Pradeep CK's Travel pages, Trip activities, hotel reviews, photos & videos

Pradeep CK
Male, Pune, India

Lavasa, Maharashtra
Pradeep CK, Pune, Posted Date: 11th May 2009

Lavasa is a grand concept.The web site (www.lavasa.com) promises much. The temperature, they say..... Lavasa is a grand concept.The web site (www.lavasa.com) promises much. The temperature, they say is between a cool 17 degrees to a warm 32 degrees. The temperature certainly drops as we drive up to the hill station. However, it is still quite hot when we reach. The web site mentions that Dasve is the first township that is created. Pictures give the impression of a completed waterfront with picturesque european style town houses built around it. The lights shimmer off the multi coloured houses, and their beauty is reflected back from the clear waters. The road to the city is truly world class, but the situation at ground zero is slightly different. The lake is almost dry, and efforts to dam the water have not worked for now. Less than 5 buildings are complete. There is construction happening at a frantic pace. Everywhere, the ground is dug up. There are huge mounds of earth, stone and gravel piled up. There are heavy vehicles all around, some of them carting construction material, others carting workers, yet some other water for the building. There are smaller vehicles with generators and digging equipment on the sides of the roads, and there is the sound of earth meeting rock, always. There is a little water on the lake, where boats, (motorized and otherwise) heroically try to present a picture of a 'resort'. but the waterfront above, around which all the buildings stand, is almost completely dry. The water is muddy, and stagnant. Yet, a more closer look reveals emerging beauty and painstaking care. The scale is massive. There are houses being constructed on hills spread over squares of kilometres. There seems to be a meticulous plan beneath it all. The promenade on the waterfront is created European style. The floor is of stone, and there are beautifully landscaped gardens, seats and corniches. The water flows like a river and the promenade and buildings rise on either side. Like Paris, there are quaint arched stone bridges which connect the two sides together. Buildings are painstakingly constructed in a classic style, with stone in the ground floor, and concrete above. The infrastructure is world class - there is a dam with sluice gates to control the water level, storm drains, great roads, and we saw pipelines being constructed for internet and cable. There are many small dwellings created to house the workers. Vehicles ferry the workers to different parts of Lavasa for work. There is even a temple constructed for them. More » « Hide

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Sherlock Ooty
6.3		rating
56 People reviewed this Hotel View all reviews

We saw Ooty driving to Kerala - the majestic Nilgiri mountains took our breath away. Ooty reigned... .. We saw Ooty driving to Kerala - the majestic Nilgiri mountains took our breath away. Ooty reigned at the top; every bit the Queen of the Nilgiris. Ooty seemed to have developed as a city with attendant responsibilities; People living, working and surviving day and night with no time to develop Ooty into a picture postcard destination like Killarney, Jungfrau, or the black Forest, even though it is every beautiful as these more well known destinations. Yet beyond the haphazard construction, the shanty town, slums we experienced and enjoyed the nip in the air, the tall trees of European origin, and the green forest cover that covered the high mountains like a green carpet..... We decided that we needed to stay in the right place to experience what Ooty had to offer... HolidayIq suggested Sherlock, and to Sherlock we headed. We were impressed by what the goodearth folks were trying to do and so we called them up. The lady on the phone was helpful and directed us to the hotel. We drove off the beaten path and took a small lane up the mountains. We drove up even higher up the mountains; it was a journey not only across space but also across time; the surrounding changed; Ooty unrobed herself; the trappings of the city were taken off; mountain, greenery and flowers revealed themselves, and it seemed that we were moving into a different era with different sensibilities. A few bends and much more rougher road later, Sherlock revealed itself. Sherlock is a delectable bungalow out of Victorian times. Near the dodabbetta peak, the whole Nilgiris lies at its feet. Sherlock\' is a great concept, and it has been executed flawlessly. From the view of the cottage as one enters, to the sherlock memorabilia everywhere, to the exquisite way in which the rooms are furnished, to the fireplace, the stationary, and the tableware, everything is flawless. The room was spacious, and there was a sitout with glass windows, where one could sit and read with a magnificient view spread below. The fireplace was authentic, the food was delicious and service impeccable. More » « Hide

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Secret Ivory Farm and Guest House Mudumalai
5.4		rating
8 People reviewed this Hotel View all reviews

Secret ivory is the place to stay in if one is here for the wildlife. Located at the fringes of... .. Secret ivory is the place to stay in if one is here for the wildlife. Located at the fringes of the reserve forest, it is occasionally visited by the jungle denizens. We arrived there in pitch darkness, and the whole atmosphere was that of a stay in the jungle, not outside it. there was a small building with four room, surrounded entirely by darkness and the forest. The first night was spent in fear - were there hyenas outside; or leopards; or elephants? The rooms are spartan, but clean. The food is reasonably good, but in a wild place, one would expect more in the form of natural stuff - country chicken, or farm eggs. There is a tree house outside the rooms and climbing up to this on the bamboo pole will provide some thrills (and spills too!). The best part of the experience is the jungle safari by Om balan, the owner of the place. Om balan is a veteran guide, and has grown up in the area and if he likes you, will regale you with tales of jungle, wildlife and even Veerappan. He knows the best spots for wildlife; and spots them where a normal guy would see nothing! On the last day, we were visited in the resort by a wild Tusker, and that was a great experience. More » « Hide

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