New Year Parties 2015 in Navi Mumbai

Looking for a party venue to celebrate New Year? Look no further! So what it occurred to you at the last minute that perhaps you should party on 31st December! Here is a list of New Year Party Venues in Navi Mumbai!

Ramada Navi Mumbai has 2 Theme Parties
Las Vegas Theme Party
Pool Side Masquerade Party
Includes: DJ and Live dance performance, gaming table, exciting prizes, premium drinks and exotic buffet
Time: 8.30 pm onwards

Address: Ramada , 156, Millennium Business Park, MIDC, Sector 2, Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 400710. India. Call: +91 22 61514000, +91679 99075/80. www.ramadanavimumbai.com

K Stars Woods Resort, Karnala
Includes: DJ, prizes including best dressed people, drinks (limited) and starters

Address: Mumbai Goa Highway NH 17, After Karnala Bird Sanctuary on the Left of the highway
Call: +91 22 66269111, +91 92232 87306/7/9

Travel guides in India

Google may tell you everything about just every place. But when you plan to explore a new place, especially one with a historic significance, the magic that a travel guide can create is unmatched. Of course, you need to be careful that the guide you opt for is a genuine one.

I have come across many travel guides and have even used the latest audio guides in Rajasthan. Check out my tips on choosing a travel guide in India here.

Citibank Zomato Restaurant Guide 2012 Review

Citibank Zomato Restaurant Guide (Mumbai)

I received the first edition of Citibank Zomato Restaurant Guide (Mumbai) from Blogadda as a part of its Book Review Program a few days ago. I must confess I don't remember visiting Zomato website earlier, but this guide has certainly converted me into a Zomato fan in just a few hours! So when I am not in a mood to cook and want to try out a new restaurant, I know where to go first. Yes, I have bookmarked the website for ready reference and my copy of the book has found a permanent place on my coffee table!

So, what is Zomato?

New Year Parties 2011-2012, Mumbai / Navi Mumbai

Here's a list of some happening New Year's Eve parties (31st December 2011- 1st January 2012) in and around Mumbai / Navi Mumbai.
 
Like all these years, we'll try our best to list out the coolest New Year's Eve celebrations in the city along with website links/contact details, cost per person/couple, stag entry charges, venue, timings and the things covered in the cost.

If you are organizing a New Year's Eve party and want to appear in the list, do let us know.

Niros restaurant, M I Road,Jaipur

The hotel manager of Jaipur's Krishna Palace recommended Niros restaurant located at Jaipur's M I Road for dinner. We checked the restataurant's reviews on various websites and made up our minds for this choice. And it was a great decision!

Niros offers an excellent variety of Rajasthani, Chinese, Continental and Indian cuisine. Since we were not too hungry, we opted for Hara Bhara Kabab in starters. Unlike the circular shape we get in Mumbai, Hara Bhara Kabab comes in the form of long rolls. Four of them were so delicious and filling, we wondered if we should have ordered for the main course as well. Luuckily, we had placed an order for 2 Missi rotis and Gatta Curry. Mrinal made a smart decision by telling him to prepare the dish with the ideal amount of masala. It must be noted that since restaurants like Niros are frequented by foreigners, the cuisine is not as masaledar as we Indians prefer; they are mostly less salty and not at all spicy. The Gatta Curry was super delicious and so was the Missi roti. However, now it was too spicy for us too ;)

Niros offers good quantity of food an the rates are perfect for the ambience and quality. VAT and Service charges are extra. Our bill was Rs 850 or so for a large beer, Hara Bhara Kabab, Gatta Curry and 2 Missi rotis. We had to ski the desserts as our stomachs were fully satisfied!

I would rate Niros Restaurant 4.5 out of 5. Must visit this place!

Day 1-2, Rajasthan: Ranthambhore Bagh and Tiger Dreams

We just returned from safari number 1 at Ranthambhore. Unfortunately we could not spot any tiger. But hope prevails as we still have 2 more safaris to look forward to. The second one begins in a couple of hours, so for now I have some time to blog about the trip.

How to reach Ranthambhore from Mumbai?
We took the August Kranti Rajdhani Express from Mumbai Central station on November 6 at 5.40 pm. The train reached Sawai Madhopur station (closest to Ranthambhore) at 6.40 am on November 7. From here, Ranthambhore is just a 15-minute drive.

Where to stay?
Well, we are staying at Ranthambhore Bagh and are more than happy about the choice. Excellent place, location, food and people. Mr Aditya and his wife Poonam, lovely people and owners of the place, joined us for dinner last night and time flew as they shared their interesting travel experiences and offered us many valuable tips for the trip ahead. If you are planning a trip out here, this is the place to be. Will share more about the hotel once I return home.

Safari no. 2: The safari guys took us to every possible area in zone 4 of Ranthambhore National Park. A tigress was spotted in this zone yesterday and how we wanted to get this zone allotted to us! Unfortunately, even after 4 hours, we had no luck. We did spot lot many Sambar and spotted deer, peacocks, interesting birds and wild boars but when you are trying to spot a tiger, these beauties fail to impress enough! Man is an animal that never gets satisfied, right? So I forgot how I dreamed of spotting lots of peacocks... When I did spot so many of them, I was thinking of tigers! Human greedy nature! Tomorrow morning we head for another safari... Please wish us luck!

Food at Navratna Veg Restaurant, Vashi

I love the Mysore Sada Dosa at Vashi's Navratna restaurant... I think I almost place the same order every time. It is simply delicious, especially with the red chutney that you must ask for if they don't bring it along the sambhar and the coconut chutney.

However, this once we decided to try out bhel puri. Well aware that the 'special' bhel puri would be too sweet with the fruits and all, we ordered the regular bhel. But we were left very disappointed. Looks like size zero is in for food items as well. The 'sweet' bhel was elegantly served in a super small dish. Off the topic, but I have had a similar observation with the chocolates as well. Do you also feel that the Cadbury Dairy Milk and 5 Star chocolates (Rs 5 ones) have become slimmer and smaller? How I regretted not having the dosa!

Anyway, I still love the restaurant and would keep visiting again... only that I would order my favorite dosa the next time!

By the way, the filter coffee as well as the Nescafe served at Navratna are amazing!

New Year 2010-2011 Party Venues in Mumbai / Navi Mumbai

As we approach the end of another year, we look forward to ring in the new year in style. This is true for all Mumbaiites, right? Now if you are looking for New Year Parties in Mumbai / Navi Mumbai, you have reached the right place. Like the previous year, I'll try my best to list out all the New Year's Eve celebrations in Mumbai as well as Navi Mumbai.

New Year's Eve 2011 - Parties and Hotel Packages in Mumbai / Navi Mumbai 

EsselWorld Bignite 2011

Cost: Rs 990 per person
DJ Rink, open-air disco, welcome carnival, magical parade, live statues, tattoo artists, tarot readers, face painters, unlimited rides, exciting activities and delicious food.
Website: http://www.esselworld.com

Hotel Sea Princess, Juhu

Cost: Rs 7250/- (+ tax)
Offer valid for stay in select rooms between 24th - 26th December 2010 and 31st December 2010 - 3rd January 2011. Includes breakfast.
Hotel website: http://www.seaprincess.com

Hotel Renaissance Powai 

Cost: Rs. 35991.00 for 5 Adult Couple Passes
Party with DJ Akhtar
Unlimited 5 course buffet style meal and beverages, 9 pm onwards


Hard Rock Cafe, Worli

Cost: Rs 4000 per person
New Year`s Eve @ Hard Rock Cafe will be rocking with Gabriel Antonio and DJ AJ (Arjun Shah)

Ramada Hotel Powai  

Cost: Per couple: Rs 5555, Per stag Rs 2999, Per Kid Rs 1999
It's gonna be four themes including Punjabi bhangra theme and lounge. DJs Brinston and K2 Hot will make you rock.
Highlight - Special section only for the kids!

Royal Orchid Central Grazia, Vashi, Navi Mumbai

Cost: Rs 4500 per couple, Rs 2500 per stag

DJ party and an icy theme

Hotel website: http://www.royalorchidhotels.com

Shikara Restaurant, Sanpada

Cost: Rs 800
Includes an elaborate buffet (excl. alcohol)
Hotel website: http://www.shikara.in/home.html

Four Points by Sheraton, Vashi
Rs 6500 per couple
Live performance by Jyotsna of Indian Idol fame, Comedy show by Shrikant of Laughter Challenge fame, Live DJ, Unlimited food and beverages

The rates might be subject to change as we approach 31st December

Shagun Restaurant, Sea Princess Hotel, Juhu – Review

Strategically located in the heart of the city and overlooking the ever-popular Juhu beach, Sea Princess Hotel enjoys one of the best locations in Mumbai. The five-star boutique hotel has much to enthral you with its luxuriously appointed sea facing rooms, banquets and three restaurants  - The Lagoon, the Princess Lounge and Shagun.

Shagun Restaurant, Sea Princess Hotel., Juhu, Mumbai

Here’s the review of Shagun, Sea Princess’ multi-cuisine restaurant created around a warm Mughal theme:

The ambience: Fine paintings, an opulent chandelier, wooden furniture welcoming reds and whites... the restaurant spells a Mughal theme. The live ghazals by Asif Iqbal and Pappu Lutch smoothly blend into the evening and when they sing your requests, you know what it would have been like to be a part of the Mughal Darbar.

Chef Kaikoy Bokdawala

The food: Kaikoy Bokdawala, the chef at Shagun, has taken enough care to create an elaborate menu to please both the vegetarians and the non-vegetarians.

We stared the course with Jaljeera (a refreshing cumin drink) and Tomato Pudina Rasam (essentially tomato soup). Now as these are perfectly prepared, they raise your expectations for the preparations to follow.

For starters, we tried Kebab Gul-e-Gulzar (vegetarian) and Murg Malai Paan (chicken). Kebab Gul-e-Gulzar tasted just fine, but the consistency did not quite satisfy the palate. Murg Malai Paan surprised us with its interestingly different flavour but the chicken could have been softer. However, the amazing green chutney made up for all of that!

Murg Malai Paan

Kashmiri Mutton Rojan Josh, our choice for the main course, is a treat to the taste buds. The rather spicy dish is something we would order again in our next visit. Dal Peshawari, a black dal preparation served in a little bowl completely satisfies the dal lovers. Paneer Lababdar (a cottage cheese preparation) though needs to be still more ‘lababdar’.

For dessert, we opted for the Moong Dal Badam Halwa, but something was amiss here too.

Kebab Gul-e-Gulza

Service and staff: Shagun’s hospitality is worth a mention. The well-trained hotel staff offers prompt and impeccable service. They would not constantly hover around you, something that we personally dislike. Yet, they would be right there when they must be. The service is prompt. Perfect!

Washrooms: As I always mention in my reviews, I believe that if the washrooms of a restaurant / hotel are separate for men and women, clean and with all the necessary amenities, the hotel is good and maintains complete hygiene. I was not disappointed at Sea Princess.

Shagun Restaurant Rating: I would give the restaurant 3 on 5.

SHAGUN TRIVIA

Chef Kaikoy Bokdawala and the live ghazal singers Asif Iqbal and Pappu Lutch are associated with Sea Princess for over a decade.

Shagun was earlier known as Orient. The restaurant was rechristened and the ambience converted into Mughal theme early in the year 2010.

Click here for the official website of Sea Princess Hotel and know more about Shagun and the other restaurants of the hotel.

Location and contact details: Juhu Tara Road, Juhu Beach, Santacruz (West), Mumbai - 400 049.Tel: 022-26469500 , 91 22 26611111 / 6692 4455. Email: seaprincess@vsnl.com

- Review by Anuradha and Mrinal

Review of Hotel Perfect in Karol Bagh, Delhi

We recently took up an IRCTC Himachal Pradesh tour package. The journey from Mumbai started on 19th June 2010. It comprised a night’s stay at Delhi’s Hotel Perfect located at Karol Bagh. Unfortunately, just after making payment for the package, we happened to read TripAdvisor reviews about the hotel. Click here and you’d know why we were extremely worried about the stay there. It was too late to do anything about it, so we went to the hotel with zero expectations and prepared ourselves to book another hotel in Delhi if need be.

Now either we got the cleanest room or the hotel management has improvised things after actually going through the reviews. All in all, we were not disappointed.

Asian Kitchen restaurant, Sky Grill at Sheraton’s Four Points hotel

We had been planning to dine at one of the restaurants of Sheraton’s Four Points hotel in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, on my husband’s birthday. He awaited the opening of Sky Grill after noticing the continuous ads promoting the launch. So on his birthday, we planned to be at the Sky Grill for dinner. However, we reached at around 10.45 pm, when the open air restaurant was about to close. They had this board on the entrance displaying the vegetarian (Rs 650*) and non-vegetarian (Rs 750*) barbeque menu for the day and were about to close. They said they will close soon, but we can definitely dine and that they would be serving on the table. However, we were not impressed by the ambience of the Sky Grill (resembled a very ordinary seating and buffet-type setting) and decided to opt for the hotels’ other restaurant Asian Kitchen.

Here’s the review of Asian Kitchen:

Nimantran Restaurant in Belapur - Review

We visited Nimantran Family Bar and Restaurant in Belapur (Navi Mumbai) last weekend. We were more than pleased to have opted for it given the array of restaurants in Belapur. For the guys it was a bonus since the restaurant had LCDs and we reached during a twenty-twenty match.

Well, it was the first time we visited sector 15 of Belapur that's literally garnished with a great variety of restaurants. If I am not wrong there must be at least 15 of them (oh is it why they call it sector '15'?). Anyways, here's the review of Nimantran Family Bar and Restaurant that you must visit:

Abbott Hotel Vashi - The Creek Restaurant Review

It was my birthday and I wanted to treat my family at a nice restaurant that serves excellent food in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. I did not want to take any chances with the quality of food and ambiance so I consulted a few friends. My friend Ratish recommended Abbott hotel and we finalized it. I am so glad about the choice and thankful to Abbott for making my day special. Here's the review of Abbott Hotel's The Creek Restaurant that I strongly recommend:

Horseland Hotel & Mountain Spa, Matheran: Review

Horseland Hotel & Mountain Spa is the ultimate resort in Matheran. I have visited Matheran several times but always ended up staying at MTDC, the Maharashtra tourism's resort that had won my heart with excellent location, service, food, cleanliness and super spacious rooms. So when I leant that it is undergoing renovation, I had to opt for another resort in Matheran. This of course was a very tough call, more so because I wanted to spend the first three days of 2010 in Matheran.

Christmas Specials in Mumbai Restaurants

Merry Christmas to all of you! Thinking about celebrating X’Mas in style at an exotic restaurant? Here’s all you need to know about the Christmas specials in Mumbai restaurants:

Christmas Brunch at Vista, Taj Lands End, Mumbai
December 25, 2009: A special menu comprising roast turkey, caviars, cheeses, ham, seafood, mouthwatering desserts and more awaits you on the Christmas day. Price : Rs 3500 plus taxes.
Location: Taj Lands End Band Stand, Bandra (West), Mumbai 400 050, India Tel No. : (91-22) 6668 1234      

IRCTC Hotels – Book select hotels across India

I really did not know that the IRCTC website also offers hotel bookings across India. And when I did discover it, I couldn’t help but share it with you.


With the rail tourism India website, you can book over 400 properties across 450 cities! The best part is the holiday and rail tour packages they provide. So whether you wish to take darshan at the Vaishno Devi Mandir or explore the beauty of Kerala backwaters, whether you wish to take a historical trip to Rajasthan or enjoy Shillong’s lovely waterfalls, www.railtourismindia.com is the site that offers very reasonable packages with well-planned itinerary. To add to your experience, they have even added tripadvisor reviews of the hotels!

The site is quite extensive and I can fill pages about what it has to offer. But I would suggest you visit IRCTC’s rail tourism site yourself and explore India like you had never thought you could!

Taj Savoy Hotel Ooty review – Ideal for honeymoon

We went to Ooty for our honeymoon. And we are glad that we chose to stay at Taj Savoy Hotel. They made our honeymoon all the more special and memorable.

To start with, when we checked into the room, a special honeymoon decoration was in place. The fresh rose petals and elegantly designed swans left us speechless. When we returned to the room after a sumptuous dinner, we were surprised by a lovely cake placed in our room.

When it is Taj, we need not mention that the staff is amazingly nice and helpful. They connect with you so well you think you have known them for ages. They arrange for your Ooty sightseeing in the best possible way.

The rooms are very spacious with the best of fittings and amenities. We particularly loved the fireplace, the dressing table and the super spacious bathroom with bathtub.

The food is the best I’ve ever had. We could not stop complimenting the chef at Taj Savoy Hotel. The buffet is very elaborate. Since the hotel sprawls over landscaped gardens, you see beautiful never-seen-before flowers all around.

Taj Savoy Hotel has a recreation hall too where you can play some basketball, badminton, foosball, carrom and volleyball. They also have many bicycles you can ride on. And on evenings, they arrange for some indoor games like housie where you can have lots of fun.

All in all, Taj Savoy is one of the best hotels for honeymooning couples as well as families. I would rate it 5 on 5 and would love to visit the hotel again.

Official website of Taj Savoy Hotel, Ooty

O’Pescador Dona Paula Beach Resort, Goa – Website, Review, Location, Rooms, Service

I stayed at O’Pescador Dona Paula Beach Resort during my first-ever Goa trip. I was a bit apprehensive about staying at O’Pescador initially. But I was surprised when I reached the hotel. Here’s all that you want to know about the hotel.

O’Pescador location:
The resort is located in North Goa and Dona Paula beach is just 2 minutes away. O’Pescador has a private access to the Dona Paula creek's beach. If it’s not off season, you can enjoy water sports at the Dona Paula beach.

O’Pescador is also located very close to the National Oceanography Institute.

O’Pescador reception area:
The reception itself gives an amazing view of the sea on two (opposite) sides. After all it’s located almost on the Dona Paula jetty. You step out of the hotel and Goa’s famous Dona Paula point is just a 2-minute walk!

O’Pescador Ambience:
Trust me, the hotel has much better ambience than what appears on their website. I’ll post the photos soon (PS - have uploaded O Pescador photos here). The rooms, the pool, the lawn are all super clean. There’s this lady you’ll see cleaning the lawn / garden area at all times! Their pool is the highlight of the hotel.

O’Pescador Rooms:
The resort has many sea-facing villas and rooms. The rooms are pretty spacious, well-ventilated and amazingly clean. The bathrooms are very big and neat as well. Our room offered the pool and sea view! The room (I know about the AC one) has a television, huge balcony, extra chairs, tables, blankets, sheets, towels et al, paintings, wardrobe and other basic amenities.

Room Rates:
Well, that depends whether it’s off-season or on-season in Goa. We went in September and I think it was around Rs 2000 per night. It didn’t have pick-up/drop from airport or any other facility, except the ‘complimentary’ breakfast.

Restaurant:
Well, this is one thing the resort needs to improve upon. Food is just okay though there’s quite some variety. What made us feel offended was the breakfast that comes as ‘complimentary’ with the room booking. The breakfast was – 3 slices of toasted bread and very little butter/jam, one tangy juice / cut watermelon, tea/coffee as per your choice. Obviously, the next day, we preferred to have breakfast elsewhere.

Hotel Staff:
The staff is very nice and helpful. They know what hospitality is all about!

CLICK HERE FOR O'Pescador Dona Paula Beach resort photos.

All in all, it’s worth staying at O’Pescador Dona Paula Beach Resort. A truly relaxing and comfortable experience! I’d give it a rating of three out of five.

Shikara Restaurant in Sanpada - Houseboat Theme Restaurant

Shikara Restaurant in Sanpada stands true to its name. When I first heard that the restaurant has some houseboat theme, I wondered if the ambience was really interesting. And my first visit to Shikara was truly amazing.

Yes, you guessed it right - the seating arrangement is on houseboat structures created over a manmade pool. So you actually get the feeling that you are dining on a houseboat. If there are two or four of you, you can easily occupy tables on the ‘houseboat’. If there are more of you, the restaurant staff is generous enough to arrange the tables to accommodate the gang. Traditional baithak arrangements and the regular sofa and chair arrangements are also available.

And then there are these ducks, fountains and beautiful fish tanks. A bar and a barbeque area on one side add to the ambience.

There’s live ghazal performance too and the singer and musicians are really good performers. You can even request a song. Though I think there's some issue with their sound system. Also, for some reason our song request was never entertained.

The cuisine that includes Kashmiri, Indian and Chinese specialties is just perfect. Starters are great and the quantity is more than enough. There’s a wide array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to choose from. Trust me on Blue Lagoon and Jeera Nimbu Paani.

Sometimes the waiting time before the food reaches your table could be a bit long, but it’s worth the wait.

The washrooms, separate for ladies and gentlemen, are very clean too.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

Address: SHIKARA RESTAURANT, Hotel Highway View, Plot No. 3, Opposite Sanpada Railway Station, Mumbai-Pune Road, 91-22-27832196/97 - INDIA

Vrindavan restaurant in Vashi

Vrindavan restaurant in Vashi is really cool. The food is good and the ambiance is decent. It has a lounge area too. What's best, Vrindavan restaurant is located right opposite Vashi station. Worth visiting and revisiting.


My rating: 4 out of 5