Bangalore Advice

[fizz47]

Have to visit Bangalore soon for 1 week of work.

Any pointers would be much appreciated.

Best hotel to stay ( no budget restrictions)?

Anything fun to do in the evenings?

Places to avoid? Advice etc.

[AndyAudi]

It’s a very big place with very bad traffic.

If you’re there a week find somewhere near where you need to be & look around there.

I’ve stayed at both Taj Vivanta whitefield & Sheraton grand brigade. 15miles apart but literally hours between them in a car…..

Sheraton grand brigade prob has more to do around about, malls & bars & things for having a look around in your own time.

[AndyAudi]

If at brigade direction, there’s a bar at top of world trade centre which gives nice city views & cocktails/nibbles.

Can’t remember which hotel I was in when I visited here (there are a few microbreweries) but it was busy/popular

https://windmills-india.com/

Tips, if new to India,
if you are so inclined to use it, carry emergency toilet paper. You’ll inevitability be caught short somewhere be it Hotel/bar/office/airport.

Pick up water when you get the chance & always carry, hotels can be hours from the airport - so have something to do in the car too…

Noise/smell/litter can be quite intense as can driving, a lot of flights get in during the small hours when the roads are empty, shortcuts by drivers can see you going the wrong way down dual carriageways etc which can be alarming at 1st.

you will be scanned with Airport like security everywhere you go, malls & office buildings (don’t carry usb drives they will be confiscated.

[Car bon]

Best hotel - Leela Palace IMHO

However, in reality, the best hotel is usually one close to the office so that you only have to endure the traffic on arrival and departure from the city.

[Venisonpie]

Car bon said:

Best hotel - Leela Palace IMHO

However, in reality, the best hotel is usually one close to the office so that you only have to endure the traffic on arrival and departure from the city.

This, Leela is superb. There's even a snooker room.

[fizz47]

Thanks for the replies…

The Leela looks great but unfortunately seems its on the wrong side of town for the office I’m visiting..

It would seem the closest hotels to my office are :

Four Seasons at Embassy One

Shangri-La

Any must visit places / restaurants?

[Zag_a_muffin]

We used to use the JW Marriott and eat in UB city but that was a few years ago, don't know what it's like now when visiting. You definitely don't want to be travelling too far in that traffic so pick a hotel close to the office. Think the thing I miss most from my 2 years there is the food. Masala Dosas for breakfast, veg curry in work canteen for lunch then street vendor for tea. Only got ill twice in that time both after eating in high end establishments.

[DanL]

fizz47 said:

Thanks for the replies…

The Leela looks great but unfortunately seems its on the wrong side of town for the office I’m visiting..

It would seem the closest hotels to my office are :

Four Seasons at Embassy One

Shangri-La

Any must visit places / restaurants?

With the traffic, the best hotel is the one nearest your office. That said, I’ve stayed at the Oberoi and it was very good.

https://www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-in-bengaluru/?...

[pherlopolus]

Car bon said:

Best hotel - Leela Palace IMHO

However, in reality, the best hotel is usually one close to the office so that you only have to endure the traffic on arrival and departure from the city.

I wanted to stay at leela palace, however it was 3km from the office so was deemed too far, before 7am 10mins commute, after about 90mins.

Best advice is absolutely the closest hotel to where you are working. We stayed in the Aloft literally next to the office and it simplified things a lot. Airport pickup by hotel was easy, if somewhat harrowing!

The HAL museum was interesting, but don’t tell a taxi driver you want to go shopping as they will take you to an uncle.

[Car bon]

fizz47 said:

Any must visit places / restaurants?

I didn't really find any, but it's been a few years, unless you're staying for a weekend and can venture out of the city.
I used to take my team out for dinner - I let them choose, but they would usually want to eat in my hotel.

As above, the first time I went I wanted to buy some presents, but every cab driver is clearly on commission and will just take you to a single place. You couldn't really walk around anywhere.

[Jake899]

Second vote for the HAL museum.

[AndyAudi]

A bit if a general pointer & apologies if stating the obvious but, check what time zones you are operating on for meetings etc.

For me when there it was mostly Europe/US so never really started until Lunchtime & went on until late evening/night

Good hotel important for breakfast, gym, room service.

Late breakfast was my main meal of the day (Masala Dosa a great shout)

Room service generally good, my go to was Pav/pao bhaji (basically a veg chilli with bread rolls), & I recommended to new visitors to stick to veg or a paneer dish of they couldn’t handle bones with their meat.