My TripAdvisor Review No.79: Cidade de Goa, Dona Paula, Panjim.

“The Essence of Goa in a Resort.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

We were here for three days to attend a destination wedding in the family, and thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. The security checks were stringent and it took us about half an hour to be shown in to our rooms, due to many of the guests arriving at the same time. They had a separate counter in the lobby for the wedding guests.

The resort has unique Portuguese style architecture, with bright red and peach coloured walls. Our room was well furnished with centralised AC, satellite TV, a coffee table, a writing table, a large built-in cupboard with a digital safe, tea/coffee maker, and a mini fridge. The twin beds had very soft mattresses. The bathroom had a hairdryer, shower cubicle, as well as a bath-tub. There was a tiny balcony to sit out with your cup of morning tea to enjoy the humid coastal breeze.

We freshened up and went down to the lawns to meet our relatives and the wedding couple. The arrangements for serving the guests were very well organised. The buffet lunches and dinners for the wedding guests were served in separate areas, while a buffet breakfast was served in their restaurant ‘Laranja’. Besides, the resort has 3 more restaurants and an open air barbeque area, and two bars. There is a casino in the premises as well.

The location of the Resort is excellent, abutting the Vainguinim Beach near Dona Paula, about 5 km south of Panjim. This beach is almost like a private beach for Cidade de Goa, and you don’t have the usual crowds that you would usually find on the more popular Goan beaches. There are shaded deck chairs on the beach as well as along the promenade in the hotel premises along the boundary wall. You get a sweeping view of the serene Mormugao Bay and harbour in the distance. Being away from the city there is no noise of traffic and parties, besides the ones arranged at the resort itself. Of course, the resort tries its best to see that the ceremonies are conducted in separate areas and lawns a little away from the residences.

There is a nice swimming pool, and many lawns in the resort. One can take a walk along the promenade along the seashore which is about half a km long or go down to the beach for a swim or walk on the sands. There is a fitness centre and spa as well. The Activity Centre can arrange for indoor and outdoor games.

The famous Dona Paula monument is about a 2 km walk from the gates of the resort.

We enjoyed the wedding ceremonies held at Cidade de Goa in a truly Goan atmosphere.

Room Tip: Ask for sea facing rooms.

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• Stayed March 2015, travelled with family
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My TripAdvisor Review No.78: Hotel Mandhar Regency, Dharwad, Off NH4, Karnataka,

“A Decent Place to Take Rest.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

We were weary from our long drive from Pune to Bangalore and decided to break journey and take rest for the night. I learnt later that this is also the meaning of the word ‘Dharwad’, a place where travellers can break a long journey and take rest. And Dharwad lies exactly midway between Pune and Bangalore on the NH4 highway. As we were approaching Dharwad, we called the Hotel to find that they had a room available. We had to leave the highway and enter Dharwad town and drive in about 4 km to reach College Road, where the hotel is located.

They have a small parking area for about 6 or 7 cars. There is a nice looking party lawn as you enter the gates. We took the room without AC, and with complimentary breakfast and a bottle of mineral water thrown in the tariff seemed quite reasonable.

The room was a bit crowded with two beds, a coffee table and cane chairs. The bathroom did not have sufficient fittings to hang clothes on. There was a cupboard and TV in the room, which we did not use. However, it was decent enough for an overnight stay.

We went down to their AC restaurant ‘Darbar’ for dinner, and quite enjoyed their Butter Chicken with nan. The restaurant seems to be popular with the locals too, as we saw quite a few families from Dharwad coming in for dining.

Their complimentary breakfast was a limited plate of idli or wadas with a cup of tea or coffee, which was served in their outdoor bamboo hut restaurant ‘Cosy Cottage’.

As we checked out we were offered a refreshing cup of coffee from their vending machine.

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• Stayed March 2015, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.77: Yana Sizzlers & Wok, Mariplex Mall, Kalyani Nagar, Pune.

“Excellent Sizzlers and Salads.”

Reviewed 5 May 2015NEW

As starter we ordered their Veg Italian Pasta, which had olives, French beans, carrots and was very yummy and lip smacking with a sprinkling of pepper powder.

We enjoyed their Sizzler ‘Chicken Torri Dengo’ with a garlic pepper sauce. It consisted of chicken cutlets with a slice of pineapple, besides the usual veggies. The quantity was sufficient for the two of us, and it was quite tasty and not so spicy.

They have a wide variety of Sizzlers, veg and non-veg, including fish sizzlers, soups, salads, Italian and Chinese food, and a neat and clean ambience. I would love to visit again.

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• Visited May 2015
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My TripAdvisor Review No.76: Sangway Holiday Homes, Dandeli, Karnataka.

“At Home in the Deep Woods”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

This is a beautiful gem of a home stay hidden away in the deep woods of Dandeli. If you are approaching Dandeli from Dharwad via Haliyal, it is better if you call Mr. Vikram Sogi to guide you to the resort, otherwise you may not be able to find it. The bungalow is located at the extreme corner of a village called Kerwad.

The rooms are basic but very neat and clean, with a large attached bathroom. There is no TV or AC but we did not need them as we had come to enjoy the rustic charms of a village and forest home stay. There is a large veranda where one can sit out in the mornings and evenings and enjoy your cup of tea and coffee. There is an open air gazebo where you can have your dinner next to a bonfire during the chilly winter months. Vikram can also arrange for tented accommodation in the open grounds next to the bungalow if you so like.

Mr. Vikram is a very hospitable host, and he made special arrangements everyday to serve us according to our tastes. The cooking was very homely and we could eat as much as we liked. We were served non-veg at dinner. Once we had a local king-fish thali and chicken curry on another occasion. In fact, on the last day I was not feeling well so Mr. Vikram made special arrangements and served us fruit, tender coconut water and soups. He even let my wife guide his cook in the kitchen to make the soup to our liking. We decided to stay on for one more night so that I could recuperate at Sangway, before departing next day for Goa.

From the bungalow one can go for long walks in the surrounding forests. There is a crocodile park next to the River Kali. Walking through the jungles, we got to see the Giant Malabar Squirrel, and spotted the Hornbills high on the tree tops, besides a variety of other birds.

For the more adventurous, Sangway Holiday Home is a very good base in Dandeli to explore the surrounding areas. There are many interesting places nearby like Ganeshgudi for wildlife and white-water rafting on the Kali River. One can take a train ride to see the Dudhsagar waterfalls in nearby Goa. There is the Supa dam, and the Syntheri Rocks, as well as the Anshi National Park. If you have your own transport, Vikram will guide you with maps and directions, and might even loan you his man, Ravi, to show you these places.

All in all, we had a very pleasant and restful stay at Sangway, and would love to come back here for some peace and solitude, and to meet our friend Vikram again.

Room Tip: Corner rooms have bigger sit-outs.

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• Stayed March 2015, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.75: Wilson Point (Sunrise Point), Mahabaleshwar.

“Highest Point in Mahabaleshwar.”

 

Reviewed 16 April 2015

This is the highest point in Mahabaleshwar, at an altitude of 1435 metres. It is about 2 km from the Market as you go along the Satara Road. After about 1 km from the market you have to take a left turn when you see the sign board of ‘Hotel Gautam’. The road leading up to the point is very steep and narrow and you have to be very careful while driving up. This road goes all the way up and around the point and emerges back on Satara Road a little further up. It is supposed to be a one way street, but you may still encounter some cars coming the wrong way.

Wilson Point is a large rocky plateau, with three viewing platforms where many tourists come to view the sunrise. The perimeter of this plateau is more than a kilometre and is an excellent place for a morning or evening walk, if you are staying nearby.

From the viewing platforms you get excellent 180 degree views of the bungalows and tree covered hills all around. The platforms are always crowded early in the morning, even if it is a cloudy day. The beautiful sunrise viewed from here on a clear day is indeed spectacular to watch.

Being the closest point to the market, one can even drive up to the point around sunset and view the twinkling lights of Mahabaleshwar town and Panchgani in the distance.

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Visited February 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.74: Panch Ganga Temple, Mahabaleshwar.

“Miracle of the perennial stream.”

 

Reviewed 16 April 2015 NEW

The Panch Ganga Temple is the most popular temple located in the Temple Complex at Old Mahabaleshwar. Here you can see the 5 (panch) rivers (ganga) meet at one place and then flow out as a single stream through the mouth of a sculpted stone cow, or 'Gaumukh'. These 5 rivers are the Koyna, Krishna, Venna, Savitri and Gayatri. The water flow is perennial, and this is the miraculous secret of this temple.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and has a beautiful idol of him. Next to him there is a small idol of Lord Ganesh. After paying their respects to the deities all the devotees take a sip of the holy water flowing from the Gaumukh.

The water flowing out of the Gaumukh is one of the best I have ever tasted. It is pure, clean, cold and refreshing. Don't forget to bring an empty bottle or two to carry home this holy water for your near and dear ones.

Visited February 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.73: Mahabaleshwar, Krishnabai Temple.

“The Lost Temple.”

Reviewed 14 April 2015 NEW

Very few people knew about this temple a few years back. It is located very near the Old Mahabaleshwar temples (Panchganga and Shiva temples).
There is a small bridle path leading down to this Krishnabai Temple. You get a fantastic view of the valley and the Balkawadi dam from this temple.
This is a very ancient temple, but off the beaten track for most visitors to Mahabaleshwar. Do pay a visit just to get to see the mind boggling view of the valley below. It is specially beautiful in the rainy season when water starts trickling down into the valley with this temple as the starting point.

Visited February 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.72: Club Mahindra Mahabaleshwar Sherwood.

“A Fairyland in the Deep Woods.”

Reviewed yesterday NEW

Club Mahindra’s Mahabaleshwar Resort is located about 3 km from the Mahabaleshwar market, down the Medha-Satara Road. It was earlier known as the ‘Sherwood’ Resort. As you drive down from the market you will see a board on the right at a T junction pointing you towards the resort, about 500 metres down a narrow road. Visitors from Mumbai or Pune generally prefer to bring their own vehicles so that they can move more freely around the beautiful hill stations of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani.

The resort is situated amidst 8 acres of lush forest. The rooms are well spread out over the property and some of the rooms are nestled in the middle of a grove of leafy trees, while other rooms are at a height and have a fantastic view of the forested valley. Some of the rooms are in the main block, which houses the reception, lounge and offices. Many of these rooms overlook a beautifully landscaped swimming pool, and the sunset viewing platform, which becomes almost as crowded as the famous ‘Bombay Point’ in the evenings.

The air conditioned rooms are well furnished and have satellite TV, tea maker and mini fridge. All rooms have a sit-out where you can enjoy your morning cup of tea with the cool unpolluted air. However, the rooms do not have a kitchenette.

The day we arrived it started raining (end February), and it became so chilly that we did not need to use the ac. We were welcomed with a refreshing cup of hot strawberry tea. Since it was raining we were allowed to offload our luggage outside our ground floor room, but later had to park the car in the parking area, a little distance away.

We had an ala carte dinner at the ‘Saddle Back’ Restaurant. Service was courteous, but we had to be patient to be served. Since we are light eaters we found the buffet dining too expensive for our tastes. However most of the other guests were enjoying the buffet, where you are served a variety of starters, salads, veg and non-veg dishes, breads and rice. There are at least 4 different sweet dishes to end your feast. They have an alternative called the ‘Gourmet Express’ where you can have a limited choice of dishes from the ala carte menu delivered to your room.

There is a ‘Fun Zone’ with all the indoor games like carom, table tennis, chess, cards, pool table and a small library. Bicycles are available on chargeable basis. They also arrange treks and other outdoor activities. One can relax in the hammocks just outside the Fun Zone. Aqua zorbing facility is available at the swimming pool. The resort campus is an excellent place for walks in the forest. We saw many langur monkeys in the treetops on the campus. They even have a small strawberry farm and a flower nursery next to the pool. Spa treatments can be availed of at their ‘Svaastha Spa’ on the campus.

Wi-Fi was not working when we arrived, and internet facility was available on chargeable basis. Airtel mobile signal was very weak on the campus and we had to go to the ‘Sunset Platform’ if we wanted to use our cell phone. However that may not be a problem if you are using Vodafone or BSNL.

Room cleaning service was good and the room boy was friendly and gave us useful tips about places to visit and things to do. The usual viewing points and the Venna Lake are some distance away and you may need to hire a cab if you don’t have your own car. Wilson Point, where everyone goes to witness sunrise, is 3 km away, and a steep uphill climb, but worth the long trek. Just 2 km outside the resort, down a bridle path called ‘Lamington Ride’ we found a large strawberry farm from where we bought some of the fruit straight out of the plants. On another walk we found an isolated peaceful temple, just 2 km away, known as the ‘Jannimata Mandir’ devoted to a local deity, and spent some time meditating there.

All in all we had a very nice vacation away from the noise and bustle of the city and came away refreshed from our ‘Fairyland in the Deep Woods’.

Room Tip: Rooms at a higher level have the best views, but not suitable for the unfit. Pool facing rooms have...

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• Stayed February 2015, travelled as a couple
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC