Bangalore Hotel Rated Best for Business Travelers
Bangalore—now aka Bengaluru—is one of the most favored Indian destinations these days for business travelers. Well-heeled corporate types seem to prefer the Leela Palace Kempinski, a five-star hotel occupying nine acres of verdant land, for its opulent elegance and proximity to the international airport. It has well over 300 rooms, but those who don't wish to splurge on one of them can always visit the Library Bar (for coffee, not books). Though the hotel's regal architecture—which includes engraved ceilings and domes made of gold leaves—evokes the grandeur of Vijayanagara, it was only completed in 2001, and is therefore equipped with the latest facilities for high-flying executives.
In a 2007 survey done by Conde Naste Traveller, 94.5 percent of readers rated Bangalore's Leela Palace as the best hotel in the world for business travelers. Chairman C. P. Krishnan Nair was quoted as saying that the Leela Group is "planning to set up pilgrimage hotels across the country" to attract tourists visiting religious sites. The Leela Palace, however, draws a different kind of pilgrim and the sign reading ‘Zen' in the hotel shouldn't confuse newcomers. It won't take them to a quiet meditation center. It's actually the name of a pan-Asian restaurant meant for devotees of fine dining. In another 2007 Conde Naste Traveller survey of readers, India was picked as the top destination in the country category. The 10 different criteria used for voting ranged from variety of attractions to culture and value for money.
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