With temperatures hitting 42 degrees in Bhubaneswar, the last thing I wanted was to be stuck in traffic for hours just to reach my hotel. I landed and found myself at the hotel within just 20 minutes — couldn't have asked for a better arrival! Before I entered, the cylindrical tower of Lyfe was the first thing that grabbed my attention. Curious about the design, I inquired. Let me tell you, these folks thought of everything – including every guest getting their daily dose of vitamin D as I was told, "The idea behind the design is to ensure each room receives ample and equal sunlight." Interesting, right?
Location, location, location!
This place isn't just some snooze fest accommodation. Located on Janpath Road, it's a central command for exploring everything Bhubaneswar has to offer. It puts you within easy reach of most touristy places, especially the city's most revered temples. Explore the architecture of the Lingaraja Temple, marvel at the intricate carvings of Mukteswara Temple, or delve into history at the Odisha State Museum – all a close enough walk or a quick rickshaw ride away.
And after all that sightseeing, if you crave something sweet take a quick drive to Pahala, which again is just a 20 minute ride from the hotel. And, it’s anything but a plain highway stretch. Everywhere you look, mounds of freshly made rasgullas at rows of shops lining the highway, literally beg for your attention. These aren't your average store-bought sweets, they are hard to resist and you must not.
Sure, the location is stellar, but the property isn't a one-trick pony. There’s a lot that will make you say - Lyfe is good!
The interiors
Under the creative direction of Chakkraphong Manipanti, the owner of P49 Deesign in Bangkok, Thailand, the hotel's interiors draw inspiration from Odisha's iconic Konark Sun Temple. The design seamlessly integrates the temple's distinctive colour palettes, traditional patterns, and architectural elements into a contemporary aesthetic, resulting in a fresh and timeless ambiance that enhances the hotel's appeal.
Manipanti shares, “The main challenge designing this hotel was the colour scheme. As the temple’s authentic material as the laterite/sand stone is brown, which is generally a difficult colour to be used in the interior design, as brown typically gives the feeling or a dry, old, and dated feeling. However, we have toned down the heaviness of the brown colour and use it quite lightly throughout the hotel's finishing and only increase the density of the colour at artwork or feature wall instead.”
The hotel manages to impress with its expansive triple-volume spaces and a refreshing, light colour scheme that lends it a timeless appeal and provides a flexible foundation for future evolution. Modernised patterns and architectural motifs effortlessly connect the hotel's design to its rich heritage while maintaining a stylish contemporary appearance.
So, be prepared to loosen your belt and savour every morsel at Lyfe Kitchen.
The food
Now let’s talk about the food, shall we? The star of the show, of course, is the taste. So their restaurant is definitely not an afterthought. After a long day of sightseeing, I suggest saving your rumbling tummy for Lyfe Kitchen. The food here is absolutely phenomenal – the best I had in the entire city. Chef Shailesh Shekhar’s Odia Thali isn't your average meal. It’s as authentic as it gets. Local eats are my happy place. Business hotel buffets and menus usually leave me feeling meh. So, you can imagine my surprise when my taste buds did a happy dance.
Confession time: As a Bengali, I couldn't help but notice the striking similarities between Odia and Bengali cuisine. Odia cuisine always felt like a delicious cousin I never met. The names sound like they come from the same songbook and the ingredients look like they could be twins. So, the temptation to debate ‘which is better’ was strong, but I managed to resist (not for too long though). First up, there was chingri bora—crispy, golden shrimp fritters that are addictive, so be warned, once you pop, you can't stop (at least, I didn’t)! Next, we've got dalma. It's hearty, wholesome, and packed with vegetables that soak up all that dal goodness. Perfect comfort food to start things off. Badi chura was next on our flavour tour—a crunchy mix of crushed lentil dumplings that adds a delightful texture to the meal. It's like the Odia version of breadcrumbs, but with a punch of spices generously mixed with mustard oil. Now, for something to balance out the crunch of badi chura, we've got chakuli pitha. These delicate rice pancakes go perfectly with just about anything on the plate. Dip them in dalma or chena tarkari or enjoy them on their own.
Then there was Pohala mach bhaja that brings some coastal vibes to the thali. Now, let's talk about kanika which did resemble mishti pulao – a simple rice preparation, but its complexity lies in the subtle blend of spices and the use of aromatic ingredients like ghee, raisins, and cashews that marries perfectly with mutton aloo tarkari, which again tasted very similar to mangsho jhol. For sweet endings, of course there was the melt-in-your-mouth chhena poda, a dessert that's as iconic as it gets. Imagine caramelised cottage cheese baked to perfection, with a hint of smokiness that makes each bite pure bliss. It's sweet, it's savoury, it's everything you want in a dessert.
Finally, it was time to wash it all down with dahi panna since no Odia meal is complete without it – a cool refreshing yogurt drink infused with fruits. A delightful way to cleanse the palate after all that spice. In fact, it became a daily ritual during my stay. Every meal ended with a glass (or two) of this cooling beverage.
Wait, there's more!
Now that my sightseeing muscles were screaming for mercy, they whisked me away to this cozy room where I swear the massage table was calling my name. From Swedish to Thai, Deep Tissue and Reflexology massage, they have got every treatment that will make you forget your name (in a good way, of course). It was like a stress ninja was attacking all my tension points. It felt like a full-on tension-melting battle, and let me tell you, the ninjas won!
Final verdict
Listen, Bhubaneswar can get toasty. But here's the thing – their hospitality was so amazing, the stay was so pleasant that the weather hardly seemed to matter.
The rooms are cosy and comfortable with minimal elegant interiors, and all the mod-cons you crave. I spent days stuffing my face with everything from dahi bara aloo dum to dalma and pakhala at local joints. Turns out, the best food was hiding in plain sight – the hotel restaurant, Lyfe Kitchen! Don't get me wrong, Bhubaneswar's street food scene is great, but they took things to a whole new level. Plus, the staff's friendliness is seriously off the charts. For the price, location, food and overall experience, it’s a winner.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article reflects the author(s) opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher and editor.