How much do you really know about Hyderabad, and what there is for travellers to see and do? Well, let me enlighten you!
I spent some time scouring Hyderabad for authentic, memorable experiences for delegates of Connections Luxury in India to enjoy during their one-on-one meetings. Here’s what I found…
On my first day, I enjoyed a delicious lunch at Taj Falaknuma Palace with Delna, Taj’s associate vice president of sales, Ritesh, the Taj Falaknuma Palace general manager, Shilpa, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing and Loveleen and Karan from Distant Frontiers, our experience provider for Connections Luxury in India.
Afterwards, we set off for Laad Bazaar to explore, and see if we could find some art and craft experiences for Connections Luxury in India.
Walking through the market is an experience in itself – it’s a kaleidoscope of colour, with walls of fabrics and bangles either side of you. It was just brilliant to have Delna and the others as my knowledgable guides!
I sat at a low table to try my hand at crafting bangles – which, by the way is much harder than it looks! But the results are beautiful, and I left with a gorgeous souvenir with a personal touch.
The vendor was also kind enough to let me have a go at fixing glittery beads to sari fabric. Sewing has never been a strong point of mine – domestic goddess I am not – but I really enjoyed trying something different, and feeling fully immersed in the bazaar, watching the haggling, and seeing people go about their lives.
We then walked to Charminar – Hyderad’s most iconic building. The 16th-century mosque is so ornately decorated, you cannot take your eyes off it.
Time for tea. We stopped by a cafe I would never have found myself, where we crammed into a booth and ordered some scorching hot tea and yummy biscuits. We had such a good laugh, and I can just imagine Connections Luxury delegates stopping off here for a tea break.
Chowmahalla Palace was another highlight of my trip. The heritage building used to be used to entertain royalty – I can only imagine the lavishness of those parties! It’s still available for private hire today.
India is full of surprises, but I still couldn’t believe it whenI saw a couple of buffalos strolling down the street like they owned the place!
We also stopped by the Qutub Shahi Tombs for more incredible architecture – the domed burial places were truly fit for a king (in fact, they house the bodies of seven Qutub Shahi rulers).
Last, but by no means least, we visited the breathtaking fortress of Tararmati Baraodri.
The historic site really captivated me, and I could just imagine hosting one of our Connections Luxury evening meals here…we’ll have to wait and see!
So, there you have it, a small taster of what makes Hyderabad such a fascinating travel destination, with a real mixture of traditional and experience-led luxury. I can’t wait to take delegates out to the bustle and beautiful sites of Hyderabad, and see you all bond over bangle making in the middle of a bazaar, or talk business over a cup of chai in a local cafe.
Not long now!
To find out about Connections Luxury in India, call me on +44 07852 55766, or write to me at micaela@weareconnections.com.
