Luxury redefined
Unmatched, never-before resort – a 25-acre luxury experience cradled in the lap of a brilliant setting of Nandi Hills on one side, their 275-acre world class golf course on the other, brilliant Bangalore weather and a short 25-minute drive from the Bangalore International Airport. Permit me to introduce the JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa. Let me begin…
The experience starts the very moment you are collected upon arrival at the BIAL, Bangalore International Airport, when you step into the limousine that carries you to the JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa, where the excited hotel unit awaits your arrival. That begins what will remain etched in your memory bank for the rest of your life… oh, what an experience that was yet to unfold.
So, let me begin without much ado…
The three days of rain in Bengaluru that became the talk of social media happened to be the very three days I was visiting the city. After the heat wave of Delhi, the weather in the city that is famous for its mild and amiable climate, greenery, parks and nightlife was a big relief. However, my experience was about to get better!
It so happened that my destination was the JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa. Located 60 km from the city, it was a getaway I had chosen due to its proximity with the Nandi Hills. And also because it seemed perfect for me to unwind. My aim was to spend some time on the Nandi Hills, catch the sunrise and take some Nature walks, but my plans changed due to the rains. For the uninitiated, Nandi Hills is an ancient hill station built by the Ganga dynasty in the 11th century and it is from here that one gets to see stunning views of sunrise and sunset.
Splendid beauty
As my schedule changed, I took in the beauty of the resort for the first time. The resort is more horizontal than vertical, a break from the tall buildings that usually surround me in Delhi. The 301-room resort is nestled in the rolling greens of the 275-acre, award-winning Prestige Golfshire golf course and luxury residential development. As I sat in the balcony of my room, trying to plan on what to do, my eyes first reached out to the distant hills, then moved to the sprawling greens of the golf course, to the unsettled artificial lake running through the resort and, finally, set on the majestic tree that formed the backdrop of the swimming pool. It was then that the resort became the escape I was looking for. As soon as I could, I set out to explore the lush green property.
Owned by the Prestige Group, the resort began operations in March this year and it has a Presidential Villa, two Garden Villas, two Pool Villas, 29 Suite Rooms, 130 Signature Rooms, 81 Garden Terrace Rooms and 56 Executive Rooms. I learnt the hotel had opened almost eight months ahead of schedule. “The owners, Marriott and I all have the same expectations of this resort – to be the best in India. Our focus is on three things: One is the positioning of the resort, the second is to get the food absolutely right and the third is to create experiences and memories for the guests,” shared General Manager Ronan Fearon.
Experiencing a different life
At the resort, it seemed I had been transported into a world where time had slowed down. Everyone moved at a leisurely pace, wanting to enjoy Nature. One thing that stood out for me at the resort was the staff, though present and observant but blending into the background and ensuring your privacy is not intruded upon. This small gesture on the resort’s part made me feel more relaxed and at ease – just what I was looking for from my short three-day stay.
The hotel screams luxury in all respects. Food, rooms and the hospitality at JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa are top-notch. What makes it even better is the availability of options to spend time with. Apart from a golf course, there is an entertainment zone with air hockey, pool table, chess, foosball table, archery, table tennis and even a mini bowling alley!
The resort allows people to bring their pooches along so that the four-legged friends can enjoy the same luxurious vacation as their humans, and a dedicate kids’ zone and a kiddie pool makes for the perfect family vacation. The pool around the Flamingo Pool and Bar makes for a lounging area for those who wish to just enjoy sitting in the pool, while a separate lap pool allows those who wish to swim for athletics or fitness purposes to keep up their regimen.
Spa by JW completes the relaxation agenda of the resort, with treatments that have been among the best I have ever experienced. The sentiment was echoed among some of the other guests that I happened to interact with, and it is sure to relax the tension that guests might be carrying around as part of their day-to-day life. The resort’s location and pristine aura is well complemented by the dedicated employees who receive feedback with an open mind. Happy, smiling and tireless staff from all corners of India with the finest domestic and international experience who go that extra mile, all to make your visit truly memorable and worth your decision and investment.
“What I look for in people is what I see in myself, and that is the first tick. All of the people bring humility. But hiring people or talent has been a huge challenge ever since we as an industry let go of people at the beginning of the pandemic. This is an industry that you come to because you love taking care of people or you have a passion for the profession or the art of culinary. I have been focussed on getting people who fit right. I need to work with people whom I can trust and whom I can relate to. If you go and hire the best people, you don’t necessarily get the best team,” Fearon said.
The hotel also has a huge convention centre spanning across 35,000 sq ft, of which about 22,000 sq ft is a pillar-less hall. The resort also includes 60,000-sq-ft outdoor lawns for events, along with additional spaces such as breakout rooms, green rooms, VIP lounges and bridal studios. What makes things more interesting and takes the facilities up a notch is a 400-metre travellator that allows guests to commute between the convention centre and the resort guest rooms. The travellator route includes an underground section and the entire walkway is air-conditioned.
Food to die for
During my stay, all of which was spent at the resort contrary to my initial plans of exploring the area around, I had the fortune of enjoying a variety of cuisines the hotel offers. While I devoured my meals, one constant sentiment that ran through my head was, “This is the food to die for”. From a mix of international delicacies to North Indian fare and from South Indian spread to pan-Asian dishes, every preparation was as authentic as it could get. This was despite the fact that it had been tweaked a bit for this vegetarian soul with a few dietary restrictions. Kudos to the team of experienced chefs who ensured my palate didn’t miss any taste.
The resort has three restaurants – Aaleeshan which serves Awadhi cuisine, East will soon open its doors and offer pan-Asian delicacies and Aviary which serves Asian street-style cuisine, international spread and southern comforts. Then there is the lounging area at lobby level where you can enjoy coffee, pastries, alcoholic beverages and snacks. Truffle & Co is the delicatessen and boulangerie (bakery) where the fragrance of baked goodies surrounds you like a warm blanket.
The Flamingo Swim-up Pool and Bar completes the F&B set up at the resort, which also has multiple banquets and meeting rooms that often need to be catered to. “F&B plays a very important role in the success of any hotel, especially with this setup. We don’t compromise on authenticity and have at least one head to focus on a particular section or cuisine,” shared Executive Chef Neeraj Rawoot about the delicious food.
The Daal-e-Aaleeshaan at Aaleeshan is among the best I have ever tasted and the Dahi Bhalla, complete with a garnishing of dried nuts, made for an explosion of taste. Traditional Indian sweets – Shahi Tukda and Rasmalai – served as the perfect end to a perfect meal. Though East is yet to start operations, I was lucky to taste a few dishes on the menu. The vegetarian sushi was absolutely on point and the three-dumpling sample simply delicious. Aviary can best be described as – “the best of all the worlds”. From sumptuous Kerala meal in South Indian fare to delicious ravioli in Italian cuisine, the guests are in for a treat from beginning to the end. A notable must-have, however, is the “Textures of Chocolate” dessert, which presents chocolate in its various forms and textures.
Keeping environment happy
Of course, a resort so huge had to bring up the question of sustainability in my mind. “At JW Marriott, we use all sustainable products. The items in the mini-bar do not have plastic in them, the shower cap is biodegradable, our bottling plant is coming up in June and we try to avoid plastic wherever possible. Our guests can even use mobile keys to unlock their rooms and the registration card can be electronic. We send the invoice by email and we use a paperless system to move approvals and documents among different departments at the hotel. We also recycle water so waste water goes into a plant, gets recycled and is used for irrigation,” shared Fearon, adding, “In terms of where we need to go or what we need to do is food waste. There are a lot of regulations and requirements around that and we’re trying to learn about them.”
A fine mix of luxury, friendliness, delicacies, sustainability and self-awareness makes up the enthralling beauty that is JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa. It is an accommodation and a vacation all in itself and even if one were to not step out of the resort at all for a few days, they would still feel rejuvenated and relaxed at the end of their stay.
