IKON by Annapoorna

The food was great, and the staff were attentive and respectful. Our stay was clean, quiet, and neat, with good in-room amenities, a great location, and nice-looking hallways. It lived up to its reputation, and I'd recommend staying here for a comfortable, relaxing break. God bless! A few small ideas: put handwash closer to the breakfast area in Kove, use better air fresheners in the lobby, and play soft Carnatic or instrumental music in the dining areas and elevators for a pleasant cultural feel.

The restaurant can get very noisy, so for a quieter stretch you could spend some time in the second-floor lounge or bar. I found room service hard to reach at first by dialing # 06. Calling #09 for the front desk worked much faster, and they assisted quickly. The building has a courtyard style and was renovated a few years ago. Maintenance is good, the restaurant is great, and there's friendly warmth all around. Sree Annapoorna was founded by Sri. K. Damodaraswamy Naidu with his brothers Rangaswamy Naidu, Ramaswamy Naidu, and Lakshman Naidu. They began with a small canteen near Kennedy Theatre in the 1960s, then opened their main restaurant in 1968. Brookefield mall is close by, with other large showrooms around the corner. There are also plenty of flower vendors selling flowers at reasonable prices. A good place to stop briefly and enjoy authentic " Annapoorna " hospitality on the way to Ooty / Kerala.

The room, 405, was modern and excellent, and room service was very good. It was missing a shower cap, though. My check-in was a frustrating start. Reception staff kept repeating that lunch closed at 3 pm and didn't seem willing to help. I had to insist a couple of times before they checked, and I was able to get lunch. At the restaurant, thali meals were available, so without pushing I would have gone hungry that day. Hospitality felt lacking. At Kove on the second floor, 3-4 staff chatted instead of checking whether guests needed service, and some were often on their phones. This happened on both mornings of my stay. They approached customers only when one staff member was there. It seemed they hadn't been trained. In general, hospitality at this hotel is severely lacking.

The vegetarian restaurant on the ground floor was the highlight for me. The food was fresh and really tasty. The hotel is right in the city, with shopping nearby, and the staff were courteous and friendly. My room was very clean and well maintained.