Sep 28, 20173 min read

MARRIOTT STORIES - Pune Calling!

Just when I had started thinking about the extent to which things have changed in the recent past, newer surprises come forth. What is better than traveling all across the globe? Exploring a place you’ve never put your foot on? I’ll tell you what is better. Traveling to these places with your own little bag of comfort- your best friends. I realised this when I recently did a trip with people I could easily call my soul mates. Riya and Mrinmai accompanied me to my 2-nights-staycation at J. W. Marriott, Pune. Now contrary to what you guys might think, it’s not ALL play! We went there for a shoot that was scheduled to be conducted in different spots on the property. I work with my friends and that makes my job incredibly fun! So we started off early morning and took the usual Mumbai - Pune expressway. Any trip gives a feeling of wanderlust and the start of a trip, be it the time taken to board a plane that takes you a zillion miles away or just a simple road trip; is simply all exciting. Being away from the rush of the city we live in and the fast paced madness in itself felt like a breath of fresh air! After reaching Pune, we checked in and were welcomed with a grand spread at ‘Spice Kitchen’. This place is perfect for fine dine and the chef served us his specials. The international cuisine that is made available is something to look out for! We were so full by the time we finished our meal that we decided to head to the spa. Is there even a better way to relax than this? Seems like there is. Try taking a dip in a pool right after a heavy meal and a super relaxing spa session. Sure takes it to another level. And so we did just that! Since we went to the pool at a time when the sun had just set, the sky was a nice colour and the body seemed to unwind better. So we changed and headed to dinner post the swim. Dinner was at ‘Shakahari’ which as the name suggests is the perfect place for an all-out vegetarian meal. The place has a beautiful concept of serving cuisines from two states at one time and we were offered Gujarati and Rajastani. They served us the portions at a very nice pace unlike most Thali places which bombard you with food. And surprisingly every portion was light and left us satisfied but not filled to the brim. We even had space left for desserts! Malai milk desserts!

Spice Kitchen

Spa & Pool

Dinner at Shakahari

The next day we woke up early and explored the property choosing a variety of places for the shoot and clicking pictures along the way. We had breakfast at ‘Spice Kitchen’ and the signature gluten free waffles made sure that we had no space left for lunch! So we informed the management and they helped us out by serving small portions of their best dishes from the Italian restaurant ‘Alto Vino’. And they were truly delicious; the Pumpkin Ravioli being my favourite! I could easily say it was the best meal we had on that trip!

The trip was a combination of food and photo shoots. We ate and clicked pictures around the property! For our evening snack, we headed to the food truck that is located inside the property, part of the 'Pune Baking Company’ and decided to sit inside as the outside area was pretty crowded. The food truck has street style food with a twist. We obviously couldn't resist but hog! After the amount of hogging we had done on this day, we simply could not think of dinner! But since it was our last meal there, we decided to go ahead and give it our best shot. Haha! ‘Pasha’ is a scenic rooftop lounge with north Indian cuisine and a view of the Pune skyline! We ate some kebabs and gazed out at the city, enjoying the lighting, music and each other’s company. It was a starry night. Also, for everyone who loves clubbing, they have a ‘Mi-A-Mi’ nightclub for all the party people out there! Calling it a day, we simply collapsed on our beds post dinner and decided to sleep so that we could be ready to head back home the next day! Thus ended my 2 nights’ staycation at J. W. Marriott in Pune. Here is a glimpse of it for you all x