goggly

Pune : O hotel in Pune exceeded all my expectations. This was my fourth stay in this trendy hotel in the Osho neighbourhood of Koregaon Park. The special room had chair, separate toilet and had retained the benefits of other rooms like having a bedside console for all electrical functions. A handheld shower could have been better instead of fixed top one. This time, everything about the hotel was exemplary, check in was in jiffy, food was great. Japanese restaurant prices look exorbitant; I doubt its viability at these prices. Kitsch - a coffee shop/restaurant had just one local dish - bharli vangi ' stuffed baby brinjals with masala '. Once again, I am baffled why hotel restaurants shy away from ethnic cuisines. Most foreign guests are keen to try local food and we have such variety in every state. Somehow, we have embraced only the staple western food habits. On way to Chakan , at dehu road, road side eating joints announced ' gaoran rassa ' and Kombdi Vade...

SQ is smooth all the way. They ferried me on the wheel chair from the Changi airport lounge till the aircraft. Jet Airways too is good, but at Chennai and elsewhere too, their jurisdiction is up to the security/immigration then airport authority staff with a new wheel chair takes me to the car park/aircraft. It's understandable to plug any security gaps that could get exploited. Jet airways wheel chair has two horizontal side bars that jut out on the front on the either side. I felt it was a great protection from anything that would come sideways but I was also concerned if they would hurt if my attendant were not cautious and were to bang to people ahead of me. This feature remained standard on all airport wheelchairs in India. Chennai : Chennai is getting cleaner, No doubt about it. No encroachment on the side of the road instead some walls have paintings. I visited Taj Coromondal after long time. In 82, they would serve coffee for single digit. Later in the decade, I had di...

Situation 1: At buffet B'fast , in an hotel; like other guests, I was promptly escorted to the table by a smiling and cheerful hostess . Once I was ensconced comfortably, a beeline of well-dressed, courteous waiters approach me one after the other to check if I would prefer a tea or coffee. Soon I realize, they just disappeared as fast they had arrived. I had either to go to the coffee station myself or politely remind a passerby waiter who then would promptly deliver my coffee with profuse apology. When this happened every day over a week, I kept wondering the possible reason for this occurrence. Situation 2: Guest 'assistance' was available at the touch of button on a room telephone. A woman responds promptly with ' Namaste ' listens to your request and immediately diverts my call to the concerned person or department. So far so good but what if the person on the side is not available or busy. I would get a dose of melodious music and be back to the sa...