“You must teach me how to swim”. I don’t say this often to my husband. After a long time, I had the urge to learn swimming. I am not a water baby, I don’t get inside any swimming pool. Trust me! It really has to be big, beautiful, appealing and most importantly, swanky clean. So if you find me inside a pool, there has to be something special about it. That day, 2 hours were gone in a whiff and I could not stop. The view from the pool was bright and cheerful, overlooking a beautifully curated garden. I took a dip, I read a book and I ate great food. I felt super relaxed at the end of a hectic week. That’s what staycations are meant to be for, right? Thus, in my travel book, the stay at the Aravali Resort Courtyard by Marriott made a lovely first impression. Are you itching for a staycation already?
Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort is effortlessly chic
Since summers are already here and vacations are round the corner, you must prepare yourself for getaways and staycations. If you are looking out for something in Delhi NCR, the Aravali Resort Courtyard by Marriott, a 158-room hotel, spanning eight acres is an interesting option to zoom into. I was charmed by its elegant façade, chic settings, landscaped gardens, tropical vibes, and great food. It is Instagrammable, has a different approach towards in-house activities and also offers a list of outdoor adventures, making it enjoyable and thoroughly engaging experience for the visitors. Last week, when Huang, one of its three restaurants organized Tangra festival ( a week long culinary fest), where an exemplary team of in-house chefs and Chef Tinku Das from Kolkata, guided by Shibendu Ray Chaudhury made us indulge in the flavors of Tangra, (India’s China Town), the whole event sketched out a lovely cultural character of the resort. Huang, serves a range of Asian cuisines and has a very contemporary feel about it. The local flair to the ‘chaupal like seating (high tea) in the evening, the candy stand creating nostalgia, and the chef giving us insights about the Chinese food and the Japanese whiskey or gin pairing brought in a lot of warmth and attention to detail, that we all expect from an experienced hospitality brand.
Marriott Bonvoy must be applauded for coming up with this huge property in no-clamor setting, amidst the foothills of the beautiful Aravalli ranges. While Gurgaon may have many such staycation options, there aren’t many in Faridabad. And I want to cherish this fact that Aravali Resort Courtyard by Marriott is hardly thirty minutes drive from my house in Sector 28. While the newly appointed rooms are spacious, undeniably comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, the pool view from the balcony of the room lends a perfect compliment. The balcony is just perfect to enjoy your tea or indulge in the sunset views of the changing colors of the sky. The room had lot of space to set up a laptop, walk around or dance inside, blended with a generous amount of outdoor space in the balcony. The mirrors, two washbasins and all the amenities added to more comfort and easiness. The glass bottles instead of plastic ones spoke of eco-sensitive practices.
In addition to the much-lauded banquet halls, the property is home to a huge adventure and outdoor adventure theme park, There is zipling, quad biking, burma bridge, horse riding, camel riding, cricket, and much more. One can also book cricket and football stadiums for local tournaments. And for the kids, all days activities and the play area guarantee plenty of giggles for them as well as their parents. Though the property is hardly an year old, it is already a popular wedding destination.
What’s for Breakfast?
Those spending the night here at the hotel are in for a delightful treat. The elaborate breakfast spread at the Aravali Kitchen with live flute music (on weekends) comes at play. The restaurant welcomes you with its unmissable healthy drinks and drooling croissant, doughnuts and breads. As you walk in a little further, you will be embraced with richness of variety. After you have savored the kambucha, healthy yogurts and fresh salads, there is lots of savoury. Well, there is a healthy mix of South Indian and North Indian awaiting you at the live kitchens. Those who have been craving for piping hot chole bhature, poori sabzi and matar kulcha, be ready to be spoilt for choices. And while the food was excellent, their staff was extremely courteous and friendly. Everyone met with a smile and cared to care for your likes and dislikes.
What was my staycation like?
I love great food. Chef Shibendu and his team did a superb job in keeping me chuffed. I had one of the best fried rice and gur Creme brulee at Huang during the Chef’s special- Tangra festival. Also, I love nature and calming vibes. In the night, the pool looked stunning and soulful. The property is surrounded by lots of greenery, so I could feel my lungs thanking me. The room was very comfortable, especially the bed. A separate section for dressing and washing area added more spark and space to the room. Also, the lobby was very lively during the stay. There was so much happening around that I always had something to look forward to. Overall, the hotel screamed of urbane, multi-gen family and kids kind of place. I went around the gym, the spa and the ‘Cheerfit Aravali Theme Park’ but did not have the time to explore everything. I wanted to chill and I stuck around the agenda.
The hotel has four different areas to enjoy and entertain the taste buds, Glaze, The Aravali Kitchen, Huang and Olive Grove, out of which I explored two and kept the other two for next time. From the warm and smooth check-in to a hospitable and hassle-free check out, everything turned out to be absolutely comforting.
Husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the Chef’s special- Tangra Festival. The pictures below speak of our vibrant platter.
Why would I love to return?
For more than 90 years, Marriott has lived by a core value established by the founder, JW Marriott, Sr., to “take care of their guests and associates.” And the buzzing lobby, busy restaurants and packed swimming pool at the Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort, told me that the place is definitely trying to live to his vision. Kudos team! The staff is very polite and courteous. I would love to return to indulge in the things that I couldn’t try this time, especially the Adventure park.
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