Karwar Devbagh Beach Resort: Experience an Oceanic Tranquility - December 2008

Banana boat rides, Dolphin view, Motor scooters, Scuba Dive, Para sailing, Snorkeling, Kayaking.... an endless list of adventure to give you an adrenaline rush sums up the Devbagh island experience. This is one of the most beautiful properties maintained by the Karnataka Jungle Lodges and Resorts. Enjoy the nature trek early in the morning, to get a panoramic  view of the sun rise.
The accommodation is quite basic, but very close to the beach, which is a wonderful experience, especially, if you are hosted in the tents. Our trip was planned a very last minute (Dec 2008), so we had to be contented with these shacks. We were quite pleased with them, as the curtains unveiled us to a breath-taking view of the Arabian Sea. The waves of the sea doubles up as your lullaby as well as a wake-up call. Its a blissful terrain, which gives you an oceanic splendor combined with the magnificence of the jungle.
The food is quite basic, but is very appetizing  giving you a homely feel, mostly South Indian. The staff is quite organised and always serve you on time and lots to eat. Dinner starts by 7 PM, with a barbecue on the beach, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Be prepared to miss you Television for this weekend getaway. I'm sure, with all the marine activities, you will not complain the absence of a TV in your cottage. If you are not a 'water' person, carry books to keep you company on the hammocks, which are in plenty. You would not want to laze during the day on the beach as there are no umbrellas to shelter you from the sun.
If you get accommodation in the tents, ensure that you do not spill food particles, which welcome all the insects (which are in plenty), especially ants into your room (on the carpets, bed...). Also, the rest rooms are a little away from the tents, which could give you an eerie feeling.
Like I said, this was an unplanned adventurous trip (that was quite fruitful), and the adventure started right from the bus journey. The Goa Paulo volvo 'luxury' bus.. the less said the better! kept breaking down every now and then, and our journey was terrible. Our return journey was pathetic.  Never board this bus!!

Kings Court, Mysore - Comfortable Place, with below Average Food!

Soon after Dussehra, October 2008, we decided to do a quick trip to Mysore to take our 3-year old to the Chamundi Hills and the zoo (typically, Mysore is tightly packed during Dussehra. ). She was then fascinated with the huge statue of the Mahishasura demon in front of the Chamundi temple, which she had seen on the television and from her granny's tales. We started from Bangalore on a Saturday morning and started driving towards Mysore. My task as the navigator was to look at the bill boards of the hotels and resorts at Mysore, quickly jot down their numbers, and give them a call to enquire the tariffs for an overnight stay. After a few
calls, we decided on Kingscourt, which is very close to the railway station. It was almost 3 PM when we reached Kingscourt and we decided to grab a quick meal, as the restaurant was almost shutting down. The food did not entice us a bit, and I was getting judgmental about their rooms, based on the food we had. Thankfully, the rooms were pretty spacious, comfortable, and clean for an overnight's stay. The services are quite slow. The complimentary breakfast was just about ok. The food was priced a little higher for its quality.
Kingscourt is located just opposite to the Metropole resort, a Royal-Orchid chain of hotels.
Mysore zoo is a must see, and we felt that the facilities were getting better.

Sterling Lake View, Kodai: Picturesque Locale, Tardy Services!!

Picturesque locale, roomy cottages that give you a perfect view of a star-shaped lake, and the children's play area are some cheering factors for someone to book this Sterling property. We used up about 5 days in this property during our initial days (April 2008) of booking our timeshare, as we could select a week in any of the RCI accommodation as an added incentive. The property is undoubtedly stunning, but some of the quintessential amenities were found lacking for an enjoyable trip. The room heater was almost nonfunctional and the staff had to be repeatedly told that the out-dated geyser had to be fixed. Tardy room services, 2 cups of coffee used to take almost 45 mins to reach us in the morning!! The lack-luster food, without a buffet for any meal, and the à la carte taking for ever to reach our tables (food was not great either!!) We saw most of the guests complaining about their services at the reception, but the staff there looked quite dis-receptive.
Kodai is gorgeous, but the town needs to be kept clean.

Club Mahindra Lakeview, Munnar - Paradise gained!!

Heavenly clouds silently sliding into your collonade that overlooks an aromatic tea estate, giving you a glimpse of the shimmering lake, at times camouflaged by froth, all elevate your mortal and earthly senses to a paradisaical  ecstasy. The bard in you involuntarily comes up with liberal lyrics soothing a weary soul in you. Undoubtedly, this is the numero uno of Club Mahindra properties. Our trip to this Lake View property was in February 2008, but it has been very effortless for me to preserve these enchanting musings. The staff was very courteous and extremely polite. Our kid was barely 2.5 years old and I was being extremely cautious with her food and needs. The chief chef indicated that I need not spend time in the kitchenette during a holiday because he takes utmost care in preparing clean and hygienic food for children. Kiddies buffet spread was indeed admirable and the staff was very decorous in packing food for my child on our sight-seeing trips as well, with no extra charges. This was a very warm and affectionate gesture, which indeed is a clinching factor about my Club Mahindra membership. The buffet was quite lavish and extravagant that also included variety of Kerala preparations, which are a must try! The evening activities are also very entertaining and we didn't want to skip them and diligently (read enthusiastically) participated in them every evening.
We spent about 4 days at the Lake View resort and long to do another visit, with these splendid memories still lingering fresh.
The cottages are quite luxurious and very well-maintained.

Room tip: Members must opt for studios. Please book well in advance (6 months prior to the date of travel). Weather is quite chilly and temperatures drastically dip towards dusk, so, ensure to carry sufficient thermals to keep you warm.

Grand Orient- Chennai, Comfortable stay, Convenient Location

The hotel is right in the heart of Chennai. If you are on your way to the US Consulate, you will not miss see The Grand Orient.  The hotel is situated diagonally opposite to the Consulate, and is walking distance. Very convenient, if you have a morning (starting 9 AM) appointment for your visa.

·         Nice staff, perfect ambiance, and convenient location. Food is good and decent, breakfast is awesome.

·         Spacious rooms, making the stay very comfortable.