Rs8,999-plus. Pictures: ITCRoyalBengal · ThelasttimeI stayedatanITC propertywasaroundmywer)...
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The last time I stayed at an ITC property was around my wer) happy as always with the service of the hotels. Alot has changed since March and here after three months since the coronavirus pandemic hit us, Iwas all set to step into ITC Royal Bengal to experience the new normal. I will admit, Iwas quite apprehensive as Iwas waiting for the hotel car to pick me up from home. My apprehensions, though, were somewhat put to rest as the car arrived. As part of their Safe Car Promise programme, the chauffeur was wearing his safety gear — mask and gloves — and before I could open the door of the car he took out his disinfectant spray and sprayed them first on the door and then all over my luggage. He showed me his “safe” status on his Aragya Setu app and his temperature recording. Convinced, I sat inside the car to be further impressed as the car had a shield that separated the front and back seats of the car. Thad a pair of fresh gloves and mask waiting for me, secured safely in separate envelopes. S-M-O-O-T-H! The moment I got off at the porch, my luggage was quickly fumigated, sanitised and labelled ‘sanitagged’. Temperature check, sanitisation of hands was mandatory and I was offered fresh mask and gloves too. Upon entering the sprawling lobby, I missed the buzz and noticed that the floral centrepiece was missing. Floor marking, safe distancing and awareness initiatives about the virus ruled instead. Since I was a pre-registered guest, all Thad to do was sign the registration card. The front desk had shields and there were holders for sanitised pens and trays for me to drop the registration form. Welcome to the new normal, I told myself. As Ireached my room with a sanitised room Key Inoticed a seal on my door that Ineeded to take off. This meant, after a thorough cleaning of my room in the absence of any in-room guests, the housekeeping staff had sealed the room, indicating no one else had entered the room post-cleaning with high quality disinfectant Virex that is used in hospitals. Once a guest checks out, housekeeping staff wearing PPE gear fumigate the room and itis offered to the next guest after 24 hours at least. From the last time I stayed, the room had some changes. Digital communication through At ITC Hotels, offering our guests experiences that are in harmony with the best environment and social standards is integral to our philosophy. Our WeAssure initiative is an industry first in enhancing hygiene and safety protocols within our hotels. We have also re-engineered our guest experience with special training to staff and zero to low-contact engagement. Legendary standards in accommodation and our chef curated menus offering the best from our kitchens combine to offer an unforgettable Staycation — Tejinder Singh, area manager East ITC Hotels & cluster general manager ITC \ Royal Bengal & ITC Sonar / scanning of QR codes has replaced any sort of physical contact. Other amenities like dental kit, sewing kit and minibar were absent and were available on request. Everything else was on point, Imissed having a personal butler but then, welcome to the new experience. Hungry, Iwalked into Darjeeling Lounge (after a temperature check, again!), the only F&B outlet open in the hotel. The lounge is now divided by glass walls to maintain social distancing. Once seated, one is bound to notice the stark changes — hand sanitiser bottles and QR codes, Crockery and cutlery and even glassware are packed and sealed in food grade covers. The e-menu is supported with digital billing options too. To begin my meal, I had an amla and basil-based immunity booster shot followed by a fave North-eastern dish from the well-curated menu that has a fine balance of cuisines. With spa services being suspended by the government for the time being, I walked into the Salon Di Wills — yes, salon after more than three months! For the time being, the salon offers limited services like haircut, wash, hair spa, manicure, pedicure, hair colouring and hair treatments. Staff in proper PPE gear? Check. Equipment sterilising machine? Check. The pamper session was stress-free and just what I needed after what seemed like ages. I happened to spill someteaon my white shirt. Panicking, I ज called for ITC Hotel’s signature laundry service — Lavandaria. Contactless being the key, I filled outa form, put it in a bag, hung it on the door knob and called laundry service to collect it. I was informed that the shirt would be delivered within some hours after rigorous wash cycles at 70 degree Celcius with anti-bacterial disinfectants. Netflix kept me hooked and IT didn’t want to step out of my room for dinner so it was contactless in- room dining time for me! QR code scanned, food order placed... after 35 minutes food was delivered, properly covered, right at my doorstep. Since buffet services are suspended for now, you can call for your breakfast menu, where youcan tick on the options you wish to go for and also select a time you would want to go and collect it from Darjeeling Lounge. The Grab & Go menu is specially designed for breakfast and ideal for takeaways. But if you are lazy like me, opt for the Knock-and- Drop service where your selected food items will be dropped carefully outside your door. All the edibles came in disposable and biodegradable corn starch packaging and the beverages in disposable paper cups. Plastic bottles have been completely discarded at ITC Hotels and has been replaced by SunyaAqua, a responsible luxury initiative, where portable water is produced in the premises of the hotel using high-end purification technologies that meet the best international standards. The water is packaged in air-tight glass bottles. Just like check-in, you can decide if you would want someone to carry your luggage or if you would like to go for self service. I opted for the latter. The checkout system was the easiest, I[had to just drop my room key in the box kept outside the elevator (that is equipped with floor marking, sanitisers, wastebin and tissues) and I was ready to bid goodbye. There are an array of staycation offers for you. City Getaways offers include luxury accommodation for two, signature breakfast, Wi-Fi and more. You can also modify stay dates till October 31, 2020. Prices starting at Rs 5,969-plus (T&C applied). If you want more, opt for All in Getaway —an all-inclusive holiday package with accommodation, all meals and other facilities like laundry, early check-in/late checkout among others. Packages start at Rs 8,999-plus. Pramita Ghosh Pictures: ITC Royal Bengal
Transcript of Rs8,999-plus. Pictures: ITCRoyalBengal · ThelasttimeI stayedatanITC propertywasaroundmywer)...
The last time I stayed at an ITCproperty was around mywer)happyas always with the service ofthe hotels. Alot has changed sinceMarch and here after three monthssince the coronavirus pandemic hitus, Iwas all set to step into ITC RoyalBengal to experience the newnormal. I will admit, Iwas quite
apprehensive as Iwas waiting forthe hotel car to pick me up fromhome. My apprehensions, though,were somewhat put to rest as the cararrived. As part oftheir Safe CarPromise programme, the chauffeurwas wearing his safety gear—maskand gloves — and before I could openthe door ofthe car he took out hisdisinfectant spray and sprayed themfirst on the door and then all over myluggage. He showed me his “safe”status on his Aragya Setu app andhis temperature recording.Convinced, I sat inside the car to be
further impressed as the car had ashield that separated the front andback seats ofthe car. Thad a pair offresh gloves and mask waiting forme, secured safely in separateenvelopes.
S-M-O-O-T-H! The moment I got offat the porch, my luggage wasquickly fumigated, sanitised andlabelled ‘sanitagged’. Temperaturecheck, sanitisation ofhands was
mandatory and I was offered freshmask and gloves too. Upon enteringthe sprawling lobby, I missed thebuzz and noticed that the floralcentrepiece was missing. Floormarking, safe distancing andawareness initiatives about thevirus ruled instead. Since I was apre-registered guest, all Thad to dowas sign the registration card. Thefront desk had shields and therewere holders for sanitised pens andtrays for me to drop the registrationform. Welcome to the new normal, I
told myself.
As Ireached my room with asanitised room Key Inoticed aseal on my door that Ineeded totake off. This meant, after a
thorough cleaning ofmy room inthe absence ofany in-room guests,the housekeeping staffhad sealedthe room, indicating no one else had
entered the room post-cleaning withhigh quality disinfectant Virex thatis used in hospitals. Once a guest
checks out, housekeepingstaffwearing PPE gearfumigate the room and itisoffered to the next guest after24 hours at least.
From the last time Istayed, the room had some
changes. Digitalcommunication through
At ITC Hotels,
offering ourguestsexperiencesthat are inharmony withthe bestenvironment and socialstandards is integral to ourphilosophy. OurWeAssureinitiative is an industry first inenhancing hygiene and safetyprotocols within our hotels.We have also re-engineeredour guest experience withspecial training to staff andzero to low-contactengagement. Legendarystandards in accommodationand our chef curated menusoffering the best from ourkitchens combine to offer anunforgettable Staycation— Tejinder Singh, area
manager East ITC Hotels &cluster general manager ITC
\ Royal Bengal & ITC Sonar /
scanning ofQR codes hasreplaced any sort ofphysicalcontact. Other amenities likedental kit, sewing kit and
minibar were absent andwere available on request.Everything else was onpoint, Imissed having a
personal butler but then,
welcome to the new experience.
Hungry, Iwalked intoDarjeeling Lounge (after atemperature check, again!), theonly F&B outlet open in thehotel. The lounge is now dividedby glass walls to maintain socialdistancing. Once seated, one is
bound to notice the starkchanges — hand sanitiserbottles and QR codes, Crockery
and cutlery and even glasswareare packed and sealed in foodgrade covers. The e-menu issupported with digital billingoptions too. To begin my meal, Ihad an amla and basil-basedimmunity booster shot followedby a fave North-eastern dishfrom the well-curated menu thathas a fine balance ofcuisines.
With spa services beingsuspended by the governmentfor the time being, I walked into
the Salon Di Wills — yes, salon
after more than three months!For the time being, the salon
offers limited services likehaircut, wash, hair spa,
manicure, pedicure, hair
colouring and hair treatments.Staff in proper PPE gear? Check.Equipment sterilising machine?Check. The pamper session wasstress-free andjust what Ineeded after what seemed likeages.
I happened to spill someteaonmy white shirt. Panicking, I
ज
called for ITC Hotel’s signaturelaundry service — Lavandaria.Contactless being the key, I filledouta form, put it in a bag, hung iton the door knob and calledlaundry service to collect it. I wasinformed that the shirt would bedelivered within some hours afterrigorous wash cycles at 70 degreeCelcius with anti-bacterialdisinfectants.
Netflix kept me hooked and ITdidn’t want to step out ofmyroomfor dinner so it was contactless in-room dining time for me! QR codescanned, food order placed... after
35 minutes food was delivered,
properly covered, right at mydoorstep.
Since buffet services aresuspended for now, you can callfor your breakfast menu, where
youcan tick on the options youwish to go for and also select atime you would want to go andcollect it from Darjeeling Lounge.The Grab & Go menu is speciallydesigned for breakfast and idealfor takeaways. But if you are lazylike me, opt for the Knock-and-
Drop service where your selectedfood items will be droppedcarefully outside your door. Allthe edibles came in disposable andbiodegradable corn starchpackaging and the beverages indisposable paper cups.
Plastic bottles have beencompletely discarded at ITCHotels and has been replaced bySunyaAqua, a responsible luxuryinitiative, where portable water is
produced in the premises ofthehotel using high-end purificationtechnologies that meet the bestinternational standards. Thewater is packaged in air-tight glassbottles.
Just like check-in, you can decide
if you would want someone tocarry your luggage or if you wouldlike to go for self service. I optedfor the latter. The checkout systemwas the easiest, I[had to just dropmy room key in the box keptoutside the elevator (that isequipped with floor marking,sanitisers, wastebin and tissues)
and I was ready to bid goodbye.
There are an array ofstaycationoffers for you. City Getawaysoffers include luxuryaccommodation for two, signature
breakfast, Wi-Fi and more. You
can also modify stay dates tillOctober 31, 2020. Prices starting at
Rs 5,969-plus (T&C applied). Ifyouwant more, opt for All in Getaway—an all-inclusive holiday packagewith accommodation, all meals
and other facilities like laundry,
early check-in/late checkoutamong others. Packages start atRs 8,999-plus.
Pramita GhoshPictures: ITC Royal Bengal
