Our monthly bloggers’ meet for May was at Jaypee Palace Hotel in Agra. Sid, Sangeeta, and I headed out early on Saturday morning and spent the day there.




A beautiful place to spend a weekend with family or friends, Jaypee Palace has something for everyone.




There are various types of rooms and suites available; all the way from a regular deluxe room to the grand Presidential suite (which comes with bulletproof windows!).







What I loved was that even the deluxe rooms had a small patio overlooking the grounds- perfect for a cup of tea early in the morning.




The hotel has a rather quaint tea room, a mixed buffet breakfast, and a Chinese restaurant called C’est Chine where we had our lunch.




Chef Tong cooked for us in a lovely open kitchen and the smells which emanated built up quite an appetite in all of us.







The memorable dishes included a soft steamed Basa cooked Hongkong style, and the crispy corn kernels made with a dusting of cornflour.










The hotel also has a jogging track, a pool, tennis lawns, and even tree house for kids to play in. I was particularly struck by how massive the property is.







Both inside the rooms and indoors in general, as well as in the lawns outside- there is a wonderful sense of space and freedom- something that us Delhites understand the value of.







This place is also a paradise for bird watchers. Sangeeta was happily surprised at the number of unusual birds she spotted very easily all over the grounds. Like this little Drongo who was rather camera shy.







My most favourite part of the hotel is the bowling alley. Agra’s only at the moment, this could provide hours of fun for people of all age groups. In the same area, there are also pool and air hockey tables. Right next to it is a mini auditorium for movie screenings and a disco-setup for private parties.







The next time you want to get away from the madness of Delhi, head to Jaypee Palace for the weekend. You could indulge in a bunch of activites or just inhale the fresh air and come back totally refreshed.




PS: Look at what my fortune cookie said!







Quite perfect, right? 🙂