REMOVED from the dust and noise of India’s capital New Delhi, the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort at Greater Noida overlooks the verdant terrain of the 18-hole Greg Norman Jaypee Golf Course, offering a harmonious blend of luxury, impeccable service, age old traditions and contemporary sophistication.
Situated next to Jaypee’s Sports City, which houses the Buddha International F1 circuit and a planned cricket stadium, the super-luxury designer resort is built on nine acres and offers 170 elegant rooms (152 deluxe rooms and 18 suites) with a world-renowned Six Senses Spa.
Any visitor to the iconic hotel would notice that beyond the warmth and legendary hospitality Jaypee offers it guests every day, there is a tremendous sense of ‘adequacy and space’ that the hotel conveys with its sprawling campus.
Another advantage by virtue of its location is the resort’s proximity to the Agra expressway. A two-hour seamless journey by the expressway takes one to the historic Taj Mahal. For those with deeper pockets, Jaypee’s helicopter service flies them to Jaypee Palace Hotel, Agra, for a VIP tour of the Taj and Fatehpur Sikri.
Given its location and impeccable facilities, the five-star resort is now targeting high net worth individuals (HNWI) from all over the world including the Middle East with its credentials as a place to relax and an excellent Mice destination, Syed Mohammed Azmat, Jaypee Hotels’ senior joint president – sales and marketing, tells a group of visiting journalists.
“We are a busy hotel and our occupancy at any given point of time exceeds 85 per cent. Such has been the success of the Jaypee brand,” he says.
“We hope families and corporates from the Middle East recognise this and come here and take note of zeitgeist that we provide and the greenery that surrounds it,” he says.
The hotel’s three boardrooms can fit 10-12 people each and are equipped with white boards connected to TVs, electronic meeting tables and video conferencing infrastructure that connect up to four locations simultaneously. The service also includes secretarial staff, says Azmat.
Its three large halls with a seating capacity of up to 300 people are equipped with projectors, surround sound and digital screens. These can be opened up to form one pillar-less hall with a capacity of more than 1,000 people. Besides the bunch of meeting rooms for small groups, there’s a fully-equipped business centre on the ground floor.
Golf has now emerged as a major networking platform. Highlighting that importance, the golf course has become a significant showcase for the hotel. It has a fair sprinkling of lakes, ponds and bunkers, all maintained in top condition. Golf lovers come from afar to play on this course, and guests can rent golf equipment as well, says hotel general manger Amit Midha.
The resort and its interiors had been designed to tailor for the Six Senses spa, which was opened later. The lobby is large and open, filled with sunshine and low seating on wicker couches and ottomans. There is even a tea lounge within the lobby space where guests can buy or taste different teas from around the world. There are a number of water features all over the property along with a lot of greenery to recreate the feel of a tropical environment. The miniature stone Buddhist monks that double up as tea-light holders add to the oriental feel. Vintage iron lanterns, wood floors and ample use of natural fibres lend a rustic Thai home style to this commercial establishment.
The theme continues in the rooms which are warm and decorated with leather and wood pieces. The large bathroom in the Deluxe room is separated from the rest of the living space by grand, dark wood double doors. A candle-lit soak in the sunken tub using Forest Essentials amenities, while soft music plays on the iPod dock will the best way to unwind after a long game of golf.
The resort also offers Premium suites which have an added room and Jacuzzi as well as Executive suites.
A close look at the resort’s interiors makes one notice the de-cluttered wood and marble interiors are replete with Indian elements dispersed everywhere. Be it lantern-like chandeliers, quirky cane furniture, palatial doorways and stone cascading waterfalls, or just the herbal lemon-ginger fragrance diffused in the hallways around the resort.
The luxury resort provides numerous opportunities for relaxation, dining and entertainment such as the 24-hour resto café – Eggspectation, fine dining restaurants serving mouthwatering selection of Chinese, Italian and traditional Indian dishes or The Bakers Studio offering the finest pastries. The poolside bar, Aquene, epitomises the resort’s creative and lifestyle-driven concept. The pool has underwater chairs, reserved for adults, so guest can remain in the water while they enjoy their drinks.
The upscale set up has an impressive spread of cuisines. Typically, corporate getaways are held over a weekend and Jaypee’s different dining options allow one to indulge in diverse flavours. Paatra dishes out spicy Indian delicacies like achaari jhinga and bhutte ki seekh and desserts like ananas-e-paatra, an infusion of spicy pineapple and vanilla ice-cream, says assistant manager marketing Renuka Chauhan.
Diners who want a more international meal can head to Ano Tai and La Brezza. The former will put one in an Oriental mood with its low seating, overbearing Buddha installations and live cooking of Thai, Japanese and Chinese. The latter creates fresh Italian offerings. Here, you can watch the staff cut herbs from a plant straight into your tomato and basil soup, crush fresh pepper onto your ravioli and sprinkle olive oil and balsamic, she says.
The Six Senses Spa has been integrated into the naturally beautiful landscape and it will provide a true oasis for the resort guests, residents and the people living in the entire region.
One of the largest in the Six Senses Spas portfolio, the spa occupies a three-storey building and is a true testament to the company’s philosophy on sustainability - from the choice of materials and design features to the organic garden, which will provide a rich collection of herbs, fruits and flowers as ingredients for the healthy refreshments and locally-inspired treatments and spa experiences.
The “active floor” is located in the basement and houses a state-of-the-art fitness centre, changing rooms, a juice bar, yoga studio and aerobics pool surrounded by an indigenous herbal garden.
The spa reception, another juice bar and the Six Senses Gallery are located on the ground floor together with consultation rooms, four single treatment rooms, changing facilities with steam, sauna, experience shower, ice fountain and private pools, private nap rooms and relaxation areas. Specialist treatment rooms for Ayurveda, Watsu, colonic hydrotherapy and Thai therapies are also situated on this level.
Facilities on the first floor include male and female Hammams, a meditation cave, single and double treatment rooms, a ladies club and golfers treatment area. The ladies club is an ideal location for private spa parties, events or “brides to be” and provides services such as luxurious hair spa treatments, hair styling, blow dry and colouring. Also included in the spacious women’s only beauty area is a private make-up studio for special events and personalized make-up lessons. There will also be a relaxation area for socialising, playing some board games and enjoying healthy refreshments.
Tracey Poole, the spa director, says: “Among our 23 treatment areas, you will find specialist therapy areas for Ayurveda, Watsu and colonic hydrotherapy. Our comprehensive menu has your whole body covered, from signature massages, facials, wraps and scrubs to locally-inspired treatments, specialist therapies and balancing journeys.”
By K S Sreekumar