) top-notch wines and champagnes whose price tags may burn a hole in your credit card. No matter. Regulars are completely hooked to the privilege, especially those on an expense account. Sushmita Guha, 29, a Mumbai-based civil engineer who travels 10 days on work every month, says she counts on room service when she arrives late at night and is jet-lagged. “I will strike off non-room service hotels from my list as nowadays there are so many hotels to choose from,” admits the professional. “If everyone is offering room service, why should I pay the same rate with no service?” Why indeed? Besides, experts point out
that the move could also jeopardize the hotel’s star status. It is tough for any hotel to call itself “full service” without room service, even if it offers a plethora of other amenities. Room service is a requirement to earn a four star rating from global hotel organizations like AAA. A 24-hour room service facility is also a standard requirement from India’s Department of Tourism which classifies hotels based on their facilities and services. Hence, a 24-hour room service is a pre-requisite for a five-star deluxe classification.
What do the Indian hotels have to say about this important development? Hyatt Regency, New Delhi: According to Aseem Kapoor, General Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi, in-room dining is an essential service that should continue to be offered to guests. “Breakfast is an important meal period for guests who are in a rush to get ready, especially while considering business travelers. The sheer convenience of having a meal delivered to your room is paramount in such circumstances.” Also, many guests tend to come back late after work and would rather watch some television and order food from in-room dining. July 2013 GO NOW
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BUSINESS TRAVEL This is especially true for ladies traveling on their own, as they may want to unwind in the privacy of their room after a hectic day at work. Lastly, in India, where many international flights land late at night due to variations in time zones, most guests prefer to order from room service after a long flight rather than dine at the all-day restaurants. Other guests like long-staying patrons, elderly couples etc… also prefer to order and have their meal in the quiet comfort of their rooms. Keeping in mind the preference of light and healthy meals by lady travelers, we have also introduced a ‘healthy balance’ menu which is a part of our room service menu and is also available in our all day dining restaurant Café. According to David Hopcroft, General Manager, Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi, room service is an important medium which gives hotels an opportunity to make personalized menus for guests according to their preferences in the privacy they desire. “One of the perks of staying in a luxury hotel is enjoying the in-room dining facility popularly known as room service. Our inroom service is very popular. The hotel has a lot of expatriate and local guests flying in and out of India in the wee hours. It thus becomes essential for us to be able to offer room service on a 24-hour basis to cater to their needs. After a long hard work day, business travelers are keen to be by themselves. This segment finds it convenient to order their choice in the comfort of their rooms.
are working while eating. We’re hoping that this concept will be as pleasant as any other dining experience in any of our restaurants. We’re bringing appliances like imported toasters etc. for breakfast orders and have also developed a fresh fruit trolley where the guest can choose their preferred fresh fruit/juice. The hotel is also completing this service with an upgradation of the mini bar concept for the guest to get a holistic experience between the things to order and things available within the convenience of the room. Our rooms are equipped with coffee machines, tea makers and now we’re adding guide books, typical local gifts. We’re also developing a T-shirt with the help of a renowned Indian designer to retail in the mini bar. So a combination of an attractive room service offering, paired with an innovative, unobtrusive and quick service and the exciting offering of the in-room mini bar is the way forward for us.” Vivanta by Taj, Fort Aguada, Goa: According to Ravi Nischal, General Manager, for a resort depending on the mix profile of guests, seasonality and vibe – in-room service is integral to the overall attraction of the property. “In-room experiences matter in resorts which offer indulgent, “put your feet up” experiences where a large part of the holiday could be spent in making the clock go slower while high adrenalin, adventure-oriented resorts offerings are skewed towards “out of room” experiences. Especially in the context of the Goa market, in-room dining still plays an important role
ASEEM KAPOOR
OLIVER MARTIN
DAVID HOPCROFT
General Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi
General Manager, The Claridges, New Delhi
General Manager, Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi
“Apart from regular F&B inroom services, we’re working on a full butler concept as well, for the entire hotel to ensure that guests get everything at the touch of a button.”
Our in-room service is very popular. The hotel has many expatriate and local guests coming at the wee hours. It becomes essential for us to be able to offer room service on a 24-hour basis.
“Breakfast is an important meal period for guests who are in a rush to get ready, especially while considering business travellers.”
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Also, due different time zones, these guests prefer to catch up on their work within the room on the free Wi-Fi internet provided in every guest room while grabbing a bite alongside. Couples on their honeymoon also like to sleep in late and enjoy the variety of choices that in-room dining offers. Single women travelers too, like to maintain their privacy and dine in their rooms late at night. We offer an elaborate breakfast menu as well which includes Continental, American, Oriental, Japanese and Indian breakfast choices. The all-day dining menu and overnight menu has a mix of soups, appetizers, salads, burgers, pizzas, wraps, sandwiches, grills, Italian, western and Indian fares. We also have a special kids menu for our tiny travelers. Some of the popular room service choices made by guests are hamburgers, Mezze sampler, murgh tikka makhani, biryani and desserts. The Claridges, New Delhi: General Manager Oliver Martin opines that room service is indeed a `necessary evil’ but an instrumental service for any five star hotel as it is part of the hospitality industry’s rating criteria. “We have never thought of discontinuing this service, rather plans are afoot to upgrade it and make it more interesting. Apart from regular F&B in-room services, we’re working on a full butler concept as well for the entire hotel to ensure that guests get everything at the touch of a button. Also, we’ve discovered that most business travelers tend to have their meals in the confines of the room, as they
GO NOW July 2013
Welcoming staff at The Claridges Nabha Mussoorie
when it comes to guest perception of a five star hotel. The market can still be splintered into two periods –season and off-season. During the off-season period, guests mainly book on all-meal packages wherein the meals are had at the coffee shop. However, room service plays a significant role in guest expectations of what is due in a five star property. Breakfast in bed, private villa dining, TV dinners, in-suite celebrations, fire place conversations etc are all experiences that can be unforgettable memories. An in room experience can be an extremely private, bespoke experience and a room in a resort tends to be an extension of the resort and becomes
a private sanctuary. In contrast, the concept of ‘grab and go’ would make more sense in a business hotel or a destination in comparison to Goa. This market is predominantly a leisure destination, where guests have more time to spend in their rooms and within the property hence as of now in context to leisure travel we feel room service still plays a vital role in the service bouquet available at a five-star property. Leela Palace, New Delhi: Kunal Chauhan, Resident Manager “While some hotels may have moved away from room service, India is known for its traditional hospitality and the market continues to at-
Room service at The Leela Palace New Delhi
KUNAL CHAUHAN
RAVI NISCHAL
Resident Manager, Leela Palace, New Delhi
General Manager, Vivanta by Taj, Fort Aguada, Goa
“We have gone a step ahead and created an `en route menu’ enabling guests to place their orders from the car to enjoy the meal as soon as they arrive!”
“Especially in the context of the Goa market, in-room dining still plays an important role when it comes to guest perception of a five star hotel.”
tract travelers for its warmth and service excellence. We feel that the services of the hotel have to be designed keeping in view the guests’ needs and comfort. Many guests still find dressing up for dinner a task after a hectic day. Hence, they prefer to enjoy their meal in the privacy of their own room which the room service menu enables. We have never thought to discontinue our room service, rather we offer a 24-hour private dining facility to all our guests. There’s a lot of effort that has been put into designing this menu. We have handpicked each dish carefully considering the time in transit and the quality at the time of delivery to maintain the finest F&B experience. In fact, we have gone a step ahead and created an `en route menu’ enabling guests to place their orders from the car to enjoy the meal as soon as they arrive! Room service is certainly of great convenience to our guests and contributes to the overall revenue of the hotel. Our endeavor is to replicate the dining experience with no compromise on service standards in the confines of a guestroom. Discerning travelers no more expect the vanilla food anymore. It’s about the precision required to ensure the best food quality, taste, presentation, choice on the menu, hospitality and more. Our private dining menu caters to all guest demographics providing an option to choose from comfort food, home style food and gourmet cuisine. While some of our guests savor our steaks like Grain Fed Angus Ribeye and Wagyu, few who would order Pizza or succulent kebabs and biryanis or pasta. by NEETA LAL July 2013 GO NOW
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MICE DESTINATION
SINGAPORE
SUNTEC REOPENS WITH NEW IMPRESSIVE FEATURES Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre has been attracting business travellers and delegates from all around the world since its inception and now has reopened with better facilities, flexible exhibition and convention spaces and state-of-the-art technology.
Aerial view of Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre
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S
Escalators guiding to different levels of the Convention Centre
untec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, has played host to some of the most elite conferences and events since its inception. From exhibitions, conventions, to meetings and various special events, it can host it all in the best possible way. Located only 20 minutes from The Changi International Airport, it is integrated with Singapore’s largest mall. It was opened in the year 1995, and has recently gone under an extensive modernization programme, costing about $180m. The upgraded venue includes more than 2,100 m2 of function space and 36 convertible meeting rooms along with six halls covering 12,000 m2. It also boasts of a column free hall which is spread across an area of around 10,000 m 2 and it connects to a huge multipurpose hall. The Centre has added huge techno logical advancements, too. It now has the service of free Wi-Fi available throughout the building and this service can handle up to 6,000 devices at any given point of time.
Floor Plan of level 6 with a pillar-less hall July 2013 GO NOW
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MICE DESTINATION As per Suntec’s Chief Executive Officer, Arun Madhok, its new design pays more attention towards flexibility, functionality and convertibility while incorporating a high degree of advanced technology. The whole convention and exhibition centre is divided into seven levels. Here, level 1 and 2 include new retail spaces, whereas the 36 convertible meeting rooms are incorporated on level 3. On level 4 the organizers can convert the exhibition halls into premium entertainment spaces through sophisticated design features; this is a very creative option for the organizers as they can use it for various exciting events. The venue also features an interactive three storey, 60 meter wide video wall, known as The Big Picture. It is located at the main entrance which will welcome millions of MICE delegates. The venue has been serving since last 17 years and has hosted around 18,000 events since then. It has enhanced, in a very substantial manner the MICE industry of Singapore. The first event held here after the re-opening
Meeting room at SICC
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was the Special Olympics Singapore National Games Closing Ceremony. It took place on 3rd June 2013 and hosted around 800 delegates with delectable buffet and a fun-filled night. With the re-launch, more business tourism, MICE visitors and events will be attracted towards this place which will enlarge the pie of the MICE industry in all. For exhibitions, they have flexible space, which can be customized as per the needs of the organizers. With exhibitions being their key focus since the beginning, it is one of the most preferred venues of choice for various tradeshows and exhibitions. Suntec Singapore believes that no event is too big or too small for them, with the type of facilities and spaces available, they can easily host a simple meeting of 5 people or even a session consisting of 5,000 people. Helping you to convert your expectations into reality, the highly trained Suntec experts provide you with their specialized services. The creative menus prepared by the culinary team enhance the essence of every event.
Hotels around Suntec Singapore Located in the middle of the Central Bu sine s s Di s t r ict, it ha s a round 5,200 hotel rooms, 300 restaurants, 6 museums, 1,000 retail shops and a lot more within an area of about 15-minute walk. If you are planning to host or visit an event or conference at Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre then staying in the room of your choice won’t be a problem. It has around five of the best hotels located within its vicinity serving you an array of options for your stay.
filefact Where: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Raffles Boulevard, Suntec City, Singapore 039593. Call: +65 6337 2888. Mail: sales@suntecsingapore.com
MICE DESTINATION Conrad Continental Singapore
Conrad Continental Singapore
With world-class facilities, it offers around 507 guest rooms and suites to its guests. Located on the Marina Bay, it has a very picturesque location and offers a wide choice of restaurants too. The accommodations at the hotel spans to over 31 floors complimented by luxurious amenities and ultimate comfort. The hotel also boasts of numerous dining options to delight your taste buds during your visit. Oscar’s, the award winning restaurant serves Asian and international dishes in a buffet as well as a la carte style. Sip on interesting cocktails and special brewed coffees while glancing through the beautiful surroundings at Oscar’s Sidewalk Terrace. Golden Peony serves delectable Cantonese cuisine, and a carefully selected list of wine with their signature dimsum. The light lunches and quick bites at the Lobby Lounge is also an option for the guests at Conrad continental. It has a very cozy atmosphere where you can unwind during the day. Along with this, the hotel features a Spa and Fitness centre to keep you going with your workout regime. You can spend a relaxed time at the outside pool or stay updated with your work in the business centre.
filefact CONRAD CONTINENTAL SINGAPORE Where: Two Temasek Boulevard, Singapore, 038982, Singapore. Call: +65 6334 8888 Mail: Conrad_Singapore@conradhotels.com Mandarin Oriental Singapore
Mandarin Oriental Singapore
Pan Pacific Singapore Marina Mandarin Singapore
With a panoramic view in all 527 rooms and suites, the hotel is a perfect base for you to discover the city. Located in the heart of Marina bay, Singapore, the hotel offers, extensive leisure facilities, luxury, and flawless services... it boasts of 468 rooms with spectacular views of the harbor, city or ocean and 59 suites with panoramic views. It also treats you with gastronomic delights from around the world, with dinning option for people of all tastes. Docle Vita, in a poolside setting it serves its guests with authentic Italian specialties with a modern influence. The World Café, MELT has an international selection of culinary feasts. This all day dining restaurant showcases chefs at work in the show kitchens. Moving ahead, you can also relish on the Cantonese cuisine at Cherry Garden presented in an artistic modern style. For world-class sea food and steak, visit Morton’s The Steakhouse whereas, if you wish to savour Sushi and Japanese cuisine, then you can opt for Wasabi Bistro. A wonderful spa and a modern fitness studio offering personalized fitness sessions add magnificence to the hotel. For both business and leisure guests staying on the Club Floor, the Oriental Club is a retreat.
filefact MANDARIN ORIENTAL SINGAPORE Where: 5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square, Singapore. Call: +65 6338 0066 Mail: mosin@mohg.com
Pan Pacific Singapore
Located at 20 minutes drive from the Changi International Airport, the hotel offers impressive views of the city, modern business amenities and wonderful dining experiences. The guest rooms and suites at the hotel are well appointed with state-ofthe-art facilities and finishes of exceptional quality. With a total of 790 rooms and suites it has a high capacity of holding your delegates for a delightful stay in Singapore. It maintains the standards of comfort and convenience throughout the hotel making its guests feel relaxed and refreshed. Each room is complimented with modern technological features and 24-hour service. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Hai Tien Lo, symbolizes authentic traditional Cantonese dining experience with a modern twist added to it. Edge, the theatrical and interactive dining space offers a culinary journey of the region and the Pacific Rim. Featuring a 22-metre long bar, the Atrium in the lobby has a selection of wines, beers and Pacific cocktails. Comprising a patisserie and a gourmet coffee bar, Pacific Marketplace offers the guests with fresh sandwiches and Mediterranean salads. The Pacific Club at the top floor blend the business and leisure needs of the discerning guests with special round-the-clock privileges.
filefact PAN PACIFIC SINGAPORE Where: Where: 7 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square, Singapore. Call: +65 6336 8111 Mail: Singapore@panpacific.com
Marina Mandarin Singapore
A perfect Asian experience, the warmth and the relaxed elegance, the hotel soars up to 21 levels of magnificence. Offering you an experience of a home away from home, the 575 guest rooms and suites of the hotel have a private balcony overlooking the Marina Bay or the city skyline. The rooms are well equipped in such a way that they perfectly meet the needs of the discerning travelers, whether business or leisure. Indulge in an ultimate gourmet session at any of the world class dining facilities serving cuisines from around the world. Peach Blossom, a fine dining Chinese restaurant, serves the discerning diners delicacies from the Cantonese cuisine. Serving a variety of delicious Asian cuisines, AquaMarine, a restaurant with a very interesting concept takes you to a beautiful appetizing journey. The Atrium Lounge is the perfect place for your evening snacks and a quick bite with the birds chirping around. Café Mocha is the best option for sipping your favourite coffee with a selection of desserts and snacks. The Meritus Club Lounge and the Executive Centre adds on comfort and fulfills all the needs of a business traveller.
filefact MARINA MANDARIN SINGAPORE Where: 6 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square, Singapore. Call: +65 6845 1188 Mail: marina@meritushotels.com Compiled by NIKITA CHOPRA July 2013 GO NOW
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METRO TRAVEL MUMBAI
THE PROMISE OF SHANGRI-LA COMES TO THE COMMERCIAL HUB International major, Shangri-La has opened its doors in Mumbai, its second property in India. This is opulence in understated luxury with open spaces and natural light. There is always plenty to do here; how can you overlook the adjoining Pheonix Mills complex with its numerous shops and eateries!
F
rom the outside, you would never imagine there could be so much of a hotel inside, attached to a shopping mall. But then this is not any ordinary mall, being the prestigious Palladium on the erstwhile textile mills land, that has been dramatically transformed into the luxurious
Seven, All Day Dining Restaurant 36
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Parel area in mid-town Mumbai. Housing the most iconic names in the retail business, the Palladium along with its adjoining malls with its shops and eateries, has become a landmark destination unto itself. And the hotel boasts of an equally iconic name, that of Shangrila, even though relatively new in the country. So far, we have just one Shangrila, that in New Delhi. But those of us who are well heeled international travellers would know better. With its 79 hotels around the world, the chain is synonymous with the best in the business. The chain is based in Hong Kong, and is expanding, with its London property opening on 1st August – housed in the landmark Shard Building next to Tower Bridge, from the 32nd to 55th floors, in the 72 f lo or s sk y s cr ap er claimed to be the tallest building in Europe. Its most recent addition has been in Istanbul, on the legendary Bosphorous. And the new offering in India, in Mumbai is no different. A modest entrance on the side of the mall is your way to the hotel. It is understated luxury at the entrance. You are zipped to the 9th floor through 4 high speed elevators. The experience begins on level 9. You encounter an
open lounge, with the banquet areas on one side, and an impressive reception area on the other. The open lounge has an imposing spiral staircase that walks you to level 9B where you have the two operational restaurants. The lounge serves tea and coffee through the day, remains abuzz with visitors, with meetings in session across the hall. A soothing piano is at play in the evening hours. The hotel is not totally operational as yet. Only 222 rooms are open, with a total count to go to 389, by beginning October. This would include the prestigious Horizon Club with its 32 suites. Presently, two categories of rooms are open – one with city views, though the sizes are the same. The two operational restaurants have huge spacious feeling. One is traditional Indian with a bar attached. The 24x7 restaurant, Seven, has some amazing food to offer, with numerous live stations, offering
FARHAT JAMAL Area Manager & GM, Shangri-La Mumbai
“We have a great response to our internationally competitive product. Our clients are already becoming repeat customers. We bring ShangriLa hospitality from the heart. State-of-the-art technology with warmth and caring…”
Magnificent lobby
Shangri La Ballroom
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Outdoor swimming pool on level 10
from ice creams to shawarma – all very attractively priced. Soon to come, in stages before the end of this year, on the top on 37th floor would be a bar and restaurant, with stunning views of the city skyline. The Mekong Restaurant will have 126 seats including three private dining areas. On the 37th floor mezzanine will be another restaurant, Yuuka, serving casual sushi. On the 38th level will be the European EXO restaurant, serving South European cuisine – food from the Meditteranean region including the south of France, Italy and Spain. A separate attraction would be the EXO suite, attached to the restaurant, all of 160 sq m, with its own dining and bar, so that the host can also stay overnight, or prepare for the party before the action starts. The atmosphere is being planned specially, to remain authentic, casual and yet provide the best of dining. 38
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View of Mumbai’s skyline from the room
METRO TRAVEL There is more to come. Between 37 and 38 levels, soon to open will be LED, standing for Love, Eat and Drink. This is a high energy bar with its own expansive terrace. Altogether, there would be enough choices for the well-heeled traveller. The rooms are spacious, 45 sq m in size, have some amazing views of the city, with the sprawling Mahalaxmi Race Course across, the Worli sea face with its towering residential and commercial buildings, and finally the sea itself – all encompassed in one single perspective. The rooms are well furnished, with all modern amenities. The design is particularly conducive to letting natural light flow. The facilities are well located – you don’t ever need to hunt for them. Room service is friendly and punctual. Looking for a venue for your next conference? Or, for a banquet? The hotel has some sprawling spaces if you combine the
CHI, the spa
filefact SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, MUMBAI The hotel is located in the heart of the city within the residential and corporate hub of Lower Parel. Located in High Street Phoenix, Mumbai’s largest shopping and entertainment district, the hotel sits above the city’s most luxurious mall, Palladium. The guest rooms of the hotel features, 24-hour in room dining, in-room safe, mini bar, pillow menu, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, etc. Where: 462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, 400013, India For Reservations, Call: (022) 6162 8000, or mail: slmb@shangri-la.com
conventional ballroom with its pre-function area, and the open terrace. The ballroom is 7,000 sq ft, the pre-function is 3,000 sq ft and the open terrace is another 10,000 sq ft, making it an impressive 20,000 sq ft in all. There is more to come on level 8 – another three halls, each of 4,800, 4,300 and 2,800 sq ft, giving another 10,000 sq ft of banquet space. What is particularly impressive and alluring is that the banquet spaces have their own separate elevators from the ground level – you don’t need to come through the hotel. Level 10 will remain the favourite of many of its guests. The entire floor is dedicated to spa and wellness facilities. It has a genuine state of the art health club, with every machine overlooking the yonder race course and sea. It has an infinity swimming pool – with attractive hideaways – the views are just stunning and the atmosphere quiet and exclusive. Of special interest would always be the spa – with its very commodious treatment rooms, each with its own shower, dresser and locker. These are very airy, have access to natural light, and don’t make you feel spooky. The staff is exceptionally well trained, knowledgeable and courteous. The spa is run under the Shangrila trademark, Chi, that is available across select properties in the chain. The therapists are trained at their academy in Zuhai in China. Our final take: the hotel is well set to occupy its rightful place among the top hotels in the city. If luxury can be spelt out through open spaces, soft colours, rich textures, and bountiful use of glass and mirrors, then Shangrila has it all. There is clever design, in that corridors have natural light, provide really broad contours with some excellent personalised service. By the time all its facilities open, you will have a most impressive place to stay, eat and drink, and be merry. by NAVIN BERRY July 2013 GO NOW
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METRO TRAVEL CHENNAI
FOR YOU TO SAVOUR, FIVE NEW EXCITING ASIAN RESTAURANTS From authentic Japanese to the finest Sichuan cuisine, Chennai has seen a clutch of new Asian and Oriental restaurants open its doors. So whether you are looking at a power lunch or a plush setting to entertain your guests over dinner these restaurants all make for compelling venues.
PAN ASIAN ITC Grand Chola
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At 8500 sq ft and spread over two PAN ASIAN levels it’s the largest Pan Asian Signature dishes: The Shira Ae in the ITC chain. It’s fitting that (Homemade tofu with sesame), baked Alaskan king crab leg, this restaurant is housed within Tamari glazed salmon, Thai the largest luxury city hotel (in Som Tam, Carpaccio of Hirame terms of built of area) in India. Usuzukiri, Valrhona Chocolate It’s not just its imposing size but Price: ` 5,000 for two (With alcohol) the brilliant interiors that set this Open: 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm restaurant apart. Oriental chic (Lunch) /7:30 pm to 11:30 pm comes together with a contem(Dinner) - Open for Lunch from porary vibe with a combination July 2013 Address: Pan Asian is at the of light brown brick walls and ITC Grand Chola, # 63 Mount generous splashes of red. The disRoad, Guindy, Chennai; 32 play kitchen is the centrepiece Tel: (044) 2220-0000 of this restaurant and you can watch the culinary team in action from almost every corner of the restaurant. A dramatic ‘temptation walk’ filled with wine racks leads to the restaurant where you can sample one of the exotic world wines even before you reach your assigned table. With 360 dishes from China, Japan and the rest of the Far East, the menu can be overwhelming. The restaurant is fronted by Chef Vikramjit Roy who was part of the award winning team at the Wasabi by Morimoto at the Taj Mahal hotel in Delhi. Not surprisingly the restaurant serves the finest Japanese cuisine in Chennai. The restaurant airlifts fresh seafood periodically from the largest seafood market filefact in the world at Tokyo and also sources fine ingredients from all CHINA XO Signature dishes: Peking duck, over the world. Prawn Cheung Fun, Crispy pork belly, handmade noodles Sesame balls Price: ` 5,000 for two (With alcohol) Open: 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm (Dinner) Address: China XO is at the Leela Palace, Chennai Adyar Sea Face, MRC Nagar, Chennai: 28 Tel: (044) 3366-1234
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corridor overlooking the Bay of Bengal leads to the restaurant and sets the mood. The restaurant also takes advantage of Leela’s unique location (it’s the only luxury hotel in the city with an ocean view) with a few cosy outdoor cabanas that make for a romantic setting for dinner. Not only does the restaurant have ample space between tables for complete privacy but China XO’s luxurious private dining spaces are perfect for an intimate celebration. The crew of expat chefs includes Chin Chon Fang who mastered the art of making dim sums in Hakkasan, London. The wood-fired duck oven elevates the Peking duck to another level and shows other restaurants how it’s done.
CHINA XO
Leela Palace Chennai
Only the second Chinese restaurant in the Leela chain, the restaurant has been designed by Japanese firm Design Spin, the same outfit that crafted the edgy Nobu restaurant in Tokyo. A large
Delicious food served at Pan Asian, ITC Grand Chola
China XO, Leela Palace Chennai
Pan Asian, ITC Grand Chola
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METRO TRAVEL GOLDEN DRAGON Taj Cormomandel
filefact
The Golden Dragon at the Taj GOLDEN DRAGON Coromandel has long been one Signature dishes: Whole steamed fish Cantonese style, of Chennai’s finest authentic Chicrispy spinach with toffee walnuts, nese restaurants with an accent barbeque pork spare ribs on Sichuan cuisine. The restauPrice: ` 4,000 for two (With rant went through a complete alcohol) Open: 12 noon to 3 pm (Lunch) / overhaul a couple of years ago 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm (Dinner) and is back in an all-new contemAddress: The Golden Dragon is porary avatar scripted by Chhada at Taj Coromandel, 37, Mahatma Siembieda & Associates from Gandhi Road, Chennai 34 Phone no: 6600-2827. Hong Kong. The new Golden Dragon features edgier interiors with the odd distinctive Sichuan element thrown in. The exhaustive menu crafted by Master Chef William is dominated by Sichuan favourites with a smattering of Cantonese cuisine. There’s an exquisite tea bar that greets diners on arrival and simulates the experience of a classic tea house in Beijing. The tea bar has an impressive list of Chinese teas (at least 14 teas at any given time. While most of the teas on the menu are ideal to drink along with your meal, the tea bar also has a few pre-meal and postmeal options. The green tea with Franconian Peppermint and the inimitable Monkey Pick are the first among equals. The restaurant’s impressive list of dim sums created with flour imported all the way from Chin, like the Barbeque chicken Bao and the steamed onion bun make the perfect accompaniment.
STIX
Hyatt Regency Chennai
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There’s a refreshing casual vibe STIX about Stix that sets it apart from Signature dishes: Kung Pao Kai, Sichuan style chicken with chilli, other fine dining restaurants. The stir fried Prawn in XO sauce, restaurant overlooks the hotel’s dumplings made with Tainming green outdoors and seeks design flour inspiration from Asian hawker Price: ` 3,000 for two (With alcohol) stalls to create a high-energy, inOpen: 12 noon to 3 pm (Lunch) / teractive dining experience. It’s 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm (Dinner) these sights, aromas and sounds Address: Stix is at Hyatt Regency, that draw you in even before you 365 Anna Salai, Chennai 18. Ph: (044) 6100-1234 sink into your chair. Brown and beige interiors, wooden panels, polished steel and rough stone slabs blend seamlessly to create a contemporary dining space that is complemented by the odd classical Chinese touch. You can opt for one of the cosier nooks or take a seat around the action-packed open kitchen.
Stix Hyatt Regency Chennai
Culinary delights at China XO, The Leela Palace, Chennai
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Servings at Pan Asian, ITC Grand Chola
METRO TRAVEL
Golden Dragon Taj Coromandel
The slim menu is a relief from voluminous menus in Chinese restaurants that sometimes read like novels. Stix specialises in authentic Sichuan cuisine crafted by a team of region-native chefs who work ceaselessly with their heavy iron woks and cook at temperatures around 700ºC. The ingredients are painstakingly sourced while the cuisine is largely authentic.
EEST
The Westin Chennai
filefact
The picture will be complete EEST once the Pan Asian restaurant Open: 12:30 to 3:00 pm at Chennai’s newest hotel makes (Lunch)/ 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm (Dinner) its debut by July. EEST is actually (EEST goes live end-July 2013) an acronym for Elegant, ExquiAddress: EEST, Westin Chennai, site, Serenity and Triumph, it’s an 154, Velachery Main Road, integral part of the Westin ‘brandChennai 42 Ph: (044) 2255-3366 scape’ worldwide. Located on the upper lobby of the hotel the interiors seek a balance between the modern and the rustic. The live kitchens in the restaurant will craft the finest cuisine from Japan, Thailand, China and other parts of Asia. There’s a dedicated teppanyaki area and a sushi counter that will offer delectable sushi and sashmi a la minute. EEST’s other
EEST, Westin Chennai
specialities include an extensive menu of authentic noodles, signature dumplings and a range of specially crafted stir-fried wok dishes. by ASHWIN RAJAGOPALAN
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METRO TRAVEL KEMPINSKI AMBIENCE, SHAHDARA, EAST DELHI
IN EAST DELHI THE NEW MEETING POINT FOR ALL REASONS From world-class infrastructure to gourmet cuisine the hotel is a feather in Delhi’s hospitality cap and caters well to East Delhi’s needs.
T
he first thing that strikes me about the freshly-minted Kempinski Ambience Hotel in bustling Shahdara is its leviathan building. Occupying a prime slice of real estate smack dab in the heart of town, it towers way above the surrounding legoland of high rises with the ‘Kempinski’ moniker lighting up its marquee. As I drive into the hotel, the town’s whirligig recedes and I’m engulfed by the tranquility and luxury of a well-appointed prelobby (the hotel’s main lobby is on the third floor), art-studded walls, gleaming marble floors and wholesome flower arrangements. Far too often I’ve reviewed “new” hotels with their varied sections swaddled in scaffoldings/sheets announcing “opening shortly” making me feel shortchanged that I’d lost out on an opportunity to experience the full smorgasbord. Not so here. Set within an office and conference complex, the five-star deluxe hotel is fully functional now (despite a prolonged pre-opening) and a pleasure to explore. The check in is swift and I’m whisked up in an elevator to my suite on the seventh floor by a girl in a red sari. Intrigued, I enquire about the eye-catching hue, and get to know that the hotel employs many such staffers (easily distinguishable in red) to facilitate
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guests’ arrival/check-in and address queries regarding the property’s facilities. Indeed there’s a lot to be curious abut at the hotel. It features 480 rooms and suites in two towers – Club Tower and Hotel Tower – four restaurants, a bar, banqueting facilities with a Grand Ballroom, three restaurants, an extensive spa and a fitness centre with a sauna and hammam, a yoga deck and two swimming pools, to name a few. However, despite attention to every meticulous detail, I notice that the hotel’s elevators don’t have any markings (like ‘lobby’, spa, eateries etc) on its buttons (nor lift attendants) which have the potential to misguide guests. Be that as it may, my room looks pleasant and features a soothing color palette of brown and grey. The perfect antidote to Delhi’s kitschy colors, I reckon? As a double whammy, it also offers me a panoramic sweep of east Delhi. The capacious bathroom flaunts gleaming toilets, mirrors, walk-in closets, toiletries by French premium brand Blaisé Mautin and a sizeable dressing area with a full-length mirror. I put my stress-busted feet up in the suite’s living room. The satellite TV flickers to life at the press of a button while I soak in the room’s other accoutrements – coffee and tea making facilities, a local daily newspaper, complimentary Wired and Wi-Fi broadband Internet
services, a DVD player, fax/computer hookup, an iPod docking station and multi-line telephone(s) with voicemail. So far, so good! However, much to my horror, I soon discover that I’ve transformed into a couch potato – eyes transfixed on TV, munching fruits from the complimentary fruit basket while glugging a cold beverage from a refrigerated private bar.
BUSINESS FACILTIES Being a business hotel, Kempinski offers an impressive infrastructure for corporate events. This includes a lavish banquet/conference hall for weddings, conferences and launch events. Its pillar-free ballroom (the largest among Indian hotels) can host up to 6,000 guests in an opulent setting and offers an exclusive driveway and an entrance. “Our state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment coupled with unobtrusive service and professional expertise take care of everything from a strategy meeting to a cocktail reception, corporate launch, a gala dinner or a wedding,” iterates the hotel’s General Manager Vella Ramasawmy. The GM adds that the hotel’s 40-cover Executive Lounge also provides a venue for business meetings or space to unwind after a hectic day with options for tea/coffee,
Deluxe suite
Hair By Dar Salon
Bathroom
Lobby
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METRO TRAVEL
Round table set up at the Ballroom
cocktails, snacks and a facility for guests to order from any of the hotel’s eateries.
SIGHTSEEING TOURS Keeping in mind the adage “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, Kempinski Ambience also organizes sightseeing tours to the cultural wonders of Delhi. Historic gems like Humayun’s Tomb, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Old Fort, Lotus Bahai Temple and Qutub Minar etc can all be explored on this tour. Leveraging the opportunity, I take a spin in the hotel’s Audi 8 (one of 20 the hotel’s fleet owns) to soak in some of these splendid sights. And am surprised to find that there are crevices still which remain unexplored by me despite being a Delhiite all my life.
FITNESS CLUB The Park Club and City Club fitness centers 46
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– situated in their respective hotel towers – feature TechnoGym cardiovascular and strength training equipment. Personal trainers and an exclusive Yoga Deck on the fourth floor are also an option for health buffs.
SHANAYA SPA Who can resist the temptation of an invigorating rubdown? All my tiredness vamooses as the therapist pummels and pounds my body during a relaxing ayurvedic massage. Shanaya spa offers a repertoire of treatments and therapies ranging from ayurveda to Asian and European along with hammam treatment and an ice fountain. A unisex salon “HAIR BY DAR” presents modern facilities for hair care and contemporary styling.
RESTAURANTS CAFÉ KNOSH: Emerging a new person
from my spa session, I gravitate towards the hotel’s 24-hour dining Café Knosh. There’s an ‘art brunch’ in progress here and I notice that all tables are embellished with arty posters and paints (in an earthen pots) to help guests to give vent to their creative instincts. “We try and organize such family events often. The idea is to make the experience fun and engaging for the entire family on a Sunday,” informs Executive Chef Rohit Tokhi. And fun it is what with the eatery’s atmosphere getting livened up further with interactive counters and live stations. Live pizza ovens, pasta/panini stations and a live dessert counter get my gastric juices flowing. Apart from the menu regulars – Baked Red Snapper Provencale, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Fristo Misto and Grilled Panini with Fresh Mozzarella – I dig into gourmet selections from Indian, European and Mediterranean
METRO TRAVEL
VELLA RAMASAWMY General Manager, Kempinski Ambience, Shahdara, East Delhi
“Our state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment coupled with unobtrusive service and professional expertise take care of everything from a strategy meeting to a cocktail reception, corporate launch, a gala dinner or a wedding.”
coastal regions along with international comfort foods. DILLI 32: Named after the zip code where the hotel is located, the stunningly-crafted Dilli 32 offers Awadhi and Mughlai cuisine with a fair representation of regional Indian dishes and those from the North West Frontier as well. Before the food arrives though, I feast on the restaurant’s décor which features a gargantuan display wall of pickles and relishes made by the chefs, contemporary satvario marble table tops and large glass partitions to create an ethereal aura A
well-stocked wine cellar with a premium selection of beverages adds more heft to its offerings. We savor the velvety textures of Nalli Gosht, Dum Ka Murgh, Shahi Galawat ke Kebab and Mughlai Parantha as well as some vegetarian delights like arbi ki tikki (yam cutlets) and Shakahari Kheechra. Dessert, however, is a confection called Mirchi ka Halwa concocted from (gasp!) capsicum and khoya which, frankly, I didn’t much care for. Cherry Bar: Soothing lounge music emanating from Lobby Level III of the hotel in the evening is what draws me towards the glass-encased Cherry Bar. An elegant structure crafted from white Italian Statuario marble, it overlooks water features, hyrdoponic plants and landscaping, ideal for pre- or post-dinner cocktails and late night drinks. The bar’s design is in vibrant colors with controlled lighting to set the mood. Conversational groups and sofa clusters encourage guests to linger. A variety of exotic cocktails, premium beverages and relaxing lounge-style music is what the bar is all about, informs Akshay, the bar’s manager. The music isn’t entirely glitch-free though as it gets interrupted by power snags while we’re there. The bar’s menu features cherry-flavored infusions, snacks and liquor ranging from the finest wines and champagnes, to world famous whiskies, single malts and scotches, aperitifs, liqueurs and a plethora of classic and exotic cocktails. Some of the signature beverages include Solaris, Vanderbilt, Glenlivet 25 years, Balvenie Port Wood 21 years etc. MEI KUN: On the final day of my visit, I troop in for dinner to Mei Kun, the hotel’s Oriental cuisine eatery. It turned out to be an exciting armchair sojourn to exotic South East Asia. The beautiful restaurant – with Buddha statues, Zen urns and stunning crockery imported from Thailand -- complements its eclectic repertoire. And despite not too large an appetite, we relish some signature dishes – Singaporean Chilli Crab, Massaman Curry Ice Kacang, laksa and scrumptious desserts with imported Asian fruits rustled up talented sous chef Parihar Veer Pratap Singh. The food and service are really top notch! As my fun-filled stay at Kempinski Ambience winds down, there’s only one thought crowding my mind – how easily I could get used to its decadence! by NEETA LAL July 2013 GO NOW
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METRO TRAVEL HYATT REGENCY NEW DELHI
FOOD IS OUR STRONG POINT, GETS BETTER Go Now catches up with Aseem Kapoor who returns to Hyatt Regency Delhi as its General Manager.
I
t’s been a few weeks since Aseem Kapoor moved to Delhi and we meet him in his splendid office at Hyatt Regency that overlooks the lush greens of the hotel. Kapoor looks comfortable in his new assignment as he talks about his new role.
Tell us about your Hyatt experience. I have been associated with the Hyatt Group for eighteen years. I joined Hyatt Regency Delhi in 1995 as Assistant Director-F&B and became Director-F&B. I then moved to Hyatt Regency Mumbai as Resident Manager and was part of the pre-opening team. I looked after the operations, engineering, front office and F&B. From there I went to Park Hyatt in Dubai, as part of the pre-opening team. Hyatt does not like to hire locals for launching its new property. Park Hyatt was different from Hyatt Regency – it was a different world for me, for instance, in India I had worked with one or two expat chefs at the most but I worked with 53 different nationalities there. It turned out to be a learning experience though. After three and a half years, I was posted to Hyatt Regency Mumbai as the General Manager. The country was in recession and Mumbai was struck with 26/11 terror attacks in 2008. My job was to control costs and increase revenue. When I look back I feel I found opportunity in adversity. I worked with Hyatt Regency Mumbai for five years. At Hyatt Regency Delhi, my job is pretty much the same – to grow business.
How much has Hyatt Regency changed in all these years? The beauty of Hyatt Regency is that it is always evolving and there’s something new to learn everyday. I would not have been able to sustain for so long otherwise. Although some of the old staff is still there, the hotel 48
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has changed, its better.
F&B is a strong point of Hyatt Regency Delhi. We offer Teppanyaki, Chinese and Italian cuisines apart from Indian. We give our guests a lot of variety under one roof. We pride in the authenticity of our cuisines (we have a Swiss Executive Chef to lend authenticity to the food) and our concept – our restaurants are reminiscent of overseas dining experience. We have maintained our delivery standards. Outdoor catering is a big part of our business. We have been providing outdoor catering services to embassies located close by. We prepared food for almost 1000 guests for an embassy function in September last year.
Hyatt Regency Delhi is coming up with a new ballroom. We are coming up with a banqueting/
ASEEM KAPOOR General Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi
“We have various offers for the business traveller such as pay for two nights, stay for three. We have introduced seamless check-in for the business traveller so he can check directly.”
events space of 25,000 sq ft across two levels by the end of this year. We will host conferences and cater to the MICE segment. Hyatt Regency Delhi is known for hosting weddings – we are now catering to the second generation of guests. We will host weddings and other social events in the ballroom. The ballroom can be divided into smaller rooms so that two independent weddings can take place at the same time.
The hotel is coming up with serviced apartments. The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon is the only five star hotel in NCR to have serviced apartments. Our USP is that we will be the first five star hotel in Delhi to have serviced apartments called ‘Hyatt Regency Delhi Residence’ by mid-August. We have often had guests stay at Hyatt Regency for longer durations like six months. This gave the owners the idea of coming up with apartments within the hotel for such guests so that their stay is not confined to a room, and they can enjoy the comfort of home. The apartments have come up in place of the tennis courts. They are designed by 1508 London and are very contemporary. We have limited inventory of 29 apartments on 12 floors. The one, two and three bedroom apartments are fully furnished and are equipped with all facilities like a modular kitchen with a fridge and dishwasher, washing machine and clothes dryer in the laundry room, hispeed Internet et al. The hotel can provide maid, butler and chef on request but at an extra cost. The serviced apartments have a separate entrance, concierge and parking. The guests can access hotel services like the pool, g ym, spa and salon but the apartments will give privacy and security to the residents, they can mingle with the hotel
The luxurious Apartment
Dining area of the Apartment
New Diplomat Suite
guests when they want to! We will rent/lease the serviced apartments for a minimum of one month. We are looking at giving out the apartments for six months and longer because we have to recover our maintenance costs. The ballpark figure for the rental is ` 20,000 onwards approximately for one night for a one bedroom apartment and would go up to Rs 40,000 per night for a three bedroom apartment. The serviced apartments would be ideal for expats transferred to India, NRI’s looking for a short stay and corporate honchos from MNCs who are transferred to Delhi and are in the process of finding a house which takes about two to three months.
Being a business hotel, what are the facilities for the business traveller? We have various offers for the business traveller such as pay for two nights, stay for three.
We have introduced seamless check-in for the business traveller so he can check directly in to his room and complete the formalities there. We provide two way airport transfers. We recently renovated the rooms and suites. We have an exclusive Regency Club Floor for the business traveller and we launched Regency Club Lounge on the sixth floor in December-January. It has all the facilities that a business traveller requires such as Wi-Fi, premium F&B selection, happy hours from 6 pm to 8 pm, meeting rooms and boardroom.
Which other segments of guests does the hotel cater to? We look after the needs of single women travellers. We have some facilities for them such as we give them rooms closer to the elevator, we have lady butlers to attend to female guests, we have included small and healthy portions of food for women in the
in-room dining menu and cafes, and we give gifts to lady travellers. We have guest loyalty programmes. The leisure traveller covering the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Jaipur and Agra) visits us. We get leisure travellers mainly in the months from October to March. Rooms are booked for weddings also.
How is Hyatt Regency competing with the other brands? The market and the dynamics have changed. While supply is growing, demand is slow. Though the future of hotels in Aerocity is uncertain, they will pose competition to the hotels in Gurgaon due to their proximity to NCR and not so much to the hotels in the city. Competition is inevitable. We will focus on maintaining our clients, improving and innovating! by MANISHA ALMADI MIDHA July 2013 GO NOW
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METRO TRAVEL FORTUNE THE SAVOY, MUSSOORIE
OLD HOSPITALITY RETURNS TO THE QUEEN OF THE HILLS Its second property in Mussoorie, Fortune Park Hotels Ltd. has announced the opening of Fortune The Savoy... suitably located on the Mall Road, the hotel provides a picturesque view of the Himalayan peaks and the Doon Valley. Hotel Overview
Fortune The Savoy, Mussoorie
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The British have always needed their summer holiday resorts, and Mussoorie, like other hillstations in India, was almost entirely an invention of the British. While Shimla became the summer capital of British India, Mussoorie became its pleasure capital. Located 34 km from Dehradun at an altitude of 2,500 metres above sea level in the beautiful Gharwal Hills, it is one of the most frequently visited hill stations in India as it provides the perfect getaway to those who want relief from the hot, sultry conditions of the plains, especially since it is close enough to the capital to make just a weekend trip. Swirled in the mist of time, Fortune The Savoy is an elegant and historic hotel that was opened by Cecil D. Lincoln, an Irish barrister, here in 1902. Built in English Gothic architecture style, Fortune The Savoy is a wonderful mix of old world charm and new-age conveniences, and promises to give its guests an unparalleled experience. With a regal history of more than a hundred years, the hotel has been delighting famous dignitaries and royalties from India and abroad with its heart-warming services and all the appurtenances of luxury. It is a place that has inspired famous authors and playwrights. Its ‘Writer’s Bar’ remained famous for many decades after the independence of India in 1947. In April 2001, the hotel hosted its first writer’s retreat, followed by another one in 2002, which included writers, academics, filmmakers and people from other walks of life. As a summer resort in the heydays of the Raj, The Savoy at Mussoorie had few equals. More than a hundred years later, it still has none. Today, as a Fortune hotel, it stands in all its glory, ready to turn the clock back in time for the connoisseur of fine living. But while the hotel takes you back to the bygone era, it does not leave you there. The hotel is replete with all modern facilities and amenities, comfortable rooms and delectable dining options. The royal heritage here beckons you to the quiet beauty of the hills while ‘Romancing the Past’. So
METRO TRAVEL
The majestic interiors of the hotel
The relaxing living room
Luxurious suite
Dressing room
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filefact Fortune the Savoy, Mussoorie The hotel has a total of 50 well appointed rooms divided into three categories. The charm and rustic warmth of the traditional English designs is infused in the hotel with the finest modern facilities. Address: Library Bazar, Gandhi Chowk, P.O. Savoy, Mussoorie - 248 179, Uttarakhand Call:91-135-2637000
Venue
Area (sq. m)
State Room 2 Beer Garden Central Lawn
81.25
Theatre
Seating Style Capacity (pax) U-Shape Class Room
60 – –
check out little history, check in to Fortune The Savoy.
The Perfect Location Nestled in the majestic glory of Mussoorie, Fortune The Savoy lets you enjoy the aweinspiring view of the hills and an enchanting view of the Doon valley. The hotel is conveniently located at the Library end of the Mall Road at Gandhi Chowk, around 32 km from Dehradun Railway Station and 55 km from Jolly Grant Airport. And, if you want to come by car, the property is about a 7 hours’ drive from the Capital.
Accommodation The Guest Rooms and Suites at Fortune The Savoy have been specially crafted to make a statement with soft colours, unique design and all the elements of comfort and convenience. The 50 well-appointed rooms include 26 Savoy Chambers, 12 Fortune Exclusive Rooms and 12 Fortune Suites. All the rooms have the quaint, rustic warmth of traditional 52
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40 – –
50 – –
Dine & Wine Reception 60 200 400
English design and are all set to charm you. And of course, the accommodations have been enhanced with the latest technology and the finest modern amenities. In-room facilities: 24-hour room service • Satellite LCD TV • Mini bar • Electronic safe • Tea/coffee maker • Hair dryer • Electronic weighing scale • STD/ISD direct dial facility • High speed Wi-Fi internet connectivity • Iron & ironing board • Daily newspaper • Choice of fruits. Features: Wellness Centre offering gym/ body treatment/steam/sauna • Hi-speed WiFi internet connectivity in public areas • Business Centre • Travel Assistance • Doctor on call • Baby- sitting facility • Bed-side story teller for children • Picnic organizer • 24 hour currency exchange.
Relax & Rejuvenate Go ahead and pamper yourself with the spa/ steam/ sauna facilities and a well-equipped gymnasium at the Wellness Centre with treatments and packages.
The Grand Dining Room: A perfect place to dine with family and friends, offers a sumptuous spread of buffet breakfast and a la carte lunch menu along with a fixed menu for dinner. Fortune Deli: Serves light snacks and delicious confectionery. Nostradamus-The Writer’s Bar: Serves the finest premium spirits, while providing a perfect atmosphere to relax.
Meetings, Conferences & Banquets From social get-togethers to meetings and conferences, Fortune The Savoy is fully geared to host them all in great style and with great efficiency. There is a meeting room that can accommodate up to 60 guests, backed by professional service and state-ofthe-art conference facilities. Another beautiful venue to host gatherings for up to 200 guests is the Beer Garden. The Princess of Wales visited Mussoorie in March of 1906 and stayed at the hotel. She attended a garden party right here in the Beer Garden. She must have surely marvelled at the enchanting view of the stunningly beautiful green valley as, we are sure, you will too. Text & photographs by FORTUNE HOTELS
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TOURISM CONNECT
The erstwhile ruler of Jodhpur is still today a much revered and loved icon for the city and for much that the city represents to the world at large. His benevolent and caring concern looms large among the city dwellers and equally among his friends and admirers…In an exclusive Q&A, Bapji, as he is fondly called, comes candid on the developing destination. IN CONVERSATION WITH HH JODHPUR, GAJ SINGH
INDIANS SHOULD EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND INDIA W hat is Jodhpur as a destination all about? The past, the present and the future?
Marwar - Jodhpur, as you know, was the largest Princely State in Rajasthan before independence. It has rugged forts, palaces, havelis and temples – all an embodiment of beauty, art, architecture and culture and full of history of the Rathore clan, the enterprising Marwari merchants and the vibrant communities of crafts, people & traditional artists and environmental conscious peasantry. As a destination, it is very interesting as the cultural capital of Rajasthan and as the gateway to the Thar Desert, where several of these traditional residences have been imaginatively converted into inviting Heritage Hotels. Currently, it is a renowned hub for handicrafts and furniture export and is fast developing into an institutional knowledge centre; it also has a strong defence establishment. The future looks promising with a flourishing real estate sector – housing colonies to meet all budgets and several new hotels. The discovery of substantial oil reserves in Barmer and the proposed refinery augers well for future
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economic prosperity.
As the erstwhile Ruler of Jodhpur, what do you see your role as, in terms of its growth and future development? Since the people of Marwar-Jodhpur still look up to me and my family for traditional leadership and guidance, I see my role in the changed political scenario as an instrument of cultural preservation and inclusive change – as a roving Ambassador for Jodhpur. I have held various offices in government, too, like being the High Commissioner for Trinidad & Tobago, Independent M.P. (Rajya Sabha) and more as Chairman, R.T.D.C. At all times it has been my endeavour to promote Jodhpur, not only as an tourism destination, but also as a leading city of our state, as an attractive place to settle and invest in, as a prime educational hub – we have the IIT, National Law University, Ayurveda University, the All India Institute for Medical Sciences, NIFT besides several private colleges and schools. We have established a girls school, which for the past two years has been achieving an average
TOURISM CONNECT of over 85% in the CBSC Board. We have also developed an award winning luxury township.
For many of us, you typify whatever we hold dear and true to Royal Rajasthan – its traditions, values and its touristic and iconic symbols. How are you taking these forward through your forts and palaces and bastions of Hospitality? In all my properties that have been converted into hotels, we have endeavoured to ensure an understated authentic ambience, which would include the cuisine and the the locally recruited staff, most of whose families have a history of service, hence the Marwari tradition and culture are maintained. In addition, we have developed the Mehrangarh Museum into a world acclaimed institution and are supporting two international music festivals – J-RIFF (Jodhpur Rajasthan International Folk Festival) in October and the The World Sufi Spirit Festival in February. The Umaid Bhawan Palace is also projected as the ultimate event location.
How do you see the appeal of India as a destination to the world at large? And more so, in particular, of Destination Rajasthan? Are we a hot selling destination as we were some years ago? India, as a travel destination, continues to attract the world at large but we as a nation do everything to negate this attraction – I do not wish to delve into the long list of woes but suffice it to say that as I write this from Rome – I weep not only because of its beauty and the historic and aesthetic stimulation but also for my country, state and city – what we had and have lost, what we still have and are destroying, and yet what remains and we can take pride in and project to the world, we take for granted. India has captured the imagination of the world for centuries and will continue to do so, it is for us to tap this fascination to our long term advantage – we need to ensure that promise meets
THE MEHRANGARH MUSEUM SHOP
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CULTURAL COMMERCE: JODHPUR SHOWS THE WAY
odhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort is a massive stone fortress that served as the hereditary home of the rulers of Jodhpur/Marwar, as well as the cultural, political and administrative centre of the entire region, from the mid-15th century. When the young Maharaja Gaj Singh II (“Bapji”) returned to Jodhpur in 1972 after completing his education abroad, he decided that such an important monument should be open and accessible to all, and formed the Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT), to begin the process of developing a world-class museum within the Fort. By the mid-1990s the Museum was well established, and receiving nearly half a million visitors each year. The active temples in the Fort remained centres of pilgrimage, and a growing program of exhibitions, craft bazaars, performances, and other events had made the Fort a true living museum. In addition, in the early 1990s, MMT began restoring another fort, the 12th centur y Ahhichatragarh Fort in Nagaur. It was clear that new forms of revenue needed to
be developed to insure long-term viability of all these activities. Discussions on how to accomplish this led to the idea of a museum shop, a novel concept in India at that time. The shop was opened in 1998, and was an immediate hit with Fort visitors. Today, the Museum Shop supports a large staff, enjoys substantial sales, and returns a very healthy income to the Trust. In the associated Crafts Bazaar, a constantly rotating group of traditional craftspersons demonstrate their skills and independently sell their products. One measure of the shop’s success has been its mention in Time magazine’s 2007 “Best of Asia” issue, in which it was compared favorably to the shop in a major New York City museum. Based on Bapji’s vision and unwavering support, the Mehrangarh Museum Shop has become a model for cultural institutions in India and elsewhere, showing the way to achieve sustainable financial independence, as well as significant visitor satisfaction, through cultural commerce. The shop can be visited in Jodhpur, or online at www.mehrangarhmuseumshop.com by MAUREEN LIEBL
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TOURISM CONNECT
Among his numerous initiatives, HH Jodhpur has been the Indian Head Injury Foundation. The One World Retreat witnessed an auction at Jodhpur last March. The Tendulkars are seen in this picture in front of the illuminated Umaid Bhawan Palace.
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A MODERN MAHARAJA MEETS CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES
aharaja Gaj Singh (“Bapji�) is widely recognized for his role in pioneering heritage tourism in India, allowing visitors to experience the sparkling glamour of an authentic royal lifestyle, while preserving small and large historic properties throughout India, and providing employment to thousands, whose special gift is the art of gracious hospitality. He is also the head of his traditional clan, and has kept alive its rich symbolic and cultural traditions. Less well-known is his role as an extraordinarily hardworking philanthropist and activist, a founder and active trustee of organizations in such diverse fields as water conservation, brain trauma treatment, and rural heritage and development. One major initiative is the Jal Bhagirathi Foundation (JBF; www.jalbhagirathi.org) whose focus is on ensuring access to safe drinking water, incorporating both traditional and contemporary knowledge systems of water management. JBF programs have been recognized as a model for replication at the national level. The serious accident of his son, Yuvraj Shivraj Singh, during a polo match in 2005 led to close interaction with leading international specialists in treatment of brain trauma. In col-
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laboration with them, Bapji then established the Indian Head Injury Foundation (IHIF; www.indianheadinjuryfoundation. org) that works to provide comprehensive systems of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for head injuries in India. His concern for the welfare of rural Marwar is augmented through several trusts, whose activities include provision of services in water conservation, food security, and related areas, relief work during drought years, and education, especially for girls and women. In addition, Bapji is a Founding Trustee of the new Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development (ITRHD; www.itrhd. com), an organization devoted to preservation of rural heritage in the context of overall community development. He has been honoured by numerous awards from UNESCO, the World Monuments Fund (which conferred on him the prestigious Hadrian Award in 2006), and other international and Indian organizations. Perhaps the most important recognition however is the respect and affection with which he is regarded, from the humblest village in rural Rajasthan to the intellectual and social capitals of the world. He has truly created contemporary relevance for a traditional royal ruler. by MAUREEN LIEBL
TOURISM CONNECT
KEEPING TRADITIONS ALIVE (AND KICKING!)
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A majestic view of the Mehrangarh Fort
expectations and more.
What is your advice to Indians at home, in their discoveries of their own country? How do you see Indians becoming world travellers? And how do you see them become the mainstay of Indian business – that domestic tourism is coming to rule Indian tourism? The domestic traveller should first see his own country – it has immense beauty and diversity – each state has something different to offer and is daily opening up due to improved infrastructure and hospitality options – be they home stays, heritage hotels, religious ashrams or an increasing number and variety of starred hotels and motels – visiting different parts of our country can be equally enthralling and should be encouraged.
oth Jodhpur’s 15th century Mehrangarh Fort and Nagaur’s 12th century Ahhichatragarh Fort are under the protection of the Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT). Both were centres of patronage for performing arts in the past. And both have benefitted from the vision of Maharaja Gaj Singh, and his determination to ensure the survival of the region’s living cultural heritage, as well as its monuments. Six years ago, in partnership with the Jaipur Virasat Foundation, MMT organized the first Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) in Mehrangarh Fort. In the years since, RIFF (held in October each year), has become an international sensation. For several days, the Fort and surrounding environs come alive with folk, classical, traditional, contemporary and experimental performances from the desert, the region, India and the world. The tremendous popularity of the RIFF festival encouraged MMT to begin opening the Nagaur Fort to similar experiences. As the fort was brought back to life by MMT’s careful and sensitive restoration (recognized by the UNESCO-Asia Pacific Award of Excellence for Conservation of Cultural Heritage in 2002), it was felt that the sacred and spiritual life of the fort should also be resurrected. The World Sufi Spirit Festival thus was born. Each February since then, Nagaur Fort has opened its gates to an extraordinary musical journey. Under the dark desert sky, mesmerizing performances carry the audiences to the very origins of unique traditions, encompassing artists from India, Turkey, Egypt, Kazakhstan, and other fabled lands. This year, the World Sufi Spirit Festival was expanded, with performances in Mehrangarh Fort as well. Heritage conservation, someone once said, is not just preserving the ashes, but keeping the flame alive. In Jodhpur, the flames burn brightly. Information on RIFF can be found at www.jodhpurriff.com, and information on the World Sufi Spirit Festival is available at www.worlfsufispiritfestival.org by MAUREEN LIEBL
There is an opinion that Indians are losing their sense of tradition and values.What is your impression? To what extent can tourism address this concern? What is your advice to Indian travellers and consumers? There is distinct disconnect between traditional India and modern India which needs to be bridged. Hence, it is important that urban Indians travel and connect with their own country and people – there is so much to be learned from the traditional wisdom of rural communities. Today, heritage hotels and nature resorts in far flung places offer this opportunity to explore the depths of our own country. Indians must expose their children to such enquiry for their growth and understanding of vibrant India.
Barmer Langa musicians
by NAVIN BERRY
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TOURISM CONNECT IN CONVERSATION WITH ANIL MADHOK, MD, SAROVAR HOTELS
Understanding the phenomenon of
SMALL TOWN HOTELS Smart hotel-owners are bringing a new breed of hotels to non-metros that you might have business in, by cutting out unnecessary frills and adding standards of cleanliness and service. Here’s what to expect.
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here was a time when you justifiably dreaded business trips into smaller cities because hotels that suited earmarked budgets were a living nightmare. You know… the kind where the linen and carpets have odd stains, where the large pseudo-luxurious rooms have strange odors, chipping paint, noisy air-conditioners that never seem to cool and bathrooms that are unsightly; where you are not quite sure whether the service staff understand you or will deliver what you’re asking for. And worst of all, you’re never really sure how bad every new hotel you check into is going to be. But things are changing rapidly and you can now expect cleaner rooms, better service and all the facilities you genuinely need. There is now a fairly widespread network of branded, yet affordable hotels across the country. Their formula is very different from cheap hotels. Similar prices; different modus operandi. We drew up the differences so that you can make the most of what they give, and understand the logic behind what has been cut out.
Rates and rationale You might – in some cases, not always – be paying marginally extra than you would have had to shell out at an “unbranded” hotel. Very simply, this revolution is being run by hotel chains. Some of them even run glitzy, glamorous five-star hotels, but they are also in the business of running hotels at the lower end of the price spectrum – this works to your advantage because they have reputations to keep. Their idea is to come up with concepts that work within a viable financial limit. They research your market segment and decide that you will want and be able to pay about ` 2,500 for a hotel room while on your trip to a small town. Everything else about your stay is worked to suit that predetermined budget. Also, their experience allows them to offer you a host of promises within that price. 58
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Here is a little tip Book online and check the package being offered. Prices offered are always the same on a given day, the hotels have a norm about offering the same rate whether you call, click or just turn up – but the inclusions may differ.
What to expect The foremost among the promises offered are “a clean room and a comfortable bed”. Housekeeping will compulsorily clean your room – with the same diligence that they would in any of these brands’ five-star counterparts – before you check in. A housekeeper will also return to do so on each day of your stay (unless you choose otherwise). And yes they invest heavily in luxurious mattresses to ensure you are well-rested and completely charged for the next day. Sleep is something that all hotels, including the less pr ice y one s s p end heavily on. Rest assured you’ll have a big, fluffy mattress to sink into complete with luxur ious pillows and other
“We take responsibility for offering a certain standard. If you have stayed with us, you already know our standards – from in-room amenities, to security and our great buffets.” Anil Madhok, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels
TOURISM CONNECT
Hometel, Chandigarh
Keys Hotel, Mahabaleshwar
Country Inn & Suites, Paradeep
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TOURISM CONNECT bedding accessories. These two are the basic promises. Any hotel that has a brand attached to it will give you these two things. Your in-room facilities and amenities will be of a certain standard. Expect spotless, well-maintained bathrooms with easy-to-use shower systems. There will always be a mini-bar and a clean coffee-tea machine for you to create your own cuppa in-room. Every hotel in this space has one restaurant. Another promise is that this one restaurant will offer you a good selection of hygienically generated food. Since there is only one, it will run round the clock, like a coffee shop. There will be a decent-sized buffet with great food on offer at all times. These hotels ensure a certain level of security and you can be certain that you and your belongings are safe. They want you to be able to work stress-free. Rooms have superior locking systems and of course the premises themselves are secure – this is a standard. Nobody with a name will run a hotel without such things. You’ve been well-researched by these hotel brands. They know that if you’re travelling on work, you’ll need internet. Wi-fi is always on offer. Depending on the brand and the package you’ve been booked on, sometimes it is included in your room price, or there may be a nominal charge. In some cases, it is even free. Check the brand’s website for such minor details. Also, if you’ve stayed at one of a certain brand’s hotels before, you know exactly what to expect at another of their hotels. That’s what “brand promise” is all about. They want you to be assured of what they will offer you the next time around.
What you won’t see Like we established earlier, these new-age hotels are worked to suit your budget. As a result, they cut out what isn’t necessary. Don’t expect a swimming pool. When was the last time you had the time to take a dip while travelling on business anyway? Oversized rooms are another big no-no for these hotels. Anything that’s a space-hog and that would eventually contribute to a higher-room rate has been cut out. There are usually no business centers (but the focus on service is heavy, so staff might assist you in getting a last-minute printout) and no banquet halls. The rooms will never be cramped and claustrophobic but they will not be palace-sized either. A lot of them still throw in the soap-shampoo-showercap combination of bathroom amenities but some have cut out toothbrushes from the offering, so carry your own. They keep it simple. Your room will most definitely be spotless – from the walls to the curtains, the linen and the tiles but there won’t be fancy lighting fixtures, velvet cushions with golden trims or carpets on the floor. They keep it low maintenance and the cost benefits are passed on to you by way of a lower room rate. The restaurant will not have big chandeliers either, or a neverending buffet. But it will have a buffet that will give you a decent amount of choice and the environment is likely to be simple, functional and visibly clean. A few services – like bus boys and room-service, for instance – are sometimes cut out. Not all hotels in this category do this but yes, don’t be surprised if nobody offers to drag your trolley to the elevator. by RAYNAH COUTINHO
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Peppermint hotel
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TOURISM CONNECT Culture Gully at Kingdom of Dreams
IN CONVERSATION WITH ANUMOD SHARMA, MD, KINGDOM OF DREAMS, GURGAON
‘KOD brings the best of
ENTERTAINMENT’ Showcasing a perfect blend of India’s art, culture and heritage, Kingdom of Dreams is a technological breakthrough, an experience to be relived time and again.
I always believed that India with great mythology, artists and rich culture has got vast possibilities for entertainment. The whole world is looking towards India and has also been interested in its culture and history. We thought of showing it off to the world. 62
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TOURISM CONNECT
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ocated at the apex of the Golden Triangle of Jaipur, Agra and Delhi, Kingdom of Dreams is a unique entertainment and leisure destination. Serving a breathtaking experience to international and domestic tourists, it perfectly showcases the modern and traditional India. In conversation with, Anumod Gagan Sharma, Managing Director, Kingdom of Dreams we take you on a journey to this architectural masterpiece.
Showcasing Bollywood epics at the Mumbai segment of Culture Gully
What would you say about Kingdom of Dreams as an entertainment hub? Kingdom of Dreams is an alternate entertainment centre, and is a one of a kind place with live shows of this type in India; an additional source of entertainment to movies, television, etc. It is a more sophisticated and sought after mode of fun and enjoyment for people. I believe that it is the entertainment hub for the entire world. It starts from Gurgaon and expands to the whole world. I always believed that India with great mythology, artists and rich culture has got vast possibilities for entertainment. The whole world is looking towards India and has also been interested in its culture and history, we thought of showing it off to the world. Internationally, theatres are owned by people and they hire producers and directors to run the shows. In India we have to create the show, as developers and producers too… This is a place which showcases India as a whole, with live entertainment, Bollywood, etc.
How has been the response to Kingdom of Dreams from international tourists? The response from foreigners is in fact much better than the Indian market. The Indian market, we found, was not exposed to this kind of entertainment earlier, but foreigners do understand it. They are more internet savvy and plan their trips with online portals where Kingdom of Dreams is highly recommended. I have been receiving overwhelming comments from the visitors with people appreciating the shows, the Culture Gully, etc.
How do you choose programmes showcased at Kingdom of Dreams? Initially, we had to start with a product which is easily saleable, and in India it had to be Bollywood. We produced our first two dramas based on that, as people understand and relate to Bollywood better. Now we are going to the other side of it, with Indian mythology, and planning to come up with shows like Mahabharata. In the long term, we plan to create shows with specific stories based on children, women and other segments of the society. We try to fulfill demands of different sections of the society through our productions, based on different subjects. For example, currently we are showcasing Mana, through which we wanted to fulfill the demands of kids, especially during this vacation season.
Is any educational essence also added to the programmes or are they pure entertainment? Kingdom of Dreams itself is an education hub, here kids can understand and learn about the different states of India and their cultures. Along with the states, they can also experience and learn about the different dance forms of India, cuisines and handicrafts. Even in our plays we are including an educational component for the kids, like the current show, Mana is quite educative where they tell you about the three aspects of earth, how it was created and more. Also the upcoming show, Mahabharata, will teach children about the mythology and legends of India.
Tell us about some notable achievements of Kingdom of Dreams? It is being rated as one of the best live entertainment destinations around the world and Zangoora is amongst the top. This is a great achievement for us. Secondly, people like Disney are interested in our company; they want us to produce for them. It is great that in just three years we are at this stage that they feel we are technically capable enough to create a show for them. Kingdom of Dreams has also been a place for some of the top conferences, events and luxury product launches. It is the technology that brings these companies here and our second theatre ‘Shosha’ is mostly meant only for events and conferences. FIA awards were held here and the World Railway Conference is also being planned to take place at Kingdom of Dreams.
How has the response been to the Culture Gully, where you have cuisines from all over India at one place? July 2013 GO NOW
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TOURISM CONNECT Exterior of the theatre
We tried to give the entrance of Culture Gully a grand look. We had to go into the depth of each state, study its architecture, its cuisines, their culture and all intricate details about each to come up with such kind of a place. Nowadays, we have the Royal Card membership for guests coming to the Culture Gully and they can avail heaps of discounts with the same. As we are located in North India, the Northern cuisine is most popular amongst the guests at the Culture Gully. People also try different cuisines and shop for the handicrafts available from different states of the country. It is a place where international tourists can experience the highlights from all over India at one spot.
EVENTS AT KINGDOM OF DREAMS
stage coming after 2-3 years.
AWARD NIGHTS Gadget Guru Conclave & Awards, NDTV Top Gear Awards 2012 Global Indian Music Academy Awards 2011 PRODUCT LAUNCHES Hyundai Eon • Hero Honda Wyndham Hotel Group Sony Mobile CORPORATE ANNUAL DAY Vodafone • Walmart Ranbaxy • Samsung
You have recently been introducing many International performers for the shows at Kingdom of Dreams, are you planning to have more?
How do you promote Indian Culture? Its traditions, art, etc… Every hour we have a cultural dance performance where we showcase different dance forms of India. These dancers are brought in from the particular states and specialize in a specific dance form that they perform. Along with this, we also have shops from various states which sell the core handicrafts of the corresponding states. I believe this is the best way to showcase Indian culture as you have all the states of India at one place with the food, dance, handicrafts, etc. Along with this we also have some potters teaching pottery to kids, to bring them closer to Indian culture.
What are your plans of going International? You had a Chinese joint venture, when is it starting? There is huge demand for this internationally, we did sign a MoU and we still have that option open for us in China. We also want to complete this project and then multiply another in India itself, after which we will think about international destinations. Right now we don’t have the experience of managing or running through multiple international projects. Managing the multiple city stage is also difficult, so the multiple country stage is a bit far right now. We see that 64
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We have brought four international performances; it has been tough as the cost involved with international performers is very high. We have to choose very carefully, keeping in mind the clientage, the diversity and other factors. We are also planning to have shows with ‘The Mentalist’ scheduled for July-August. This would be for the corporate people; he will take workshops during the day and do shows in the evening. He will teach them tricks for remembering things, face reading, etc which can help them in their professional life.
In terms of technology have you added something over the years to the Kingdom of Dreams? Our second theatre, ‘Shosha’ is much advanced with technology and the seating is in such a way that by push of a button the entire chair goes into the wall and it becomes an empty hall. Along with this, we are also adding a 5D theatre to Kingdom of Dreams, and in winters we will have a 3D projection system. The technology used in all the theatres is the latest and the best around the world. We are always welcoming new technology and are introducing the effect of ‘rain’ for our new show, Mahabharata. We have to keep on innovating and give surprises to our audiences.
Tell us something about your future plans? In the near future, we are planning to duplicate at least two or maximum three Kingdom of Dreams around India. Internationally, we are looking forward to working with China, Dubai, Singapore, United Kingdom, Las Vegas and many more countries. as told to NIKITA CHOPRA
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TOURISM CONNECT Ang Lee, Director, Life of Pi
LOOKING BEYOND THE... LIFE OF PI 66
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TOURISM CONNECT
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strange thing happened at the National Tourism Awards function. The Ministry of Tourism gave a special award to a book which had won the Man Booker Prize. It had been written by Yann Martel, a Canadian who had backpacked in Bombay, Delhi, Matheran and Pondicherry, possibly before some of those towns had their names changed. In his Author’s Note, Martel expresses two opinions about India: “a stint in India will beat the restlessness out of any living creature” and “a little money can go a long way there” These are not opinions that the MoT would like to flaunt in its Incredible !ndia campaigns. The book was then made into a movie by the Academy Award Winning director Ang Lee. Both the book and the movie had received rave reviews. But would that have been enough to earn it a National Tourism Award? Definitely not. So, perhaps, the story is a celebration of our land’s incredible tourist attractions? Here is a thumb-nail sketch of the story: judge it for yourself. A teen-ager from Pondicherry, with the unlikely name of Piscine Molitor Patel, is shipwrecked and adrift in a lifeboat with a lame zebra, a drooling orangutan, a vicious hyena and a tiger named Richard Parker. He and the tiger survive a storm at sea, hunger, thirst, an island made up of nocturnally carnivorous plants, and beaching on the coast of Mexico. The tiger escapes into the jungles. Pi Patel, as he likes to call himself, is hospitalized and undergoes a hilarious cross-examination by two Japanese marine investigators because the wrecked ship was a Japanese one. That’s it; that’s the end of the thumb-nail sketch. It certainly does not celebrate our land’s incredible tourist attractions? We have heard innumerable well-meaning people prattle platitudes on and on and on about our high
Himalayas, our ancient cultural heritage etc., etc. and etc. But, thankfully, Life of Pi does not travel this well-worn path. It blazes a new and fascinating trail which cannot be captured by our thumb-nail, sketch. Thumb-nail sketches never do justice to the real thing. This one certainly doesn’t. So what makes the book so special? Information: loads of fascinating, unrelated, facts. Packed into this skeletal structure is an amazing cornucopia of facts about animals, plants, religions, people, the sea, and seamanship. Using these facts, Martel spins fantasy like the cameos about the teen-ager praying to Christian and Hindu icons while kneeling on a Muslim prayer mat facing Mecca. And from such fantasies he draws more facts: the fabulous carnivorous seaweed has a very logical daily cycle of life. We learnt facts about how to make a sea-anchor, how to distill drinking water from the sea; even how to survive a shipwreck. Will we ever have to use this knowledge? Hopefully not. But curiosity is a compelling urge seemingly programmed into our DNA. Our need to know is what has made us what we are. And yet, at the end of Life of Pi, the reader never knows if all this really happened or if it was the delirious illusions of a shipwrecked boy ravaged with hunger, thirst and exposure. This heady mixture of facts, faith and fantasy is the essential allure of tourism. As one reviewer put it Life of Pi is a great adventure story, the sort that come along rarely and enters a select canon at once. This would be enough to justify its existence but it is also rich in metaphysics, beautifully written, moving and funny – Scotland on Sunday. And Indian Today said [Martel] demonstrates the immense power of the imagination to transform our view with the light twitch of a tiger’s tail.
Tabu in a scene from the movie
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These sum up the irresistible appeal of the book. It is because of the extraordinary wealth of facts described in Life of Pi, netted so skillfully into an enthralling tale, that we believe it rightly deserved the National Tourism Award. It captures, as no other book has done, the magic and wonder that the new, informed, tourist is questing for. Today, anyone with an access to the web, can get all the travel information needed to plan a trip. Having chosen the right mix, all bookings can also be made on-line. In other words, the traditional tourist’s questions Where? and When? can be answered on the web. Anyone who is a little web-savvy can find out Where and When are the best bargains, shopping festivals, beaches, cruises, vacation options, seasons and places to visit. No human intermediaries are needed. But there are two new elements that now excite the informed traveller’s mind: Why? and How? Why was Machu Picchu built where it was? How did those ancient people fit those enormous blocks of stone together so accurately that not even a knife can be inserted between them? Why did an ancient ruler of Odisha import an Iranian god who wore riding boots? How was that god worshipped when the local priests objected to his installation in the temple? Why do elephants rumble in barely audible sub-sonic vibrations? How are these detected by other elephants over great distances? The increasing popularity of channels like Animal Planet, Discovery and National Geographic show that more and more experienced travellers are no longer content to do hit-and-run group tours, skimming the surface of destinations. They want to probe and go much, much, deeper into the magical underpinnings of the things they see and experience. The Incredible !ndia campaign was a great introduction to the wonder that is India. But now we need to raise our tourism product to the next level. We need to explore all that lies beyond the obvious. Why are the daba-wallas so essential to 68
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Mumbai’s economy? How do they ensure that lunch packets reach their myriad customers so accurately in time that a famed US university has seen fit to research them? Why do vehicles roll uphill in Ladakh’s, so-called, Magnetic hill? How is it that even an empty, plastic, mineral water bottle also rolls uphill when plastic is immune to magnetism? We have researched, photographed and written about all this in our two books that won the National Tourism Award in the same function in which Life of Pi was honoured. But we have only scratched the surface of the enormous sea of legends and beliefs that is our living, Indian heritage. We believe that this, virtually untapped, heritage is unique because every one of these folkways has, encrypted within itself, a scientific truth. Before the shastras were reduced to writing there were the verbally transmitted shrutis and the remembered smritis. It is human nature to embellish oft repeated tales. Naturally, attractive accretions were built around the original truths, either with the intention of enhancing their appeal, or deliberately to sequester knowledge from the uninitiated. This has happened in all civilizations, all through time. This quest to unravel the truth that lies behind seemingly ordinary events, places and things is the New Frontier of tourism. This is what is captured by the perceptive new tagline of the Tourism Ministry: Find What You Seek. This ravenous, world-wide, drive to look beyond the obvious is what has made such an outstanding success of both the book and the movie of Life of Pi. In the National Tourism Awards function on the 18th of March, 2013, the Ministry of Tourism had the courage, and the foresight, to look beyond the established clichés. In four decades of observing the tourism scene, this is one of the strangest and most encouraging signs we have ever seen. Text by HUGH & COLLEEN GANTZER Photo courtesy 20TH CENTURY FOX
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7th Annual Conference & Expo October 18–19th 2013. Mumbai.
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HOLIDAY TRAVEL
New Zealand, an island country in the south western Pacific Ocean, has a volcanic history that dates back to millions of years. We bring you an interesting pictorial description of these volcanic hot springs, geysers and volcanic lakes.
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ew Zealand is a geologically active country with numerous geothermal features, including volcanoes hot springs, geysers and volcanic lakes. Many of these features are clustered together, and they are particularly abundant throughout the central North Island’s Taupo Volcanic Zone. These areas attract scientific interest and tourism, and are also utilised for power generation and by industry and civil engineering. There are many signs of volcanic activity in most of New Zealand and there are sev-
eral areas where this is more obvious and some areas activity is still continuing. This is so in places like Rotorua and the famous Wai O Tapu, also known as “The Artists Palette”, because of the extraordinary colours revealed through the earth’s activity bursting through its surface. Rotorua is one area that claims to capture an extraordinary slice of New Zealand with it’s famous spas, geothermal activities and lakes to name a few, so we thought we would go and check out their claim.
GEOTHERMAL NEW ZEALAND
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Cathedral Cove, Coromandal
Wai O Tapu, also known as “The Artists Palette”, because of the extraordinary colours revealed through the earth’s activity bursting through its surface.
Artists’ Palette, Wai-0-Tapu
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Coromandel, an area that has geothermal origins although not currently as active as Rotorua. However, the novelty of going to the beach and digging a hole in the sand for your family to enjoy a hot bath is certainly a unique experience and not to be missed.
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You can tell when you are approaching Rotorua because of the smell. If you are travelling by car, you may wander who has committed the offence of passing such foul air. Or you may get the blame. Opening the window, you will find that the smell is not going away and is in fact coming from outside. Soon you should be able to point at a smoking piece of ground and discover the real culprit, geothermal activity. We stayed at a cottage on the shore of lake Rotoiti, which was the perfect spot for our visit to the famous “Hells Gate”, Rotorua’s most active geothermal park where you can also experience New Zealand’s only mud bath complex with geothermal mud and therapeutic water. Immersed in mud, you can feel the goodness of being submerged in nature’s own natural creation. Soon after our visit to Rotorua, we experienced the wonderful views and hot springs situated in Coromandel, an area that has geothermal origins although not currently as active as Rotorua. However, the novelty of going to the beach and digging a hole in the sand for your family to enjoy a hot bath is certainly a unique experience and not to be missed. Watch out though, it may be too hot – don’t burn yourself. Bring a snack and after your bath, sit back and watch the surfers enjoy the waves. Coromadel was our next destination, a 2-hour drive from Rotorua. A place you must see in Coromandel is the Cathedral Cove, where you can get to by foot or a boat. You can also explore the breathtaking coastline of the 9 km marine reserve, where Cathedral Cove is situated, by Kayak (a small, narrow human powered boat). Now, how do you get to such places? Well, there are daily air services to Rotorua from, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. You can also choose to travel by coach or if you are feeling adventurous, hire a campervan and go for a road trip. We chose to take our car. It’s a 3-hour drive from Auckland and takes 6 hours from Wellington. Wai o Tapu is a 20-minute drive South of Rotorua. As for Coromandel, you can take a 2-hour boat ride from Auckland or take a beautiful scenic 1½ hour drive from Auckland, or 2 hour drive from Rotorua. There is no shortage of places to stay in either Rotorua or Coromandel; for Coromandel though, we do recommend Hot Water Beach Hotel. Text by TARA QUICK Photographs by TANMOY DAS
Locals soaking at the hot water beach, Coromandal July 2013 GO NOW
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HOLIDAY TRAVEL
DUBAI THE PERFECT FAMILY EXPERIENCE
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t is a paradise for shopaholics and a destination full of entertainment for kids too, along with this; it has much more on offer for its tourists. With many exquisite places and architectural creations in its belly, we have selected out some must visit places to add an outstanding experience to your journey.
FUN IN DUBAI Being known for its malls, it is also one of the best destinations for kids. Spread across the region with 13 centres, Magic Planet is the perfect place for an entertaining day for the entire family. Spread
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over two levels, it was initially launched at Deira City Centre; it’s a place for the young at heart with a wide variety of fun rides, games and attractions. This indoor entertainment centre is one of its kinds all over Dubai. Playnation is another great place for your kids to have fun at; it has various brands under its hierarchy. These includes, iFLY, an indoor skydiving simulator, Soccer Circus Dubai, Little Explorer and many more arcade games, wall climbing and 10 pin bowling lanes. Learning can be fun for kids at Kidzania, it is a replica of a real city where everything is kid size. Here, kids learn the complexity and activities that take place in a pr����� ofessional real world. It is an interactive edutainment centre, where kids wear proper uniforms and perform a particular function in the society. Talking about more fun indoor activities, it also has the first indoor ski resort of Middle East. Skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing or just simple fun in snow, you can do it all here. It will help you with all the equipments and ski clothing that you require to have an utmost fun experience. A group of professionals will also help you in learning simple skiing or snowboarding.
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With magnificent sky scrapers, sparkling desserts and picturesque mountain terrain, Dubai is a place with some of the best tourist destinations. Located at the Pantone base of the Arabian Peninsula, Dubai has a diverse Hexachrome Black C and multi cultural society. Much influenced by the Islamic tradition of Arabia, the locals are very friendly with their traditional hospitality towards foreigners.
and interesting species of aquatic creatures. If you wish to meet the most be aut if ul a nima l cre at ure, Dolphin, then the Dubai Dolphinarium is the place for you. It has many interactive activities with the mammals which is a great way to educate the young and entertain the young hearts. They provide family entertainment with Dolphins, Seals and
AQUA ADVENTURE IN DUBAI Marine Adventures One of the largest suspended aquariums around the world, the Dubai Aquarium houses over 33,000 aquatic animals, including around 140 different species‌ the main aquarium tank is 51 metres in length, 20 metres in depth and 11 metres in height. If you wish to go for an outstanding experience of a dip in the tank then you can choose for Cage Snorkelling experience
other marine life.
Water Parks Dubai has a scorching temperature at some point of the day, so to give you a relaxing experience it offers a number of fun activities at various water parks. A relaxing place, away from the bustling city, the Dubai Wonderland is a place with 30 interesting rides for the whole
which takes you closer to the inhabitants. If you are an adventurous freak then Shark Dive is the perfect for you which takes you just a few inches away from huge sharks and rays. The Underwater Zoo is another aquatic world of Dubai which is placed on the level two of the Aquarium Tank. It takes you to three varied environmental zones, Rainforest, Rocky Shore and Living Ocean. Here, you can ride the glass bottom Boats, catch some interesting glimpses of the Aquarium life July 2013 GO NOW
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family. It is along with a worldclass water park which is built over 22 acres. Space Shot, Terminator are some of the fun games for you to try your hand on. The Splashland is a part of the Wonderland and has exciting water rides that will leave you thrilling. You can also relish delect able snack s a nd me a l s at various restaurants with both local and international cuisines. The Splashland and Wonderland are open every day except Sunday from 2pm to 8pm.
THRILLS IN THE AIR For an aerial view of Dubai, go for the 40 minute ride on Sea Wings which is a seaplane charter offering lovely views of the city. It has various packages for
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the travellers, such as, Dubai Creek, Emirates Palace, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah. All these packages take you for a different experience above a different place. It operates around 16 flights on daily basis, taking tourists for an amazing experience of their journey. Another option for the aerial view of Dubai are the Helicopter tours which take maximum four people at a time for a journey of around 30 minutes. It takes off from the Garhoud side of town and takes you to the notable landmarks of Dubai, including, The Palm Islands, Old and New Dubai along with magnificent views of the Creek. The climatic and geographical conditions of Dubai are most
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suitable for ballooning. A very exclusive experience, you can view the dessert from the floating hot air balloon. It takes you just a few metres above the desserts from where you can get a spectacular view of the landscape. Dubai offers you with the largest indoor sky diving tunnels, named as iFLY. It is a once in a lifetime experience, they have the perfect skydive gears for you and instructors who will help you fly inside the tunnel. It is for people of all ages, kids, adults, teens and professional skydivers too.
RETAIL THERAPY IN DUBAI Known as a shopper’s paradise, it has malls which can suffice all your needs, from apparels, fun, jewellery, food, etc. The Dubai Mall has a number of retail and leisure options for its customers, as it houses the Dubai Aquarium, Ice Rink, Gold Souk and hundreds of retail outlets. This 12 million sq. ft. shopper’s heaven has around 120 food and beverage outlets too. The multi cultural theme based, Ibn Battuta Mall is divided into four sections with different retail outlets, namely; Family & Convenience, Major Department Stores, Up-Market Brands
& Lifestyle, and Entertainment & Leisure. It has a very relaxed atmosphere for its patrons to enjoy and have a fun time. As the name perfectly says, The Mall of Emirates is the eventual leisure, entertainment and shopping resort opened in 2005. It is perfectly located in the heart of the New Dubai plays host to 450 retailers along with varied entertainment options. It serves its guests with cuisines from around the world in its 70 restaurants and coffee shops. If you are looking for a classy and glamorous shopping spree, then go to the Deira City Centre Mall. Spread up over three floors, it has a special kid’s entertainment zone, interesting restaurants along with 340 varied shops. A must visit place for a tourist in Dubai; it is a wonderful architectural marvel. Dubai also has special dedicated market places, named as souks for different products it specializes in. Gold Souk is the one which made the city famous for this sparkling metal. Housing all the variety, colours and styles it has everything that gold can be turned into. Dubai Fish Souk and Spice Souk are the two other famous names, which are not to be missed, if you are looking for an impressive experience.
For further information, please contact:
1104 Arcadia, 11th Floor, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021 – India. Tel:+91 (22) 2282 8836/ 2282 8837; Fax: +91 (22) 2282 8835 E-mail: dtcm_in@dubaitourism.ae ; Web: www.dubaitourism.ae; www.definitelydubai.com
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DUBAI
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T’S ALL ABOUT SIZE, BABY!
MAGNIFICIENT MALL MAGIC
Dubai does it the way no city on earth can. It’s effervescing, dazzling malls radiate futuristic oomph with outstanding features and attractions that KISHORE AND SMITA IYENGAR can never forget.
In the world’s fastest growing city, size makes all the difference. Specially when you see size in it’s most creative dimensions. Dubai’s spectacular malls are not just shopping outlets with designer brands jostling for space, but commercial expressions of individual identity that set them apart from malls anywhere else in this world. The reasons are clear. No effort has been spared to pack each of them with fantastic, leit-motif features that appeal and enthrall each time you visit each dazzling mall here. Let’s check them all out!
MERCATO MALL
One of the earlier incarnations of artistic might, this cheery mall is designed like a live Venetian, multi-dimensional panorama of look alike bridges, frescoed walls and ceilings, shuttered windows and banisters, floral blooms from every corner and the total feel of walking through the irrepressible Italian waterland city. Mercato Mall’s scores of diverse outlets pop out with casual tease, the terra cotta tones mingle with pastel and earthy artistry in profusion and the various levels offer a through-and-through visual spectrum of Venetian poetry in functional form.
BURJUMAN
PHOTOGRAPHS: KISHORE IYENGAR
Stylish, sleek and glossy, expensive by intent in the years it was erected in the heart of Bur Dubai, Burjuman regales in a reputation patronized by the wealthy and influential and
Bright traditinal deco – Souk Madinat, Madinat Jumeirah
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Mosaic-inlayed Persian court, Ibn Battuta Mall
the merchandize and wares it displays with oomph and assertion. The layout and interiors are sleek and futuristic and seem to live on endlessly even after many of it’s breed have overtaken it in sheer size and volume. This dazzling mall was Dubai’s recognition as a shopping first for Indians who would pride themselves with stints of lavish indulgences in it’s boutiques over the past years.
FESTIVAL CITY MALL- DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY
The next door neighbor to the fabled Intercontinental Hotel Dubai Festival City, this mall adorns the garb of festivity all year round. Giant world class brands grace it’s portals with ease, Ferrari, Mark & Spencer and many others live up the celebrations with the latest from around the world, the crèmede-la-crème never miss out popping into this smartly laid our mall for choicest picks. Some of the latest global entrants on the designer outlet scene are Steve Madden, Gocco and Sergent Major and 25 flagship stores, bowling alley and 0ver 90 restaurants and cafes like Trader Vic’s, Hard Rock Café and Marina restaurant Pavilion that add up to the thrills of visiting this kaleidoscopic mall. The popular Dubai lottery concept was seen here initially as an irresistible attraction to shop till you drop, sleek limos and sporty wheels created ripples of aspiration among the many who made this city their working home away from India. DFC is unique in all Grandeur of Italianthemed Mercato Mall
ways, the lone stalwart among malls, closest to the International Airport.
MALL OF THE EMIRATES
Off Sheikh Zayed Road, seen from miles across the glistening freeways and sky-torching chrome-and-steel edifices, this remarkable mall with it’s inclined, towering mega frame stands out as among the most popular and visited in the world. Mall of The Emirates was also the proud showcase of Dubai’s growing commercial, progressively liberal outlook and global positioning attracting expatriates to it’s shores to ingest international flavors in all shades. It has succeeded with full marks. Distinguished features include Vox Studios, The Virgin Megastore, Debenhams, Har vey Nicols-Dubai, Jashanmals and Magic Planet –indoor family entertainment address. This sprawling shopping and entertainment destination scores repeated success with it’s distinct attractions that freezes competition below zero temperatures! The hyper ambitious ski slopes and ‘Ski Dubai’ phenomenon pack in winter thrills at -5 degrees mercury readings in a land where soaring outside heat skyrockets to over 50 degrees in blazing summers. Actual ice over the Alpine inclines offer European-style skiing and snowboarding, gondolas, complete with Swiss chalets and log huts and snowfilled thrills for kids, families and thousands seeking cool refuge. ‘Ski Dubai’ adds on a magnificent, psychedelic show of ice sculpture and dimensional art ice expressions, an ice bar, an igloo, an actual cable car and loads more as people cushion themselves in snow gear to trudge and frolic in real-time snow manufactured to precision. Besides this evergreen attraction, the many food outlets, designer boutiques, world class brands and glitzy lifestyle landmarks punctuate the complete shopping, dining and entertainment experiences. Mall of The Emirates is also graced by the swank and contemporary hospitality haven Kempinski Hotel with chalet-styled accommodation looking down at the snow-covered slopes of ‘Ski Dubai’. The interior design of this mall spells shimmering class in predominant glass-ensconed elements, European-design stairways and filigreed railings, sky-lit atrium domes and levels of specialized merchandizing outlets that never sleep!
IBN BATTUTA MALL
Size, has been design-wise here. Enormously enticing, you feel overwhelmed by the sheer
seamlessness of design and artistic liberty poured out into interiors that takes you on snap walk-in journey through continents and several countries spanned by legendary Arabian traveler, scholar and explorer Ibn Battuta. It is the world’s largest themed retail and entertainment mall with themedesigned spectacular courts inspired by the culture and heritage of China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia and Andalucia(Spain) which Ibn Battuta had traveled through. We marveled at the sheer dimensions of each court’s dazzling architecture. Nowhere are clichés seen in execution of ideas and embellishments and as we walked through each columnaded court, appreciating the liberal use of rich tapestry in art and craftsmanship. Artificial skies with mood lighting set off a romance in our shopping sojourn here and there is no dearth of eager visitors awe struck with admiration in the vastness of endless wall art expressions. The China Court is home to the Entertainment Zone, is redolent in the quintessential Chinese red décor with profuse carvings on wooden panels that bring alive the classical design poetry of the mainland in great depth. The opulent India Court with the hyper-sized elephant and regal ambience showcases the latest fashion trends, classy boutiques, luxury brands and stylish stores like include Evisu, Bauhaus and the awardwinning Ginger and Lace. The crown jewel in Ibn Battuta Mall is the ravishing Persia Court, home to the dome, a captivating masterpiece which was meticulously hand-painted by a group of talented artists. A host of distinguished stores adorn July 2013 GO NOW
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Thematic Tunisia court, Ibn Battuta Mall
the lively streets, – the exhilarating Paris Gallery, Debenhams and high-street favorites such as H&M and Forever 21. We stopped our mall tour for some piping hot street-side coffee at Starbucks, sweet somethings from Hediard and watched mall buggies ferry big shoppers around the comfortably air-conditioned portals. Our entry into the magnificent Egypt Court was greeted by the country’s renowned Pyramids, hieroglyphics and haloed temples. The Egypt Court relives the romance of its chequered history and we were on a literal voyage of cultural discovery. Magrudy’s book store, The Toy Store, Mothercare and other swish boutiques color the interiors with aplomb. Cerulean blue skies and fleeting white clouds form the grand canopy of the stunning 14th century inspired Tunisia Court. Grandeur in presentation and eclectic style, the impressive Andalusia Court is graced with a magnificent Lion Fountain in the centre, reliving the Fountain of Lions in Alhambra in southern Spain.
DUBAI MALL
Hold your breath, like we did. This is the Beluga of all malls in the world, rated as the world’s largest, biggest. Twelve hundred retail outlets, over one hundred sixty dining places, grand designs in every level and unbeatable entertainment features left us open-mouthed and bewildered. For starters the hyper sensation –The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo within the mall lives up the endless aquamarine magic with the largest collection of 33,000 living species, including 400 rays and 80
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sharks together. It has the world’s largest viewing panel spanning two floors and the 270 degree acrylic walk through tunnel opened up the oceans for us with its state-of-the-art lunar-cyclic lighting system. The Underwater Zoo offered us fascinating dimensions at the Rainforest, Rocky Shore and Living Ocean from an innovative suspension bridge above the river and tree cover as dangerous Piranhas, a Humbolt Penguin settlement and scores of schools of colorful fish entertained our senses. We stopped to stare at the Olympic-sized indoor Dubai Ice Rink with mirror-smooth ice flooring that offers thrilling ice hockey and skating lessons and professional ice rink experiences. The sight is a wonder to behold as lithe forms swayed and sashayed to symphonic crescendos, onlookers clapping their appreciation. We could have spent two full days exploring this mega destination, but time always urges discipline! We walked past ‘KidZania’, the ultimate destination for children seeking blazing thrills at simulated games and gadgets, then on to the opulence of the Arabian Souk below the floors. A gentler more aromatic ambience greeted us as we stopped to buy original floral essences and Oud from the Al Harmain perfume outlet. As sunset cast mellow glows over the Burj Khalifa and the glorious acres of the stunning Burj Khalifa Fountain, we settled down of the steps of the Dubai Mall, to witness the most spectacular, most breathtaking aquatic waltz on earth. The fountain gracefully danced and sensuously cast it’s gush of musical expression over
and over again, programmed to symphonic, waltzing, rain dance and hip hop perfection, the water jets caressing the skies with teasing flourish. Like water maidens cavorting and sprinting on a film of spays, the fountain cast a bewitching spell of wonder and amazement on our faces, the climax of an operatic crescendo leaving us spell bound.
MIRDIFF CITY CENTRE MALL
New, smart and linear dimensions pronounce the cheerful ambience of this recently opened mall a few minutes off the Dubai International Airport. Somewhat similar in size to the Mall of The Emirates, this spanking new mall packs in the familiar high-end shopping and entertainment punch of Dubai malls with one new exception that has made it famous. For those eager to soar to great heights on a whoosh of gloriously uplifting experience, the ‘I Fly Dubai’ concept is just the concept to seek out! We walked up the air-o-drome enclosure where excited folks in airdrop flying gear and helmets clutched each other to tandem-fly on a powerful upthrust of air that catapulted them several feet above the ground, on a simulated flying enchantment! As they were held in that position with waves of graphically thrust air pockets, the excitement and brazen joy of the concept swept them into ecstasy! The mall is also reputed with being home to world class designer stores, outlets and niche boutiques and the snazzy ‘Playnation’ sports entertainment concepts for never-saygive up enthusiasts.
HOLIDAY TRAVEL
DUBAI
TEEING OFF
Dubai is not only the land of dessert safaris and sand dunes; it also has some amazing courses and is a golfer’s paradise. If you are a golf fanatic or aspire to learn this game of gentlemen, then head down to any of Dubai’s spectacular courses and spend your best vacation ever.
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ost of the courses are located on the outskirts of the city to offer you with a pleasing landscape and serene environment. These golf courses are surrounded by tall palm trees and beautiful lakes. Some courses also offer ‘Night Golfing’ under floodlights to help you escape from the heat.
Emirates Golf Club
The Middle East’s first championship grass course, offers challenging but fair golf to all standards of players. It has two 18-hole golf courses, The Majlis and The Wadi, both of which play to a par of 72. Tel: +971 4 3802222. Website: www.dubaigolf.com E-mail: booking@dubaigolf.com
Dubai Creek & Yacht Club
Rolling across 6,857 yards this very interestingly designed golf course is lined with date and coconut palms, providing it with a distinctly tropical air. Located on the banks of the Creek, the club is an 18-hole, par 71 course. Tel: +971 4 2956000. Website: www.dubaigolf.com E-mail: booking@dubaigolf.com
Nad Al Sheba Club
This full floodlit course is the first to offer night golf in the Middle East. This 18-hole, par 71 course is spread across 7,503 yards built around eight lakes. It is a course challenging golfers on accuracy and not length. Tel: +971 4 3363666 Website: www.nadalshebaclub.com E-mail: info@nadalshebaclub.com
Dubai Country Club
If you like to practice different golfing experiences then this is the place for you. It features brown dunes instead of green. This is a challenging 18-hole course, par 71 spanning up to 6,431 yards. It also has a 24-bay floodlit driving range along with various other facilities. Tel: +971 4 3331155 Website: www.dubaicountryclub.com E-mail: dcc@emirates.net.ae
The Resort Course at Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa
A must place to visit for any golfer, this splendidly designed 9-hole par 36 course is set amidst lush green trees and shrubs and puts forward an ama zing opportunity to golfers to play amongst peacocks, partridges and a large number of exotic birds. Tel: +971 4 8836000 Website: www.jebelaliinternational.com E-mail: jagrs@jaihotels. com
The Montgomerie Dubai
At a very premium location in the prestigious Emirates Hills Residential Estate, this 18-hole par 72 championship golf course covers around 200 acres. It is the world’s single largest green course that is in the shape of the UAE, and the snake hole. It consists of 79 bunkers and 14 lakes. Tel: +971 4 390560
Dubai Hosts one of the best International Golfing Tournament, ‘Dubai Desert Classic’. It is a yearly golfing tournament which was first held in 1989. It has been attracting many of the world’s leading golfers and thousands of avid spectators, year after year. It is universally recognized as one of the finest golf events in the Middle East. It generally takes place in the winter months (January to March). So if you want to experience the thrills and serenity of golf, you are sure to find the best of it in Dubai.
Website: www.themontgomerie.com E-mail: info@themontgomerie.ae
Al Badia Golf Course
It forms the centerpiece of Dubai Festival City’s golfing community. This 18-hole, 72 par championship golf course is spread across 7,250 yards. It is designed by world renowned course designer Robert Trent Jones 2. Tel: +971 4 2325778 Website: www.albadiagolfresort.com E-mail: golf@albadiagolfresort.com
Desert Course, Arabian Ranches
It is an alternative to the usual courses of Dubai; it uses natural desert terrain with no landscaping. It is an 18-hole desert style, par 72 golf course from the Gold Tees. it is located on the outskirts of the city. Tel: +971 4 3663000 Website: www.thedesertcoursedubai.com E-mail: teetime@thedesertcourse.ae July 2013 GO NOW
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BORNEO GOLF ODYSSEY
Kota Kinabalu’s unique topography of beaches, tropical jungles and highlands manifests itself in the variety and distinctiveness of its fantastic golf courses.
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HOLIDAY TRAVEL
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nown as the ‘Roof of Borneo,’ Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of the Malaysian state of Sabah is home to the country’s highest mountain – the eponymous Mt. Kinabalu. Borneo is the third largest island in the world located north of Java,most of which is Indonesian territory but about one-fourth lies in Malaysia, and a minute percentileforms Brunei. If there were a capital city of Borneo, it’d be Kota Kinabalu. KK, as the city is known, is a great base for exploring Sabah, the northern of the two regions of Malaysian Borneo. Many travelers will fly into KK and linger for a few days before moving on to see orangutans in the rainforest, hike up Mount Kinabalu, or go diving at Semporna further south. But over the last few years, KK has also evolved into the golf vacation hub in South East Asia. With as many as 12 championship courses, all of which are open to the visiting golfer, and most have residential star-rated properties with top notch facilities, KK’s golf tourism is booming. Buggies are available at all courses in KK though you may not get a caddy on busy days. Tipping caddies is essential, and RM 25-50 is an acceptable range. KK’s repertoire of courses is rather diverse – championship layouts, resort links, an up-and-down mist-shrouded hill course, traditional old-world clubs – and you’d be hard pressed to play all. Here are five courses that should definitely be on any itinerant golfers’ itinerary.
Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club Eminently playable for golfers of all abilities, and the best seats in the house to witness KK’s famous sunsets, the Sutera Harbour’s layout is the pick of the golf courses in KK. Three Nines – Lakes, Heritage, and Garden – and night golfing facilities mean this course is the busiest in KK. That also means that players can begin their rounds with the sunset and wrap up 18-holes by ten at night. From the Club House, the first set is the Lakes Nine. It winds around the biggest lake, and provides a fitting introduction to water hazards which are by far the most common elements of golf courses in KK. The Heritage Nine has sweeping vistas of the city with typical tropical shrubbery and trees marking the outer boundaries. The Garden Nine, as the name implies, has lush landscaping and foliage typical of the tropical rainforest in Borneo. The signature hole, the 24th, is part of the Garden Nine and provides a
stunning view out over the South China Sea. It requires a precise drive between fairway traps and a challenging second shot to an undulating green skirted perilously by the ocean.
Nexus Golf Resort Nestled between a long sandy beach and a range of low hills, and armed with 12 meandering lakes, liberal bunkering and unpredictable ocean breezes, Nexus is pretty but brutal. Consider the signature hole – the 188 metre par-3 12th – which actually offers the faint-hearted a cop-out in case they don’t have the nerve to go for the green. The direct route to the green requires a serious carry over water,though if you’re up to it, the green offers very makeable birdie opportunities. Coming after that stern test, most golfers fall prey to the beguiling bait of the par-5 13th which at 390 yards seems a roll-over. It isn’t and there’s another water body to be negotiated if you decide to go for the green in two. Hook, line and sinker.
golfguide SUTERA HARBOUR RESORT CHAMPIONSHIP TEES: 9351 mts; 27 holes; Par 72, 36 DESIGNED BY: Graham Marsh GREEN FEE: RM 270 (weekday), RM 360 (weekend) Tel: +60 88 318888 Email: golf@suteraharbour.com Web: www.suteraharbour.com NEXUS GOLF RESORT CHAMPIONSHIP TEES: 6173 mts; 18 holes; Par 72 DESIGNED BY: Ronald Fream GREEN FEE: RM 403 (including buggy)
Tel: +60 88 411215 Email: sales@karambunaigolf.com Web: www.karambunaigolf.com DALIT BAY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TEES: 6369 mts; 18 holes;
Par 72 DESIGNED BY: Ted Parslow GREEN FEE: RM 295 – 400 (including buggy)
Tel: +60 88 791188 Email: dalitbay@tm.net.my Web: www.dalitbaygolf.com.my MOUNT KINABALU GOLF CLUB
Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club Set by the coast in the Tuaran district and a 45-minute drive from KK, the Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club is adjunct to the most luxurious property in the region – the Shangri La Rasa Ria. The proximity to the sea is used to good effect – bays, inlets and an assortment of smaller water hazards come into play in no less than 16 holes! The course, built on what was regrettably once a mangrove swamp, consists of the Mengkabong Nine and the Tambalang Nine – named after the two rivers which abut the
CHAMPIONSHIP TEES: 6760 yards; 18 holes; Par
72 (Back nine undergoing renovation in 2013) DESIGNED BY: Robert Muir Graves GREEN FEE: RM 200
Tel: +60 88 889458 Email: mkgc@tm.net.my SABAH GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TEES: 6335 mts; 18 holes; Par 72 DESIGNED BY: Robert Muir Graves GREEN FEE: RM 285 (weekday), RM 460 (weekend) Tel: +60 88 247533 Email: sgccm@gmail.com; sgccm@streamyx.com Web: www.sgccsabah.com
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HOLIDAY TRAVEL juice, noodles, sweet corn, pineapple, and some sort of local pastries that look like crepes filled with peanut butter and jam. If you have a couple of days to spare you should take the day hike to Mount Kinabalu which doesn’t need any specialised mountaineering equipment or experience. You will need to register online in advance if you want to take this hike. You can also visit OrangutanReserves and,if you happen to be there in December, watch Ridley turtles nesting. One of the highlights of KK is the Night Market. Located next to the waterfront the market is a veritable cornucopia of raw fish and cooked food. Order rice or noodles fried up in a giant wok as you watch. Try squid, snapper, grouper, tiger prawn, lobster grilled up on a charcoal flame. The night market is open daily, from late afternoon till about 11pm. by MERAJ SHAH
course and flow into the South China Sea. This isn’t an easy course by any stretch of imagination, and definitely biased towards the longer hitter. Besides stunning views of the landscape expect a melange of animals in the gallery including otters and monitor lizards.
nothing short of dramatic and Mt. Kinabalu provides the backdrop to most holes which are flanked by the pristine jungles of Kinabalu Park. Playing here is as much about the golf as it is about the whole experience. And it’s one that’s best reserved for the end of your trip.
Sabah Golf & Country Club
Local Knowledge
A ten-minute drive from the city centre and the oldest layout in KK, the Sabah G&CC is reminiscent of traditional courses around Asia with cow-grass on the fairways and a design which lacks artificiality. Still, the challenge hasn’t aged and the course is widely acknowledged as one of the toughest in the region with undulating fairways flanked by unremitting forest.
Take a couple of days to visit the small islands round KK. Speedboats can be hired from Sutera harbour to Manukan, Mamutik and Sapi islands which are perfect for snorkelling in crystal clear water, sunbathing on the white sand, or just lying back to read a book. In KK you can’t miss the large Filipino market on the promenade where you get a plethora of street food including fresh fish on skewers, avocado
Mount Kinabalu Golf Club Laid out at 1500 metres the Mt. Kinabalu GC is the highest course in Malaysia and provides the most surprising playing experience you’d expect on a tropical island close to the equator. Although originally a full 18-hole layout, the course is currently limiting play to nine holes as the back nine is undergoing a complete renovation in 2013 (which is just as well because the steep slopes make walking even nine holes quite a workout). If you’re not in shape then it’s best to take a buggy. The landscape is 84
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filefact GETTING THERE & MOVING AROUND There are no direct flights to KK and you’ll need to transit from Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, or Singapore. Malaysia Airlines flies daily from all these destinations. Amongst the budget carriers, Dragonair and Air Asia operate regular flights to KK. KK is fairly big, and it’s best to rent a car or motorbike (or even better, a bicycle) to explore the coast. Malaysia follows the left-hand drivingsystem and you’re just required to produce an international driver’s license to renta vehicle. Taxis are easily available. Small cars are fairly cheap to rent during the lowseason, ranging from RM50 to RM120 per day. During the high season expect topay substantially more. Stick to a licensed operator as illegal rentals do not provide insurance. WHERE TO STAY KK has an array of hotels, resorts and homestays ranging from budget bed-and-breakfast places which charge as little as RM 150 to seven-star resorts in the range of RM 3000 and more. If you’re wholly and solely focused on golf then the choice is simple: check into a golf resort. Nexus and Sutera Harbour are full-fledged resorts with a wide variety of rooms and suites; with the latter being a better option if staying in the heart of the city is a factor. If you prefer seclusion then the Shangri La and Dalit Bay offer, arguably the most luxurious abode in KK. All three resorts have myriad‘stay and play,’ packages for itinerant golfers which offer substantial discounts on rack green fees. Among the independent hotels, the Hyatt Kinabalu, situated in the middle of the shopping and entertainment hub and overlooking the coral islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and South China Sea is an excellent option. The hotel is a five-minute drive from the port from where you can catch ferries to the marine park. Hyatt Regency Kinabalu Tel: +60 88 221234 Web: www.kinabalu.regency.hyatt.com Tariffs: RM 320 onwards (Check website for offers)
HOLIDAY TRAVEL
Discover the Jewel of Northern Thailand
CHIANG RAI
The first capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, Chiang Rai houses settlements of Thailand’s ancient hill tribes, and is a perfect place for a getaway from the hustle bustle of other parts of the country.
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hiang Rai is a land of utter natural beauty, exotic wildlife and is the former centre of the world’s opium trade. A traveller’s paradise, it is gifted with plentiful natural attractions and ancient splendour. It holds a number of options for a tourist, ranging from, ancient settlements, and Buddhist shrines to magnificent mountain scenery and hill tribe villages. In the natural beauty it holds a number of options for the adventurous traveller, including, jungle trekking, hiking trails and a lot more. If visiting Chiang Rai, you must go for the Chiang Rai Winery, hill tribe tour, Chiang Rai ATV, Chiang Rai bicycle tour and the Golden Triangle tours. This attractive province also witnesses the connection of Thailand, Laos and Burma. This area is known as the Golden Triangle. It has a number of temples with magnificent architecture and a rich historical significance. Boomerang National Park is a must visit for the adventure freaks as it gives them an opportunity to rock climb, zip line and explore the exciting caves. With it s calm and serene surroundings, Chiang Rai has also been
established as a wonderful golfing destination. It offers a number of golf courses with magnificent views of the mountains and the spectacular landscape. Some of the leading golf courses of this fascinating province are: Santiburi Country Club: This 18 hole, 7, 000, par 72 golf course is surrounded by distant hills and is set on low hilly land. Players can play alongside a huge lake at holes 2, 3 and 4. Where: 12 Moo 3, Wiang Chai, Chiang Rai 57210. Call: 053 – 662821 – 6 Website: www.santiburi.com
MUST VISIT PLACES • Wat Rong Khun • Wat Phra Kaew • Mae Fah Luang Art and Culture Park • Doi Tung: Doi Tung Royal Villa, Mae Fa Luang Botanical Garden • Shop at Chiang Rai’s Night Market • The House of Opium • The Golden Triangle • Phu Chi Fa Forest park • Chiang Saen National Museum • Wat Phrathat Chedi Luang
Waterford Valley Golf Club & Resort:
Located in one of the most attractive areas of Thailand, the course playing on the back tees is just short of 7,000 yards. In all this 18-hole course includes five sets of tees and can easily distract the players with its splendid scenic background. Where: 333 Moo 5, Paa Sang, Wiang Chiang Rung, Chiang Rai, 57120. Call: Bangkok – 066 381 5888-99; Chiang Rai Golf – 053 953 425 to 7 Website: www.waterfordvalleygolfcourse.com
After an eventful day with climbing, trekking, etc in the jungles and mountains of Chiang Rai you can relax at some of the finest spas or comfortable hotels. Pa Sak Tong is a lush tropical hotel which defines Thai luxury. Chiang Rai also houses some more leading hotel brands for its guests to experience a perfect luxurious vacation. Some of the finest hotels of this place are, Le Meridien Chiang Rai, Anantara Godlen Triangle, The Imperial Golden Triangle Resort, The Imperial River House, Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, SuanthipVana Resort, etc. July 2013 GO NOW
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WORLD EVENTS
HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT CARNIVAL
IT WAS CELEBRATION TIME C
olourful long boats and vibrant dresses, flags on the boats than 12 meters. Each boat had a crew of 18 paddlers and this set the mood right for the carnival. With more than 180 year there were 500m standard boat, 250m and 500m small boat local and international teams participating in the Dragon races in 20 categories. Boat Race, it was an event attended by people from all around Along with the traditional races, this year there were fun races the world. Organized by Hong Kong China Dragon Boat As- too, including, Celebrity Bathtub Race and Fancy Costume Racsociation and Hong Kong Tourism Board, this three day mega es. The Celebrity Bathtub Race saw various legislators, business event took place at the Victoria Harbour and East Tsim Sha Tsui. personalities and artist paddle in a Bathtub along a 100-metre It included two major events, the CCB (Asia) Hong Kong Inter- race course. Dragon Thailand team from Thailand, Singapore Dragon Boat Association from Singapore and Dongguan national Dragon Boat Races and San Miguel Beer Fest. Machong Dragon Boat Team from Mainland China The roaring crowds with the drums beats set out for were crowned the champion, first runner-up a festive environment at Asia’s World City. AddNAME OF and second runner-up, respectively. The best ing on to the beauty was the magnificent city EVENT costume award was given to Hon Chan Hanskyline in the backdrop. The dragon boats HONG KONG pan, member of the legislative council and as the name suggest are very beautifully DRAGON BOAT his partner, Wong Wai-kit, member of the carved, painted and ornately decorated CARNIVAL Tseun Wan District Council. with Dragon head and tail measuring more VENUE HONG KONG DATE 21-06-2013 TO 23-06-2013
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WORLD EVENTS
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MY PAGE
IT IS MONSOON TIME IN GOA
IT DOES NOT RAIN, IT POURS The local Goan is convinced that Goa is best in the rains. For a typical postcard Goa, you must head to this city, not so much for its beaches, but for its green undulating vistas!
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oa in the rains is said to be the best season to be there. Frankly, it never rains in Goa, it only pours. And it comes for some five to ten minutes, and then again, and then again. If you are one of those adventurous types, head out in the rains, and get drenched. Experience the joy of the rains, walking in and out of puddles. It pours and the winds lash the water, from one side to another, diametrically across your vision, in one big sway. Soon, it is all quiet again, for the next onslaught. Many of the shacks are closed, being strictly temporary structured built for the main season. But quite a few remain open, the more robust ones. The North is full of them. Many of the sea foods are not recommended, though, as they are considered unsafe during the monsoon. In the last few years, numerous spas have opened, some of them particularly good. One of them I thoroughly recommend is the Sitara Spa on the main road in down town Candolim – excellent therapies, great atmosphere and friendly staff. And at reasonable cost – some of these spas are charging exorbitantly. This season, flights are going full. Hotels are doing well, specially on the week-ends, as more and more Indians discover the joy of staying within the country, with the rupee going downhill against the dollar. Even as I hear that every other Indian is being spotted in London, for this summer, undaunted by the UK Pound crossing the 90 figure, it appears that every other second Indian is heading for Goa! Back on the flight, returning by the 3.30 departure, we are pleased as punch to hear from the captain that we should expect fair weather and a pleasant onward cruise. One hour down the line, we are stirred and shaken, most unexpectedly, jerked out of our complacency as we hit an air pocket. The aircraft was rattled, shook from one side to another, made numerous odd sounds, whirred and panted! For a few seconds, felt like many odd minutes, nobody knew what was happening – not many would have previous experience. And then we straightened out, and onwards on track back again. For the rest one
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hour and more, there was not a single announcement from the flight deck. Not one. Ideally, a briefing would have helped. Funnily, we appeared to be taking a few extra turns than we fly ordinarily, as if we apparently were trying to avoid cloud formations, which were quite dense, and potential air pockets! And we took an extra 15 minutes or so to land, than what the captain had indicated to begin with, after his last briefing on when we expected to touch down, and the rest of it. But there was not even a single announcement after that. Looked like the crew in the cockpit was rattled, too, and did not recover adequately enough to share and calm and soothen our rattled nerves? Not all Indians are great talkers. After this incident, I find myself in dialogue with the young man sitting next to me. What brought him to Goa – work or play? He had come just for an overnight visit, escorting a group from Sweden, to help plan and implement an ambitious Goa Tourism project in Vagator, in North Goa. The Indian concessionaire are the owners of 32nd Milestone in Gurgaon and they will build and operate for 20 odd years this new entertainment project which will include a village and heritage complex, one of the six new projects initiated by the state government. Adding new products is always the way forward – as repeat tourism gets encouraged. Our destinations are normally so starved for new experiences that the less said, the better. I am not politically inclined, therefore I can say more independently – the last few months have witnessed a flurry of activity – in developments such as the Panjim waterfront and the Golf Course, assuming that is still on course. Earlier, enroute to the airport, I had stopped by at the recently opened Grand Hyatt. My first visit was an eye opener. The property compares to the best, internationally. It spreads across the sea side, providing idyllic settings for family outings – it has plenty of eating options, some great indoors including meeting spaces and an excellent spa. The swimming pool areas are awesome and totally a great getaway. by NAVIN BERRY
Date of Publication: 03/07/2013
RNI No. DELENG/2000/3645 Posting Dt. 4-9/07/2013 Licence No. U(C)-299/2012-2014 W.P.P. at MCB-1 Reg No. DL-(C)-01/1250/2012-14