Say "Yes" to Novotel Pune

Versatile actor and rising star Mrunal Thakur arrives at Novotel Pune Nagar Road to step into the role of the free-spirited bride for our cover.

- Adila Matra

From the Premier Suite on the fourth floor of Novotel Pune Nagar Road, I hear giggles. Mrunal Thakur, our cover star, has cracked a joke, and the room has livened up in an instant. As she leans against the backlit blob mirror of the suite, I realise she is the perfect model for our runaway bride theme. She is playful, effervescent, and oh-so-comfortable in her own skin.

And Novotel Pune Nagar Road, the location of the shoot, perfectly complements this energy. It is a five-minute drive from Pune International Airport and ticks all the boxes for a business trip as well as a staycation. While the 11,000 square feet of banqueting space with an elegantly designed divisible ballroom can accommodate up to 300 guests, there are six meeting rooms with a capacity of 10-60 guests. The Square, the hotel's signature all-day dining restaurant, offers Indian and international flavours off the interactive cooking stations, making it an ideal place for a lavish Sunday brunch.

All the 311 rooms, including 16 suites, are ergonomically designed. The Premier Rooms, including the suite we are in right now, have broken the barriers of typical business design thinking-their plain architectural volumes and lines make the space intuitive, and features such as smart lighting, interactive mirrors, and touch-screen controls give the area a futuristic appearance.