A friend and I decided to check out Athena (named after a Greek Goddess). This was my first visit there and I left feeling extremely unimpressed. The lounge is a good one in that there is really nice seating and one can choose between sitting close to the dance floor, away from the dance floor and in cosy alcoves, sadly meant only for groups. Sitting at the bar is of course also an option. My friend and I were escorted to the "members section" by virtue of my friend, a non-member, knowing the door man. Comfortably seated, we ordered our drinks, minus the menu (I have no idea if there is one but, if so, we weren't given it). Both of us ordered "Screwdrivers" - Vodka with Orange Juice. The order, taken by a suited and booted waiter was brought quickly to us and we settled down to drink, listen to the music and gaze at the empty dance floor. The lounge is huge, the biggest I have been in so far and the decor is lovely, as is the seating. The music played was good and the DJ certainly knew how to mix songs well. He was also a very cheerful DJ who spent a good deal of his time, while we were there, smiling and dancing at the DJ console. The food, hmmm... well no menu was brought for this either, but to be fair we also didn't ask. The dance floor is a nice one and once it filled up, around 10:30 pm, drinks in hand, we joined the dancing couples and danced for an hour. Then came the first surprise, The Leela Palace, a 5 star hotel, ran out of Orange Juice. I had to have my fourth round of Vodka with Sprite. Not the kind of compromise I expect to make in a five star establishment. Anyway. With a lot of drink down, it was time to visit the Ladies Room and I only refer to this, because of the horrific shock I got when I entered. The ladies room was small, smelt absolutely awful (why don't people who shell out 1000s of Rs in a five star have the basic savoire faire to pull a flush? and why doesn't the "toilet staff" check after each person leaves the rest room?) and was dark with no light switch around. Imagine having to feel around the ladies room in a five star (yes I keep harping on this) for the light switch and then tolerating a stinking flush. Bah! Well, anyway... I was soon back on the dance floor and my companion and I after finishing our drinks, walked off the floor, sat down to relax for a while and then left. My impressions of the place are huge lounge, mediocre crowd, great drinks, good service - though I would have preferred to have seen a menu and have had my orange juice, as opposed to just having a suited and booted waiter bowing to me and, filthy toilets (well the ladies one at any rate). The price? Well I have no idea as my friend kindly picked up the tab and refused to tell me the bill amount. My guess would be Rs 2500 minimum for drinks for two for a night. Will I go back? Only if there is nowhere else in Bangalore to go at the time. Rather a simpler place with decent toilets, orange juice and menu cards. A huge disappointment.
ragpicker1
