Hello again!!
A lot has happened since I saw ten thousand fireflies at Bhandardara! The Finale of World Class India, an international-level bartending competition that was INTENSE! And I took you with me to uncover some of the secrets behind restaurant food at Food Service India’s Innovation Lab.
But I’m not done telling you about my trip to Bhandardara just yet. A lot of you have been asking about where I stayed and what else there is to do there. So here are all the deets on my not-so-impressive stay at the Maharashtra Tourism Development Guesthouse, MTDC, Bhandardara.
Getting to MRDC Bhandardara:
MTDC Bhandardara is located at a distance of around 45 km from Igatpuri, 180 km from Mumbai and 190 km from Pune in the Shendi Village of Akole.
I tried booking online for a couple of days before my trip and the website showed that there were no rooms available. Still, we decided to try our luck at MTDC on arrival, and if there it was full, we would go to one of the other 4-5 shortlisted hotels.
The Hotel
At the end of a leafy, cobble-stoned lane, MTDC looks quite charming. A little cottage-like reception is located on the right. Beyond that is a spread of 34 rooms, cottages, and dormitories in several small buildings
Location-wise, the hotel is a gem! It is situated perfectly, on a small cliff overlooking a beautiful blue Arthur lake with open views for as far as the eyes can see. Nothing can compare to the strong, cool breeze that instantly clears your head! The government really scored with this surreal spot, but that’s about all that’s worth talking about the place.
The Room
I picked the hotel with the thought that being a Maharashtra Tourism Guest House, a department that spends huge sums on tourism, the hotel would be up to the mark of at least a 3-star property. Sadly not!
We picked a standard room at approx. Rs. 1200 a night, and it was slightly on the shabbier side. We were allotted a non- a/c room that shared a wall with the canteen. So the clanging of plates and the sound of talk and laughter carried through from breakfast time until past dinner.
The linen was grainy, and the floor, even more so. The only thing that was clean, surprisingly, was the bathroom. It was quite large, spotless and with an overpowering smell of detergent (I’d rather smell detergent than anything else, so that was okay.)
The bed was comfortable enough for us to rest on after a 4-5 hour ride, however, we didn’t use the blankets provided. If the plain cotton sheets were of questionable cleanliness, who knows when the heavy blankets would have been washed last?
The room opened up to a beautiful, large breezy balcony… which we couldn’t leave open to let the breeze in as bugs and moths would fly in in an instant. Overall, since we barely spent any time in our room, the stay was manageable. Wouldn’t suggest if you plan on staying in.
The deluxe rooms and Valley View Premier Suites looked pretty from the outside and we tried to get a room in one of those for our second night at the property. It was full, and maybe that’s for the best, as the reviews I read later weren’t great either.
The Food
The MTDC restaurant , Yashanjali, needs a major overhaul! Sticky surfaces, bad service and a limited menu is just the start of one’s experience. If you’re desperately hungry, pick safe options like an omlete sandwich. Better to skip it altogether.
Amenities
Amenities include free parking, room service, a restaurant and small children’s park. Standard rooms have a TV and geyser while the pricier options have a sofa, centre-table, bathtub, a/c, a balcony overlooking the lake and a TV.
If you’re a group on a complete shoestring budget, staying in one of their dorm rooms for 12 is something you may want to consider. But camping by the lake would be far more preferable.
What I loved:
The location’s idyllic nature and views! The day I visited was the day it started raining in Bhandardara. The lake would definitely fill up in a couple of weeks and look even better!
What could be better:
Literally, everything else! Maintenance, Service, Food, Cleanliness, Room Service…
The Verdict – Give this place a pass, unless you’re on a budget. You can enjoy the lake view from a dozen other vantage points.
Instead, give Yash Resort a try. It looks stunning and the reviews are much better. Hotel Amruteshwar is right next to MTDC and we had a couple of our meals there. The rooms are nothing special, but if nothing else, at least the food served at their restaurant, Anandvan is better than that at MTDC.
#TGGTips
If you book online, carry your reservation slip as they have no idea who is coming and when. You also need to pay a refundable security deposit.
The best time to visit is between August to November, when the lake is full. You can even bring your own tents and camp out beside the lake.
Take a trip to Wilson Dam and explore the area for around 50 kms or so – the views are breath-taking. More about that in my next post!
Stay tuned for the last, but most adventurous post on Bhandardara! You’ll want to have a look at those pictures. In the meanwhile, check out this fun, pet-friendly resort in Mumbai, Phoebe’s Farm.
Until then, catch me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
xoxo
