Where to stay in Bangalore

[red-beard]

Any ideas?

My work location will be SW portion of the Outer Ring road.

[MRM]

The Oberoi at Nariman Point, +91 22 6632 5757 is the choice of many ex-pats and employees of multinationals who stay in Mumbai. The Oberoi Trident is a slightly nicer hotel, but is considered more of a security risk because it was attacked in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The Raj is in the same category, very nice but was one of the hotels that was attacked. They're all probably safe now, but those who supposedly are in the know prefer the ones that were not attacked.

Nariman Point is very safe and the food is OK too. If you stay with hot hotel food and boiled water you should be OK. Bring a lot of Cliff bars and don't eat or drink anything that isn't cooked and still hot to the touch. The hotel may fix boxed sandwich lunches for you to take during the day. Out of an abundance of caution, I'd suggest skipping the boxed lunch and eating Cliff bars. Do not trust food anywhere other than the hotel and restaurants the locals vouch for, and even then only eat piping hot dishes. Do not eat anywhere else, even in the airport clubs. If you follow this approach you won't have much fun eating while you're in India but you won't get sick. You can't take chances while you're working. If you were just on vacation you could maybe adventure a bit.

[Otter74]

While I have spent some time in Bangalore, I cannot offer a recommendation because I have always stayed at a friend's family's house, which is in the same general area. But one thing I can say is to stay as close as you possibly can to wherever your work location is, because traffic is insane and only getting more so, regardless of mode of transport

[Indescikov]

As you may already know, obey the rules of food / water especially in India or you will be very sorry.

[red-beard]

Traffic was horrible when I used to live in Vadodara, 25+ years ago. So, yes, I'm looking for something not too far away from the office. I only expect to be there about 1 week.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Indescikov

As you may already know, obey the rules of food / water especially in India or you will be very sorry.

Oh, yes, I'm quite familiar. I lived in country for about a year in 1988/89.

[reachme]

I ate their food and drank their water (ice) and never at 5 star places. I was shocked how wonderful the local food was. I would never think to go to an indian restaurant here but over there the local spices in the sauces was nothing short of complex and amazing. The meat itself not so much (half a chicken that looked more like a bat).
I left with a wonderful food experience (better than Italy) and my co-workers had memories of granola bars and cowering under a blanket at a glass of water.

Queue the stories about people who had their insides liquiefied. Then someone will add in a Mexico story. etc. etc.

Not saying I am smart, just my risk:experience decisioning is different than some. Get all your shots and pills, then enjoy what was the best part of the trip for me.

[red-beard]

When I was there in 88/89, it wasn't "if" we had bathroom issues, but simply "how bad". We were given bad advice on local water.

I travel regularly to Mexico. And I keep mouth closed in shower and brush teeth with bottled water immediately afterwards. No salads or uncooked food. All food to be cooked to well done. No cold food. Wash hands all the time. etc.

Mainly I'm trying to find someone with hotel experience in the Southwestern part of the city.

[enzo1]

Bang.... galore?...

[HardDrive]

While the Oberoi Mumbai is a nice hotel, its 600 miles from Bangalore

We stayed at the Trident about 5 months before it was attacked.

Originally Posted by MRM

The Oberoi at Nariman Point, +91 22 6632 5757 is the choice of many ex-pats and employees of multinationals who stay in Mumbai. The Oberoi Trident is a slightly nicer hotel, but is considered more of a security risk because it was attacked in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The Raj is in the same category, very nice but was one of the hotels that was attacked. They're all probably safe now, but those who supposedly are in the know prefer the ones that were not attacked.

Nariman Point is very safe and the food is OK too. If you stay with hot hotel food and boiled water you should be OK. Bring a lot of Cliff bars and don't eat or drink anything that isn't cooked and still hot to the touch. The hotel may fix boxed sandwich lunches for you to take during the day. Out of an abundance of caution, I'd suggest skipping the boxed lunch and eating Cliff bars. Do not trust food anywhere other than the hotel and restaurants the locals vouch for, and even then only eat piping hot dishes. Do not eat anywhere else, even in the airport clubs. If you follow this approach you won't have much fun eating while you're in India but you won't get sick. You can't take chances while you're working. If you were just on vacation you could maybe adventure a bit.

[HardDrive]

We travel to India minimum of once a year, sometimes twice. Was just there last month.

Should you drink tap water? No. But the hell with obsessing over it. I get a case of 'loose ass' every time I go. Bring some immodium, you'll be fine. I've eaten from tons of roadside stand and tiny restaurant in the middle of no where, and been fine. Both times I got legit food poisoning was in very nice 5 star hotels. You're much better off eating fresh food from some little place (just look for the place with the line of Indians out the door) rather than a big hotel where they reheat the food repeatedly to avoid food waste.

[MRM]

I completely misread the original post. I was sure Red was asking for a spot in Mumbai, not Bangalore. I guess the eye sees what you want it to see.

The rest of my review and advice is correct, though. Red, if you ever do stay in Mumbai, I highly recommend the Oberio. I'm not much help with hotels in Bangalore.

I agree with tourists adventuring a little and taking some risks, but Red is going to be there on business. In that case I recommend a 0 risk policy. Which, while it isn't much fun, is a lot more fun than being sick while trying to work in a different country.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I stayed with friends while I was there so can't help in that regard but definitely go to Kanti Sweets if you have time.

https://www.kantisweets.com/

I love their dry fruit bites. If I could figure out how to make them and then cover with chocolate, I'd start a fine candy company and sell them in the US.

[Seahawk]

There are three Hilton hotels in Bangalore, all reasonable.

I know that isn't the cool, off beat way to stay in India, but on business I always stick with the known until business is over and I can take a few days to enjoy the country.

Trip Advisor has some intel: https://www.tripadvisor.com/SmartDeals-g297628-Bengaluru_Bangalore_District_Karnataka-Hotel-Deals.html

Have fun.

India is a country I will return to.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by reachme

I ate their food and drank their water (ice) and never at 5 star places. I was shocked how wonderful the local food was. I would never think to go to an indian restaurant here but over there the local spices in the sauces was nothing short of complex and amazing. The meat itself not so much (half a chicken that looked more like a bat).
I left with a wonderful food experience (better than Italy) and my co-workers had memories of granola bars and cowering under a blanket at a glass of water.

Queue the stories about people who had their insides liquiefied. Then someone will add in a Mexico story. etc. etc.

Not saying I am smart, just my risk:experience decisioning is different than some. Get all your shots and pills, then enjoy what was the best part of the trip for me.

I live in Orange County, California and all my drinking water goes through reverse osmosis
Ain't no way I'd ever tempt fate like that. I'd be daid in a week.

But then again, my idea of traveling to exotic third world locales means driving to Santa Ana for lunch.

[Craig T]

Be VERY careful in Bangalore! My wife and the company's General Counsel went there to shut down a business. They were pushed into a utility closet in what appeared to be a poorly organized corporate executive hostage play. Luckily, her German employers don't play and sent in a very expensive cloak and dagger type executive security team. The hostage takers had their passports and work phones, but missed my wife's personal phone. That's what saved them. My wife was able to text from the closet. Within three hours of being put in the closet the security guys had them on a plane to Dubai without passports, baggage, customs, or check-in. My wife said it was like something out of Bourne Identity movie. Some really scary SCHIT there boys. You couldn't pay her, or me, to go back to India.

I know a lot of people go there with no problems, but keep your wits about you.

[911boost]

I've stayed in the Taj and the Leela, the Leela is newer. I have gone a bunch of times and never been sick.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by MRM

I completely misread the original post. I was sure Red was asking for a spot in Mumbai, not Bangalore. I guess the eye sees what you want it to see.

The rest of my review and advice is correct, though. Red, if you ever do stay in Mumbai, I highly recommend the Oberio. I'm not much help with hotels in Bangalore.

I agree with tourists adventuring a little and taking some risks, but Red is going to be there on business. In that case I recommend a 0 risk policy. Which, while it isn't much fun, is a lot more fun than being sick while trying to work in a different country.

Most of the time I was in Bombay, I stayed at the Leela by the airport. Of course, this was 1988/1989...

[red-beard]

The Taj and the Leela are not too close to the company. I expect, with traffic, it will be about 1 hour each way.

[911boost]

It's an hour no matter what I have found....