Conrad Hotels and Resorts is Hilton’s stylish and luxurious brand. I was traveling to Pune (India) last week, and I decided to stay in India’s first ever Conrad. It debuted in April 2016, and is an iconic hotel to add luxury to Pune’s existing portfolio of hotels. Here is my unbiased review of the Conrad Pune.
Related: List of all Hilton Hotels redeemable on Points in Dubai and UAE
Conrad Pune Booking Review (Points vs Cash)
For a 2 night stay, it was costing me
60K Hilton Honors points for 2 nights
vs
INR 25,000 (~USD 360) for 2 nights
This is right around the Hilton Honors value of $0.006 / point (see The Points Guy’s published monthly valuations of all hotels points).
But then, I came across an awesome rate posted as the “Conrad Staycation” rate, which turned out to be the most cheapest, at only INR 8,500 / night plus taxes, totaling INR 22,000 (~USD 315). It included Breakfast, Wifi, Masu Social Hours Discount and a 20% discount on saloon and laundry. I was also registered for the 2019 Hilton Go More Get More Promotion (post by LoyaltyLobby) for stays until September 8, which would give me double Hilton points. I went ahead and booked it on cash.
One day before my stay, I did receive the pre-arrival email asking me to provide any flight/transportation details if I wanted to. (no elite member recognition in the pre-arrival email, but excellent recognition later)
Dear Sir, Greetings from Conrad Pune! We thank you for your extended patronage towards Conrad Pune! This email is in regards to reconfirm your reservation from XX June for 02nights. Request you to kindly advise us with your flight/ arrival time. Please mark all your mails to pnqci.res@conradhotels.com for quick response. If you want to avail the benefits of GST request you to please help us with the following details. Client Name GSTN Remarks GST Policy: We request you to share the GSTN details before your arrival or before check out to ensure the same reflects on your invoice. In case the details are not shared prior to check-out the management reserves the right to not to issue /updated manual revised invoice. Please feel free to contact us for any further assistance or clarifications. If you are not an Hilton Honors member yet, click here to join the complimentary Hilton Honors membership. Warm regards, XXXX RESERVATION AGENT Conrad Pune 7, Mangaldas Road, Pune 411001, India t: +91 20 6745 6745 f: +91 20 6745 6746 Website: www.ConradPune.com
Conrad Pune Arrival and Check-in Review
Once I landed, I went there directly from the Pune International Airport (PNQ), and it was hardly a 20 minutes drive, and cost around INR 200 in Uber (~ USD 3).
Related: Bird Lounge at Pune Airport – A Complete Review (also on Priority Pass)
Security guards at the gate of Conrad stop to check the trunk of the car, and then we’re in. The entrance has a few unique design structures (see pictures).
I went inside and walked left to the Front-Desk, and went to the Hilton Honors check-in line, and was greeted by Rahul. He looked up my reservation and instantly thanked me for being a loyal Hilton Honors Diamond elite member. 🙂
He took my ID and signatures, and then mentioned that being a Diamond Member, I had been upgraded to the Best Room in the hotel on the Highest Floor – which was the 1 Bedroom Deluxe Suite (Apartment) on the 14th Floor. 🙂
I also requested for late-checkout, and was given 4pm as my checkout time.
Rahul then went on to explain the amenities and breakfast hours. And I really appreciated that he walked me up to my room and showed me around the room.
Conrad Pune Room Review – 1 Bedroom Deluxe Suite (Apartment)
The first sight of room was amazing, and it seemed so spacious (more on that below). I was also greeted with fruits, pretzels and chocolates and a nice card from Shubham (who I found out later was the Manager).
The room had a nice living area and dining table with a separate half bathroom for guests, which was perfect since I was expecting guests on both days of my stay. (Note: the image below is not at the time of arrival)
Since Conrad is right in the middle of the city, I got some good city views from my room (funny that I see a OYO Townhouse from my room 🙂 ).
The bedroom was nicely done, and the bathroom was huge. The pictures can do more justice than words.
A pillow menu for a better sleep 🙂
Another point which improved my stay experience was the fully automated lighting, curtains, etc. (not seen a lot in older hotels in Asia).
Dining Review at Conrad Pune
There are many good dining options at the Conrad Pune.
- Coriander Kitchen (Indian, Asian, Mediterranean)
- Koji (Japanese, Chinese, Thai)
- Masu
- Zeera (North Indian)
- Pune Sugar Box (Cafe)
- Kabana (Poolside)
Due to my schedule and short stay, I was only able to dine at Coriander Kitchen for breakfast. I have a full review of the breakfast but could only manage some pictures of a few of the other restaurants.
Coriander Kitchen
Hours:
Breakfast: 06:00 AM – 10:30 AM (11AM on weekends)
Lunch: 12:30 PM – 03:30 PM (4PM on weekends)
Dinner: 07:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Menu: Coriander Kitchen Menu.
Breakfast is served from 6am – 10:30am (11am on weekends) at both the Executive Lounge and Coriander Kitchen, but the spread in Coriander Kitchen is much better.
Coriander Kitchen has a huge seating too.
The breakfast was amazing, and the waterfall views made it even more fab.
The breakfast had a good mix of healthy options and traditional delicacies of Pune (and the state Maharashtra), as well as delicious South Indian eateries.
Here’s a selective list of the items that were highlights of the breakfast menu:
Beverages: Watermelon Juice , Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Detox, Sweet and Salted Lassi, Tea etc.
Fruits: Cherries, Apples, Mangoes, Bananas, Pears, Papayas, Pineapples, Kiwis, Oranges, Plums Watermelons, and Jamun (known as Syzygium cumini in English, I had to look this up :O )
Indian Food: Idli, Dosa (Plain, Masala, Schezwan), Medhu Wada, Uttapam, Pongal, Misal, Spinach Pakoda, Sabudana Khichdi, Kanda Pohe, Chole, Sambhar, Aloo Bhaji, Anda Bhurji and much more.
The customer service team was awesome at Coriander Kitchen. There was always someone to assist you or serve you or bring you whatever you need to your table. Whether it was the live Dosa or eggs counter or the beverages, the team delivered better than my expectations. Tetei and Prasanna had excellent service at my table, and I couldn’t be more thankful to them. This excellent service would be the main reason for me to get breakfast again at Coriander Kitchen (regardless if I’m staying at the hotel).
There was a minor miscommunication on the price of breakfast for additional non-staying guests. Breakfast costs INR 1,000.00 per person otherwise. 2 customer service representatives at the front-desk told me a different price, and I was charged a different price at Coriander Kitchen. When I asked the reason for the incorrect price charge, the guest relations manager Ajinkya Modi stepped in and immediately resolved the error. Ajinkya also mentioned that he would make sure this wouldn’t happen again. Mistakes happen in general, but kudos to the instant resolution. He also said he’ll be there when I checkout, and I wasn’t sure if our times would match, but I was happy to see him there, and he helped me with a smooth checkout.
Koji (Japanese, Chinese, Thai)
Hours:
Lunch: 12:30 PM – 03:30 PM
Dinner: 07:00 PM – 11:30 PM (until midnight on Friday and Saturday)
Koji Menu.
Masu
Hours: 3pm – 1am
Masu Menu.
Zeera (North Indian)
Hours:
Lunch: 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Dinner: 7 PM – 11:30 PM (12:30 AM on weekends)
Zeera Menu.
Pune Sugar Box
Hours: 24 hours
Nice cafe with many confectionaries. I stopped by for a quick coffee with a guest.
Kabana (Poolside)
Hours: 11 PM – 11 AM (12 AM on weekends)
Kabana Menu.
Executive Lounge Review at Conrad Pune
The Executive Lounge is located on the 13th Floor, and what I really liked about it was that it was huge.
The breakfast spanned multiple halls and had a good set of options too.
There were multiple halls of seating spaces with amazing views, and smaller private rooms if you’d just like to hang out with co-workers or guests.
Shefali, at the Lounge Desk, was really helpful. She walked me around the lounge describing the breakfast and lounge amenities.
Swimming Pool
The swimming pool has a good vibe to it, but nothing to rave about. I guess this is because, the Conrad Pune seems to be targeted for business travelers more than leisure travelers.
Fitness Centre, Spa and Salon
The fitness centre is located near the pool, and is equipped with the basics for someone to get a good workout.
The saloon is located on the same floor before entering the pool. I did get a chance to use the hair styling service and got a sweet 20% discount (from my Conrad Staycation rate).
The spa is located adjacent to the fitness center. I didn’t get a chance to use the spa. But here’s a link to the Spa Menu. (Diamond Members get 20% off)
Cricket World Cup 2019
Since I was visiting during the Cricket World Cup 2019, it was nice to see this stand right before the entrance to Coriander Kitchen (see image below), and I’m pretty sure most restaurants in the hotel would be screening the matches live.
Final Thoughts
The Conrad Pune is a hotel that definitely must not be missed if you’re staying in Pune. It has excellent Diamond recognition and a breakfast that’ll amaze you. I would call it a luxury staycation of sorts, and would definitely consider staying here again.
What do you think of this review of Conrad Pune? Let us know your thoughts and questions in the comments.
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Yes I have also visited Conrad and have tasted various dishes and seen prompt service rendered by their staff! The ambiance is very well structured and would like to visit again !! Hats off to The Points Habibi to share detail information about Conrad and making people aware about such facilities available around the world!