I am an OYOXplorer! Well, at least I was for a day when I got to be a part of the experiential activity hosted by OYO rooms and Indiblogger. I received the confirmation call that I had been shortlisted for this activity just the night before. I was not feeling well but I got super excited to have the opportunity to be an OYOXplorer and decided to attend it. I had heard about OYO rooms before but I had never really tried them out for myself so it was fun to have a new experience and also learn about a budget hotel service.

Our check in time was 12 pm so I left my home at 11 am. Saturday mornings are not usually the time for traffic jams but I reached after 12.30 pm due to heavy traffic. I was warmly received by the OYO rooms staff and after the formalities, got allotted a room.

I am not an avid traveler but from my limited experience I can vouch that the room I got was very spacious, clean and bright. The bathroom also had a bathtub and my room had an adjoining private balcony. There were some issues with the AC but it got resolved within an hour.
My OYO Rooms room tour:
https://youtu.be/-UT_9S4VHKo

 
The OYOXplorer activity was all about experiencing the OYO rooms and also doing some fun selfie challenges (15 of them) while exploring the city. I was not feeling well that day so I decided to do it all on my own rather than socialize with other bloggers plus I had already gotten late because of traffic jam (in arriving) and then AC problems (in getting started with the tasks). You can see all the fun I had during this activity in the photos of Selfie challenges I posted below (and also on my Twitter while I was exploring Bangalore for the OYOXplorer activity).
*I have not edited any selfies and posted them exactly as I did on my Twitter on the day of the activity.
OYOXplorer Selfie 1: Check-in Selfie
Check-in selfie required us to use some props given to us by the OYO rooms team. I decided to use them all!

OYOXplorer Selfie 2: Rider Selfie
Once I got the AC fixed, it was close to lunch time so I went to Sigma mall, Cunningham road in a cab. I took the rider selfie then.

OYOXplorer Selfie 3: Foodie Selfie
Of course I took the photo of my lunch which I had with a friend (I invited in the morning). After reaching Sigma mall, I found out that majority of the outlets in it have closed but I was so hungry that I decided to go to McDonald’s instead of searching around for options.

 
OYOXplorer Selfie 4: Movie Poster Selfie
This one was difficult for me since Sigma mall’s movie theatre has no movie posters outside the entrance. But somehow I managed to find a poster on the roadside while searching for coconut water.

OYOXplorer Selfie 5: Selfie with a famous monument
I did this task a but later than others as I wanted to click my selfie with Vidhana Soudha. specifically. I just love that building, so grand and beautiful!

OYOXplorer Selfie 6: Selfie with happy kids
This is the task that I did at almost the end of the OYOXplorer activity. I was not able to find anything suitable for this task until the evening, when I came across this happy duo! I know there is just one kid but the smile on the mother-son duo’s faces just makes me smile 🙂

OYOXplorer Selfie 7: Picture on a bike
I am not a rider so asking for a bike ride (pillion) was a but awkward and I put if off till the end but it was still fun. I did not have the courage to pose as a rider so just stood beside it 😉

OYOXplorer Selfie 8: Keep yourself cool selfie
After lunch I was roaming around to find some “subjects” for my tasks but it was so hot and sunny that I could not resist asking for a drink. I found Amul Kool Elaichi flavoured milk to quench my thirst. So that’s how I kept myself cool! “Amul Kool Chill Your Dill”

OYOXplorer Selfie 9: Find another OYO Rooms Selfie
There is a story behind this task. First I did not undestand the task well at first and then I went to the OYO Rooms 1.6 kms away and clicked a selfie. I was stupid enough to leave before checking the photo and of course when I was at my next task, I found that the photo was missing 🙁 I probably didn’t click it or it got deleted accidentally.
🙁
OYOXplorer Selfie 10: Sunset selfie
Bangalore was being Bangalore on the day of the OYOXplorer activity so I knew I had to get a photo of the sunset way before it actually set. So I clicked this an hour before sunset. I love how the sky looks in the background!

OYOXplorer Selfie 11: Photo-story of a stranger
Approaching strangers is out of my comfort zone so I stuck to a story we see everyday. Dreams and longing in the eyes of little children…. These kids were glued to a bench seeing other kids taking rides on a toy train.

OYOXplorer Selfie 12: Selfie with a man/woman in uniform
This was pretty easy as I requested the guard at the OYO premium to help me. He was reluctant at first but then agreed. But I think his expression shows exactly how he felt 😉

OYOXplorer Selfie 13: Maddur Vada Selfie (Street food)
Who doesn’t like Pani Puri or Gupchup as my roommate used to say! I asked someone to click this because I had both of my hand occupied 😉

OYOXplorer Selfie 14: Picture of an empty road/lane
This one was not easy to find as I was in a busy part of Bangalore. But then I came across a lane where the cars were parked one after the other and there was not activity. So I decided to make it my empty lane selfie.

OYOXplorer Selfie 15: Final retiring selfie (Selfie in the OYO Rooms bed)
By this time I was too tired but hey I managed to smile!

I had a lot of fun exploring Bengaluru and doing the selfie challenges. The selfies were actually a challenge because I am not too much into taking them. And I think taking 15 selfies in one day made me less averted to the selfie concept.
Anyhow, after finishing the activity I went into my room and packed since I was running a bit of fever. I decided to go back home instead of staying alone in the room. So in a way, I was not able to take the advantage of the stay-cation I could have had but I think I still had a lot of fun with the activity and made some memories in Bangalore that I will never forget.
Overall I think OYO Rooms are a great option for people looking for quality accommodation at an affordable price. The staff was very nice and attentive to my needs, my room was really spacious and had amenities in perfect condition. I am glad the AC was not working at first because that way I got to see how fast they got it fixed (under an hour). I wished I had felt better and gotten to stay overnight and have breakfast to complete the review.
About OYO Rooms:

OYO Rooms is India’s largest network of branded hotels. It currently operates in 16 major business and travel destinations including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Goa, Jaipur, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, Manesar, Neemarana, Kolkata, Varanasi and many more to come. OYO Rooms offers an unmatched proposition to its consumers at affordable prices that start at Rs 999. As a brand, we promise every customer a comfortable stay that includes an AC room, complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi with 24*7 customer service support. Hotel owners that partner with OYO Rooms see a significant increase in occupancy levels and become a part of the brand that is recognized and loved nationwide. As a leader, OYO Rooms has created a new paradigm in the hospitality sector through an asset-light managed marketplace model. This innovation coupled with sound execution has earned us several national and international accolades including TIE Lumis Business Excellence Awards, India International Travel Mart Award and Lufthansa ET Now Runway to Success Award. For more information log on to www.oyorooms.com