Into the wilderness of Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar
Posted on April 18, 2019 by Ghoomophiro
Address: 8-B, Jayadev Vihar 751013 Bhubaneswar India
How to reach: By Air: The nearest Airport is Biju Pattanaik and the hotel is just 20-minute drive (approximately 7 kilometres) away from the airport.
By Rail
Bhubaneswar is well connected by train with major cities and the nearest railway station is 10-minutes (6 kilometres perhaps) drive from the hotel.
By Road
One can also get to the hotel by road since Bhubaneswar falls on the National Highway 5 and is well connected with major cities. The hotel can be easily found using google maps thereafter.
Ambience: The hotel is located in the thriving heart of Bhubaneswar. While centred in a commercial area where the hustle bustle of the city, the best markets, shops and restaurants are just a walk away, it still maintains its stature as a peaceful oasis for the travellers. The hotel is spread out over 10 acres of land with beautiful gardens and 63 cottages, all of which face the lagoon. There are also villas and family-sized suites which you can choose according to your preference. There are many statues of Hindu deities around the place along with some life-size animal figurines and dolphins too. The hotel faces the manmade lagoon that most of the travellers come to Bhubaneswar to visit. The rooms, lobby and the restaurants also had a classy ambience of a high and mighty hotel but the staff everywhere was just as humble and helpful. The check-in and check-out took no time at all. The staff was always at our beck and call.
Rooms:
Though there were many great options, we chose to stay in a deluxe cottage because it gave us the necessary privacy, a quiet place to sit and enjoy the lagoon’s view and all modern amenities of the other rooms. It is better to spend a little extra and ensure a comfortable stay, especially if you can afford it. The breakfast buffet was also included in the room charge. The room was adorned with beautiful wooden furniture. There were a living area and a private sitting place from where we could get a clear unobstructed view of the lagoon as well as the thick bamboo forest. There was also a study room which we took to be our reader/writer’s nook and actually ended up writing some pages in our travelogue. There was also a fully-stocked mini-bar in the cottage. The bathroom was also spacious with a big bathtub for a totally luxurious experience. All necessary toiletries and hairdryer were also available. The bed was huge and quite comfy. What we found interesting was that there was a trunk in our cottage, possibly to store beddings (or clothes perhaps?) but it fits in quite well with the ambiance of the rest of the cottage. The TV was great, and an additional Blu-ray player was there for our convenience. They gave us a newspaper in the morning and free Wi-Fi was also available, along with tea and coffee maker in the room.
Food and Facilities:
The best part about the place would have to be its food options. There are just so many to choose from. From oriental to Indian, to local Odia dishes and usual coffee, you can have it all. The most interesting place for Indian food is the dhaba called “Nakli dhaba”. Despite the name, the dhaba itself is very much real and has great typical north-Indian dhaba ambiance with delicious north Indian food. Then there is Mamma Mia Café for a simple coffee and baked goods. If you wish to try out the local cuisines, Kanika is there which serves authentic Oriya food. Do try their deserts because that is the most popular thing in Bhubaneswar. For more oriental cuisines, there is Lemongrass. We ordered Chinese here and it was very well-prepared. Tea Pot is the best place for evening tea and snacks. But if you start feeling hungry between meals like us, you can always grab a quick bite at Super Snax. There is also an in-house bar called Baron and Baroness which has a Scottish setup. We didn’t try anything there but did go in to check out the ambiance. Everything looked quite vintage. The cellar is for the people looking to enjoy the nightlife. Mayfair Lagoon literally has something for everyone. No one can be disappointed here, there is just so much variety and not on the cost of quality or taste. We found affordable options for food along with delicious taste and Instagram-worthy preparations.
What to do nearby: We contacted their travel desk to ask about local sightseeing places and they set us up with vehicles at an affordable charge. We went to have a closer look at the lagoon which turned out to be the right decision since no words can explain the magnificent view we saw. We also visited ISKCON temple, Regional Museum of Natural History and the famous Ram Mandir, though now we wish we had skipped the museum because there was nothing worthy of too much interest to us there. The Ram Mandir, however, we could have spent a lot of time at. We also went shopping in the nearby bazaar to get some souvenirs for back home and occasionally stopped at local food joints to try out Odia delicacies.
Highlights:
The whole hotel is some sort of retreat and not just because of the greenery all around and the amazing view of the lagoon but also because of the little sit-outs which are spread in every nook and corner. One can find a spot and just relax anywhere. There are Vintage cars, sculptures and old aircraft accessorizing the place. There are also many facilities available like spa, swimming pool, gym, jogging track etc. There is an in-house florist that you can interact with, and even a bank just for convenience. A special mention is needed for an in-house library in the hotel. Yes, you read that right and the attendant there was also very sweet and polite. This was the first time we saw an actual library in a hotel but I guess the way it was, Mayfair Lagoon could be called a small town. But the major highlight would remain the spectacular view that is provided by our cottage.
Overall Verdict: Mayfair Lagoon is the perfect place to stay in Bhubaneswar for every traveler. There is not even one facility that you can name that won’t be available here. The staff is quite polite and always ready to help. Room service was quick and efficient. It is strategically located in the perfect place since the bazaars and shops are just a walk away. The view of the lagoon along with the lush green gardens of the property just makes it even more picturesque. It is the kind of place where one would come to stay and not want to go out exploring because everything was already present within arm’s reach. Full points for the food and comfort. We definitely got our money’s worth with that visit.
