Where to go - Addah, a rooftop restaurant at O Hotel, on Koregaon Park Main Road opposite Starbucks. Its pretty famous actually, so ask anyone on the road.
What to wear - Wear anything till you reach the rooftop. Then, head to the changing rooms and get yourself into pool clothes. Do remember to carry a towel and an extra pair of clothes. Its possible you get pushed/shoved and land in the pool while roaming around, so be ready for a surprise! And be a sport ok? You're not going to drown in a 4.5 feet deep pool! Unless you're Tyrion Lannister or something!
Whom to go with - You can head there alone or with a few friends, if you are looking for a lazy afternoon, spent idling near a pool while sipping on a cocktail for hours discussing what you went through when Whatsapp was down for a few hours!
You can also head there for a cool party with a dozen odd people! I wouldn't say more the merrier because frankly the pool isnt that big, so try limiting yourself to a group of 6.
What to order - Sunday Brunch Pool Party is not about the brunch at all. The Pav Bhaji and Dosa Spread, along with Mutton Keema and Lasagna wasn't something I'd remember. They do change their menu every Sunday but I wouldn't recommend heading out there to hog. They only serve Kingfisher beer which may be a downer for some folks who swear by Heinekens and Fosters.
Surprisingly, their A La Carte menu mentions dishes made of figs, water chestnuts (singhada/paani fal), Prawns and even Mangodi (ask a marwari if you don't know what mangodi is, they'll talk about it very fondly!)
Cost:
INR 1100 (Food + Mocktails)
INR 1499 (Food + Beer - only Kingfisher :( )
INR 1999 (Food + IMFL + Indian Wine + Beer)
Add 500 if you're a male stag.
Pretty pricy when you think about what you get. But then again, how many pool parties are there in Pune anyway? I hear HHI and Novotel are starting?
What we reviewed - A friend and I headed out to their Sunday Pool Party a few weeks ago. We entered by 2pm and it was pretty lazy. But, an hour later, there was a sizeable crowd near the bar and people frolicking near the pool. Every now and then, you'd hear a shriek and splash! It wasn't too engaging and you'd have to make fun on your own. The pool gives this place the edge over other brunches in town and is their saving grace. It seems the pricing will be revised - in which direction I know not!
Final Reaction:
