The LaLiT Mangar: An Experiential Retreat

About an hour’s drive from Delhi, there is another world, steeped in luxury. Designed as an experiential retreat, it’s an alluring island of quietude that helps the jaded traveller experience an invigorating aura of meditative silence, away from the hubbub of city. A sojourn into this world takes one on a journey to connect with the innermost self, harnessing tranquil moments to reflect on life.

This experiential retreat, known as The LaLiT Mangar, was launched earlier this month. It is the most close-to-heart property of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group which is associated with Bharat Hotels Limited.

The company, founded and fostered under Mr Lalit Suri, its founder chairman who passed away in 2006, has since then expanded rapidly under Dr Jyotsna Suri, its current chairperson and Managing Director. From its first hotel which opened in 1988 in New Delhi — where the group is headquartered — it has been a long journey to celebrate luxury. One of the group’s recent milestones is The LaLit London, its first offshore hotel, which was opened on November 19 this year, to mark the founder’s 70th birthday. Dr Jyotsna Suri, who anchors the group, is ably assisted by their children and the group’s executive directors — Divya, Deeksha and Keshav. 

The Lalit group has always been location-centric to nurture the surrounding area along with its growth. All of the 13 hotels under its ambit — 12 in India and the The LaLit London — get their names from the city or village they are located in. The hotel makes a conscious attempt to develop the destinations around and not just hotels.

Nestled amidst the greenery and rocky terrain of the Aravalli plateau, The LaLiT Mangar gets its name from the nondescript village in Faridabad where the hotel is located. If the Mangar village, a few kilometers away from Surajkund — where the artisans from across the world descend every year for the annual craft fair — has remained relatively little-known, The LaLiT Mangar seems set to change things for the village.

From the main Surajkund road to the retreat, it’s a crisp drive through scattered bush and scanty vegetation. Spread over 3.78 acre, the hotel is built using the rammed earth technology — The LaLiT Mangar is the pioneer to introduce the technique in India. The thick walls are weather and termite-resistant that remain cool in summer and warm in winter. The hotel is scrupulously designed to blend with its natural surrounding. Overlooking the scenic hilly terrain and surrounding, the LaLiT Mangar is serene and contemplative. A warm welcome by the caring staffers with a refreshing tropical drink and a quick check-in is a smooth sail. The lobby exudes aesthetic beauty and the setting is elegant and classy.

 

Located on the Gurgaon-Faridabad Highway, the hotel has emerged as a significant attraction for the Mangar-Bani village in Faridabad. If you live in Delhi/NCR and have been craving to escape the city for a day or two, it’s an ideal getaway. An hour’s drive from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, it is an easy travel destination for travellers around the world.

 

Each of the 35 suites at the LaLiT Mangar is designed as a separate quarter. The rooms are located as individual row houses in two columns along the length of the hotel, with complete privacy. The pathway is a meandering passage aligned with polished-rocky walls and pretty flower pots in wooden caskets. It keeps cascading downhill in a smooth slide. 

The interior of each room is properly lit-up by a sun-facing balcony, separated from the room by a wall-length sliding glass door. The feel of the room is sophisticated and cozy. The wide balcony has a comfortable seating arrangement and a picturesque view. The bathroom is well-equipped. Little hand-made cotton dollies of a man and a woman add to the beauty of the tray full of toiletries. There is no bathtub, but a spacious shower area. The toiletries, especially soap, gel and cream are all organic and imported from a French-inspired cosmetic company called  Kronocare.

There is a full-sized mirror in the narrow passage between the room and the bathroom. There is some greenery around in tiny pots that add to the decor. The wooden floor and 3 regal large white table lamps give the room a comfortable feel. Two lamps are placed on each side table while one is placed on a large solid wood writing desk. There is a large cupboard, a luggage rack, sleek 56-inch TV, well-stocked minibar, complimentary mineral water, cookies, fruits, nuts and tea/coffee maker.  

Some suites are at the ground level, while some can be reached through a short flight of stairs against the rocky and beautifully carved walls that make a good background for selfies! There is no swimming pool, but after a year they will start the second phase of construction — building a swimming pool and making room for other activities.

The restaurant and bar areas are adjacent to each other and separated by a ceiling-to-floor-length glass wall. The decor is vibrant and refreshing with a few wall paintings and potteries.  The colours around the bar-cum-play area are light and soothing, including the pale yellow upholstery. 

 The most important aspect to be noted here when it comes to food is that the hotel serves only organic. The kitchen staff and chefs make sure that their guests enjoy food made of only fresh ingredients. The hotel also has a kitchen garden to supplement and replenish every-day supply. The restaurant and bar serve a range of international and domestic cuisines and drinks.

Food and dessert during lunch and dinners were appetising and the buffet spread was extremely generous. There were umpteen options for healthy eaters — grilled fish/chicken/prawns, vegan, gnocchi, green salads, soups etc. Desserts were a mix of delicacies from gajar halwa to caramel mousse, tiramisu and dark chocolate truffle.

Breakfast here will be a delightful experience, especially for those who look for healthy options even on their holidays. The best part of the deal is that, along with the regular five-star spread, the many alternative healthy options are also delicious — quinoa upma, jowar-bajra masala dosa (served pipping hot), soft idlis, palak puris, muesli, cornflakes, baked beans, exotic cut fruits, fresh juices, etc. There was a good spread of bakery and confectionery eatables too. 

 The bar/play area is inviting with its pool table. The bar has an amazing array of cocktails and mocktails. 

 

The hotel has all the ingredients to become the right destination for business meetings and conferences. Though there is no separate banquet/meeting room currently, the hotel may come up with something to meet this need soon. However, the hotel can accommodate meeting requests in the bar area.

 

If you’re at the LaLiT Mangar, every moment is an experience. If you feel languorous, it lifts you up. You can, of course, choose to laze around, liasing with yourself. But the hotel’s curated activities promise to take you into a different zone every moment. If you’re a poet, walk around the hotel and get sufficiently inspired. If you are a dreamer, just lie around and dream. There are plenty of nooks and corners, including green belts, where bibliophiles can delve into their favorite books.

The tapri, loaded with a pot-pourri of Indian homemade snacks and tea of many varieties, springs to life in the evenings. If you have a taste for the rustic, sit on the nicely laid out cots and dip into your chai-pakora, with the lyrical strains of the flute and other musical instruments (by a talented band of four brothers from Delhi) lending rhythm to your moments.

If you love star-gazing, join the people queuing up for celestial experience beneath a calm blue expanse —  with twinkling stars and glowing moon —  on the premises. The hotel’s little observatory consists of a jazzy telescope and an expert who can help you spot some popular planets and take a peek into the craters of the moon. 

If you are a nature lover, step into the wild for a picnic, sneaking into the nearby forest. Or go for a short trek and mountain climbing. If you’re a fitness freak, head out for cycling or just spread your yoga mat and indulge in your favourite asanas. Or, alternatively, just stand still in the courtyard and listen to the sonorous hum of silence.

If you’re not up for any of the above, make a quick trip to the nearby Village Jewel Museum and Bani temple. The museum can be reached by car in five minutes or by 10-15-minute downhill trek. The tiny one-room museum is full of art works collected by the owner, Sterre Sharma, over a period of time from across various places. There are ethnic Indian jewelries worn by tribes in different regions, many of them rare. Among its other attractions are a long rectangular table with a huge painting and some musical instruments.  

 The Bani temple is the local deity temple that can be reached by hiking through a series of steps. The surrounding is peaceful with a small pond and dozens of colourful young peacocks that loiter around this place. 

One can also soak in the rustic village ambiance by making potteries, watching puppet shows and savouring home-made food made on chulhas.

 If none of the above cures you of your weariness, a session at Rejuve, the spa which brings to India the Time Reversal technique pioneered by Dr Mosaraf Ali, is guaranteed to soothe your senses, weeding fatigue out of your system.  Time Reversal is still a very novel idea in India and has been introduced by the hotel at all its spa centres across the country.

Rejuve, the spa at the LaLiT Mangar, serves both as a relaxation and a wellness centre.  Dr Mosaraf Ali’s techniques of neck-connection and marma therapy (based on the utilisation of 107 points in the body which are considered to be access points to body, mind and consciousness) are used to cure mild and severe health issues/ailments. One can also opt for therapeutic yoga, supplements and meditation programmes.

Immediately after the monsoon shower, the entire valley is fresh, green and inviting. During winters, one can enjoy warm sunshine in the daytime and fresh cool breeze in the evenings.

If you are looking for quiet getaway not too far from Delhi — a getaway that helps you reflect, rejuvenate and recoup — go to The LaliT Mangar.