ITC Royal Gardenia, Bengaluru [Master Thread]
Aug 26, 2010, 2:38 pm
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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ITC Royal Gardenia, Bengaluru [Master Thread]
Just came back from 2 weeks at the Royal Gardenia, very positive experience.
Hotel is brand new and service is excellent.
As Plat I received an ITC One room: about 350sqf, separate walk in closet, massage chair, 3 LCD TVs (1 over bathtub), room control console to operate lights, phone etc. (this is I found a bit annoying for the lights control, I would have rather had traditional light switched as well), fresh fruit, chocolates and water daily, butler service.
Hotel noteworthy features: 4 restaurants (West View offers great western food/wines when needed), very beautiful atrium, nice resort-like outdoor pool, decent gym with modern threadmills, very cured laundry service.
I will definitely go back to the Royal Gardenia next time I return to Bangalore.
/mod
Preopening discussion can be found here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...l-asiapac.html
/mod
Hotel is brand new and service is excellent.
As Plat I received an ITC One room: about 350sqf, separate walk in closet, massage chair, 3 LCD TVs (1 over bathtub), room control console to operate lights, phone etc. (this is I found a bit annoying for the lights control, I would have rather had traditional light switched as well), fresh fruit, chocolates and water daily, butler service.
Hotel noteworthy features: 4 restaurants (West View offers great western food/wines when needed), very beautiful atrium, nice resort-like outdoor pool, decent gym with modern threadmills, very cured laundry service.
I will definitely go back to the Royal Gardenia next time I return to Bangalore.
/mod
Preopening discussion can be found here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...l-asiapac.html
/mod
Last edited by SanDiego1K; Sep 25, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Sep 25, 2010, 10:55 am
#2
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Another review for the Royal Gardenia.
We'd arranged for hotel car from airport - that came with escort by one of the green butlers back into the hotel, and she'd already started the check-in process in the car.
We also had an ITC1 room. However, with no twin rooms at all in the hotel, we'd to get a separate bed made up every night - luckily, enough space in the room to make up what was probably the widest temporary bed I've slept on!
Each floor has a different theme - we were on 16th, which was water. Lowest is earth/stone, building upto air on the top floor. It certainly gives the corridors a little bit more interest! Lifts are also themed, following the 'green' thing of the hotel.
There was both the room console for doing lights, our room also had traditional light switches as well - although at times they weren't particularly responsive
Room was nicely furnished though, good tvs, good choice of channels, and the opportunity to play your mp3 player through the console if you've brought the right cables. Unfortunately, we couldn't get this to work with my iphone
Wifi was slightly odd in that you needed to connect via a cable first. If you're travelling with just an iphone, I'm not sure how that works, but since I wasn't willing to pay anyway, I didn't investigate further.
ITC1 have a nice balcony for sitting out on (base rooms have a smaller balcony), looking out over the pool, and on into the city. It should be noted, the pool, which is outside, is unheated. Staff were shocked that I swam on a cloudy day. I was shocked I swam on a cloudy day (even on a sunny day, it was pretty chilly!).
Laundry is a 6 hour turn around, and by hotel standards, fairly reasonably priced. Our spa package gave us some free laundry and pressing anyway. The spa is one of a chain at a few ITC properties, and the name escapes me. Nice range of treatments in pleasant surroundings.
There's a Japanese restaurant which hasn't opened yet, we only ate in the hotel one night and had the buffet - which was towards the top end of the hotel buffet experience (In fairness, I'm not a massive fan of buffets, but it actually had some really nice starters and desserts).
The hotel atrium is designed to be cool without air con, and is actually extremely attractive. Definite wow factor unusual in a new hotel (not just the usual expanses of marble and glitz).
Service was excellent, staff were keen and eager to help. Possibly a little bit too quick to push hotel cars (which of course adds x% onto the cost). Location wise, its within walking distance of one of the big malls, and next to a hospital, and pretty central. This does mean a longer trip in from the airport.
I'd happily stay there again, if i return to Bangalore. While I am not 100% convinced by the green credentials, they've at least made a massive effort, and managed to do it without compromising on the luxury. However, it does defeat the purpose of powering the room down when not occupied to leave guests a third key which means they can leave the lights on when they leave
At the same time, it was a sop to my conscience, having read about the environmental issues in Karnataka before arriving there (although, it was a very water heavy hotel, and there are water shortages in the state which is hard to reconcile).
We'd arranged for hotel car from airport - that came with escort by one of the green butlers back into the hotel, and she'd already started the check-in process in the car.
We also had an ITC1 room. However, with no twin rooms at all in the hotel, we'd to get a separate bed made up every night - luckily, enough space in the room to make up what was probably the widest temporary bed I've slept on!
Each floor has a different theme - we were on 16th, which was water. Lowest is earth/stone, building upto air on the top floor. It certainly gives the corridors a little bit more interest! Lifts are also themed, following the 'green' thing of the hotel.
There was both the room console for doing lights, our room also had traditional light switches as well - although at times they weren't particularly responsive
Room was nicely furnished though, good tvs, good choice of channels, and the opportunity to play your mp3 player through the console if you've brought the right cables. Unfortunately, we couldn't get this to work with my iphone
Wifi was slightly odd in that you needed to connect via a cable first. If you're travelling with just an iphone, I'm not sure how that works, but since I wasn't willing to pay anyway, I didn't investigate further. ITC1 have a nice balcony for sitting out on (base rooms have a smaller balcony), looking out over the pool, and on into the city. It should be noted, the pool, which is outside, is unheated. Staff were shocked that I swam on a cloudy day. I was shocked I swam on a cloudy day (even on a sunny day, it was pretty chilly!).
Laundry is a 6 hour turn around, and by hotel standards, fairly reasonably priced. Our spa package gave us some free laundry and pressing anyway. The spa is one of a chain at a few ITC properties, and the name escapes me. Nice range of treatments in pleasant surroundings.
There's a Japanese restaurant which hasn't opened yet, we only ate in the hotel one night and had the buffet - which was towards the top end of the hotel buffet experience (In fairness, I'm not a massive fan of buffets, but it actually had some really nice starters and desserts).
The hotel atrium is designed to be cool without air con, and is actually extremely attractive. Definite wow factor unusual in a new hotel (not just the usual expanses of marble and glitz).
Service was excellent, staff were keen and eager to help. Possibly a little bit too quick to push hotel cars (which of course adds x% onto the cost). Location wise, its within walking distance of one of the big malls, and next to a hospital, and pretty central. This does mean a longer trip in from the airport.
I'd happily stay there again, if i return to Bangalore. While I am not 100% convinced by the green credentials, they've at least made a massive effort, and managed to do it without compromising on the luxury. However, it does defeat the purpose of powering the room down when not occupied to leave guests a third key which means they can leave the lights on when they leave
At the same time, it was a sop to my conscience, having read about the environmental issues in Karnataka before arriving there (although, it was a very water heavy hotel, and there are water shortages in the state which is hard to reconcile).
Sep 25, 2010, 1:10 pm
#3
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nice report jenbel....i really want to try this property out next time i'm in bengaluru but the aloft is much better for me in pretty much every aspect....its cheaper, walking distance from my client's office & the manager has promised me extra perks & amenities if i continue to stay there every time i'm in town....still want to try out the royal gardenia once....
Sep 26, 2010, 12:05 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2001
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I've had one stay at this property and am definitely not sold on it as compared to the ITC Windsor or Taj West End.
I'd booked an ITC1 suite and the BS alarm went off when the overly solicitous front desk clerk starting talking about how they had upgraded me as an SPG Platinum...upgraded to what? I asked. Seems as though they didn't have my basic reservation right to begin with, and it took half an hour for them to get me into the room that I had reserved, let alone an upgrade.
The rooms are nice enough although I detest the bedside master control panels that some Indian hotels are fond of. It took quite a whicle to figure out which button controlled which set of lights.
I'm as much in favor of the environment as anyone but I will draw the line at hotels which provide no water pressure in the shower. Most US hotels have figured out where to get low-flow shower heads that still produce enough pressure to rinse the shampoo out of one's hair...the folks at the Gardenia have not found these yet. The handheld shower head in the bathtub is perfectly fine, but the fixed shower head in the shower is less than useless.
I am giving them another try next month but I'm not optimistic.
I'd booked an ITC1 suite and the BS alarm went off when the overly solicitous front desk clerk starting talking about how they had upgraded me as an SPG Platinum...upgraded to what? I asked. Seems as though they didn't have my basic reservation right to begin with, and it took half an hour for them to get me into the room that I had reserved, let alone an upgrade.
The rooms are nice enough although I detest the bedside master control panels that some Indian hotels are fond of. It took quite a whicle to figure out which button controlled which set of lights.
I'm as much in favor of the environment as anyone but I will draw the line at hotels which provide no water pressure in the shower. Most US hotels have figured out where to get low-flow shower heads that still produce enough pressure to rinse the shampoo out of one's hair...the folks at the Gardenia have not found these yet. The handheld shower head in the bathtub is perfectly fine, but the fixed shower head in the shower is less than useless.
I am giving them another try next month but I'm not optimistic.
Sep 26, 2010, 11:17 pm
#5
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Sep 27, 2010, 11:47 am
#7
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Sep 29, 2010, 5:16 pm
#8
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I've had one stay at this property and am definitely not sold on it as compared to the ITC Windsor or Taj West End.
I'd booked an ITC1 suite and the BS alarm went off when the overly solicitous front desk clerk starting talking about how they had upgraded me as an SPG Platinum...upgraded to what? I asked. Seems as though they didn't have my basic reservation right to begin with, and it took half an hour for them to get me into the room that I had reserved, let alone an upgrade.
The rooms are nice enough although I detest the bedside master control panels that some Indian hotels are fond of. It took quite a whicle to figure out which button controlled which set of lights.
I'm as much in favor of the environment as anyone but I will draw the line at hotels which provide no water pressure in the shower. Most US hotels have figured out where to get low-flow shower heads that still produce enough pressure to rinse the shampoo out of one's hair...the folks at the Gardenia have not found these yet. The handheld shower head in the bathtub is perfectly fine, but the fixed shower head in the shower is less than useless.
I am giving them another try next month but I'm not optimistic.
I'd booked an ITC1 suite and the BS alarm went off when the overly solicitous front desk clerk starting talking about how they had upgraded me as an SPG Platinum...upgraded to what? I asked. Seems as though they didn't have my basic reservation right to begin with, and it took half an hour for them to get me into the room that I had reserved, let alone an upgrade.
The rooms are nice enough although I detest the bedside master control panels that some Indian hotels are fond of. It took quite a whicle to figure out which button controlled which set of lights.
I'm as much in favor of the environment as anyone but I will draw the line at hotels which provide no water pressure in the shower. Most US hotels have figured out where to get low-flow shower heads that still produce enough pressure to rinse the shampoo out of one's hair...the folks at the Gardenia have not found these yet. The handheld shower head in the bathtub is perfectly fine, but the fixed shower head in the shower is less than useless.
I am giving them another try next month but I'm not optimistic.
And to be honest, this is a state with a serious water shortage problem. The profligate use of water in the hotel, given that, was one thing I actually disliked.
I'd meant to mention in the review, there are problems in a few places with finishes, where you can see bubbling on the wall where the cement/concrete/plaster hasn't been done properly. The hot tub was also out of action in the ladies part of the spa, which was likely another snagging issue.
Nov 7, 2010, 12:45 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2005
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I'm here now and since I've relied so heavily upon FT reviews/comments when choosing my hotels in India, I should add some of my own.
The lobby is impressive when you come in. I have not seen anything like this in a city before - it could best be compared to something you would see in Balinese or Thai resort. It's incredible how they managed to build the lobby so that it has a constant breeze running through it - to the point where it is actually pretty chilly at this time of year.
The food at the hotel has been slightly above average, relative to other high end ITC properties and other hotels I have stayed at in India. I was very impressed with the Japanese restaurant, however it was fairly expensive. The 24 restaurant has a decent buffet at meal times, however West View had a smaller spread than its sister restaurants at the other ITC's. I have not eaten at the Indian restaurant here.
The gym has top end equipment and a fair amount of it. I liked that there were actually windows and that it wasn't tucked away in the basement. It has been completely empty every time I have used it.
The rooms are top notch, in my opinion. Very comfortable for an extended stay. I'm not sure if I booked this category under some free upgrade rate or was upgraded to it, but it has a balcony that overlooks the pool and is significantly better than my colleagues room (SPG GLD). I really like that it is so new and clean.
Laundry, room service, and housekeeping have all been at ITC levels - which is to say they were completely satisfactory. Service has also been good - staff in the restaurant remember where I like to sit and what I eat, front desk greets with by name, no complaints.
Concierge has been very helpful in suggesting a tailor for a suit, restaurants in the area, as well as helping to arrange for me to obtain a data card for my laptop. Even my own company could not do that for me.
As you can tell, I have a very favorable opinion of this place. Although it is about 3x as far from my office (in terms of traffic) as the Leela - I have no intention of switching now or on future trips. The location of the ITC is actually a plus in my opinion, being within walking distance to UB City is a great asset. The restaurants and bars there are great and provide a nice way to get out of the hotel but still be pretty comfortable. Actually, if you are in the area, you should check out the following (non-Indian) UB City restaurants/bars:
City Bar
Toscano
Shiro
and then some Middle Eastern place
The lobby is impressive when you come in. I have not seen anything like this in a city before - it could best be compared to something you would see in Balinese or Thai resort. It's incredible how they managed to build the lobby so that it has a constant breeze running through it - to the point where it is actually pretty chilly at this time of year.
The food at the hotel has been slightly above average, relative to other high end ITC properties and other hotels I have stayed at in India. I was very impressed with the Japanese restaurant, however it was fairly expensive. The 24 restaurant has a decent buffet at meal times, however West View had a smaller spread than its sister restaurants at the other ITC's. I have not eaten at the Indian restaurant here.
The gym has top end equipment and a fair amount of it. I liked that there were actually windows and that it wasn't tucked away in the basement. It has been completely empty every time I have used it.
The rooms are top notch, in my opinion. Very comfortable for an extended stay. I'm not sure if I booked this category under some free upgrade rate or was upgraded to it, but it has a balcony that overlooks the pool and is significantly better than my colleagues room (SPG GLD). I really like that it is so new and clean.
Laundry, room service, and housekeeping have all been at ITC levels - which is to say they were completely satisfactory. Service has also been good - staff in the restaurant remember where I like to sit and what I eat, front desk greets with by name, no complaints.
Concierge has been very helpful in suggesting a tailor for a suit, restaurants in the area, as well as helping to arrange for me to obtain a data card for my laptop. Even my own company could not do that for me.
As you can tell, I have a very favorable opinion of this place. Although it is about 3x as far from my office (in terms of traffic) as the Leela - I have no intention of switching now or on future trips. The location of the ITC is actually a plus in my opinion, being within walking distance to UB City is a great asset. The restaurants and bars there are great and provide a nice way to get out of the hotel but still be pretty comfortable. Actually, if you are in the area, you should check out the following (non-Indian) UB City restaurants/bars:
City Bar
Toscano
Shiro
and then some Middle Eastern place
Last edited by troyb; Nov 7, 2010 at 12:54 am
Nov 7, 2010, 3:01 am
#10
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troyb, as a spg plat, have they offered you different internet speeds in the room with the more expensive one coming at a charge & the slower one being free????all itc properties seems to be doing this....
Nov 7, 2010, 5:24 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2005
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It's especially frustrating considering that:
a) the free internet speed is painfully slow
b) the highest speed internet still seems to be relatively slow
c) the highest speed internet is offensively priced at INR 1,400 / day
I should have noted my frustration with this in my last post, thanks for the reminder.
Nov 7, 2010, 8:54 am
#12
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Yup. And despite being assured by SPG that this would end (after my experience last month at the ITC Maurya), it continues. Apparently they have clarified this with all the hotels in the program - however ITC refuses to agree to the terms.
It's especially frustrating considering that:
a) the free internet speed is painfully slow
b) the highest speed internet still seems to be relatively slow
c) the highest speed internet is offensively priced at INR 1,400 / day
I should have noted my frustration with this in my last post, thanks for the reminder.
It's especially frustrating considering that:
a) the free internet speed is painfully slow
b) the highest speed internet still seems to be relatively slow
c) the highest speed internet is offensively priced at INR 1,400 / day
I should have noted my frustration with this in my last post, thanks for the reminder.
Nov 8, 2010, 1:46 am
#13
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Singapore
Programs: SPG
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[email protected]
Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
Nov 8, 2010, 8:52 am
#14
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No updates so far. I believe talks are still going on with the ITC properties regarding this issue.
[email protected]
Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
[email protected]
Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
Feb 14, 2011, 3:12 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Any other recent reports of this hotel? I just booked a Cash&Points night for later this week which seems like a steal compared to the paid rates - especially since every room seems to include buffet breakfast for two and club lounge access.
Wireless internet seems to be INR 250 per day, which isn't half bad if you have no status.
Wireless internet seems to be INR 250 per day, which isn't half bad if you have no status.
