Review – The Park Bangalore (Bengaluru)

Happy New Years to all our readers. I hope you all find a way to live a luxurious lifestyle as I do. Welcome to the world of points and miles. Let’s start 2017 with one of the glorious reviews.

Entry to the hotel.

The Park hotel is located bang opposite to the popular 1 MG Mall and adjacent to Vivanta by Taj hotel. The bellman received my bags and put them through the security scanner as soon as I stepped out of the cab. As I entered and looked around, the hotel seemed compact.

Why are you in this hotel in this city?

I was in Bangalore for marketing purposes. I wanted to see if the market here was apt for my business to expand. I felt that the people here are not yet ready to explore the lifestyle segment. Anyway, I wanted to increase my stay counts to get to the Platinum status. So, I opted for one night here and two nights at ITC Windsor. I soon regretted my decision, though. I was scared I might get an experience similar to The Park New Delhi. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Points

I barely earned any points for my stay here but I just spent Rs. 4500. For what it’s worth, I definitely received the best value for my money. I value 1 Starwood point = Rs 3.32

SPG Gold Check in bonus = 250 points
Stay points = 146
SPG 50% Elite bonus = 73
Total Point = 469
Value in Rs = Rs, 1557

Check in

There isn’t much to the lobby except for a small sitting area. The reception is right in front of the entrance. When I asked for the type of room I was allotted, I was told that I had been upgraded to the Suite room. This is the first time I have been upgraded to a Suite. I found that I am entitled to the Suite rooms at Four Point by Sheraton, Aloft and Design hotels. I even double checked on the forums. Damn! I have been accepting smaller rooms all this while.
Just a heads up, if you are Gold member, do not be afraid to ask for your upgrade.
Thank you for spoiling me, The Park Bangalore.

I was provided room number 226.

Journey to the room

The elevator is on the left side of the reception and it felt a little dated and small. My room was on the 2nd floor. It was the last room down the hallway. However, as the hotel is compact it wasn’t long before I reached my room.

Room

As I entered the room, there was a small space for just luggage and power. The room already felt big.

The drawing room an ample of seating available. It looked like a place where I could invite my friends to party.

The working table was alright. It was long with a lot of space to work on. The chair was comfortable sans wheels.

The room had a big Plasma Television, a DVD player and a Dish TV connection with a wide variety of channels unlike so many other hotels where only 60 – 70 channels are available which are either News or drama and movies. A very cute bean bag was placed right next to this entire setup.

Balcony

The Balcony was large enough to accommodate another very comfortable seating arrangement. One would love to sit there and enjoy. Although I didn’t feel like it was very clean.

The only view from the room was of the building next door. But that aside, I just loved how spacious and beautifully done this room was. I have been to suites in the past which look like nothing more than a combination of a drawing room and a bedroom and they don’t make you feel like you are staying in a luxury hotel. But this hotel actually made me feel like I was. The furniture was done tastefully and the room didn’t feel crowded with it. Any amount of appreciation I have for this room is less.

On the left was a bedroom with similar bed fixture as in the Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur. It had an amazing fragrance because of a huge pot of flowers right in front of the bed. There was another TV in here. The room was large enough with small tables in it that had chocolate platters. There was a small sofa fixture in the room and some fruits in the drawing hall.

Instead of power plugs, they had a power strip which supported all types of plugs and instead of a proper phone, they had cordless phone in the bedroom. I found this very interesting.
In the evening, the staff placed some soaked almonds and flowers with a note on my bed. I was very surprised and touched by the gesture. I liked getting this personal attention. They also added new fruits, cookies, and chocolates at no extra cost, when they realized that I had consumed the old ones.

Washroom

There was only one solid marble Basin in the washroom. It was long with a lot of room on the side and florescent blue mood lights under the basin. The shower cabin was separate, unlike the one in The Park New Delhi. I totally loved that.

The washroom was big and thankfully they did not cram it with everything they could. This is one of the rare properties where you can find a Jacuzzi in the washroom. However, much to my dismay, it wasn’t working. I wish it had worked so I could spend some time enjoying the jets. They even had long lasting candles to prolong the mood.

I appreciate the bidet next to the commode.

The shower was of the regular type and not rain. It had a good water pressure and temperature control. Although I would have preferred glass instead of a curtain for a shower.

Toiletries

Toiletries were from by Kama. I loved the Tulsi Khus (Basil – Poppy seeds) fragrance. The after effect was very refreshing and made me ask about the Fragrance I was using.

Internet Speed

I was provided with High-speed Internet which was great. This being Bangalore (IT HUB), it didn’t disappoint. I was able to surf the net as I could at home.

Food and Beverages

The breakfast was in a small area visible from the lobby. However, I think it was an apt place for a hotel of this size. There were no special views except for just a regular coffee shop.

I found the spread rather limited. I wish they offered more variety and chefs who would be willing to improvise. If there is one area where this hotel could use a major upgrade, it is in providing more vegetarian options for morning bakery. I wish the chef could customize the food to one’s dietary requirements.

If you have any food allergies, you will be left to your own devices. The Park won’t go out of their way to make sure that you are well fed.

Fitness Center

I found the swimming pool too small to be any fun. It felt more like a children’s pool. Even the Fitness center was disappointing. It was located in a basement. This is where the hotel hosts night events. There is a hall downstairs. There are really no equipments in the gym. The tread mill and the cycle were both old school. I had zero fun using them. They did not have any exciting features.

I wish they used the same gym as The Park New Delhi. In the end, I decided to do some Yoga its hall was of a decent size. The weight selection was average at best.

Service

One of the best things I found about this hotel was its excellent service. Attention was definitely given to even the smallest of the details. There were some instances that were so perfect, they brought a smile to my face.

Nothing was left unfinished and empty. If there was, it was taken care of with ease and grace.

Bottom line

I am definitely coming back to this hotel if I get the same room. The hotel was economic and definitely perfect for its price and central location in the city. The hotel also houses one of the premier night life options in the city. I love the lounge here. The dance floor is extremely dark, so I would keep away from it. Other than that, the staff was more than helpful and cooperating.