I love Bangalore.... or Bangaluru - if you want to be politically correct. Not because of the pubs, the cosmopolitan feel or the famed MG road (ofcourse, that is a contributing factor), but because it is a city that fills me with exhilerating thoughts about my time spent there. We had very limited finances (unlike the young 20 somethings of today!) but had imagination and friends, to make the best of everything.
Stayed in a hotel called Basil Ikon in Indiranagar. It was not a hotel I had heard of before, and I was contemplating maybe moving to another place the next day if this one was not all that great. Discovered I didn't have to.
It was easy to locate this place- its gate is right on the main road (even though the hotel is practically invisible from the road, and you can only see the signage of the hotel from outside). The reception was sleek, no nonsense, and very basic. The staff are quick, no nonsense and courteous - exactly what you would expect in a business hotel.
I stayed in a room which was large, clean and comfortable. The room lived up to the image of the contemperary business hotel. Room service is prompt. In short, the hotel was true value for money in that location. It is located on 100 ft road, which has numerous offices, retail outlets and happening restaurants within 5 minute walk. Which is a good thing (especially the restaurants), because food is a department this hotel can really improve upon.
Tried a cutlet in the evening through the room service. While the food was served hot and presented well, it tasted like thermocol. The performance repeated itself for dinner, with a classic - Fish and chips (incidentally, this was suggested to me by the order taker himself.). Breakfast too, was a let down in terms of the variety of what is available in most other business hotels. Another area that was below average was the single restaurant that existed in the lobby level of the hotel. This looked like a rectangular room hurriedly filled with non descript chairs and tables to make a restaurant cum coffee shop. What did look good during breakfast was the table service of your choice of south indian breakfast items, fresh fruit juice (in my case, grape) or eggs made to order.
Overall experience was definitely good, and I wouldn't mind repeating a stay at the Basil Ikon.
