Being a passionate globetrotter keeps you firmly stationed on the gateway to new experiences. I love exploring new places, meeting people from varied walks of life, and living the hippie way. But every now and then, I crave a luxuriant travel experience where everything is larger than life and uber-comfy. Staying at The Roseate, Delhi was an exercise in exactly such decadence and one of my most memorable hotel stays of all time.
The Roseate, Delhi, is an exclusive urban-resort that combines the pleasures of world-class luxury with peaceful seclusion and tranquillity. It is a royal retreat, bang in the middle of India’s busiest cities; it is cloistered by greenery and acres of rich landscaping, yet close enough to the popular malls and posh places-to-be. It serves as the perfect getaway for city-dwellers and a taste of Delhi’s regal hospitality to visitors.
Personally, I enjoyed the calm quietude of the resort the most. It really helped me destress since I was sheltered from the noise, hustle and bustle of urban life. The ambience of The Roseate complements its thematic inclination to subdued, languid luxury. The façade and foyer are stunning with tasteful décor and a beautiful piano lounge. There are numerous lawns and open spaces surrounding the main complex where you can relax and unwind. The in-house spa and restaurant enjoy a wonderful reputation for their premium service. But my favourite of all its facilities is its huge pool which is touted as being one of largest of all Delhi hotels. There’s also a well-equipped water-front gym where I enjoyed some great workouts, admiring the view around me from the sizable glass building.
However, I truly believe that at a hotel, the facilities are not as important as the rooms. And in this aspect, The Roseate leaves no room for critique. The rooms are large and spacey, known to be amongst the largest hotel accommodations in the city. They have iPad-controlled fitments and pristine luxury linen. Some rooms also have a private pool deck and the steam area within the room. And the bathrooms are mini-spas themselves with lovely toiletries, double his and hers bathroom features, and awesome bathtubs as well. If you’re looking to unwind after a hectic stint at work or home, even a day in a room at The Roseate is enough to refresh you.
During my stay, I noticed that the beautiful hotel exterior is quite the magnet for wedding parties and photo shoots. In fact, many magazine photo shoots are scheduled here in the spring season when the natural beauty is in finest form. But honestly, I feel that the charm of The Roseate cannot be described in words. From the picturesque ambience and the luxurious rooms to the courteous staff and impeccable service, you have to live it to believe it. And I’ve had the pleasure of staying here several times. What about you? Are you eager to partake in its luxuriance too?
Summers are the best spent outdoors. Enjoying the sunshine, great weather and packing a picnic for a day out in the park are things I thoroughly enjoy. There are a lot of parks in and around UK where you can spend an entire day with your friends and family. I love spending time with my family. A popular hit with my kid is the Drayton Manor Park. The major attraction for him was the Thomas Land which usually runs between March and October. Thomas Land has over 25 attractions like the runaway coaster for the thrill seekers and the Terence’s Driving School for your little car fan. Your little Thomas can spend some time with his other friends Percy, Rosie and more. My son loves the Thomas Tank Engine.
You can enjoy some Earl Gray Lavender Tea or even some Lavender Chocolate. Apart from a quaint café they also have a lavender oil processing unit. Apart from essential oil, they even have soaps, diffusers, bath salts and more. They have something to tempt everyone.
It’s one of the most Instagramable countryside views you could ask for. You can enjoy a day with your family or go on a romantic date. The sun-drenched farm fills up your heart with the aroma of the flowers. I enjoyed the day wandering and enjoying the sunset while soaking in the colours. You can take pictures and enjoy some delicious tea, coffee and locally made cakes in The Confetti Café. They even sell natural Confetti Flowers which you can take back as a souvenir. All their orders are handpicked and packed for utmost personalization. The flower blooms are highly dependent on the weather.
I must say that I was rather surprised to see that there was no ironing board in the room itself; instead, it was shared, which was slightly inconvenient. Another surprise – no televisions! This can be both good and bad, depending on how you look at it. Personally, I felt that the absence of a television in my room encouraged me to get out. Rather than indulging in some binge-watching under a blanket, I took advantage of the nicely laid out workspace and made the most of the rest of the property as well. To my mind, the only downside of not having a television in the room is that I love unwinding in my room with a good show when I’m traveling on my own. But maybe that’s just me.
With Christmas round the corner, there was no better motivation to visit the local Christmas market and outlets to pick up some lovely things. Whether you are looking for one of a kind unique little gift or something designer and classy, York has it all. Wander through the cobbled streets of Stonegate centre to have a look at the antique shops, vintage stores, and small boutiques selling everything from pottery, jewellery and artefacts. Whatever is your budget you are sure to find something worthwhile to treasure. In case you are in a mood to shop for some classy labels and not blow up your pockets, head over to designer outlet to satisfy your craving. Wait! There is more. A visit to the famous Shambles market (It is nowhere in shambles, but a gem!) right in the heart of the city is perfect for that leisurely stroll through 70 odd merchant stalls selling local produce, flowers, antiques, books, etc. museum; you name it and you will find it. York promises to satisfy every kind of shopper ever born!
There was even a Christmas carol presentation at the Victorian place, not to mention a Christmas trail for kids to explore. Our next stop was the magnificent York Minister, one of Northern Europe’s largest Gothic cathedrals complete with stoned masterpieces and stained glass. The vast spaces come alive with the deep reverence for worship, tradition and music. There are even some inspiration corners at the Revealing York Minister that were displaying artefacts and various audio visual clips perfect to soak in the 2000 year old history of the cathedral. If you’re fit enough, one can climb up the 275 steps of the Central Tower, from where you can get a complete view of the city. Believe me it is so worth the effort.
We were very keen to see the York castle dungeon, which is a thrilling show showcasing city’s brutal history like the Viking invasion, murderous rogues like Guy Fawkes etc. However, with our 3 year old kid in tow, we had to do something less extreme, so we headed to the National Railway museum, just behind the York station. It has so many impressive locomotive exhibits dating back to 1820’s like Queen Victoria’s Palace on wheels, King Edward’s smoking saloon and even a Japanese bullet train. There are countless demonstrations, exhibitions, live theatre and science shows perfect for kids and adults alike. I can say that this was most enjoyable for all of us.
We reached the property around 2 p.m.; as soon as I entered the hotel building, it gave me a feeling of an old world charm of high ceilings that is typical of the classical 19th-century architecture and some contemporary soothing decor of leather upholstery. After checking in, we wandered out to the quaint village outlet for shopping and then to the Christmas market to simply absorb all the Christmas cheer.
Later in the evening, we headed over to their in-house bar for a drink, to relax. For dinner, we headed to their Bistro which had a very earthy warm decor of dark wooden floors, restored fireplaces, paintings and soft lighting making it a perfect setting for a relaxing evening. Now comes my favourite part of food and drinks.
I was very impressed with their selection of wines, and we were recommended a perfect wine to go with your meal. To my surprise, the a-la carte was equally delightful for a vegetarian like me and a non-vegetarian like my husband. My husband ordered some seafood which had combined the taste of some freshly caught fish cooked slowly with some of their homemade mayonnaise, shallot vinegar sauces and condiments. Vegetarians like me did not have to fret because they had fresh green Super food kale salads, Tomato Consommé for starters and baked sweet corn and courgette cakes in the main course.
All their food was cooked in a beautiful French home-style cooking enhanced with some traditional British flavours. Coupled with beautiful presentation and perfect wine, the meal was most satisfying for all the senses.
Starting with breakfast which was simply out of the world. I was felt spoilt for choice with a wide range of fresh yummy goodies laid out on the country table that included freshly squeezed juices in cute small bottles, quirky mini jars of natural yoghurt porridges, baked pastries, and homemade granolas. After digging into some continental bits, we ordered the traditional cooked breakfast and a serving of poached eggs and avocado. As they say, breakfast should be fit for a King and it was fit for so many Kings!
