For the Dussehra (Indian festival which signifies the victory of good over evil in hindu mythology) holiday break, Laveena and I travelled to Hyderabad, a city over 400 years old and rich in it’s history and culture.
Laveena and I were recently invited to dinner by a very dear couple friend Romil and Aneesha Ratra. Romil is the group director-hospitality at the Phoenix Mills Ltd, a title this suave and debonair young man carries with immense aplomb. His lovely and elegant wife Aneesha is a gifted and talented writer, is ever so charming and an absolute pleasure for company.
Nestled in the heart of a 180 acre rainforest, 4000 ft above sea level, with it’s villas perched on the side of a hill, the Vivanta by Taj Madikeri, offers guests an extraordinary getaway experience which is an absolute once in a lifetime must.
Not every property I stay at lives up to my expectations, however it is rare that a hotel I choose, disappoints on almost every front. Sadly, The Gateway Hotel, Ummed Ahemedabad, failed to impress. This despite the fact that The Gateway Hotels & Resorts is a ‘Taj’ brand and is described on the official website of the Taj Hotels, as a full service upscale hospitality brand in the South Asia region.
Tucked away in Chharabra, Mashobra, near Shimla, lies Wildflower Hall. Surrounded by fragrant pine and cedar trees, this mystical Oberoi property is situated on 22 acres of virgin woods and is located at a height of 8350 feet above sea level. The former abode of Lord Kitchener, Wildflower Hall has been grandly restored and is now a luxury hotel.