A Series of Staycations I: Swissôtel, Kolkata

When Swissôtel first opened up several years ago in the city, its main advantage/disadvantage was its location. Close to the airport, it was situated right beside City Center II, which was slightly away from the central part of the city, and that made it an ideal place for those trying to escape the bustling city life and be at peace at a place which was located right beside a mall, but yet, still quite private and secluded. With a rooftop Infinity Pool and four restaurants to pick from (Durbari, Maaya, Cafe Swiss, and Splash), its a great place for a mini-vacation.

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I checked into a King room around 1.30 pm in the afternoon and was immediately whisked off for a lunch at Durbari. Swissôtel insists of adding a local theme to their kitchens, and Durbari is a perfect example, serving Indian cuisine. Lunch comprised of a kabab platter, nalli gosht, and house-made Paan ice cream, which was perfect for my tired self.

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I had checked into a King room, which had a fully functional private pool I took full advantage of. An hour in it, and I felt refreshed, with jets of hot water soothing my tired body and calming me down. Afterwards, I looked around, found a coffee maker, and made some coffee.

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Each King Room is fitted with a large bathtub and really spacious bathroom. I liked the luxurious king-size robes they provide and might have worn one constantly, all through my stay.

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Swissotel king room review

A host of amenities from the brand is provided in the toilet, not to mention a personalized greeting from the management.

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On one side, a bowl of fruits are provided along with the tea/coffee maker to ensure there’s no hunger pangs.

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In the evening I walked into Maaya for a drink. Thankfully, the bar wasn’t crowded and the service was pretty quick. I downed the drink in a hurry because I was late for dinner – which was all about desserts.

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I love desserts, and the ones on offer at Cafe Swiss are incredibly detailed, with every component well-thought out. Which is why the chocolate mousse gets a textural balance with the aid of a dark and bitter chocolate ‘soil’ and a raspberry sorbet which is light as air, or a simple panna cotta gets an upgrade with the addition of saffron and a meringue to add a sugary crunch.

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However, I have a soft corner for dark chocolate, and therefore, the dark chocolate slice, with a thick, sour strawberry coulis to balance out the seriously dark chocolate mousse, a touch of dark wood and vanilla adding to the bittersweet depth. I floated back to my room afterwards, curled up under the thick duvet, and promptly fell asleep.

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I woke up slightly late next morning and went for a swim. Post-swim, I had a light breakfast consisting of a couple of eggs and bacon, and added a couple of slice of cheese, because I am a sucker for cheese. A fully stocked salad bar ensured that I had some veggies on the side, and I decided to give desserts a skip, because I was still reeling from the excesses of the previous night.

After an hour, I checked into Purovel Spa, for a Swedish Spa experience. Purovel Spa provides a host of services to those staying at the hotel. A small menu is provided in the room illustrating the list of services, and I wanted to get an hour-long session.

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After an initial conversation about what I was looking for, a deep tissue massage was prescribed for me, and I submitted myself to the capable hands of the masseuse who maintained a steady pressure after confirming with me what I liked. The relaxing session was buffeted by special aromatherapy oil blends.

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After my spa session, I was so relaxed that I had to go back to my room and lie down for a bit. However, hunger pangs made me realize I hadn’t had anything for a while, and so, I skipped down to Cafe Swiss for a relaxing brunch.

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Apart from a rather luxurious buffet, Cafe Swiss also offers a set of dishes from their a-la-carte menu which reflects the attempt of the brand to adapt to popular cuisines while adhering to their European heritage. It is in this spirit they served me a rather interesting fish and lobster roulade, with assorted vegetables within, and juicy chicken tikka served over naan. I wandered over to the dessert bar, found Baklava, and couldn’t help but pick a couple of portions to savour.

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Swissôtel offers affordable accommodation and amenities, and they have deals going on from time to time which you can avail via their website or through Booking.com, which is one of my favorite places to book hotels.

Disclaimer: Poorna Banerjee stayed as a guest of the management of Swissôtel.  

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About Me

Hi, I’m Panushwari

Welcome to my blog which is mostly about Food, Travel, Lifestyle and Beauty. I generally review restaurants and hotels in Kolkata and my work as a Restaurant Consultant and Food Critic in Kolkata allows me to maintain this blog as a showcase of my work. I am also a published author and have been a panelist at many events.

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