Home > St. Mark’s Hotel Review
by Santorini Dave • Updated: October 9, 2019
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St. Mark’s Hotel – Lovely old-style hotel that’s affordable, personable, and convenient.
A little bit funky (aquariums in the lobby), yet almost colonial (whitewashed walls and dark wooden furniture), the award-winning St. Mark’s is instantly likable. Offering a personality and grace absent from top-end hotels in glass towers nearby, this boutique hotel doesn’t provide a pool, spa, or mini-bars, but the lower rates (which include breakfast) reflect this. Even the lowest category rooms are very spacious, while suites feature an adorable mix of contemporary art and old-fashioned furniture. Added attractions are the breezy rooftop terrace and convenience to numerous swish cafés and bars.
St. Mark’s Hotel – The Location
- Address: 4/1 St. Mark’s Road, in the inner city. The road is a one-way heading south to Residency Road.
- Area: Affluent district of company buildings and upmarket shops and apartments. Walkable to the major park (Cubbon Park) and world-class UB City mall.
- How to Get There: From the airport (38km, 1 to 1.5-hour drive), 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 Richmond Circle, a major junction 600m southwest of the hotel (8-minute walk). About 5km from the Bengaluru City (Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna) railway terminal and adjoining Majestic (Kempegowda) bus station (30-minute drive).
- Handy to: UB City mall. Cubbon Park.
St. Mark’s Hotel – The Basics
- Guests: Interesting mix of business people, tourists, and government officials.
- Views: In a built-up area, so all windows face other buildings, but at a distance of at least 50m.
- Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected (or provided) at this sort of boutique inner-city hotel.
- Extras: Daily newspaper delivered to each room.
- Wi-Fi: Available free throughout for all guests.
- How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
- Phone: +91 (0)80 4001 9000
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmarkshotel.com
St. Mark’s Hotel – Amenities
- Pool: Perhaps surprisingly, no pool. Probably no space within this smallish inner-city hotel.
- Spa: No spa onsite, but guests receive a 20% discount at The Palms Spa, 70m up the road. 1-minute walk.
- Fitness Center: Small but probably enough gear for the limited number of guests.
- Other Facilities: Rooftop terrace, with yoga mats and help-yourself tea/coffee.
St. Mark’s Hotel – Food and Drink
- Restaurant & Bar: Curry with a ‘K’ – Extensive buffets at breakfast and lunch, as well as a menu focusing on contemporary Indian cuisine. A little dark, but excellent service and hearty portions. • Luscious – Cozy bar/lounge on a mezzanine level. Friendly staff and tempting happy hours including imported wines and spirits. • Terrace Garden – Panoramic views, delicious snacks, and good selection of drinks through the day. Hotel guests only.
- Breakfast: Substantial breakfast included in all rates, which is a rarity among rivals.
- Room Service: Available from 7 am to 9.30 pm.
St. Mark’s Hotel – Rooms
- Room Types: Deluxe Rooms • Executive Rooms • Suite Rooms
- Smoking Rooms: Some smoking rooms available.
- Best Room: The gorgeous suite rooms are large and packed with old-style furniture. Those in a corner on an upper floor provide double the views from twice the windows.
- For Families: Not set up for families. Better options elsewhere.
St. Mark’s Hotel – Local Transport
- Walking: With more footpaths and fewer vehicles, this is one of the nicest areas in the city for walking. Plenty of shops and cafés in the vicinity, and a mall and extensive park just 10-15 minutes on foot.
- Public Transport: The Namma (Bengaluru) Metro has limited services but does go to the main bus and train stations. (Ambitious plans to connect the airport have stalled indefinitely.) The nearest station – Mahatma Gandhi Road – is about 1.5km from the hotel. 18-minute walk.
- 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.
St. Mark’s Hotel – What’s Nearby?
Restaurants & Bars
These 4 places are within 300m north up the road (i.e. against the one-way traffic).
- No. 10 Fort Cochin – Great-value thalis (set meals) on a banana leaf, among other tasty dishes, focusing on seafood. Interesting murals and street views. 2nd floor of a corner building. 2-minute walk (180m).
- The Open Box – Trendy, open-air bistro/bar offering an excellent range of western food. Snooker table and loud music. 4th floor of the same building as Fort Cochin. 2-minute walk (180m).
- Leon Grill – Popular for burgers, salads, and other healthy options. Great for non-Indian food. 3-minute walk (230m).
- Truffles – 2 entrances almost side-by-side for affordable and tasty western food at pleasing prices. 4-minute walk (300m).
Otherwise, turn left (west) along Vittal Mallya Road at the corner 100m north of the hotel. Within a short walk from that corner are several fashionable café/bars. These 3 are at a prominent junction:
- Starbucks – Familar design and menu. On 2 levels, offering street views. 5-minute walk (450m).
- The Biere Club – Popular for its colorful setting, affordable pub-style meals, and very happy hours. Micro-brewery and trendy DJs. 6-minute walk (500m).
- Bootlegger – Cozy, friendly, and excellent happy hours. Opposite The Biere Club. 6-minute walk (500m).
Shops
- Several classy shops in the area, including within 200m north of the hotel (i.e. against the one-way traffic). The world-class UB City mall is packed with bistros and boutiques, and only 700m via the Starbucks junction (see above). 9-minute walk.
St. Mark’s Hotel – The Hotel
The hotel is along the namesake road within an affluent residential and business district of the inner city.
Unlike some international-brand hotels nearby, St. Mark’s is not in an ugly brick building or glass tower.
The lobby is substantial considering the hotel is comparatively small.
St. Mark’s Hotel is a little unconventional in places, e.g. the aquariums in the lobby area.
Another guest lounge is on a mezzanine level above the lobby.
Also on the mezzanine level is the Luscious bar/lounge.
The only hotel restaurant – Curry with a ‘K’ – is welcoming, but a little dark.
Curry with a ‘K’ offers substantial buffets for breakfast and lunch, and an a la carte menu of mostly contemporary Indian cuisine.
The rooftop terrace is a pleasant place for views and breezes, but the artificial grass could be replaced.
A narrow spiral staircase from the lobby level leads to a small fitness center, which is probably adequate for the limited number of guests.
There is no spa on-site, but the hotel has an arrangement with The Palms Spa, only 70m up the road.
The suites are gorgeous and feature dark wooden furniture.
Suites have more than enough space for a chair with a footstool and a corner sofa each.
The spacious suites feature a lovely combination of modern art and old-style furnishings.
The suites in the corners have twice as many windows, so double the views.
Even the lowest category rooms are spacious and also feature corner chairs with footstools.
In a built-up area, all views include nearby buildings, but they are not too close or intrusive.
The general area around the hotel is terrific for exploring on foot.
St. Mark’s Road finishes to the south at a shady junction with Residency Road.
St. Mark’s Circle, a major roundabout, is 400m north (against the one-way traffic).
On the 2nd floor of a building 200m north up the road from the hotel, No. 10 Fort Cochin features a delightful décor and offers tasty Indian food.
On the 4th floor of the same building as Fort Cochin is The Open Box, a trendy bistro and bar.
Also within 300m north of the hotel, Leon Grill is popular for burgers, wraps, and salads.
Yet another great café within a 2-minute walk north of the hotel is Truffles, which has 2 separate entrances.
Worth a 10-minute walk from the hotel, The Biere Club is the finest of several bistros/bars.
Opposite The Biere Club, Bootlegger competes by offering very happy hours.
The streets around the hotel are lined with shops and cafés of interest to most foreign tourists.
Along St. Mark’s Road, just north up from the hotel, are many classy boutiques.
Traffic along St. Mark’s Road often becomes gridlocked near the traffic lights with Residency Road. As usual, plenty of auto-rickshaws are available.
Unusually, St. Mark’s Road is lined with sidewalks, many of them with plenty of shade.
The streets just west of St. Mark’s Road are also shady and pleasant to explore on foot.
The world-class UB City mall is only 700m from the hotel.
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