A hectic work schedule, stressful deadlines, and time pressure was making life hard for Mohan Prasad, an IT professional residing in the city. Desperate to get away from the daily grind, owing to time constraint at work, unable to take leave, as well as weary of navigating through the city traffic, “My wife and I decided to take a short, yet satisfying break in a city five-star hotel over a weekend since we didn’t have time for a long vacation.”
The couple are but one of several in the city indulging in the luxury of staycations – a vacation within the city – that is rapidly catching on in Bengaluru’s cityscape. While some opt to stay at home and unwind, others book a weekend package at a luxury hotel or resort in and around the city and chill out. “It’s mainly to avoid the stress of traffic jams. Also most of us can’t afford to take long breaks owing to work schedules and a fast-paced lifestyle in cosmopolitan Bengaluru,” points out Mohan.
Hoteliers affirm the trend. Pinky M. Padmaraj, manager of communications at The Oberoi, agrees that the trend has definitely grown over the last two years. “Especially if you see the summer holidays and the winter vacations, earlier a lot of people used to go on trips outside the city, so you would see a dip in occupancy in terms of travellers coming into the city and regular non-resident guests. But that trend has changed over the last few years.”
If there are long weekends or holidays, the trend of people wanting to take a break within the city has caught on. Most people want to avoid last minute travelling hassles and bookings.”
Software developer Adrian Titus, who lives in an apartment in Electronics City, says getting out of the area is by itself a task. “The concept of a long drive has gone out of the window with Bengaluru’s terrifying traffic snarls. Just the thought of navigating the city roads to and fro our vacation spots unnerves me. So my wife and I prefer staycations where we both stay at home and order in food and drinks or we book a stay package in the numerous hotels around here and book a cab to take us to and fro. A pleasant stay for a day with a relaxing spa treat and good food is pampering enough for us during our holidays.”
It’s the same traffic woes that forced teacher and counsellor Anita Selvam to opt staying at home last Christmas vacation. “I loved doing nothing at home and just resting. It’s an amazing feeling to get up late, not worry about work or travel and just spending the day lazily at home – it’s a rewarding break from the hectic 9 to 5 schedule I have every week. While we used to plan trips earlier, I find this option more relaxing and I’ve found time to do some gardening, reading, and trying out new recipes. It’s as much fun as an outing and less stressful in terms of commuting through city traffic. I’m definitely recommending staycations to my fellow teachers as well.”
Packages
- Weekend offers for one night and two days with discounts on breakfast, lunch and spa components
- One-day offers with discounts on spa privileges, food, and stay
First resort
Resorts in and around the city are garnering much impetus from the trend. C.B. Ramkumar, founder and managing director of Our Native Village Eco Resort in Hesaraghatta, says the trend is catching on, with stress levels of people in Bengaluru making resorts at driving distance from the city ideal stress-busters. “Stress, both from a health-mind perspective and a time perspective. Whenever people get a chance, they want to go out, dip their feet in something warm, nice and relaxing, and go back home. And because everyone has cars and the roads are fairly good, staycations are ideal for the quick getaway, for a quiet and relaxing outing. “It’s a great solution to the stress situation and they go back home rejuvenated. We have a lot of people and corporates come here on day trips. And since we are tuned to the Indian village concept with a load of facilities, like the obstacle course, field ploughing and other activities, we sure help people relieve themselves of stress.”
