Staycation at Radisson Blu MBD Noida: Review

Have you tried being a tourist or a traveller in your own city? One indulgent way of doing that is by taking a staycation in a hotel within your city. Abhinav and I have taken several such relaxing weekend getaways at Vivanta By Taj Dwarka, Radisson Blu Dwarka, Vivanta by Taj Surajkund etc.

No matter how pointless it (the thought of packing your bags and unpacking it at a hotel less than 60 minutes away from your home) sounds, it makes total sense when you cannot head out of the city for a weekend getaway.

Our recent staycation at Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida was a similar yet hugely different experience for our previous staycations. This one took the word ‘indulgence’ to a different level. Literally speaking, it was on the second floor but figuratively it took us much higher!
What made all the difference is the MBD Prive Collection, added recently by the hotel. The entire second floor is, we are told, influenced by “Venetian and French” traditions. Having visited Venetian Macau recently, “Venetian” was, in fact, the word that came to our mind as soon when we stepped out of the elevator. However, we found it more Victorian. The subtle colours – on walls, doors, and carpet – are well embellished with golden tones on frames of artwork, lamps etc.

The colour scheme is reversed inside the room. Gold is the dominant colour with hints of lighter tones to create a fine balance. Does it look too garish? We think some might find it a little loud especially with the huge shiny chandelier in the room. We, however, liked it.
What I loved the most is the mini bar designed for book lovers!…

The other element we loved in the room was the customized lighting. There are several options to select lights as per your mood. There are other things that you can control too. There’s a remote control to draw the curtains (hello, laziness!). Although it is likely that you might not use the remote and let the curtains remain closed unless you want to admire India’s development of malls construction. We anyway preferred shutting out everything else to enjoy the lights and comforts of our cozy room.

 

Butler at your service

Unlike the usual hotel check-ins, we did not have to go to the reception. Instead we were met by our personal butler, Siddharth Trivedi, at the lobby. He ushered us to our room and made the check-in process extremely smooth. From assisting you to the restaurants to giving you company at the lounge, the butler will be at your service at all times.

Siddharth was exceptionally sweet in ensuring a comfortable stay for us. It wasn’t just because we were there for the review; we could sense that. He was so exceedingly eager to “be there” for us that we had to ask him to relax and not worry about us. “It’s no problem really ma’am,” he said with an easy smile, indicating that he actually loved his job. He, diligently then, noted the time we intended to have dinner and the exact time we wanted morning tea before breakfast. And that is one service that just won over me completely. I hate the idea of having morning chai made from tea bags. A masala chai with delicious cookies served right when you need it to wake up from your slumber – that’s the kind of lavishness I love.

Relax at the Lounge

When you stay at one of the Prive Collection rooms, you get a free access to the Prive Lounge, which serves complimentary drinks and appetizers during the happy hours n the evening. Business travellers can grab a quick bite during the breakfast here.
The ambience in the evening is muted, which is apt to enjoy a glass of whisky/wine as you indulge in conversations with your partner, or spend time reading one of the several books placed at the lounge.

Eat, Drink, and be Merry

A small paragraph here cannot do justice to the food this hotel offers. I am surprised why we haven’t heard much about the restaurants here. We shall write in details about S18 and Made in India, the two restaurants we dined in. We will go back to the hotel to try R.E.D, the third restaurant.
We enjoyed one of the best buffets till now at S18 (named after the famous sector 18 market in Noida). Made in India offered us the perfect ambience and food to celebrate this fabulous weekend.

Activities at the hotel

If you’re here for a staycation, you’d probably enjoy spending time at the cozy room. There’s lounge as mentioned above. There’s a swimming pool, a gym, and a spa. We went for relaxation massage therapies at the Espace spa. While Abhinav enjoyed the spa experience, I was expecting more. I felt that given the standard and quality of rest of the hotel, the spa is not up to the mark.
We also made a quick trip to the DLF Mall of India, which is just adjacent to the hotel. Radisson Blu MBD’s location is actually perfect for guests looking for retail therapy. There are three malls around the hotel and more coming up soon!
I have been to this hotel several times before for meetings. But this staycation has changed the way I see this hotel now. We walked out of the hotel into the car with our suitcases, an amusing feeling of being a tourist in our own city, and memories of a luxurious weekend getaway topped with fine hospitality by the hotel.

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Useful Information

 

Number of rooms: 33
Tariff: Rs 15000 plus taxes approximately
Inclusions:
Free airport transfers (One way)
Early check-in at 8am
24-hour personalised butler service
A bottle of house wine on arrival
Bottle of house wine on arrival (complimentary)
Fresh fruit basket in room on arrival
Signature bath amenities and aroma
Exclusive turn down amenities
Complimentary cocktail hours from 6pm to 8pm at the Prive Lounge
Late check-out until 7pm (Subject to availability)

Disclaimer: We were invited by Radisson MBD Noida to review the hotel. But the views expressed our honest and not biased.