LakeRose Wayanad Resort - Detailed Review

LakeRose Wayanad Resort is built on the shores of Karapuzha Dam. It is a luxury boutique resort offering spectacular views of the mountains overlooking the lake. One can thoroughly enjoy the sunrise and the sunset at the golden hours and create memories forever. You are literally in the lap of nature and can feel the serenity and tranquility. Smell of flowers, misty air, coconut trees, breezy winds and the views - the feeling is no less than heaven. 

The resort is quite huge and holds multiple cottages, villas and lakeview rooms. We stayed at the Waterfront Grandeur Cottage right beside the lake and enjoyed our stay fully. The rooms are quite exotic and spacious overlooking the lake and the mountains. Beds are super comfortable and the large french windows allow enough light and views into the room. Washroom is well equipped with bath tub, water heater and good toiletries. Standard mineral water bottles, tea and coffee maker are provided as well. The resort had indoor and outdoor games too - cricket, basketball, foosball, chess, swings and trampoline for kids. Swimming pool is of a decent size, clean and is rightly located to enjoy the scenic beauty. The restaurant offers wide variety of food (which is extremely yummy and delicious) and has both north Indian and south Indian options. As a courtesy, the hotel (Mr Jobish) also offered us a gift packet containing spices (cardamom, kokum, cloves and pepper) on our way back home. Hotel staff is highly courteous and services are quite up-to mark. Sharing video and photos from my dump below.

Hope you enjoy and plan a trip soon!

Video - Waterfront Grandeur Cottage Walkaround

Photo Gallery 

Kannur and Wayanad - Kerala Trip - 4 Night 5 Days

Hello Readers

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! 

My first post comes right after the first long weekend of the year. A vacation that I was craving for a long time now. With Delhi shivering at 2 degrees, we decided to visit Kerala and have some respite from the winter chills. So we planned an instant trip for 4 night and 5 days for Kannur and Wayanad. We were quite clear on choosing Wayanad as one of our destinations for the vacation, however we were quite open to explore the second city basis the availability of air tickets (cheaper ones lol ;) Wayanad is well connected and the closest airports are Bangalore, Kannur and Kozhikode. We chose Kannur as it is an offbeat destination and we heard that its beaches are quite calmer. Amidst all the madness at work front, the choice was an quite easy one. 

We booked to and fro tickets from Delhi to Kannur which costed us ~27000 for 2 people. You may get cheaper tickets as well if you book well in advance (ours was literally last minute :P). So we planned to spend 2 days each at both the cities. While Kannur is a coastal city and one can enjoy the beauty of the Arabian sea on the other hand Wayanad is a green paradise nestled in the mountains of the western ghats which is approx110Kms from Kannur. Both are quite unique in their own ways and one can truly experience tranquility away from the hustle bustle of the cities. 

Distance and Time from Kannur to Wayanad - 110Kms. Road journey of 3.5 hours

How to reach - One can book taxi and it costs approx 2500Rs per day for a sedan

Places to stay - Sharing links below for the properties at which we stayed along with video links of the rooms as well.

1. Kannur (Both the days) - The Krishna Beach Resort 

2. Wayanad Day 1 - Arayal Resorts Wayanad

3. Wayanad Day 2 - The LakeRose Wayanad Resort

Kannur - Quite famous for its scintillating beaches and picturesque views, one can fully admire the golden hues at sunrise and sunset while enjoying the beach. You can see ships in transit as well along this Malabar coast.  Listing down a few major attractions. Have highlighted the ones in bold that we visited. Scroll down for videos and photo gallery.

• Payyambalam beach - Free Entry
• Muzhappilangad drive-in beach
• Kannur Light House  Entry Ticket 40Rs for Adults and 20Rs for Children
• Baby Beach - Entry Ticket 20Rs for Adults and 10Rs for Children
• St. Angelo fort
• Snake Park

Wayanad - Famous for camping and trekking trails, this place offers breath taking views of mountains, waterfalls and plethora of flora and fauna. One can explore the tea and coffee plantations and can take home exotic range of products ranging from coffee, tea spices to bamboo, honey and other herbal products. Listing down few major attractions, however you can choose and visit basis your interest

• Banasura Sagar Dam
• Karapuzha Dam 
• Chembra Peak 
• Eddakal Caves
• Kuruva Island
• Pookode Lake

Videos and Photo Gallery - 

Hope you find this itinerary and reviews helpful. Do leave me a comment below if you have any queries or would like to know more about. Until then, happy reading and happy travelling. 

The Ramgarh Bungalows - 19th Century (Above Nainital, Uttarakhand) | Property Review | Neemarana "Non Hotel" Hotels

Neemrana – The Ramgarh Bungalows, 19^th Century, Above Nainital, Uttarakhand

Further continuing the exploration, our second stop was Ramgarh. Nestled in the lap of Himalayas, this 19th century bungalows are located in the Kumaon belt and is almost equidistant from both Bhimtal and Nainital. Far away from the hustle bustle of the city madness, one can truly enjoy and experience the sunrise and the sunset. These bungalows have adjacent orchards loaded with plum, apricot, apple, peaches and pears. One can relish the famous Ramgarh jams here, free of preservatives. And truly rejuvenate in the fresh air, witnessing tranquility with mesmerizing views.

We stayed here for 2 nights and it was a wonderful experience. Our cottage name was IRIS and it was facing the mountain peaks and the valley at the same time. We could enjoy the sunset from our garden while sipping the evening tea. The 360 degree view of the serene mountains just helps you release your  stress and leaves you with a heavenly feel. Rooms were extremely comfortable and cozy, spacious for our luggage and calm enough for us to relax fully. Bathrooms were well fitted with geysers for hot supply and had toiletries too. Food was great and we opted for all meals inclusive package. The hotel staff would check with each guest for their food preference for lunch/ dinner and there would be a buffet for weekend stays. Great hospitality by the staff members. Our check-in and check-out processes were super smooth. 

Bookings were done via MakeMyTrip app and were quite seamless.

Sharing few pictures from our photo dump that will tempt you to visit this place.

Happy ready and Happy Travelling!

Amritara Tuskar's Riverside Resort, Jim Corbett - Property Review

Dear Readers 

Sharing property review from our Jim Corbett stay. 

My next post will have complete itinerary and details of 1 week long stay in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. 

Our vacation started with 1 night stay at Jim Corbett. We had booked the Amritara Tuskar's riverside resort. Situated in the Dhikuli range, this property is ~9 kms from the city centre and can be located 100m down/ off the main road, easily accessible by car. We had booked a family room, which had 1 bedroom, washroom and kitchenette. Bedrooms are quite spacious, with comfortable beddings however pillows were a bit too thick, would have preferred standard medium size 😝. Each room has a private balcony for one to soak in the nature. Room was well equipped with basic amenities – Tea/coffee maker, AC, TV, Wifi, Fan, Toiletries and mini fridge. Restaurant was pretty average in terms of food – particularly the taste. Breakfast buffet offerings were quite limited.  This property holds swimming pool, has a huge Mango orchard and you can walk down the riverside as well to enjoy the nature. Since monsoons are yet to hit, there was a very small stream of river flowing. The garden area overlooking the riverside had a few swings and was huge for one to meditate or do yoga. Staff is quite courteous and hygiene is well maintained.

This property has been taken over by the Amritara group quite recently and we hope to see further amendments to this resort. Spa and Wellness retreat were under construction, hoping to see some additional beautification to the pool area as well. Would particularly like to thank Nimisha for a courteous welcome and support during our stay.

Sharing images of this property - 

Hope you liked the pictures.

Do look forward to the next post for my Kumaon vacation details. 

Happy Reading and Happy Travelling!

Tijara Fort Palace | Palace Hotels In Rajasthan | Delhi Weekend Getaway | Neemrana Hotels

Dear Readers,

Hope you are well and keeping safe amidst these tough times. Sharing a weekend getaway right before India was struck with Covid wave 2. In the early months of 2021 (sometime around mid March), me and my husband decided to explore one of the great heritage Neemrana property in Alwar district of Rajasthan - Tijara Fort Palace. It is an exclusive weekend getaway from Delhi NCR and the property is quite well maintained in terms of hygiene and sanitization. Scribbling some details below about this exclusive palace hotel.

How to reach -

Tijara fort palace is situated in the Alwar district and once can reach by all three means, road, rail and air. Nearest airport is Delhi Airport situated at about 95 kms from the property. Road journey typically takes around 2.5-3 hours from Delhi and ~2 hours from Gurgaon/ Faridabad. Nearest railway station is Alwar, which has trains to almost all major cities of Rajasthan. 

About the Property - 

Tijara Fort palace is a 19th century fort. Stay at this property will mesmerize you with the unique heritage of India and will lead you to discover more. This fort hosts 71 suites and rooms named after India's leading designers and painters who helped create them. This fort offers magnificent flora, wide landscapes and beauty much more than one can soak in. Experience the musical chirping of birds, beautiful sunrise amidst the Aravali ranges and lush green landscape - it offers enough and more for the solitude seekers or one with the artistic eye or the poser - fills everyone with contentment. There is a sunken pool to relax and rejuvenate and the seven terraced gardens (also known as the hanging gardens) offers impressive and  striking views of this fort.

Bookings - 

You can do bookings directly via the hotel or through third party source - Make My Trip, Agoda, Booking.com, Goibibo, Yatra etc. Room rent is usually around - 6000-8000 (exclusive of taxes) and it fluctuates as per the season and demand. there are various room categories like Heritage Romance, Splendour and Royal (each offering a unique experience). High teas are complimentary and cultural events are performed usually on the weekends.

Tips and Tricks -

• This fort is one of the most sought destination for weddings,  pre/ post wedding photoshoot, magazine cover page photoshoots etc and hence usually sold out for weekends. Please ensure that you make bookings in advance to avoid any last minute hassle.
• Since, there are no nearby restaurants etc, do ensure that you add meals in your package before hand to get a good deal.
• Carry a mosquito raquet with you if travelling during changing seasons. While the hotel do offer mosquito repellent sprays etc. it is always good to carry your stuff. (At the end it is a fort stay 🌝)

Cultural Events 

Gallery -

Watch out for the next destination, till then happy travelling and safe safe!

#toastytrips #staysafe

The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake Gurgaon | Staycation near Gurgaon

Happy New Year !!!

My first post comes in much delayed but hoping that all my reader are healthy and keeping safe amidst this pandemic. With minimal travel last year, I planned to explore some luxury resorts near Delhi NCR to unplug and unwind ourselves. We booked 1 night stay at The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake, Gurgaon on the new year eve. It was quite a refreshing experience, and had to be as we were stepping out after almost 10 months of lockdown (literally at home all this while... Phew!). Given this property is away from the hustle bustle of the city, one can recharge their mind, rejuvenate their souls and get wrapped in the lap of mother nature! Sharing candid and detailed review on this property.

Location 4/5- This property is situated around 45kms from the Delhi airport and is connected well by road. Spread over 20 acres land, it allows enough and more to unplug and unwind.

Room and Ambience 3.5/5 - We booked the Superior Resort room courtyard view (#201) and it was quite happening. I loved the room location and it was quite nice (approachable from the front desk, restaurant and even the gardens). Room was clean however few things needed renovation. The headboard was ripped off from few places and the stool and high chair provided were quite dirty (Honestly not as per Taj standards). It had stains at multiple places. Lighting was decent and bed was comfortable. There was a leakage in the washroom, near the toilet area. Water was dripping and kept that area wet throughout.  

Service and Hospitality 3/5- Staff was courteous, however service was not up to the mark. Given the new year rush, the entire resort was fully occupied and the staff wasn't able to manage the same. We ordered soup through the in room dining facility and did not get the same. Had to check again after 45 min just to know that the order was missed out! Phew... 

Food 2/5 - TERRIBLE! Below average food as per 5 star standards. We ordered North Indian for lunch and to our horror found hair in the dish. The hotel staff did not charge us for the same but were arrogant to even acknowledge the situation. It was handled quite unprofessionally and added bitterness to our experience.

Other Services and Activites 4/5- The property hosts gym, spa and pool as well however pool as closed due to Covid restrictions. There are lots of outdoor activities as well like Spiderweb, Wall climbing, Ziplining, ATV ride, basketball and lawn tennis. 

This resort allows non residents as well to explore the property and enjoy the activities.

Overall Experience - 3.5/5

Picture Gallery

Happy Travelling and Exploring! Wear Mask and Stay Safe!