Casa De La Luna, Alibaug – Hotel Review

Who knew that a weekend at Casa De La Luna was exactly what I needed after an extremely tiring few weeks. I snuck away to this picturesque little haven and was swept off my feet with the impeccable hospitality of the staff and the simple comforts of the room.

I sat on the patio outside my room in the mornings with a cup of coffee, catching up on work as the sun blazed overhead, occasionally changing its mind and bursting into drizzle after every few hours. And as the sun would disappear, I’d slip into the pool for a swim until dinner time, floating on my back and admiring the moon, after which Casa De La Luna is named.

THE RESORT

Casa De La Luna is a resort-cum-homestay in Alibaug, around 10-15 minutes away from Mandwa Jetty. On entering a tiny lane that opens out into a larger mango and coconut orchard you’ll find yourself on a driveway leading up to a footbridge built over a flowing stream. Step off on the other side of the bridge, and the aura of calmness is apparent right away.

Manicured lawns, an abundance of flowering shrubs and palm trees are a welcome sight as you enter the property. On both the days that I stayed here, I walked in these gardens, clicking pictures of spotted butterflies and listening to the loud sounds of bird chirping.

The lobby of the resort looks more like the hall in a personal residence. It had sofas facing the TV, a dining table and a door that leads to the kitchen. Walking past the dining table leads you to the other side of the property that houses the rooms, two on the left, two on the right, and one upstairs, all facing an azure blue pool! I had a look at a couple of the rooms on Day 2 of my visit and while all of them were lovely, I liked my room the most – the first one on the right! Design-wise it was the prettiest and it had the sit-out area right outside the door.

THE ROOM

Minimally done, yet tasteful! My air-conditioned room was super spacious and didn’t have any unnecessary items and knick-knacks cluttering the space.

A simple, comfy double bed in the centre, flanked by two mini bed-stands and a wooden rack on which to keep your bag/suitcase was all the room contained. That, and an impressive painting hung over the bed to lend the room some colour!

A small room in between the bedroom and bathroom held two intricate pieces of wooden furniture, a cupboard and a dresser which acted as a changing room of sorts. What I found interesting (and smart designing, too, actually) was that the bedroom and changing room had a glass window that faced your own personal patch of greenery. You wouldn’t want to, or need to step out into it – it’s too small for that, but it added the lovely freshness and warmth that live plants do, without having actual plants in the room.

The bathroom was another interesting element of the room. Open planned and designed in earthy tones, like the other two rooms, a certain portion of it formed the third wall surrounding the little outdoor garden patch, adding to the whole forest-like appeal. However, from here, one could open a glass=paned door to the garden, which one would need to do only to water the plants.

THE FOOD

The food wasn’t a lavish spread, but home-cooked, hearty meals prepared right there in the kitchen. Every morning, Ashish, one of the staff would come over and ask what we’d like to have for lunch, evening snacks, and dinner that day. At night, he’d inquire about our preferences for the following day’s breakfast. Since I wasn’t used to thinking of my meals that much in advance, he’d offer delicious suggestions, to which I readily agreed!

I enjoyed all my meals on the dining table in the hall, from where Manisha, another member of the staff would come out occasionally to ask if anything was needed. Poha and aloo paratha on Day 1 and omlete with toast + cheese sandwiches on Day 2 made up our breakfast. While I’m not really a breakfast person (bad habit, I know), I absolutely adored the food, and still maintain that the poha was the best I’ve ever had.

Evening snacks ranged from chicken 65 to veg Manchurian and chicken lollipops on Day 2. Manisha would call out to us in the pool, like a mother would, asking what time we would like to have it ready and call out again when it was served. She was quite the chatterbox and we loved having her around to add a homely feel!

 

 

 

 

 

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Dinners were delicious too!! And what I loved even more than the food was the fact that the atmosphere was so informal, without being uncomfortable. We’d sit at the table and eat, talking about random things while 2-3 members of the staff would be in the same room, watching a regional program softly in the hall. No frills, no formality!

This was lunch on Day 2! So good!!

The best dish of the lot HAS to be the caramel custard! Not saying that because it’s a Goan dessert, but because it was so outstanding, I could write a poem about it – ‘Gone in 10 seconds.’

P.S. If you’d like to cook your own meals, you can do so as well. However, do carry your own cooking ingredients or source the same from the local market.

AMENITIES

Apart from air conditioned rooms, basic housekeeping and food is taken care of at Casa De La Luna. The property also has 24×7 power backup, however during power failures, the a/c doesn’t work. 24 hour use of the pool is one of the biggest plus points that the property has, unlike all other hotels!

A well-equipped kitchen to cook your own meals and 24-hour hot water supply in the bathrooms are provided too. In case of additional people, you can request additional mattresses.

WHAT I LOVED

Casa De La Luna is everything I could ever hope for from a villa resort. It is cheerful, has character and is stylish, yet unpretentious. The staff is professional, friendly, and incredibly helpful.

The pool is clean! And thanks to the fact that the place has only a handful of rooms, more often than not, you’ll have the pool to yourself! #win

It is perfect for two backpackers, a couple or a group of friends who can book the entire place and have a fun holiday. Online entrepreneurs can work unhindered as mobile and internet networks are strong.

I was so pleased to find that the room didn’’t have a TV! With a pool available to jump in all day and such stunning scenery, I’d hate to see it go to waste with people watching TV indoors.

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

It would be nice if there was a wall fixture in the shower area to place your toiletries on so that one doesn’t have to use the windowsill.

Since there are no TVs in the rooms, some board games, books and pool floats could be provided

#TGGTips

Carry your own toiletries and bug spray/lotion. Since there are a lot of plants around, mosquitos in the evening are natural.

If you’re in need of an escape close to the city, I’d suggest heading out for a weekend at Casa De La Luna. I’m already itching to go back.

Book Casa De La Luna on their website, Yatra, Airbnb or call Aftab on 9022112266. Follow them on Facebook for updates and offers!

You can also read of another fun weekend getaway right here – Phoebe’s Farm, Mumbai. Bye for now!

Note – My stay was sponsored by Casa De La Luna. Views expressed, as always, are my own.