If you are fan of the French school of luxury, you don’t have to travel to France anymore. Marriott Bonvoy has opened its European brand of grandeur in Amritsar, just 1.5 kms away from the airport. With an unceasing view of welcoming sunrises, warm sunsets and verdant fields, a day at Le Meridien Amritsar starts with a rendezvous with nature.
Very soon, it moves on to the splendour you had signed up for. Debuting in Punjab with a bang is Le Méridien, which is synonymous with all things luxury. Le Meridien, with its own brand of art, décor, food and top-notch service, has been a gamechanger in the hospitality industry, everything that we at Lifestyle Asia are a fan of! We spent a weekend at Amritsar’s newest grand offering, and we are here with our top takeaways.
Location
Le Meridien Amritsar is located on Ajnala Road, just 1.5 kms from the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport.
Le Meridien Amritsar images
Rooms at Le Meridien Amritsar
Unifying luxury and utility, the property has 147 rooms over eight different categories. Their rooms are categorised into:
- Deluxe King
- Premium Twin
- Premium King
- Executive King
- Executive Club Twin
- Junior Suite
- Executive Suite
- Presidential Suite
Facilities
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Wi-Fi
- 24-hour Housekeeping
- 24-hour In-room Dining
- Laundry Service
- 24-hour Room Service
- Telephone
- Minibar
- Mini Fridge
- Chair
- Work Desk
- Bathroom Phone
Review of Le Meridien Amritsar
Le Meridien’s hospitality begins way before you check in at the property. My tryst with their hospitality began when I saw my chauffeur waiting for me with a sign board at the airport. As I finished the hassle-free check-in, I was informed that I have been upgraded to the Junior Suite. This was just the beginning of good times.
Checking into my suite and walking in for the first time felt like a welcome note in the lap of luxury. I was greeted with a special note and platter of specially handcrafted chocolates and desserts. My takeaway from this was the cupcake though, that was adorned with the Lifestyle Asia’s logo (that I didn’t have the heart to eat).
As I headed for breakfast at the Le Grand café, I was mighty impressed with the looks of it. Puffs, pastries, artisanal breads, jams and spreads, cold cuts, mushrooms, fries, as-you-like-it eggs, South Indian, North Indian, live pasta counters, fresh fruits and fruit juices (that they will make in front of you), the spread had everything. No, literally everything!
Next as I walked through the entire property, what really caught my eye was the art and décor. That Le Meridien takes its art very seriously is evident from the centerpiece. The décor piece that will grab your attention the moment you walk in. I learned from the staff that every statement art piece in all Le Meridien across India is reminiscent of the specific city’s culture and history. Amritsar’s art piece is this horse, because of its reputation as the warrior city.
Speaking to Ranju Alex, Area Vice President, South Asia, he said, “We are thrilled to introduce Le Méridien to the warm and vibrant city of Amritsar. We look forward to offering curated experiences in this dynamic destination, tailored for the creative and curious-minded traveller.”
Also customised keeping in mind the need of business travellers, Le Méridien Amritsar has on board six interactive meeting rooms with full conference facilities. These meeting rooms feature in-built projectors, high-definition LED screens with high-speed internet, making it the perfect venue for business meetings.
KP Singh, General Manager of Le Méridien Amritsar said, “We look forward to welcoming guests to a rich and immersive experience at Le Méridien Amritsar, where we will set the tone for premium hospitality in the city with our distinctive dining experiences, creative event spaces and engaging services. Along with Le Méridien’s signature brand programmes, guests are invited to savour the moment and delight in the discovery of everything that Amritsar has to offer.”
Food and dining
At the end of the day, what really sets one good five-star property apart from the rest is its food. And to my delight, Le Meridien Amritsar scored a concrete 10/10.
Le Meridien has three in-house restaurants, namely Le Grand Café, Asian Bistro and Latitude.
Le Grand Café is the in-house multicuisine restaurant, that specialises in local Amritsari cuisine. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner across lavish spreads of multi-course buffets and are operational from 6:30 am to 11:30 pm. In case you are wondering about the range of cuisines, I started my mornings with fruit platters, fresh juices and the unmissable Amritsari kulcha by Chef Maity, and ended the day with Burmese cuisine and desserts.
Asian Bistro, as the name suggests, is the pan-Asian restaurant that is open for lunch and dinner only. Besides the lip-smacking sushis, dimsums, appetisers, bento bowls and more, their most unique offering is the sizzling Teppanyaki.
Latitude is a unique concept and amalgamation of a lounge and a bar. One can enjoy refreshing brews during the day when it’s a café. And at night when it turns to a classy bar, you may raise a toast with delicious cocktails that are crafted by expert mixologists.
Recommendation: Do not miss the elaborate buffets at Le Grand Café for the best of world cuisines at one place. But their Amritsari delicacies, both in veg and non-veg, would be an absolute favourite.
How to reach
Located just 1.5 kms from the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Le Meridien Amritsar is less than a 7-minute cab ride away. So, it is extremely well-connected. Whether you are getting down at Amritsar station or at the airport, getting to the hotel is extremely easy.
Activities to do
The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, a 24/7 gym with a trainer, a lavish spa, and magnificent halls. You can simply walk around, explore the property and check out the exquisite art. You can also take a swim at the pool, or just simply hang out and sunbathe during winters. Show stress the back door, as you unwind from the hectic activities and hustle-bustle of daily life at the spa. And for the health and fitness enthusiasts, the gym is the perfect spot to burn all the calories that you will be gaining from the lip-smacking food onboard.
Packages
Room tariffs at the hotel start from INR 10,500 per night, plus taxes, for a Deluxe King Room can go up to INR 1,60,00 per night, plus taxes, for the Presidential Suite.
All Images: Courtesy Sreetama Basu and Le Meridien Amritsar
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: Yes, free parking is available at Le Meridien.
Answer: This is at the discretion of the hotel, and has to be taken up with the management.
Answer: Early check-in- and late check-out depends on availability.
Answer: Yes, the pool is free.
Answer: At Le Meridien, they have a comprehensive menu for ordering in, where you can order any meal in your room at any time of the day.
A journalism student who studied the subject only to meet SRK in person, she settled for the best way to meet him. Covering Entertainment throughout her career, and now Food, Health and Lifestyle as well, Sreetama is also a self-proclaimed plant mom. In love with all things slow and quiet, she can often be found hunting for quiet corners with a glass of wine in hand. Other loves include little, inconsequential things, like neatly tucked-in bedsheets and big, significant things, like whole cheesecakes. She dreams of being a baker and writing about food someday.
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