The festive season is all about getting together and taking part in unbridled revelry. But there are some years when you’d really like to get away from it all and only return when the hurly-burly’s done.
Perhaps, Puja is the time to lay on a really special treat for your loved one. If you want to waft her away for a fairy-tale holiday, some of India’s topmost five-star hotel properties and luxury resorts are offering all-stops-pulled-out romantic experiences. Whether it’s dining at the world’s largest dining table or re-tying your knot in a very special ceremony or simply enjoying a romantic cruise on the Ganges, you will be spoilt for choice. Of course, this will not come cheap.
And, if you’re looking for more reasonable options to treat your family, you could take them away to the farthest corners of the earth — well, as far as you can get during the Puja break.
Romantic hotel experiences
The 101 Dining Hall Experience
Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
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| Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad |
You may have dined at all kinds of wonderful places with opulent settings and a wonderful view thrown in. But how about enjoying a romantic dinner with your beloved at the world’s largest dining table?
This historic piece of furniture at the Taj Falaknuma Palace’s 101 Dining Hall seats 101 guests and dates back to the late 19th century. Coming up in silver salvers will be the very best of traditional Nizami fare. And, if you can take your eyes off the food for a moment, you can take in the dining hall’s breathtaking decor — five exquisite Belgian chandeliers light it up, beautiful paintings adorn the ceiling and walls, and timber flooring adds to the charm. And if that’s not royal enough, you are also served by butlers dressed in traditional attire and the food is brought to the table in the very best of imported silverware. The table itself is decorated with glittering candelabra and flowers. All the while, a live Sufi performance adds an extra sparkle to the evening.
And here’s an extra course for cricket fans. Sachin Tendulkar and his wife dined at this table a few days ago. You may, in fact, be sitting in the same chair where the batting maestro sat. Price: Rs 50,000 for a couple.
Renewal of Vows in a Hindu Ceremony — An Oberoi Experience
The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur
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| The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur |
Make the festive season an excuse to bring the romance back in your marriage. Head to The Oberoi Rajvilas, where you can tie the knot with your spouse all over again with, what the hotel calls, its Renewal of Vows experience.
You can start out by going on a shopping spree for wedding finery at local boutiques. The package will have both husband and wife getting pampered to the hilt. The husband is taken for spa session while his better half gets an elaborate beauty treatment including a rose bath, mehendi and hairstyle session before the ceremony. And to top it all, a horse-drawn carriage will take the couple to the 280-year-old Shiva Temple inside the premises for the 90-minute wedding ceremony.
The day ends with a romantic four-course poolside dinner for the ‘newly-wed-again’ couple. Think fine wine, champagnes, a delectable platter of food and traditional music — the works. Price: Rs 1 lakh per couple.
Ganga Kutir Romantic Getaway
Ganga Kutir, Resort and Spa, Raichak
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| Ganga Kutir, Resort and Spa, Raichak |
If you want to steal a quick trip to some place nearby with that special someone, the lush and serene Ganga Kutir, Resort and Spa, in Raichak (around 50km from Calcutta) might be the best bet for you. And the Ganga Kutir Romantic Getaway package throws in several extras to add to the charm.
On the food front a grand spread will be laid out for you. There will be a Bengali dinner at the in-house restaurant, Sonar Tori. And, naturally, there are lavish breakfast and lunch buffets. The package, tailor-made for a couple, also includes a welcome drink, accommodation in a luxury suite and a complimentary bottle of wine. And that’s not all. If the weather’s right, you can set sail on the Ganges for a one-hour cruise aboard the resort’s private barge, Pari — with snacks and beverages served. But the cruise only happens if there is a minimum of 15 guests on the barge.
And before heading back to the busy city life, you might want to reinvigorate yourself with a signature couple massage at the resort’s Anaya Spa, that is part of the deal. If you want to bring in more style to the experience, you can enter and leave the resort in a luxury car — though this will cost extra. The package is valid from October 20 to October 31. Price: Rs 30,999 per couple per night.
Family getaways
ASIA
Taking your family to a destination in Asia is usually a relatively economical option and thus popular during Durga Puja, say travel experts. And when it comes to the sparkling shores of Thailand and the serene island of Sri Lanka, travel packages sell like hotcakes. Here are a couple of them making waves this festive season.
Scintillating Sri Lanka
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| Sri Lanka |
Ready for sun-kissed beaches and swaying palm trees? Go for the Scintillating Sri Lanka — Durga Pooja Special package, offered by MakeMyTrip, and take in the beauty of the exotic island country. Starting from Rs 34,999 (ex-Chennai) per person on double occupancy basis, the 6-nights, 7-days package will take you to Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Hikkaduwa and Colombo. This trip will take you all over the island from tea plantations to temples and an elephant orphanage. You’ll also get to see the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. The package includes return airfares, accommodation in 3-star hotels, sightseeing, meals, surface transfers and more. Valid for tours starting from October 20 to ones starting from October 23. Return airfares from Calcutta to Chennai start from around Rs 8,000. Contact www.makemytrip.com.
Pattaya and Bangkok
You could even escape to Bangkok and Pattaya, and Cox & Kings’ Pattaya and Bangkok package makes it even more special. The 4-nights, 5-days tour starts at Rs 33,500 per person (ex-Calcutta) and packs in return airfares, accommodation on twin-sharing basis in 3-star hotels, meals, transfers, sightseeing and more. This trip has special attractions for the kids — you can sail in a glass-bottomed boat to Koh Lam, a coral island west of Pattaya, and enjoy snorkelling in its pristine, blue waters. You will also visit the famous wildlife park, Safari World, and a crocodile park in Bangkok, the Underwater World in Pattaya and more. The tour starts on October 24. So, you’ll have to hurry and log on to www.coxandkings.com.
EUROPE
This Puja, if you want to go for a long-haul holiday, fly off to Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Leading travel operators point out that the weather’s still not too cold and these European destinations offer a good choice for Puja travellers who want to avoid the crowd in popular Asian hotspots during the festive season.
Ratnomay Europe (Durga Pooja) 2012 package
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| Switzerland |
SOTC’s 12-days Ratnomay Europe (Durga Pooja) 2012 package takes you to Italy, Germany and Switzerland and also to the Vatican, England, France and Belgium. Tagged at approximately Rs 1.53 lakh per person (ex-Calcutta) on a twin sharing basis, the package includes highlights like an ice-flyer ride on Mt Titlis and a visit to Lucerne in Switzerland. There’s also a Rhine cruise, a visit to the Black Forest in Germany, and stops at St Mark’s Square, St Mark’s Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. The price includes round trip airfares, accommodation, meals and surface transfers. The package is valid for tours starting on October 21 and 22. Visit www.sotc.in.
(Compiled by Yashodeep Sengupta and Shreya Shukla)