ITC GARDENIA in Bengaluru - Hotel Review with Photos

India › Bengaluru Hotels › ITC Gardenia Review
Updated: March 16, 2022
By Santorini Dave

Essentials
• Location: On Vittal Mallya Road, close to Richmond Circle.
• Hotel website: itchotels.in
• Hotel phone: +91 (0)80 2211 9898
• Check prices for ITC Gardenia

The ITC Gardenia hotel offers luxurious rooms and a beautiful rooftop pool.

ITC Gardenia – Imposing, luxurious, convenient, and much more appealing than rivals in glass towers.

Certainly sumptuous, but not unnecessarily opulent, the ITC Gardenia is one in a chain of grand hotels across India. The charm and personality start at the twin lobbies and continue throughout the numerous on-site boutiques, bars, and restaurants. The other amenities – from the remarkable rooftop pool to the massive gym – are equally impressive. Rooms are also spacious and even those in the lower categories have features rarely (if ever) offered elsewhere – e.g. fruit platters, 24-hour butler service, and breakfast (which can be delivered to the room). The suites are exquisite and feature massage chairs, walk-in closets almost the size of average hotel bedrooms, and balconies packed with outdoor furniture. Located within a shady inner-city suburb, it’s within walking distance of a world-class mall.

ITC Gardenia – The Location

Address: The official address “1 Residency Road” is misleading. The hotel faces Vittal Mallya Road and is 300m from Richmond Circle, where Residency Road starts.
Area: Within an inner-city business district. At a junction where Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road splits at the stadium/gardens and becomes Vittal Mallya Road (which heads one-way south).
How to Get There: From the airport (35 km), take a metered taxi or arrange a pick-up with Uber or Ola (see below). Just as quick, and far cheaper, are the comfortable blue express buses (24 hours) that stop at the major junction, Richmond Circle, about 350m south of the hotel. About 5 km from the Bengaluru City (Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna) railway terminal and adjoining Majestic (Kempegowda) bus station.

ITC Gardenia – The Basics

Guests: Government officials, business people, and foreign tourists.
Views: With no other high-rises nearby, views from all angles are appealing, especially those overlooking the stadium and gardens.
Kitchens: The 1-only Peacock Suite features a kitchenette.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not really expected (or provided) at this sort of inner-city hotel.
Extras: 30-minute internet access at the Business Center. Daily newspaper delivered to each room. 24-hour butler service for most rooms. Fruit platter.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +91 (0)80 2211 9898
Email: reservations@itchotels.in
Website: itchotels.in

ITC Gardenia – Amenities

Pool: Remarkable setting on a lower rooftop, offering sweeping views, plenty of shade, and lots of lounge chairs. It could get busy at times, however.
Spa: The Kaya Kalp spa offers over 30 treatments and therapies for the mind, body, and soul.
Fitness Center: Next to the spa, the massive gym is open 24 hours. Personal trainers available.
For Families: Cots. Baby-sitting.
Other Facilities: Money-exchange. Helipad. Business Center. Beauty/Hair Salon. Boutiques.

ITC Gardenia – Food and Drink

Restaurants & Bars: Ottimo – Swish Italian bistro serving traditional cuisine with contemporary influences. Dinner only. • Kebabs & Kurries – Dark and almost-medieval setting for meaty meals and delectable curries. • Cubbon Pavilion – Buffets at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and popular for Sunday brunch. Open 24 hours. • Lotus Pavilion – Prime position in the garden courtyard for light meals, tapas, and cocktails. Bar attached. • Edo – Spacious and airy bistro/bar for authentic and award-winning Japanese cuisine. Also busy at Sunday brunch. Bar attached. • Highland Nectar – Relaxing bar/lounge with minimalist décor at the lobby level. • Fabelle – Range of ‘handcrafted luxury chocolates’ in a remarkable setting.
Breakfast: Included in rates, which is not common among rivals. Can be delivered to the rooms.
Room Service: Available 24/7.

ITC Gardenia – Rooms

Room Types: The Towers • EVA Rooms (for ladies only) • The Towers with Balcony • ITC One • ITC One Suites • Flamingo Suites • Pelican Suites • Peacock Suite (1-only) • List of all Rooms
Smoking Rooms: Smoking is discreetly allowed in some rooms. Ask when booking.
Best Room: The 1-only Peacock Suite is reputed to be the largest of its kind in India. About 10 times bigger than the standard rooms, and spread across 2 levels on the highest floors.
For Families: Some rooms and suites are large enough for a family of 3, and a few have connecting doors.

ITC Gardenia – Local Transport

Walking: With sidewalks, shade, and less traffic than other roads, walking is quite pleasant. Behind the Ibis hotel (virtually opposite the gates to the ITC) is a residential area, almost like a village. Explore the lanes for a slice of middle-class Indian city life.
Public Transport: The Namma (Bengaluru) Metro has limited services but does go to the main bus and train stations. The nearest station – Cubbon Park – is 2 km from the hotel.
Taxis & Auto-rickshaws: Very few taxis along the main road, so one is best arranged through reception. Otherwise, Uber and Ola are very common. For most trips around the city, auto-rickshaws are good enough, but drivers won’t use meters, so bargain hard.

ITC Gardenia – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

Kudla Restaurant – On the other side of the junction from the hotel gates. Traditional meals focusing on seafood, and family-friendly.
Parika Multicuisine Restaurant +91 99001 09637 – In the same building as Kudla. Old-style Indian restaurant with attentive service and long menu.
Ibis City Centre – This smaller hotel virtually over the road offers: Spice It (lunch and dinner buffets, and affordable a la carte all day) and The Hub (colorful bar/lounge attached to the restaurant).
New Udupi Upahar +91 99451 78288 – Hugely popular cafeteria, with no-fuss furniture and tasty Indian food at very low prices. At Richmond Circle, about 400m from the ITC.
Mahesh Lunch Home – Intimate and well-priced, it focuses on seafood, but other meals are also available. Just before The Chancery Pavilion hotel. (500m).
The Good Grain – Just behind Mahesh. For all sorts of healthy food and drinks, mostly with organic ingredients. (500m).
The Chancery Pavilion – Worth the 500m walk via Richmond Circle, this classy hotel offers: ITHACA (likable café with all-day dining), Alchemy (fantastic bistro/bar on the rooftop), and Amnesia (fashionable bar/lounge with hip DJs).

Nearby Shops

A few interesting shops along the main road. Plenty more (for Indian locals, not foreign tourists) within the village-like residential area just behind the Ibis hotel, which is virtually opposite the ITC. Alternately, the huge and impressive UB City mall is packed with boutiques and bistros. Head north up Vittal Mallya Road for about 800m.

ITC Gardenia – The Hotel

The hotel is located in an inner-city business district.

The ITC Gardenia hotel is within a shady part of a business district within the inner city.

The hotel design is imposing and appealing at the same time.

It is quite imposing, yet more appealing than neighboring rivals in glass towers.

The smaller entrance is also opulent and appealing.

The smaller entrance (only 50 meters from the main lobby) is spacious and alluring.

The main lobby area features a unique and likable design.

There are several classy boutiques in the hotel.

Near the 2 entrances are several classy boutiques.

Ottimo Italian bistro serves much more than just pizzas and pastas.

Ottimo is a swish Italian bistro offering so much more than just pizza and pasta.

Kebabs & Kurries is another terrific in-house restaurant.

Another terrific restaurant on the ground floor of the ITC is Kebabs & Kurries.

Cubbon Pavilion features an open-plan kitchen.

Also at the ITC, the Cubbon Pavilion offers an open-plan kitchen so guests can watch their meals being prepared.

The Sunday brunches at the Cubbon Pavilion are very popular.

With separate cooking areas offering different cuisines, a substantial brunch is offered on Sundays at the Cubbon Pavilion in the ITC.

The elegant Lotus Pavilion bistro and bar is located in the garden courtyard.

Within the garden courtyard is the elegant and open-air Lotus Pavilion bistro and bar.

The Lotus Pavilion offers garden-side seating.

Tables at the Lotus Pavilion extend into a shady garden area.

A bar is attached to the Lotus Pavilion.

Edo restaurant is known for its authentic Japanese menu.

The light and airy Edo restaurant at the ITC serves authentic Japanese food.

The Sunday brunch usually has a Japanese buffet.

Unusually, a buffet of Japanese food is offered for Sunday brunch.

The Highland Nectar bar is located on the ground floor.

The main bar called Highland Nectar is on the ground floor.

The suites are spacious and luxurious.

The walk-in closet in the suites is almost as large as a bedroom at some more basic hotels.

The marble bathrooms in the suites are gorgeous.

The bathroom in the suites is gorgeous, and features marble fittings and decent views.

Large desks are provided for the mostly business and government clientele.

The substantial desk area indicates that many guests are business people or government officials.

Suites come with large, well-furnished balconies.

Suites feature balconies large enough for plenty of outdoor furniture.

Suites even have massage chairs.

Parika restaurant close by is old-fashioned and focuses on service.

On the other side of the junction from the hotel, Parika is an old-fashioned restaurant with a focus on service.

Kudla restaurant in the same building specializes in seafood.

In the same building as Parika, the Kudla Restaurant specializes in seafood.

Spice It restaurant in the Ibis hotel opposite the ITC offers outdoor seating.

Virtually opposite the gates to the ITC, the Ibis hotel has one restaurant, Spice It, which also features a pleasant outdoor area.

The Hub lounge at the Ibis is very bright and cheerful.

Attached to the Spice It restaurant at the Ibis hotel is the bright and cheerful bar/lounge called The Hub.

ITHACA restaurant at The Chancery Pavilion hotel is worth the short walk.

Worth a 500m walk around the corner from the ITC, The Chancery Pavilion hotel offers the ITHACA restaurant.

The Alchemy bistro and bar on the rooftop is a great place to enjoy a drink.

On the rooftop of The Chancery hotel is the fantastic Alchemy bistro and bar.

Mahesh Lunch Home next door specializes in seafood.

Next to The Chancery Pavilion hotel, Mahesh Lunch Home specializes in seafood.

The Good Grain serves healthy drinks and meals.

Along a lane behind Mahesh, The Good Grain is the place for healthy drinks and meals.

New Udupi Restaurant nearby serves authentic South Indian fare and street food.

For authentic South Indian and street food in a clean environment, this popular vegetarian restaurant is at Richmond Circle roundabout, some 400m from the ITC.

The shady neighborhood has plenty of auto-rickshaws.

The area around the hotel is comparatively shady, and there are always plenty of auto-rickshaws. Check rates and availability: ITC Gardenia

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Santorini Dave Author Bio. Santorini Dave was started in 2011 by a guy who loved Greece, travel, and great hotels. We're now a small team of writers and researchers on a mission to deliver the most helpful travel content on the internet. We specialize in Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece and recommend the best hotels, best neighborhoods, and best family hotels in top destinations around the world. We also make hotel maps and travel videos. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.

ITC Gardenia Hotel in Bengaluru, India

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