Michi Photostory: India

My husband went to Pune, India, for training, so when he left, I wasn't really thinking about sightseeing or souvenirs. His trip was mainly for work, and I assumed he'd spend his days in the training room and his evenings back at the hotel.

But at the end of the training, the organizers surprised them with a city tour of Pune before taking them back to the hotel.

I thought, Oh, that's nice! He'll finally get to see a little bit of Pune. And he did. Well… a little bit.

Their city tour had two stops: the Aga Khan Palace and Phoenix Mall.

A Quick Stop at Aga Khan Palace

Their first stop was the Aga Khan Palace, one of Pune's historic landmarks.

Unfortunately, my husband didn't come home with many photos from the visit. In fact, he only had two photos from the palace. One was a photo of the palace from the outside. The other was of Mahatma Gandhi. That's it. No long photo album. No collection of architectural details. No dramatic travel shots. Just two photos.

But even with only those two pictures, I became curious about the place. The Aga Khan Palace is an important historical site, particularly because of its connection to Mahatma Gandhi and India's independence movement. Seeing the photo of Gandhi made me want to know more about the history behind the place.

It made me think that even a short visit can give you a glimpse of a much bigger story.

Then Came Phoenix Mall

After the palace, the group went to Phoenix Mall. And this was where the trip became more interesting for me. The participants were given some free time to shop and buy souvenirs before heading back to their hotel.

And suddenly, I had a mission. What should my husband bring home from India? The funny thing was, I had no idea. I started thinking about all the things I could possibly ask for. Indian clothes? Spices? Something handmade? Food? A traditional souvenir? But because I wasn't there, I didn't know what would be practical to bring home. So I went with the easiest and safest request: “Buy me a fridge magnet.”

At least I knew exactly what I wanted. And apparently, there were several fridge magnets to choose from at the mall. Among all the choices, I chose two fridge magnets.

Was It Really a City Tour?

If I were to imagine a "city tour of Pune," I probably would have pictured several landmarks, beautiful streets, local food, temples, markets, and lots of photographs.

My husband's version was much simpler:

Aga Khan Palace.
Phoenix Mall.
Two palace photos.
And two fridge magnets.

But maybe that's the beauty of traveling. You don't always get to see everything. Sometimes you only get a small glimpse of a place.

And sometimes, the souvenir you bring home isn't something grand or expensive. Sometimes, it's just a little fridge magnet. And for someone waiting at home, that's more than enough.

Tourist Spots in Pune

After writing about my husband's very short version of a Pune city tour, I became curious about what I would actually want to see if I had the chance to visit Pune myself. Pune has much more to offer than the two places my husband managed to see. So here are places that I discovered.

Aga Khan Palace
Shaniwar Wada
Sinhagad Fort
Pataleshwar Cave Temple
Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum
Tulshibaug and local markets

What Souvenirs Should You Buy in Pune?

And now we come to the most important question: What should you actually bring home from Pune?

When my husband asked what I wanted, I immediately said, “Buy me a fridge magnet.” In hindsight, I probably should have done a little research first.

Pune has plenty of souvenirs that would have been fun to bring home, including traditional crafts, textiles, spices, and perhaps my favorite category, local food!

If I were choosing souvenirs from Pune now, these would be my options.

Bhakarwadi

First would be bhakarwadi, a crispy, rolled Maharashtrian snack with a spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet filling.

Chiwda

Another snack worth looking for is chiwda, a crunchy mixture made with flattened rice and spices. It comes in different varieties and is a popular snack in Maharashtra.

Shrewsbury Biscuits

For something sweet, Shrewsbury biscuits are a classic Pune treat. These buttery, shortbread-style biscuits are particularly associated with Kayani Bakery.

Maharashtrian Spices and Chutneys

For anyone who enjoys cooking, packaged Maharashtrian spices, chutneys, and other local condiments would make interesting souvenirs.

If I ever get the chance to visit Pune myself, though, I'll know better. I'll visit the historic landmarks. I'll explore the markets. I'll try the local food. And I'll probably still buy a fridge magnet.

My husband recently traveled from Manila, Philippines, to Pune, India, for a week-long training. It was his first time visiting India and his first stay at a Conrad hotel.

The journey from Manila to Pune was long. He took two international flights and one domestic flight before finally arriving in Pune. Although the trip involved several flights and many hours of travel, it also allowed him to experience a new country while attending his training.

For the entire week, Conrad Pune became his home away from home, a place where he could rest, relax, and recharge after his busy training days.

Although I wasn’t part of the trip, I wanted to share his experience here on my blog. Through his stories and the photos he took during his stay, I got a glimpse of what his week in Pune was like, from the hotel and its hospitality to the room, food, facilities, and little details that made his stay memorable.

So, here’s a look at my husband’s first experience at Conrad Pune, a luxury hotel located in the Central Business District of Pune, India.

Getting to Conrad Pune

Conrad Pune is approximately 9 kilometers from Pune Airport. Fortunately, my husband had an airport transfer arranged by the hotel, which made getting from the airport to the hotel convenient and hassle-free after his long journey. After traveling through multiple flights, having a hotel transfer waiting for him was certainly a welcome convenience.

Arrival at Conrad Pune

After the long journey from Manila to Pune, my husband finally arrived at Conrad Pune.

One of the first things he noticed was the hotel’s tight security. While this made the arrival feel a little more formal, it also gave him the impression that the hotel takes security and guest safety seriously.

Once inside, the check-in process was quick and smooth. The staff were welcoming and made the arrival experience comfortable, which was especially appreciated after such a long trip.

King Deluxe Room

My husband stayed in a King Deluxe Room, which features a contemporary and modern design.

After traveling for many hours, one of the most important things was having a comfortable place to rest, and thankfully, the bed did not disappoint. He found it comfortable, making it easy to relax after his long journey and busy training days.

The room also features a bedside sensor touch panel that allows guests to conveniently control the lights and curtains without having to get out of bed. It’s a small feature, but one that adds a nice touch of convenience.

The floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of natural light and offered a view of the surrounding area. From his room, he could see trees, buildings, and quite a few birds flying around outside.

Bathroom

The bathroom comes with both a walk-in shower and a separate bathtub.

One interesting feature I noticed from his photos was the remote control in the bathroom. He later discovered that the bathroom also has an in-mirror television. At first, there is simply a semi-black rectangle on the mirror, but that is actually where the television screen is located.

It’s one of those small luxury touches that makes the room feel a little more special. I thought it was a pretty interesting feature, especially since you wouldn’t immediately realize that there was a television hidden in the mirror.

Other Room Amenities

The room also comes with several amenities designed to make the stay more comfortable, including:

· Wi-Fi connectivity
· Bluetooth audio player
· Alarm clock
· Satellite channels
· Minibar
· In-room safe
· Iron and ironing board
· Individually controlled air-conditioning

Another detail my husband noticed was the housekeeping service. Conrad Pune serviced his room twice a day during his stay. This stood out to him because, in many hotels, housekeeping typically comes once a day.

Even the room key had an interesting touch. The key card was made of wood, with an engraved message on the back: “This is expensive technology. Please return this card upon checkout.” It was a fun little detail that he noticed during his stay.

Dining at Conrad Pune

There are several restaurants and bars at Conrad Pune, giving guests plenty of dining options during their stay. These include Al Di La – The Italian Rooftop, Coriander Kitchen, Kabana, Koji, Masu, Pune Sugar Box, and Zeera.

Because my husband was busy with his training, he mostly had his breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Coriander Kitchen. He also had dinner at Al Di La – The Italian Rooftop and Kabana.

With a busy training schedule, having several dining options within the hotel was convenient since he didn’t have much time to go elsewhere for meals.

Buffet Breakfast at Coriander Kitchen

Coriander Kitchen offers flavors from India, across Asia, and Mediterranean-inspired street food.

Since this was his first time in India, many of the dishes were unfamiliar to him. There was a wide variety of food, with a strong selection of Indian cuisine.

He tried some of the local dishes, but he also found himself looking for something familiar from home. Interestingly, one of his favorite dishes during his stay was poori, an Indian fried bread that he really enjoyed. So, even though he was initially looking for familiar food, he ended up finding a new favorite in Indian cuisine.

I guess that’s one of the fun parts of traveling; you never know which local dish might surprise you!

Dinner at Kabana

Although he also ate at some of the other restaurants during his stay, he only managed to take photos of his dinner at Kabana. For dinner, he had pizza along with a chicken dish.

What He Didn’t Get to Experience

Because the main purpose of his trip was training, my husband didn’t have much free time to enjoy all of the hotel’s facilities. He didn’t get the chance to use the outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, or spa during his week-long stay.

It would have been nice to experience these facilities, but with such a busy training schedule, there simply wasn’t enough time.

This is probably one of the downsides of staying at a beautiful hotel for work: you may have access to plenty of facilities, but not enough free time to actually enjoy them!

Final Thoughts

Overall, Conrad Pune gave him a comfortable place to stay throughout his trip and made his first visit to India a memorable one.

For now, I’m happy that his first trip to India gave him a good experience, and that he came home with plenty of stories and photos for me to share.