Bustling Bangalore

[This trip was made before the outbreak of Covid 19. Please give first priority to your health and safety and kindly follow the restrictions and guidelines issued by the authorities]

Bangalore known as the Silicon Valley of India is a metropolitan city and is one of the fastest growing cities in India. It is a very lively and multi cultural city which attracts workforce from all across India. It has gained the global attention for being the IT hub which has fueled various other developments ranging from an extensive public transportation such as metro and buses, shopping malls, international stores, luxury hotel chains and to a plethora of dining options. It is renowned for its cafes and pubs. Having been to this city on few occasions before, this has become my favourite city in India. It is the vibe of the city along with the cafes and the dining options that made us choose Bangalore as the destination for our next trip. Our Bangalore trip comprised of 6 days. We travelled to Bangalore via Volvo bus which was a 12 hours journey from Cochin. In Bangalore we stayed at Fairfield by Marriott hotel. It was a decent hotel with all the modern facilities.

Our hotel corridor (Fairfield by Marriott)

Our hotel restaurant (Fairfield by Marriott)

We did a lot of street hoping, visited malls and historic sites. We also did few adventure activities and tried out different cafes and restaurants. In this write up, I will be taking you through few experiences that fascinated me the most in our Bangalore trip.  Read on to find them out. 

Dirt Mania

Dirt Mania is a quad biking arena which has a variety of quad bikes with options of on track and off road adventure trails. It is located about 30 kms away from the city. So we had hired a zoom car and drove to the spot. We had started from our hotel at about 8:30 AM. We were lucky to find a Cafe coffee day in the deserted highway leading to dirt mania where we stopped for breakfast. We reached our destination in about another 20 mins from there. On reaching the destination, you will notice a racing track as you head towards the arena.

                           Dirt Mania track

We went to the reception located next to the tracks, where we were briefed about the ride and the safety details. The staff were very friendly and informative. We were then provided the safety equipments like the helmet, arm guard, knee guard and the chest guard.

Dirt Mania Reception

They provide various quad bikes ranging from 200cc to 500cc. The drives offered are the on track ride and off track nature trail. We chose the Gritty Sportsman 500CC quad bike and opted for the 7km off track nature trail where we will be scouted by experts for an exhilarating nature ride. After getting a hand on the quad bike, we were guided for the trail. The trail consisted of rugged and uneven terrains which added to the fun. After reaching a flat terrain, we took some time off for clicking few pictures.

Quad Biking(500 CC Gritty Sportsman) @ Dirt Mania

                                           
After that we continued our journey through the rough terrain. It was a great off road driving experience and we enjoyed it. They even have night trails. It is a great place for those looking for some off road adventure.


Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a boutique European fine dining restaurant. It is located in a farm house which serves a set menu. It is a very exclusive arrangement away from the hustle of the city and they do not offer walk ins as prior reservations are required. They offer an option for either a 5 course or a 7 course dinner. We had opted for the 7 course dinner. We received a call from the owner Mrs Sonali few days prior to our reservation day to check if we have any dietary preferences and we conveyed ours. The restaurant is located in the outskirts of the city, so we had hired a zoom car. We got dressed up for the occasion and drove to the farm house. It was a 45 minutes’ drive. On reaching the farm house, we were directed by the security to the restaurant which is a short walk from the parking lot. The restaurant had an alfresco dining set up surrounded by trees. It was a dimly lit intimate arrangement with only five tables. It was set up with fresh flowers and candles along with light music. There were 2 in-house dogs walking around who kept seeking attention from the guests. The mildly cold weather and light rain fall along with the lovely ambiance was a perfect spot for a romantic dinner date. On being seated, we were offered welcome drinks.

Grasshopper (European fine dining restaurant)

Grasshopper (European fine dining restaurant)

We were then served various dishes in sequences starting with appetizers followed by main course and ending with dessert. The food presentation and service were very professional and we were briefed as each dish was being served.

Appetizer

 

Appetizer

  

 Main course

    

 Main course

    

Dessert

The owner Mrs Sonali added a personal touch by coming and enquiring about our experience. The 7 course European cuisine dinner at grasshopper was a unique gastronomic experience in an exclusive setting.

UB City

UB City is a mini luxurious city developed in the Central Business District of Bangalore. It houses corporate offices, service apartments, high end retail brands and upscale restaurants. It consists of 5 distinctively constructed towers – UB Tower, Concorde, Canberra, Comet and Kingfisher Tower. UB City has got multiple awards for its amazing architecture.  The UB tower which is the most notable tower is the tallest building in Bangalore and houses the UB Group offices.  The Concorde and Canberra tower, houses several world renowned corporate offices in the higher floors. The comet comprises of luxurious serviced apartments. The Kingfisher tower consists of plush apartments with a huge penthouse on the top two floors

UB Tower @ UB City

Concorde tower @ UB City

The most fascinating part of the UB city is the ‘The Collection’ which is the first luxury shopping mall in India located in the lower three levels of the Concorde and Canberra tower. Until the arrival of the concept of luxury shopping mall in India, several 5 star hotels were the most desirable address for the uber luxury brands as they are sensitive to their retail environment. With the arrival of ‘The Collection’ at UB City, such brands were able to set up stores in a luxury shopping mall. ‘The Collection’ at UB city houses many of the world’s most elite lifestyle brands such as Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Emporio Armani, Burberry, Omega and even a Bugatti showroom. 

                                                

'The Collection' -  UB City Mall (India's first luxury shopping mall)

Louis Vuitton showroom @ 'The Collection' - UB City Mall

Apart from the stores, there is a diverse global dining scene in the mall ranging from Italian, French, Mexican, American, Japanese, Indian and continental cuisines. Majority of the restaurants are located in the piazza which has a lovely exotic street side ambiance. The Piazza has a fountain in the middle with beautiful view of the towers in the UB city. We went to the piazza and spend some time soaking in the beautiful views and the light breeze. We then decided to have refreshments from a French café – Café Noir. We orderd chilled juice and shakes.

Cafe Noir @ The Collection - UB City Mall

Cafe Noir @ The Collection - UB City Mall

Cafe Noir @ The Collection - UB City Mall

We also spotted several luxury cars lobbying at the mall entrance. The Collection at UB city is an ideal place for high end shopping and dining. 

     

   
Ritz Carlton

'Ritz Carlton' is the ultra luxury hotel brand of Marriott International and is recognized as the gold standard for luxury hotels worldwide.  Ritz Carlton Bangalore is the brand's first hotel in India and is currently one among the only two such properties in India. We went to Ritz Carlton for their ‘Legendary Ritz Carlton afternoon tea’.  Afternoon tea is a British tradition which began as a private social event for the high heeled ladies of the society. Today, afternoon tea has become an occasional experience which is enjoyed by all. It is offered by several high end hotels across the globe. The hotel lacks a view from the outside, but is well compensated by the extravagant interiors. There is an expansive walkway from the valet drop off to the hotel entrance. The walkway exuded grandeur from its high ceilings to the beautifully furnished casual chairs and tables. On the left side of the walkway is a stream with fire pots set atop. These fire pots are gas enabled and are lighted every evening. On the midway, there is a life size sculpture of a person sitting with his hands crisscrossed on a rocking chair which is the sculpture of the renowned sculptor Pablo Picasso.

Walkway of the Ritz Carlton Hotel

Stream with fire pots at the walkway of Ritz Carlton Hotel

The hotel entrance has huge doors, which were whisked opened by two of their staff at either side, as we approached the entrance. We headed to the lobby lounge where the afternoon tea is served. The hotel interiors radiated opulence and an eye catching feature was the sheer amount of paintings, art work and sculptures displayed along the public spaces and corridors, 1280 pieces of contemporary art work to be precise. The lobby lounge was beautifully set up with cozy sofas which blended well with the decor.

Lobby Lounge of Ritz Carlton Hotel

Lobby Lounge of Ritz Carlton Hotel

We took our seat towards the side of the lobby which had over sized sofas. We then placed our order. The afternoon tea includes scones, savories, pastries, sandwiches and desserts. It was arranged beautifully in a three layered royal cutleries decked on a stand. We relished the exquisite and delicious afternoon tea.

Afternoon Tea @ Ritz Carlton

Afternoon tea @ Ritz Carlton

Afternoon Tea @ Ritz Carlton

Afternoon Tea @ Ritz Carlton

The hotel provides an art tour in the property. After enjoying the afternoon tea, we had a tour around the property. Another glittering attraction was the huge crystal chandelier in the form of hanging pendant which was suspended all the way from the third floor to the ground floor.  

Three floors suspended Chandelier at Ritz Carlton

Library at Ritz Carlton

Ritz Carlton Bangalore is an epitome of luxury where no stone is left unturned. This property lived up to the reputation of The Ritz Carlton brand. It is one of the best address to stay or to have an afternoon tea in Bangalore.

Have you been to any of the above places? Do share your experiences and thoughts.