Bangalore Club - tryst with our colonial past

When in Bengaluru, do partake of a slice of history by staying at the Bangalore Club. It is the city's oldest and finest club having been around since British times and has had luminaries like Sir Winston Churchill and Maharaja of Mysore as its members. Located in the heart of the city on Residency Road, you could not ask for a more central place to stay. The ambience of this heritage club is unbeatable and wins hands down over an impersonal hotel stay.

Bangalore Club

It's very close to all the tourist landmarks in the city - M G Road, Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha. The club's architecture and culture is reminiscent of the colonial times and it is still maintained in the pucca British manner with a 'men's only' bar still around. The perfectly clipped lawns add to the charm of this place and sitting out in the manicured gardens amidst the green foliage makes for a very pleasant evening.

Spread over a large expanse it encompasses a world in itself offering a multitude of facilities from a state of the art health club, spa, tennis, badminton and squash courts, a swimming pool and for the bookworms a library to immerse yourself in.

The rooms are very well appointed and tastefully done up with each room having its own private balcony. Though it's frequented by members all through the day but evenings are the time when it truly comes alive and one can see Bangaloreans thronging this place, the bar area being the hotspot and a  hang out place to unwind with friends.

The club is a stone's throw away from all major touristy places including the iconic Pecos on Brigade Road. A worth mentioning feature of this club were their meals, particularly the breakfast which was truly delectable. The fare was mostly South Indian, dosa, idli, vada and different types of bhath both sweet and namkeen (savory) and some Continental dishes too thrown in.

The dining hall is huge with high ceilings and wooden flooring and it was good fun savoring the delicious freshly prepared food and sipping on filter coffee in such charming confines. The staff is unobtrusive, courteous and service is exemplary as one is well looked after. On Sundays the meal is laid out in the lawns, they would make hot appams (pancakes of fermented rice batter and coconut milk) and the affable chef would very sweetly fill up our plates coaxing us into having more of his melt in the mouth hoppers.

It is a focal point of many Bangaloreans social life and is far from being a geriatric haunt, a lot of second generation youngsters are its members and throng the club for the numerous events hosted here from fashion shows, to western music festivals and "May Queen Ball".

Yes, it sure is an elitist club and does suffer from a colonial hangover!  it even follows an archaic practice as men in Indian attire are still not allowed inside its precincts - the club holds that the dress code is a part and parcel of its traditional legacy.

They are for sure very rule bound, I walked into the bar exclusively for men (was trying to take the short cut through the bar) and it was amusing to see the startled expressions of its patrons and how the maitre d' rushed to guide me out, but ladies don't despair they have a mixed bar too.

I had an extremely enjoyable time in the city primarily because of my stay here. It's centrality adds to the convenience - not only was one spared the city's dreaded traffic but could also get a better sense and feel of Bangalore. The club and its environs left me totally enchanted and it was like a home away from home. Can never think of Bangalore without Bangalore Club !!!