Am I crazy for feeling the seasonal vibes already? I know it’s still October, but hey, I’m already in the vibes.
On that note, let me take you to my last Christmas. One of the most magical, memorable Christmases I’ve had. And we happened to spend it at the Ritz-Carlton in Bangalore.
A Christmas fit for a Queen (and King)
We were picked up from the airport by Sayed, the wonderful, wonderful gentleman who was so knowledgeable of everything about the city, it’s history, things to see, food and everything in between. The ride from the airport (approx. 01 hour) to the hotel was very comfortable with wifi in the vehicle, snacks, drinks and food if we were feeling the nibbles.
To say that we were given a right royal welcome at the hotel is an understatement! We were welcomed in a shower of rose petals and big bright smiles all along, that simply made our night. Our flight was delayed, it was late and we were tired, but that warm, wonderful welcome, simply melted away the exhaustion within seconds.
The Christmas cheer
It was like entering Christmas wonderland. Either side of the drive was glistening with Christmas lights and the entrance was adorned with poinsettia, Christmas trees decked with baubles, mistletoe in doorways, the place was twinkling. The beautiful Christmas tree of light at the very entrance was simply magic. So many details everywhere that it all felt so amazingly blissful all around.
Mashaal Lighting Ceremony
The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore, having fashioned itself as per the forts and palaces of Jaipur holds a Mashaal lighting ceremony in the evenings and we were honored to be part of it. This is the process of lighting these massive lamps with an equally massive ceremonial ignite which was followed by a traditional Yakshagana dance.
Yakshagana is a traditional folk dance form unique to the Karnataka district. It is a combination of dance, music, song, scholarly dialogues and colourful costumes. The name Yaksha (celestial) Gana (music) comes together to create a celestial experience to the audience. Traditionally, yakshagana was performed in the open air by all-male troupes sponsored by various Hindu temples and we were honored to have this dance especially commissioned for us on this day.
Oh and you get delicious snacks and piping hot chai served while watching this! We got scrumptious samosas and cheese croquettes paired with a delicious masala chai served, just for us!
Such a unique experience!
The room & amenities
A plush, spacious space that was comforting in every way. The welcome note was a lovely touch, along with the delicious tray of goodies that awaited us in the room. The room had coffee and tea amenities, bathrobes, a well stocked mini bar, the most luxurious toiletries and basically, everything that you would ever need. I especially loved the bathroom with its double sinks (useful when you have a messy husband), a large and spacious bathtub, shower cubicle and great lighting, which is useful when doing my makeup.
The next day, I had the sweetest surprise! Upon coming back to the room, I had the most amazing DIY Cosmopolitan set delivered right to the room with a beautiful handwritten note 📝🥰 How did they know that I dabble in a bit of mixology now and then? 🍸
Our stay was peppered with little thoughtful gestures like this here and there and we couldn’t help but be so very swept away by the wonderful hospitality fit for royalty. It all still makes me smile.
The Hotel & Design
The jaali patterned screens across the windows is a recurrent theme throughout the hotel of which the design is inspired by Rajasthani forts. Of course the Ritz-Carlton was built for royalty, so you cannot expect anything less.
One of the most remarkable things about the hotel was its dedication to art. It is very literally, a giant art gallery. Every nook and cranny features a masterpiece and every single floor of the hotel is themed and had local artists commissioned to create the pieces that adorn the hallways (very impressive!).
There were a few remarkable sculptures around the hotel as well, some of them commissioned for the hotel, others, simply acquired.
I also loved their heated pool and the fact that the place is fully equipped with a fitness center with everything that you would possibly need during your workout. The pool was something stright out of a postcard! With scenic city views and elaborate adornements on the side, it was difficlut to not snap some shots of the pool while you are taking a dip.
Christmas food spread at the Ritz
You know I’m not easily impressed, especially when it comes to food. But here’s a Christmas spread that swept me off my feet!
We attended both the Christmas Eve dinner as well as the Christmas brunch and while featuring the traditional Christmas treats from around the world, it also featured a dazzling array of local specialties as well.
🥗 Appetizers – the theme was clearly Christmas! In addition to some of my favorites like the beautifully laid out crudité boards, the smoked salmon wreaths, pears wrapped in prosciutto, etc, there were also freshly shucked oysters, a range of grilled seafood, Christmas themed sushi and my favorite, an Indian chaat corner!
🦃 The mains – Suckling pig and turkey were definitely highlights (juicy and packed with flavor being keywords) while I also loved the massive wads of different kinds of Biriyani and all kinds of regional specialities. The lamb was basically falling off the bone and the curries were like a beautiful serenade, gentle and loving and yet full of flavor. I can go on for hours really.
🍮 The desserts – now here was a spread to rival Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory! Every. Single. Item. Was. Mind blowing. And I repeat! MINDBLOWING! The spread ranged from traditional Christmas sweets and breads from around the world to in-house specialities that were so sinfully delicious that I’m at a loss for words. Just some of my favorites here that I snapped but I was too busy stuffing myself really 😬
It’s a very rare thing for every single food item at a buffet to be perfect. But here at Ritz-Carlton Bangalore, every single item at the Christmas brunch and dinner were was superbly thought out with so much attention to detail that it was so refreshing. I’m not surprised. Ritz-Carlton was designed for royalty after all 👑
Did I mention the mulled wine and the cocktail station at both the Christmas lunch and dinner? Ah, it was absolute perfection at its finest!
Not to mention the RANGE of Indian sweets (y’all know how crazy I am about Indian sweets) and the chaat stations! It was foodie wonderland for me!
A standing ovation to the wonder chefs who made this Christmas magic happen. The variety was truly astounding and if you are planning your Christmas holidays and you are also a foodie, here’s a place you’d definitely want to check out!
The restaurants
The Ritz-Carlton has a range of restaurants to choose from, each one so unique from the other. The interiors are so uniquely appointed that you cannot help but stop and stare. Each restaurant features unique cuisine (we tried them all) and we basically had its wonderfully accommodating staff recommending us the most exquisite dishes that blew us away. So don’t worry if you don’t have any idea about the dishes. The team will take care of you all the way.
The Market – The Buffet Restaurant
This is where we had breakfast throughout the stay. The spread is always extraordinary, with so many choices from traditional Indian dishes that quickly became some of my favorites, a large selection of fruits, nuts, cheese, dried fruit, cold meats, salads, pastries, various action stations (I had the THE BEST mutton kulcha I’ve ever had at the Ritz breakfast), so many choices of juice, you name it, they got it. They also have a rotation of special breakfast menu every single day which they prepare for you upon request. When they speak about food comas, I think they were talking about The Market at the Ritz-Carlton.
I especially loved their dosa tasting platter with a number of different dosas from different regions of India, the Bisibelbath (yum!), curd rice and the indian specialities that vary from day to day.
The Lantern at Ritz-Carlton
Our experience at The Lantern at the Ritz-Carlton was a unique one. An award-winning fine dining restaurant that celebrates the rich culinary heritage of Cantonese cuisine, we were blown away by the extensive menu of everything including dim sums, roasted meats, mains, cocktails and desserts. Here’s what we had.
🍲Chicken Lung Fung soup – this was a warm and hearty soup that was basically a hug in a bowl. Slightly lemony and very refreshing, it had a mild peppery taste with the vegetables and chicken providing a textural contrast.
🍤 The Lantern signature prawns – Crispy battered prawns with a beautiful crumb that was salty and sweet, this dish was a textural extravaganza. The prawn was just the right amount of cooked and juicy while the crumb provided a lovely textural contrast to the plumpness of the prawn that went plop in the mouth
🍗 Black pepper chicken – Wok tossed chicken, bell pepper, onions coming together in a satiny black pepper sauce
Kung pao chicken – Dry chili, bell pepper and onion in hot vinegar sauce that marries all these elements together wonderfully
🫛Truffle edamame dumplings – A “melt in the mouth” truffle scented edamame cream in a wheat starch skin, these dumplings were a delightful blue and white and so cute!
🥟 Chicken Shanghai XiaoLongBao – I loved this one! Essentially a soup dumpling with minced chicken, this is what I would call a party in the mouth. The dumpling simply breaks in the mouth to flood a deeply flavored and yet strangely light broth that envelops lightly spiced minced chicken
🥟 Crystal Seafood Dumpling – another favorite, this transparent dumpling is made up of spinach and seafood in potato starch skin that practically melts in the mouth
🦐 Prawn Har Gow – I couldn’t get enough of these really. The juiciness of prawn and the fresh green of asparagus comes together in a wheat starch skin to create a rather refreshing experience. I like juiciness in dimming s. And these were a perfect match
🥟 Basil chicken dumpling – these beautiful Ruby colored dumplings were a combination of chicken, basic mmm, water chestnut enveloped in a translucent beetroot and potato skin
Chicken Shanghai- these beautiful dumplings were twice cooked – steamed and pan fried with a chef’s secret spice
🦆 Aromatic crispy duck – as simple as it seemed, this wonderfully spiced (dare I say, aromatized) comes with thin rice flour pancakes and an assortment of crunchy green veggies and a sweet and salty sauce. I loved rolling it all together and popping it in the mouth – the flavors from the duck and the sauce and the textures of the crispy greens is absolute perfection
🍜 Wok fried noodles – simple. Straightforward. Delicious
🍚 Burnt garlic fried rice – with a distinct aroma of garlic fried to perfection, this mildly flavored rice would be the perfect companion to all the complex Cantonese flavors
🐑 Hunan spicy lamb – melt-in-the-mouth lamb cooked in hunan sauce with green peppers, onion and chili
🍨 Dessert – we had pandan tres leches (silky-smooth and delicious) and dark chocolate and mandarin mousse, a dark Belgium chocolate and mandarin concoction that was ingeniously layered to grab mandarin and chocolate in every bite. Heavenly!
This is a beautifully serene place with well thought out interiors. The attention to detail in all aspects is simply remarkable. Representing the Chinese gifts to the world, silk, and paper, the decor is mainly consisting of these two elements, with the tasteful addition of beautifully delicate porcelain vessels as well as multicolred glass bottles, elegantly placed to accentuate the surroundings.
Riwaz at Ritz-Carlton
Dining at Riwaz at the Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, especially as someone who is quite a newbie to Indian cuisine was an experience that I would not easily forget.
🍹 We were served the most remarkable drink as welcome called kesar ki shikanji along with a wonderful amouse bouche as we waited for the food. The drink was a mix of lime and saffron unlike anything I’ve tried before.
Along with this we also got a lovely assortment of papadams and pakoras which were crunchy and satisfying
🍖 Non-vegetarian kebab sampler – Kasuri murgh tikka, meat seekh kebab, panch puran mahi tikka and tandoori jhinga, beautifully seasoned, perfectly cooked, juicy chicken, mutton and prawn kebabs. One of my favorite dishes of the meal
🍗 Bater ki Makhani – A beautifully creamy, cashew based quail curry that was a serenade of wonderful spices in a creamy gravy, coating tender quail meat
🍛 Kashmiri roghan josh- my absolute favorite dish from the entire meal, hands down! Melt-in-the-mouth mutton practically falling off the bone in a creamy, complex gravy kissed with myriad spices and yet so gentle on your tongue like the softest kiss.
🍤 Jhinga malai curry – I’ve had prawns but I’ve never had prawns like this! Juicy jumbo prawns in a creamy cashew curry ideal to be soaked up with a flatbread or had with plain rice
🍚Navaratan pulav – this is my second favorite dish of the night! Beautiful fragrant rice tempered with ghee and dotted with nuts and fruits. It was so beautifully creamy yet fluffy and served as the perfect tapestry for the wonder curries that followed. Honestly, I could have eaten a bowl of this on its own!
🫓 Assorted Indian breads – a selection of cheese chili garlic naan, pudina paratha and malai reshma paratha, all so so good!
🍨 Kulfi with Rabdi and kesar rice kheer- you know of my obsession with Indian sweets. Needless to say that I absolutely loved both on these!
Riwaz is all about fine dining Indian cuisine. And I was convinced that fine dining can be hearty and comforting too!
Bang
We really did have a “Bang” at Bang, the hotel’s award-winning rooftop bar with a sophisticated ambience, elegant lounge seating, a striking floating pavilion with panoramic views, shared plates, signature cocktails, vibrant sundowners with celebrity DJs and live performances. The energy is contagious and we caught the most breathtaking sunsets over cocktails here.
The Spa at Ritz-Carlton
We experienced the award-winning spa at Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore and it was a revelation. I went for a full body rejuvenation treatment and from beginning to finish, it was truly a unique experience.
Starting off with a personal consultation where your areas of focus and concern are discussed, my treatment started with soothing foot ritual. The treatment itself was deeply relaxing and I had mentioned the therapist to focus more on my shoulders, back and legs. After the treatment, I could literary feel the tension dropping away from these areas. I ended the treatment with detoxifying at the sauna and a dip in the property’s thermal pool which is also equipped with massaging water chutes (so fun!). More on that later.
Featuring luxury body and massage treatments drawing from Indian and Western healing traditions, it has ten treatment rooms including a VIP Suite for pampering. Another feature that I absolutely loved was its thermal chamber where a thermal pool (anyone get the Roman Bath vibes here?) and sauna rooms are available. What was unique was that female and male thermal areas were separately allocated so that you can freely unwind at these locations.
The little things
A standing ovation for the service at this place – by far, the absolute best. The attention to detail of all the persons here was exceptional, the response warm, lovely and very very friendly. And it’s the little things that count – the cute little ‘see you soon’ pancakes, the gifts from the staff, the pictures, the conversations, we were made to feel special every step of the way. Extremely well-trained staff who had hospitality in their blood – they could really show the rest of us how hospitality should be done. We were made to feel so loved.
If you haven’t planned your Christmas yet, please add the Ritz-Carlton Bangalore to your list. I can guarantee you that they will blow you away with their exceptional service, their love and warmth and above all, a Christmas fit for royalty.
