Breathing space

The Bonsai Lounge is just a place to lie back and relax

February 07, 2013 07:08 pm | Updated 07:08 pm IST - Bangalore

Serene Spot A lounge... to lounge in

Serene Spot A lounge... to lounge in

It is the first thing you see when you enter the property of the Movenpick hotel. A cosy little corner, cordoned off from the rest of the place by a quaint, green picket fence.

I open the fence and step in. Tranquillity greets me — the only thing I hear is the almost imperceptible rustle of miniscule leaves as the gentle evening breeze caresses them. I weave my way through the number of tiny Bonsai trees carefully balanced on raised tables and read the labels placed at their base. The Latin name, common name and age of the plant are printed on them. I read out the names —sweet lime, sapota, ficus, pine, peepal, bougainville, even a miniature version of a Christmas tree. I marvel at the size and shape of these Lilliputian wonders.

Comfortable chairs are scattered among the tiny trees, under green overhanging canopies. Dim electric lights that resemble candles glow gently on glass-topped tables. The sun has begun to set and shards of apricot and gold pierce the darkening sky.

I am at Bonsai Lounge, the new addition to the Moevenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore. Located outside the Obsidian, the Sports & Music Bar it provides a welcome relief from the deafening music played inside the bar.

I am offered Japanese tea — I take a sip and grimace while my companions laugh. The intense, slightly bitter flavour of the translucent liquid is a bit of an acquired taste. I hastily opt for cappuccino, which comes in record time. The frothy dark broth is accompanied by lime-spiked water and bits of dark chocolate. Coffee here isn’t just a beverage — it is an experience. I clear my palate with the lime water, bite into the chocolate and then sip — the caffeine rush is slightly alleviated but thanks to the chocolate before, the coffee tastes rather bitter. Perhaps that is the point of the experiment but I’m a fan of impossibly sweet milky coffee so I don’t quite enjoy it.

But then again, the Bonsai Lounge isn’t about the food but about the place itself. It is private and quiet and is filled with positive energy. You can relax with a cigar, languidly sip a drink or munch on some starters brought to you from the Obsidian bar next door. If you are the more adventurous sort, you can even try the tiny glasses of freshly brewed fragrant Japanese tea. Or you can simply lie back, breathe, relax, watching the world go by, without stopping to say hello and simply be.

The Bonsai Lounge, Moevenpick Hotel & Spa, is open all day long. A meal for two, which includes a starter, Japanese tea and Indian liquor costs around Rs. 2,000. Call 43001000.

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