Pune’s Party Rock Anthem

The outer lounge area has high tables and chairs as well as low,comfy,cushioned sofas. If sitting down is not your Saturday night style,the bar area is always the best option. Weave through the crowd,watch the overhead lights change colour from a lovely lavender to a sparkling-white,and finally reach the bar to place your order. Redeem your cover charge – there’s lots to choose from signature cocktails,shots,premium whiskies,vodkas,tequilas and even cigars.

While the outdoor area is for loungers,the inside section has the dance floor. As you walk in – steal a glance at yourself in the life-size mirror,and step right on to the floor. The music is louder and you can’t help but swing to it. “Our DJs – Akhtar,Rackish,Abhishek Mantri and Clement – play RnB,hip-hop and house music on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays are Retro nights and Wednesdays are Ladies’ nights,” says Anurag Bhatnagar,GM,Westin.

The club is cautious about who is let in. “We can accommodate 600 people but we wouldn’t want to do more than 350-400 people,” Bhatnagar says. They are also very strict about stags. “Which girl would like a group of stags staring at her? We usually have nine bouncers on weekends. They are discreet,non-obstructive and blend into the crowd,” he says. And,when you’re done with the dancing and the drinking,you can end the night on a sweet note. “We call it ‘The Last Experience’. We have a stand of Kue Bar candies and chocolates that you can enjoy while waiting for your car,” Bhatnagar says. Our advice: Don’t leave without trying one!

For those too drunk to drive,Bhatnagar says that they have a valet service on standby. So,party hard and reach home safe.

I’m In MiAMi,Yeah!

If you get your name on to the guest list,you can step into MiAMi from the VIP entrance through the main lobby of the Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre,Senapati Bapat Road. The nightclub opened in July. On entering,the bar catches the eye and the pumping music the ears.

The island bar in the centre and the dance floor up ahead are the busiest spots in MiAMi. The bar has glowing lights,reflecting the large collection of alcohol. There’s even an exclusive Shots Bar near the floor. Use your cover charge first – Rs 2000 for a couple (stags are not allowed). Sip the four small drinks you can get for that much and then head to the till to buy a debit card. “The debit card can be loaded for any amount. And the remaining cash is refunded,” says Gagandeep Singh,Director,Food & Beverage,Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre. Try the signature Miami drinks – Sex In MiAMi City (Kettle One,Passion Fruit,Cranberry),MiAMi on Fire (Kettle One,Sambuca,Blue Curacao) and the Absinthe Minded shot (Absinthe,Sweet vermouth,Triple sec).

Singh says that the idea was never to make Miami an expensive place to party at. “It’s a slightly more premium place but it’s not exorbitant. We’ve kept the normal partying crowd in mind,” he adds.

In the last few weeks,they’ve gone all out in treating the party crowd to some of the best music. DJs Beat2 and A-Myth play here on Friday and Saturday respectively. Commercial and house music top the MiAMi charts. Lately,the Friday nights have had guest DJs spinning a riot of music – from DJ Ivan to Nikhil Chinappa to DJs Sultan and Ned Sheppard. On a busy night,the club can accommodate a floating crowd of 950 people. It also has four private rooms for 8-22 people. “These are booked in advance and are very exclusive,” Singh informs.