Showing posts with label staycation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label staycation. Show all posts

Thursday, 9 April 2020

Weekend Getaway to JA Lake View Hotel

Hello Chicos & Chicas,

Hope you guys had a smashing New Year, I'm here to work on one of my resolution for 2020 which is staying more active on social media and writing more blogs. 2019 ended on a very relaxing note with a staycation at Dubai's largest experience hotel, JA The Resort. Now why it is called an experience resort is because there are so many things to do on the property and not just laze around behind closed doors. Their extensive range of outdoor activities include, golfing, table-tennis, water sports, shooting and many more options to get you going and have an active stay. Situated in Jebel Ali across the shoreline of Dubai and far from the hustle and bustle of city life, JA The Resort offers distinctive experiences to go with your mood like there is a beach resort by the name JA Beach hotel and then a very unique Mediterranean style villa suites at JA Palm Tree court.

We stayed at JA Lakeview Hotel for 2 nights, their newly opened property, which is described as a design driven sustainable hotel.  The suite room we were staying at was almost the size of a 1 BHK, I mean you can literally live here and even have your friends around every weekend. :D Apart from a private bedroom, the suite had a huge living area with comfy sitting area with a reading place and dining area which opens up to a huge terrace. Decked with sun beds and couches, the terrace is a perfect place to relax and rewind. The best part about the suite room was our very own personal virtual assistant Alexa, which made our stay smooth with instant assistance.

On our arrival we were welcomed by wine and cheese board. After taking a tour around the property and our first round of shoot we quickly got ready for Sun downer at Bibe, their rooftop lounge. Watching the Sun go down at the rooftop bar was an experience in itself. The weather was so cold and windy, we felt as if were sitting on a hill top, however the staff at the lounge were generous enough to offer us shawls. We tried some interesting cocktails from the bar, however their eating options were quite limited consisting of couple of sandwiches only. They offer an extensive range of gins from all around the world, we loved 2NITE WE-TANGO, gin based cocktail infused with berry flavors. After a couple of drinks we were too hungry and headed for dinner at White Orchid which is in the Palm Court hotel. After a few minutes of golf car ride later we arrived at Palm Court. I absolutely loved the way the hotel is done, it had this really cozy mountain cabin vibe and was all lit up for Christmas. They serve authentic Chinese & Thai cuisine, we had Pad Thai and Kung Pao Chicken with a couple of drinks which was pretty decent. I have always enjoyed Chinese with an Indian touch so I personally didn't like it that much however seeing the crowd and it's a must visit if you love Chinese.

 The next day we woke up late and opted for breakfast on bed as we were too lazy to move out of bed. After running few marathons on Netflix we headed for lunch to Republik, a gastropub offering European Bistro food. I absolutely loved the ambience of this place, it has a massive outdoor sitting area overlooking the pool and golf course. After binge eating comfort food the first day, I wanted to try something light, on chef's recommendation we ordered Avo Omelette and it turned out to be delicious. We also tried some desserts and went gaga over the decadent Profiteroles, it was so tasty and melted in my mouth in a few seconds. After taking a stroll around the golf course and lake, we headed for Spa at Palm Tree Court hotel. The couple spa experience was so soothing and calm, I couldn't have asked for anything more to relax and rejuvenate after a tiring week at work.

 Our last dining experience was a spectacular affair at Kinara, an Indian gastronomy with a modern twist, by celebrity chef Vikas Khanna. I was completely blown away by the outdoor sitting arrangement alongside rows of flames. Now that I am away from home, I miss desi food all the time and keep looking for Indian food options in Dubai. I have to stay Kinara has been by far one of the best experiences in Dubai. I mean, not just the food but also the overall ambiance, attention to detail and service was impeccable. Some of my favorite dishes were Dahi Kebab, Tandoori Prawns, Dal Makhani and there special Roti. 

 You can book your stay at any of the properties of JA The Resort on their website or through Booking.com. The Junior Suite room we stayed at is priced around AED 1000, however if you can get an early bird discount of upto AED 500 on Booking.com.
Cheese Board on arrival
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Friday, 15 December 2017

Revisiting Old World Charm at The Corner Courtyard

Hello Chicas,

A couple of months back I visited a lovely boutique hotel in Kolkata, The Corner Courtyard, to spend a long weekend and came back with such awe-inspiring stories about the property which I thought of unraveling to you'll. The Corner Courtyard is a small boutique hotel located in south Kolkata and has been developed by the restoration of an old Kolkata Bengali landowner's Haveli originally constructed in 1904. Situated in the heart of the city, the hotel is a short taxi drive of approximately 45 minutes from the airport. The hotel has seven rooms, each with a theme based on the city’s colors— Vermilion, Cadmium, Charcoal, Viridion, Crimson, Ivory and Indigo. 

 We stayed at the Crimson room which draws inspiration from the architecture of the Writers Building in Kolkata which was built in 1777 by the East India Company. With period furniture and Raj-era letter boxes, the room is designed for people who loves history. 
After checking in, we ordered for breakfast which comprised of some sandwiches and coffee. I was supremely impressed by their prompt service and delicious food. After our breakfast we went on to explore the property further. Although the hotel has been restored with modern amenities, it retains plentiful heritage atmosphere. One entire wall in the restaurant area is covered in door locks and keys, all original fittings of the property. Not just that, the walls are stacked with shelves having old books, vintage phones and cameras. Being a lover of all things vintage, I was in awe of the regal interiors.

 After clicking a few pictures we sat for lunch at the restaurant which is popular with both the hotel guests as well as local diners. The restaurant offers European and Continental cuisine. We ordered for chicken stroganoff, nachos, sizzler, oreo shakes and Philadelphia cheesecake. The food served was delicious and I was particularly impressed by the sophisticated plating. The chicken was succulent and juicy but the shakes were a tad disappointing. The only thing I personally feel which they can improve is the number of items in their menu which I found to be very limited. The property also has a bar on the terrace with beautiful seating arrangement done in pastel colors. Being a small boutique hotel, the rooms are confined to first and second floor with basic amenities like WiFi and laundry.

The Corner Courtyard is a confluence of modernity and legacy so visit the property if you want to experience the city in whole new way. The hotel also rent out cars to travel around the city so tourist can easily visit the popular spots such as the Victoria Memorial, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Park Street. 

 Picture Courtesy: Jyotika Baijal

The Crimson Room we stayed at!

Breakfast in bed kinda days are the best..

That shower area though!!

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Thursday, 21 September 2017

Mini Staycation at Raichak on Ganges

Hello Chicas,
I had been yearning for a vacation for the longest time and one fine day I was surprised to receive an invite to review the property Raichak on Ganges. I was super excited to travel after so long and that too, along with my travel bud Jyotika. Raichak on Ganges is a first of its kind development in Eastern India, and was the first in Eastern India to make it to the league of small luxury hotels of the world. It is a 100-acre project being developed by Ambuja Realty. Opened in 1997 as a landmark in West Bengal, today it proudly stands as a piece of art amidst 65 acres of landscaped greenery against the backdrop of the river Ganga and a stroke of the blue skyline beyond.


 The property comprises of the Ffort Raichak luxury hotel, a boutique resort called Ganga Kutir and the Anaya destination spa, along with numerous country homes that dot its landscape. The hotel also treasures some memorabilia of the British period, which include a clock, a grand piano, perfume bottles and swords. You can also visit the port city of Haldia situated on the other side of the river Hooghly.

 Getting there

 Raichak on Ganges is situated just 50 kilometers to the south of this bustling city and is a quick 90 minutes drive from Kolkata. We booked a car to reach the resort and the two way journey cost around INR 3500. As there is no direct route by train to reach Raichak, I feel that renting a car is the safest option. The ideal time of visiting Raichak is during the period between October and March, when the temperature drops down and becomes pleasant.

 Day 1 at Ganga Kutir

We were greeted by the staffs with refreshing watermelon welcome drinks and headed towards the Ganga Kutir which boasts of a perfect hybrid of traditional elegance and modern luxury. The resort consists of tastefully done up rooms, a library, as well as a pool whose edge melds into the waters of the river. We stayed at one of the Deluxe rooms which was very spacious and gave a spectacular view of the pool overlooking the river. After taking a tour along this part of the property, we headed off for a quick dip at the pool which was followed by breakfast by the pool area. After freshening up, I dressed up in a comfortable maxi for lunch at Reflection. I was mighty impressed by the buffet spread, they had a special Bengali theme buffet and I really enjoyed the fish curry. Post lunch we clicked some pictures at the garden area. The maxi turned out to be a savior as the weather was quite humid. After a stroll in the garden area we headed out to explore the Ffort area.

 Day 2 at Anaya 

We spent our second day at the Anaya Kutir where we got our own duplex. The interiors of the villa has been done in blue and white which exuded Santorini vibes. The ground floor has a living area and a small kitchen while the first floor comprises of the bedroom and the bathroom. I felt the bedroom was too compact with a very little scope for movement inside the room. However, the living area was pretty spacious and it straightaway opened to the courtyard with a huge swimming pool. The Anaya Spa building has the look of a rammed earth construction on the outside. Two types of facades clad its exteriors; red brick and a central dome like structure that is clad in shimmery white mosaic. Day 2 was again super relaxing, spent most of the time lazing around at the villa and spoilt myself with a luxurious spa session at the Anaya Spa by L'occitane. You can read more about my experience at Anaya Spa here. For our meals, we headed to the Reflection at Ffort. Again the a la carte menu was quite impressive with a vast option of different cuisines. We tried a few North Indian dishes and my favorite pick was butter chicken. A special mention goes to the walnut brownie served with salted toffee sauce which was truly heavenly. However, I feel they should work on their breakfast menu. Although there were many Indian options for the breakfast, the English breakfast menu was very limited and not up to the mark.
Things to do at Raichak on Ganges
  • Pari- A river cruise to catch the first rays of the Sun. Pari has a 50 people capacity on the Lower Deck in the Air-condition boardroom. The Upper Deck naturally is open-air and can accommodate 60 people comfortably. It is the perfect set sail experience on one of the most beautiful rivers in the world.
  • River Side Walk- Immerse into the serenity of the Ganges by walking along the pathway, designed exclusively to provide with the best experience of the river.
  • Cycling- Bring back childhood memories as you ride around the beautiful resort, soaking in nature and modernity alike.
  • Paddle Boating- Steer your way through the beautiful waterway at The Ffort Raichak with paddle boats. Another way to revive your childhood memories with your friends and family.
  • Gymming- For all those who like to work out while travelling the Magna Charta Gym offers state of the art equipment to sweat it out.
Raichak on Ganges is a perfect getaway to escape the hustle and bustle of the city life and enjoy amidst the nature. If I had to choose among the two resorts I stayed at, I would pick Ganga Kutir as represents a perfect blend of traditional aesthetics with modern luxury.
Picture Courtesy: Jyotika Baijal

Ganga Kutir

Tired but always ready to pose!:P

Deluxe Room in Ganga Kutir

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