[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I shall be making a token payment tomorrow for the 3-day package.

i suggest, rather taking three days package which includes all food, go for stay option only. you will be eating lot of outside the hotel and at the end, you will be paying for food at the hotel for no reason due to package. the food at dreamland hotel is good but you will miss the fun to have variety of food at different location.

and if dreamland make it compulsory to have food in package, then also it is good looking at the standard of that hotel.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I've called Dreamland and Savoy---but I did not get a response from Savoy---one website says they are closed for renovation.

It struck me now that Savoy mentioned they close down during monsoons but they have a much better hotel ( read expensive) nearby which is open.

So i am surprised they should atleast attend calls and divert customers to their other hotel. Strange !

[gostel]

Just visited MahaB last Saturday (12 Sep) on a same day return basis. There were no rains to bother with, just short spells. We drove up from Mumbai in the morning and returned by nightfall. We did not enter Dreamland, but from the entrance gate it was evidently sparsely occupied. On the E'way we ran into a sea of cars escaping from Mumbai, unfortunately with their high beams. So if these guys were headed for MahaB then we were just lucky to give them a miss. Thanks to Ashish for useful information on Mahabaleshwar.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

i suggest, rather taking three days package which includes all food, go for stay option only. you will be eating lot of outside the hotel and at the end, you will be paying for food at the hotel for no reason due to package. the food at dreamland hotel is good but you will miss the fun to have variety of food at different location.

and if dreamland make it compulsory to have food in package, then also it is good looking at the standard of that hotel.

Good point Ashish. In fact that is the reason I did not pay the advance today. Will discuss with all concerned and call them again tomorrow.

I saw those pics mobike008 posted and thought it would be good to have food outside too, like Mapro, etc.
Avi---I abhor expensive resorts, so I will give that a pass.

[sschivate]

@Ashish, I stumbled on this thread because I was searching for 'Gondavale' (Gondawale) on T-BHP! Since you are a veteran in this area, please let me know which route I should take for my Pune - Gondawale - Pune trip? The options I am looking at are: Pune - Phaltan - Gondawale or Pune - Satara - Gondawale. I know that the first one is shorter (distance-wise), and second involves NH4, so could be quicker. Any inputs?

P.S. I am planning a one-day trip, and will be the sole driver...

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by sschivate

@Ashish, please let me know which route I should take for my Pune - Gondawale - Pune trip? The options I am looking at are: Pune - Phaltan - Gondawale or Pune - Satara - Gondawale.

purpose of visit? pilgrimage?

lone driver with elder passengers/ parents, go for satara route and come back via phaltan route.

as you go by satara route, you will reach there faster.
if you come back via phaltan route, you have chances to visit shikhar shinganapur, jejuri, narayanpur and ketkawale temple.
so, it will be full fledged one day pigrimage.
if you are not interested other than gondawale, then come back by satara route.
road between jejuri and saswad is potholed.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

i suggest, rather taking three days package which includes all food, go for stay option only. you will be eating lot of outside the hotel and at the end, you will be paying for food at the hotel for no reason due to package. the food at dreamland hotel is good but you will miss the fun to have variety of food at different location.

and if dreamland make it compulsory to have food in package, then also it is good looking at the standard of that hotel.

Thanks. I inquired from Dreamland and they give only 10% off the total bill if I don't opt for their food package. So this works out to Rs 1500 approx over a tariff of 15K for 2 rooms, for 3 nights and 2 days.
I guess eating outside will be more expensive than 1500 from Sat evening to Tue morning, what say?
Another option is staying at Panchgani, but those hotels are also too few and far more expensive.

BTW, what is there at Gondawale?

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Thanks. I inquired from Dreamland and they give only 10% off the total bill if I don't opt for their food package. So this works out to Rs 1500 approx over a tariff of 15K for 2 rooms, for 3 nights and 2 days.
I guess eating outside will be more expensive than 1500 from Sat evening to Tue morning, what say?
Another option is staying at Panchgani, but those hotels are also too few and far more expensive.

BTW, what is there at Gondawale?

Then stick to the package including food. It only means you may have to have some in between snacks apart from you regular breakfast,lunch and dinner...LOL

Jokes apart, have a heavy breakfast and if required skip lunch at hotel and have snacks at various locations ( like Mapro, Corn Pakodas, Corn Tikki etc) and come back to hotel in time for dinner at hotel. IMO, that would be ideal since i did exactly the same to extract VFM from the hotel.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Then stick to the package including food. It only means you may have to have some in between snacks apart from you regular breakfast,lunch and dinner...LOL

Jokes apart, have a heavy breakfast and if required skip lunch at hotel and have snacks at various locations ( like Mapro, Corn Pakodas, Corn Tikki etc) and come back to hotel in time for dinner at hotel. IMO, that would be ideal since i did exactly the same to extract VFM from the hotel.

Thx, that is just what I was planning to do.

I finally got the cell # of Savoy last night, and they confirmed that they are closed till Oct 1st.
They suggested the other expensive joint, and said their rates will be higher during Dusshera. I was supposed to get a call from them today, but none so far. I think I will stick to Dreamland as it does offer a discounted rate till Sep 30th.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I guess eating outside will be more expensive than 1500 from Sat evening to Tue morning, what say?
BTW, what is there at Gondawale?

Originally Posted by mobike008

Then stick to the package including food. have a heavy breakfast and if required skip lunch at hotel and have snacks at various locations ( like Mapro, Corn Pakodas, Corn Tikki etc) and come back to hotel in time for dinner at hotel. IMO, that would be ideal since i did exactly the same to extract VFM from the hotel.

then go for hotel package with food. it is vfm. the food at that hotel is veg only.
at gondawale, there is mutt of late gondawalekar maharaj , famous among mumbai-pune people. the mutt is right on your way while coming to mahaby.

try local food at pratapgad fort. if not possible, try hotel cold spot at the foothill of the fort for nonveg/veg items. try corn items near venna lake. try starwberry with cream at mapro point. look out for wooden items shop at the bhavani temple at fort. and yes, for ladies, famous chappals are at rock bottom bargain price, bargain hard and for fancy apparels, do visit PALLOD CREATIONS. [ NO way i am linked with them]

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

then go for hotel package with food. it is vfm. the food at that hotel is veg only.
at gondawale, there is mutt of late gondawalekar maharaj , famous among mumbai-pune people. the mutt is right on your way while coming to mahaby.

try local food at pratapgad fort. if not possible, try hotel cold spot at the foothill of the fort for nonveg/veg items. try corn items near venna lake. try starwberry with cream at mapro point. look out for wooden items shop at the bhavani temple at fort. and yes, for ladies, famous chappals are at rock bottom bargain price, bargain hard and for fancy apparels, do visit PALLOD CREATIONS. [ NO way i am linked with them]

Thanks for the info once again. Will certainly visit Pallod Creations and tell them that I know you, and seek 90% discount

[sschivate]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

purpose of visit? pilgrimage?

lone driver with elder passengers/ parents, go for satara route and come back via phaltan route.

Thanks Ashish!! Yes, the purpose is clearly pilgrimage, but the other sites on Phaltan route are either covered already, or not interesting So I will stick with Satara route both ways (I can get some discount on the toll!).

Another detour I am planning to take on the way back is to take the Gondawale - Vaduj - Rahimatpur - Satara road. That will allow me to visit my native place...

[mobike008]

Ashish, now even i am driven and may take off on the Oct 2nd weekend.

I am contemplating of either going to Karnataka or Maharastra.

If Maharastra, then probably another trip to Mahby, I was wondering if Triambakeshwar (Jyotirling) is close to Mahby, can i visit both during that long weekend?

[anurag_p80]

Avinash, Trimbakeshwar AFAIK is somewhere near Nasik/ in Nasik. Would be 300+ kms frm Mahaby. Why don't you try Bhandardara, another hill station close to Nasik? You can try a vineyard visit at Sula, with a tasting session at Nasik and then on to B'dara.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by anurag_p80

Avinash, Trimbakeshwar AFAIK is somewhere near Nasik/ in Nasik. Would be 300+ kms frm Mahaby. Why don't you try Bhandardara, another hill station close to Nasik? You can try a vineyard visit at Sula, with a tasting session at Nasik and then on to B'dara.

Anurag, looks like you have an eye on this thread all the time. Good idea, let me dig up some info on Bhandardar, how far is it btw? i dont want to drive all the time during the long weekend