Here to stay: Weekend getaway in Bangalore hotels

Rakesh and Vidya Pawar spent last weekend at a five-star hotel in Whitefield. The couple checked in on Saturday afternoon, enjoyed the music concert in the evening, and checked out the following day after a lazy brunch.

For the Peenya-based couple, the drive to Whitefield was itself “a getaway, if we are to call it.”
Having already toured nearby destinations like Ooty, Mysore, Kodagu, Chikmagalur, Pondicherry and the like, the techie couple zeroed in on luxury properties in the city, that offer weekend entertainment.

“Driving from Peenya to Whitefield was as good as driving to Mysore. And the Rs9,000 we spent for a night’s stay and entertainment was more or less the same we would shell out in a tourist attraction,” says Rakesh.

Like them, quite a few people are increasingly exploring luxury hotels to spend weekends, shelling out anywhere from Rs5, 000-12,000 for the spas, Saturday night barbecues and concerts, pool parties and Sunday brunches.

“The main intention behind a getaway is to come back rejuvenated. How does it matter whether it is in Whitefield or Chikmagalur, as long as the drive to and fro is relatively easy,” asks Rakesh.

Though hotels see Bangalore as mainly a business destination, there is an increasing trend for city dwellers to check into upscale hotels for weekends, says Biswajit Chakraborty, general manager, Movenpick Hotel and Spa.

Rahul Kanwar, executive assistant manager, The Zuri Whitefield, says though the contribution of weekend travellers is “minuscule at the moment, we have been seeing a slow increase in numbers.”

“We see 15-20 guests checking in on weekends,” says Tejus Jose, general manager, Grand Mercure, Koramangala.

Jose says since most tourist destinations are located 5-6 hours away (except for say Mysore), people look for something closer. “Something that will provide entertainment and relaxation and which entails not more than a 2 hour drive.”