“JUST SCORED A CENTURY.... MY 100TH TRAVEL TALE!”

Thank you Trip advisor!

My mind is jumping with joy... In just ten months I have penned 100 reviews on Trip advisor… I really feel very humbled...I would like to dedicate all my Trip advisor reviews to the chef community on whom I do have great reverence!!  But for them, I would not have written anything at all. Also to the travelling community.

Dedicated to all the Chefs below-

Believe it or not, six months back, (that is the time I started writing reviews on restaurants) my knowledge on food was very poor (though it continues to be the same even today I feel). But, my interactions with the chefs have been a great learning for me. Food plus cooking styles, ingredients, teamwork, focus, kitchen management……There are so many dimensions which I learned about…..I think I have become wise after my interactions with the chefs. (See the collage on chefs I have passionately created for my story!).



When Vidhya - a Civil Engineer based in Saudi Arabia (I know her for some time now. She is married and blessed with a daughter and is an avid foodie) wrote to me "I am jealous of you" after seeing my Face book pictures with Chefs, I was not surprised. Chefs have been a source of great insight for me.

Thanks to Trip advisor as much. They are offering a great service to travelers - guiding and offering information on F&B venues and hotels plus travel related dope. …..Amazing business idea!

Now I want to make a special mention of some people and places.

These are milestones in my short and eventful 10 month journey on Trip Advisor.

It was Dipak Haksar - COO of the ITC Hotel division, who first cathected me to write on Trip advisor. That was in 2012. At that time I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to go ahead. It’s sheer providence that shortly after that another ITC personnel suggested me to write on Trip advisor. It was Sandeep Joshi - the distinguished General Manager of Fortune Select Excalibur, Gurgaon (the hotel where I am most comfortable out of the 300 + hotels I have ever stayed in India and abroad. No wonder, this happens to be the flagship hotel of all ITC Fortune Hotels. Friendly staff. Delicious food. Comfortable stay). Incidentally, my first review on Trip advisor was on this hotel itself. In fact, Sandeep Joshi even taught me how to post a review. I am not a very tech savvy person. I am a humble Vedanta Teacher. My first review appeared in Trip advisor in July 2014….. I was so happy...

That’s how it all started. And today, I have scored a century.  Yesterday I received an email from the CEO of Trip advisor, Steve Kaufer – congratulating me on my 100^th review.  That made me all the more happy. God’s grace – what else?

Taj Falaknuma Palace, in Hyderabad is another landmark in my journey. This hotel is my second home in Hyderabad. My favorite palace hotel - amazing, impeccable service. Warm and courteous staff members. My Trip Advisor reviews on this hotel have been viewed by most number of people till date. I am thankful to Girish Sehgal – the General Manager of this palace hotel for his support and encouragement.

I am blessed with a pen which is very prolific when it comes to writing. Sample this. I just stayed for four days in the 38 year old iconic ITC Maurya at New Delhi in April 2015. By god’s grace I could recollect and write the names of 38 hotel employees appreciating their attitude to serve. My review was meant to be a few lines but it suddenly evolved into a short story...all by god's grace again what else. I believe so. I am completely surrendered to god's plans. Thanks to Zubin Songadwala – the General Manager at ITC Maurya and my very good friend for making my stay so worthwhile.

It was Virendra Razdan, again from ITC hotels who encouraged me to write ‘restaurant reviews’ on Trip advisor. That was just before he moved as the General Manager of ITC Gardenia (December 2014). He was then the General Manager at ITC Windsor. I obeyed him. I am thankful to him with gratitude. My first restaurant review was Raj Pavilion at ITC Windsor, Bengaluru. I am very attached to this restaurant since 1999. The breakfast sessions I had in the restaurant are memorable indeed.

Now comes the interesting one.

While I was in Westin Mumbai, in March 2015, I was having my lunch at Prego, their Italian restaurant. With my iPad I was clicking the pictures of the dishes served to me. One guest came over and asked me: "Are you a food writer" I said "No”.  To which he asked: “Then why you are clicking the pictures? “I am writing a review on Trip advisor” I said. The guest was curious to know whether I will get paid by Trip advisor for this. When I said "NO", he was surprised. "Then why you are wasting your time"? The guest queried.

And here is my answer. To that guest who asked me that question …. (and to the whole world).

Trip advisor guides travelers. It is a kind of help they are offering …..and I love helping others as well. Helping is the main purpose of my life.

Being a mind doctor, I have been instrumental in helping many a hotel employees. …..free of cost. …..and now, through Trip advisor, I love to help the traveler community.

Do you see the synergy of our purpose now?

I can't ask more than this from God. On an average I fly 90 times a year and clock 200 Hotel Room nights …..My life revolves around hotels ….. May the hotel industry grow in leaps and bounds. That’s my prayer.

Thank you Trip advisor. Your staff members are quick footed, prompt and proactive. Incredible is your service finesse. May your tribe increase.


Text and Pictures: R Kesava Mallia in Hyderabad