Hotel Formule1 by Accor Hotels – A Review

What if I tell you that a few days back, I had a midweek holiday experience without even skipping work? Yes,  you read that right and Accor Hotels  made it possible for me. I spent an eventful evening and a comfortable night at their Formule1 property at Sector 50, Gurgaon. The evening began with a conversation with the manager of the property, who explained to us various aspects of Hotel Formule1. An informal conversation over a cup of coffee set the ball rolling for the evening.

Hotel Formule1 promises one of a kind European experience to it’s guests, the Gurgaon one being their second property in NCR. The first one is at Greater Noida, Buddha International Circuit and rightly so. With around 205 rooms to offer, it has a feel of those huge hotels but the entrance surprises you. It’s not what one expects when one walks in. Instead of a formally decked up reception, one is pleasantly surprised to see a very well done, informal yet classy  and a very youthfully done reception area. The color scheme of the entire hotel remains similar to the one depicted in the picture below. There is a sense of uniformity which works very well.

The reception area also has a couple of desktops with internet connection which can be used by the guests, without adding to their bills. They provide a free wi-fi as well, but these desktops might come in handy if someone isn’t carrying a smartphone or a laptop. A very interesting thing I found at the reception were the small take-away booklets about places to visit and  things to do in NCR. The reception staff was helpful and patiently answered our queries and requests.

A vending machine is installed near the reception which offers things like ready to eat meals, chocolates, wafers, dental kits, toothpastes, colas and any other necessities that one might need during the stay. Though the hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, but it’s strategic location kind of makes up for it. It is located in the Good Earth City Center, which houses a number of eateries that offer good discounts as well as deliver food inside the hotel. Hotel Formule1 is kind of a self service hotel, which means there is no room service available. Microwaves are available in case you’re craving for midnight maggi, now that the ban is gone.

Before I come to the rooms, I would like to stress on one thing and that’s security. Once a room is allotted, the key card you get is your way through the hotel. All floors except the one where you’re allotted a room are not accessible to any guest. These key cards are used to swipe the floor number in the lift as well. I found this feature quite an upgrade from the kind of security I expect, as a woman traveler in India. Another amazing initiative by Formule1 is that they have segregated a couple of floors for ladies.

I, along with a friend was allotted a room on the fourth floor. Since, we were meeting after quite some time, we hardly slept even though the room was super comfortable. It had everything that’s expected out of a hotel room, but in a compact space. Every piece of interior was like piece in a jigsaw puzzle, having it’s own right place. A TV, an intercom, water bottles, reading lights, dresser, a full length mirror( full marks for that) , a reading table, a dress hanger – everything you need is just there. They even provide an iron with a board at select floors that are accessible to everyone.

Formule1 offers single, double and triple occupancy rooms but the size of the room remains the same in all three options. The price of the room also remains the same irrespective of occupancy type. So no extra cost for an extra bed, if you need it. #RestAssured, as their tagline says. I would like to add that there’s something very special about the triple occupancy room and I know I am going to try it the next time I am out of town. Above that double bed, is a bunk bed which is as comfortable as it can get. It’s nothing like the noisy hostel bunk beds but one which will easily sway you to dreamland. But, we were up and chatting the whole night through. The fact that the rooms were soundproof  saved us from the embarrassment of waking up other guests with our laughter fits. It was way past 5 am when we slept and got up just in time for breakfast.

There is a buffet area where a breakfast buffet is laid down for the guests everyday. Ala Carte is not available but there is pretty much everything on the menu. With two options of juices, eggs to order, fruits, toasts, porridge and two indian options, this one is one elaborate meal they offer.

 

Even though my mid-week holiday came to an end that morning after breakfast, I felt rejuvenated as if I were on a real holiday. Good friends and good food might be responsible for that one. The overall experience was really nice and with the rooms being easy on the pocket, it is a steal of a deal. The rooms start from Rs 2500 per night and a plethora of facilities come at no extra cost. This might work out really great for corporate houses who need a number of rooms for their employees, with world class facilities but a considerably economical cost. I would highly recommend Hotel Formule1 to everyone.

All Picture Credits – Hotel Formule1