Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: LAX, SAN, ORD, MAA & COK
Programs: AA EXP 6+ MM, AC, DL (MM) & LT SC; All Airlines 10+MM, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 749
I second the JW Marriott which is next to one of the high end malls (UB City) or even the Ritz Carlton on Residency Road which are two places I stay at. You can use your Marriott points at these two places and the point redemption values at each of these properties is very attractive and elites get upgraded almost all the time. Neither of them is on MG road but within easy reach of MG Road although with the poor sidewalks and traffic it may be difficult to walk with a 10 year old.
Uber and OLA cabs are readily available everywhere in Bangalore and dirt cheap. The fares for short local trips are lower than the amounts I usually tip in the US for a short ride. Having a local SIM will help contacting the driver. I'd recommend getting a local SIM from Jio or Airtel at the BLR airport before exiting the airport as it is easier to obtain them there rather than after leaving the airport. You need copies of your passport and the address where you'll be staying. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a day to have the service activated.
Mobile service is dirt cheap in India because of the cutthroat competition and you can get a pre-paid SIM for you unlocked GSM phone for validity of a day, a few days, weeks, or months. For example for Rs. 489 (about US$8+) you can get unlimited voice, SMS and 1GB/day of 4G data for nearly 3 months validity.
Last edited by ROW2Aisle; Dec 1, 2017 at 5:29 pm
Reason: Added SIM information