Park Belapur@ Navi Mumbai

I came to Mumbai in June 2004 to work for the Aditya Birla Group . Prior to moving into Mumbai , I lived in a Mysore . Mysore has and very special place in our lives , our son Neelabjo was born there and the city was wonderful , calm , serene and away from the hustle and bustle of a metro. The city completely spoiled us and made us incapable of living in a big city. While I was contemplating the Aditya Birla offer , the thought that struck me and Sona was whether we could survive in the mad rush of Mumbai , soon to realized that I would be working for the Group's Corporate Learning Center based in Navi Mumbai . I made a short visit to Navi Mumbai and was impressed by the civic amenities , the roads and the green zones. I took up the job and decided to stay near my place of work , I started living next door to my office and in 2005 moved to my own place in a nodal town called Nerul 5 kms from work .

My upwardly mobile friends and acquaintances refer to Navi Mumbai as a "Gaon" (village) , the thoroughbred Mumbaikar looks at me quizzically , when I proclaim that I am a proud citizen of Navi Mumbai -to them Navi Mumbai is a remote outpost of humanity ....an abode for losers like me . Most of my Mumbaikar friends (some wannabes) live in extremely populous areas in the Western suburbs and enjoy that ....each to his own I guess

At times , I had felt a need for a good hotel or a disco and if I ever had a complaint against Navi Mumbai , it was that it did not have a classy joint to hang-out on weekends . Not any longer .....the Park Belapur is a wonderful solution to the only grudge that I had ....

The five-storey Park is metropolitan and modernist. The grounds are small - a stylish terrace with dip pool.It takes a fraction of a second, walking into the Park Belapur to register that the place is chic. Only later do you realize that it has seduced all five senses subtly . Tucked away from the main roads and a frontal view of hills , Park Belapur leaves you de-stressed the moment you walk in . I decided to celebrate my wedding anniversary in the Park , they have a very good buffet package. Knowing Renu Kakkar (VP- Communications and Technology) helped, Renu put a good word for me and family . The people in Park was amazing , Neelabjo loved the dip pool and like daddy wanted to drink Bacardi by the poolside (he settled for coke ...pic above) , he watched a kid movie in the makeshift theater and now he wants to go there every Sunday . Kanupriya and team sprung a good surprise for Sona and me , they had a cake , a huge card and a bouquet for my wife . The food was good , and am sure it will get better ...overally a world class experience in a "gaon"...I would urge all Mumbaikars to come by on their way to Lonavla and check Navi Mumbai and Park Belapur out ......