Is our hospitality hospitable enough?

Is our hospitality hospitable enough?..
(9th September, 2013)

Attended a 'Shagan ceremony' at Radisson blu Dwarka, a plush modern-architectural 5 star in heart of Delhi and was aghast to see ...

Well, wondering if we have started designing banquet halls for specific purposes? And if not, then how come a banquet hall has a dark alley entrance with almost half the space reserved for bar area. The ear-deafening music made me step back to re-assess if I had entered a disco bar by any chance. Well, it was the right venue with dark walls, dark roofs, dark corners and cozy senti closets specifically designed. And then, the space sold out for a family function.

There was more, on the dinner table came the cold sweet corn soup, food served in a wayside gallery with dim lights making it difficult to distinguish between veg/non-veg, to read the captions or examine the food before it went into the plate.

Well, the interiors were exquisite but no attempt was made to cordon off the visibly pathetic backyard disturbing every guest gobbling something for his poor stomach to fight.

Now, some weary hotelier will shout and tell me that it was the guest's choice and guest is always right. But just because there is no quality check on sales and it is the financial booster for the hotel, can you allow to sell anything when service ought to be the priority.

Asking?..... Just asking...

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Amaranta, The Oberoi Gurgaon-- a BIG disappointment!

(1st January, 2014)

The Oberoi Gurgaon's fine dining Indian coastal restaurant that offers cuisine from nine coastal regions of the country lacks an aesthetic appeal and is further dampened by the dull-n-drab live music. I barely read through the printed 5-course meal assuming it would be well-planned & delicious to say the least. But my trust turned to dismay within minutes. I am still wondering when & how did an Indian roti/naan cut into 4-pieces become a part of the first-course of the menu?... and then.. served elaborately in the bread basket. Not to miss the oil, 3 salt varieties & chutneys served along side. Second course - some synthetic mock-tail juice, a papri & a vada (ya... the south-Indian-vada made of stale over-ripe batter) served in a very eye-pleasing dish. (indeed.. good choice of crockery, cutlery & glasses!)

3rd course... I neither had the patience nor the desire to experiment or check more of their innovative ideas. That was enough for an evening... and last dinner of the year.

The saving grace was the courteous lady-manager, stewards, ambience outside the restaurant & extremely professional lobby staff.

But lets not give up yet & we will still check out threesixtyone(361) ... for there is hope... some hope in that 24-hour dining cuisine theatre with 5 interactive show kitchens.... hopefully..

Dr Anshu Arora

(Principal)

Bal Bharti School

www.balbhartihng.com

Authored -

1) FICTION - 'School Truths.. REVEALED' – http://tapatbooksonline.com/?books=books-school-truths-revealed

AMAZON - http://www.amazon.in/gp/aw/d/9382390073