Tag: Taj Hotels

The Modern Jaipur!

Rajasthan! A side of India! That makes you feel Royal and Rich! A state that has the best Indian food and every hotel is a palace in its on way having an Modern or an old-world charm. This was a trip to Jaipur after a decade. And while the city did not seem to have changed much. The City surprising had quite a few cafes and restaurants opened up. The Patrika Gate, The Palace and the Hawa Mahal we’re so royal. The hotels we stayed at Raas Rajmahal were a modern luxury palace with interiors and architecture just like a palace.
While on our Visit we visited some of the cafes & restaurants that had their specialities.
Spice Court was our only stop for Laal Maas. Steam at Rambagh was an experience. Seated on a first-class coach in a train-shaped restaurant. The Indian platter were very good. They are also known for their pizzas.
We visited The Johri at the Johri Bazaar. They are a pure Veg restaurant with amazing food and interiors. They are also a boutique hotel with about five Suites rooms each named after a gem stone.

Manak (ruby) is hues of pink, Moti (pearl) is white, Sona (gold) is yellow, Neelam (sapphire) is light blue, and Panna (emerald) is pale greenThe Johri is managed by Honawar Hospitality group that has cafes like Pantry & woodside inn that are popular in Mumbai.
We also visited Bar Palladio & Shikaar Bagh restaurant & Bar that’s part of Naraian Niwas Palace an Instagramable destination and in recent times has gained popularity through web series. The interiors have been done up by Dutch designer Marie-Anne Oudejans has kept the essence of Rajasthan and Jaipur in the interiors. The space also has a few interesting designer stores in them that have a lot of Rajasthani elements to it.

Cafes that we enjoyed on our visit were The Curious Life Roasters, Half light Coffee Roaster and Town Coffee. Town Coffee also had a nice gourmet store to satisfy and to experience your home chefs skills.

Curious breakfast and coffee experience was something totally unexpected for Jaipur. Over the next two days we realised Coffee & cafe culture

Is huge here! Something that isn’t read or spoken about so much when you think about Jaipur! 

Another thing that was good to observe was the cafes & restaurants had plenty of books on their shelves to read Curious life Roaster by the owner has an interesting story Neeraj Sheoran the owner & roster While working in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was introduced to coffee roasting and in 2015 began the Curious life Roaster in Jaipur. Half light by is a family-run neighbourhood coffee shop in Jaipur that has been there for the last couple of years..

Jodhpur

My first visit to Jodhpur was in 2018 and on my first visit I hardly had any time to absorb the place .it was a short Work trip and 2019 was back on the second visit- It was more or less the same but had visited more streets rather than the usual route hotel to venue and now on the third visit in 2020 I finally visited a tourist site and our venue for one of the wedding function (Mehrangarh Fort) The Venue the fort was fifteen to twenty minutes from any of the hotels out there and the walk up to the fort is “uphill task” Concreate steps with the structure around like the typically Rajasthan architecture, the small windows and curve and tomb designs framework when you walk up to the rampart. A Panoramic photography viewpoint – You can See the City from this point and see those Blue Houses Jodhpur is known as the Blue City of India.

You can also see Umaid Bhavan Palace from here and that’s not all if you climb and go to the concert area – This is where the sangeet function was held you will find another viewpoint – Where you can capture and experience the Sunset. There are only two things to see in Jodhpur, the Fort, Umaid Bhavan Palace and the local market for Traditional Rajasthan souvenirs and local Rajasthan Cuisine.

It wasn’t just the Mehrangarh fort that one of the only touristy outing, But witnessed a Polo match that was organised between Two teams (Bride & Groom ) 7 minutes each and there are four Chakkars – A Game last for Twenty Minutes with each team trying to score a goal by knocking the ball in the goal post that is placed on either side of the ground.

Must try the Janta Kachori – A Traditional snack fried stuffed with onion paste at one of the oldest places and Visit the Mehran Café at the Fort.

Weekend in Sri Lanka !

Having visited Sri Lanka five years ago.I was familiar with the city.

And the excitement of working on Project for a Destination that I would be visting again after a five years was on another level.

I did not know what to expect in the five years that had gone by .And after travelling extensively to all Major countries in the World. I really had no Idea what to expect from the country,Once I visit it again.

A Couple of weeks later,We were considering going for a Recce to Sri Lanka to finalise the venues & Hotel with the client.

We Landed in Sri lanka and the complete Journey was a revelation of how much the country had developed in terms of it’s infrastrcture expressways throughout Galle,Colombo to cities around sri lanka last time there were no such Roads like these.

Galle Fort was very much the same with quite a few restaurants newly opened and stores like Barefoot still being one of the stores to visit in Galle.

The Cricket Stadium being in the city and connecting the fort is something that most unusal about the City.

Visited some New places around Galle.

Mirissa – which is popular for the whale watching experience & Weligama where so many hotels chains have opened and are opening for the breathtaking view of the blue waters from the rooftop terraces.

Colombo felt like the city that has developed so much with real estate investments from around the world & within the country.So Many Hotels chains to have opened while some had gone through the reovations to still be considred as one of the hotel options to stay & experience their hospitality while others want the tourist & locals to experience thiers.

Ministry of Crab – The only Resturant in Sri lanka to be part of the Asia’s 50 Best Resturant 2017 And to have Sri Lanka on the World Map for it’s Food.. And the Man behind is the celebratory Chef Dharshan Mundaisa- Is behind the fame Resturant (Nihonbashi)

Ministry of Crab is in with Partnership with Sri lankan cricketers Mahela Jawardene & Kumar Sangakkara.

I also had the opporunity to meet Mahela Jawardene at the Ministry of crab when we visited the restaurant during our visit.

Dharshan Mundaisa has also partnered with Jacquline ferandez for Keamesutra another restaurant that specialises in Japanese Food at the Shangri-la Colombo.

Dutch Hospital Street is the most lively street to be on weekend with live music performances,Bars and a resturants to choose from.

Sri lanka has more to offer than just Cinamon & Tea.

It’s the Goa of Sri Lanka .