One of our favourite homegrown hotel chains with the distinctive yellow-ribbon ponytail style went serious and a tad splashier with Lemon Tree Premier. The lobby is more artsy. The pool area is large and lavish, with plenty of loungers and outdoor seating for the chimneypots among us. The rooms, while similar in size at the base level to sister Red Fox which sits cheek by jowl, continue to get progressively more impressive with amenities first and then space until you arrive at the really huge duplex family suite with two double bedrooms, a kitchen, a large dining area and separate living room stuffed with art and handicrafts, and an open-air Jacuzzi pool on the private terrace up top with a vertical garden.
The attention to detail remains the same, with every last ashtray and rug lined up just so in all the rooms and suites. And it is ramped up when it comes to security details, with voice recognition and security software that can even scan a passing car, not to mention identify a repeat guest before they step in. Softening all the tech is the variety of original art lining the corridors.
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The pool area, snuggled cosily between the Red Fox and Lemon Tree Premier wings is open to guests at both ends, and large enough to suit the long lap pool, with pretty mosaic flourishes. It also has easy access to all the restaurants and the sporty bar. Which bodes well for those building up an appetite with their laps. All of these leisure areas are also more disability-friendly than most we have met. The fitness area and spa/salon are upstairs though, right under the chairman’s nose (the Fresco spa across from his office, in fact)!
In the rooms, comfort is paramount: orthopaedic mattress, blackout blinds, very effective sound insulation, sensible storage that cuts no corners.
Between this property and its contiguous sister brand, there is a total of five F&B venues (four operational), including a surprisingly strong fine-dining contender in Republic of Noodles with pan-Asian offerings of stunning depth and breadth. The others are Citrus Café, whose buffets are great value for the sheer variety of the offerings, and the S’Lounge bar with pool tables and big TVs for watching a big game. This is enough choice that a guest may never even step out of the premises to dine. And that adds up to good business sense that benefits both guests and hosts, doesn’t it?
OVERVIEW: Fun and fitness as well as comfort and security; great value, both accommodation and F&B; an energetic and friendly brand with a strong personal and personalised touch TARIFF: From Rs 4,930 CONTACT: +91-11-44232323, www.lemontreehotels.com