[StarVegabond]

This one is indeed from my Boss, the one at home ofcourse.

Actually the Summer Vacations started bit early for my wife and daughter this year, It started with a long drive on 26th march to Mumbai,
after couple of weeks stay at Mumbai, now both of them are in Pune and enjoying/partying almost everyday.

Now this request

What : To find a Home Stay for about 5-6 ladies plus 8-10 kids
Where : Around Pune max 200 KMs away, max 3-4 hours drive
When : May 7-10th, 3 to 4 days
Why : Friends of my wife from different part of the world ( sorry, India) have all assembled in pune, now want to have a ladies road trip/ stay for couple days and have a blast of the time.

How : They plan to hire a Innova or Qualis and drive from Pune on 7th morning, reach the destination, stay for few days at a single location, site seeing, return on 10th May evening back to Pune.

What options : Mahabaleshwar, Konkan, Mulshi etc around Pune (suggetions welcome)

How much Budget : Low to Medium Budget (suggetions welcome)

Other requirements :

Clean, Good Place with lots of tourist attractions
Safe destination
Some entertainment for Kids as well
Options for some simple/easy trekking options with guide if available


Reqest members to provide suggetions, help to identify possible destination, stay option and some schedule for these ladies

in return, i ask my Boss to post a travelogue

thanks in advance for your help

[aargee]

3-4 hours drive from Pune? Goa, you mean? Hiring no options, consider only Innova; or how about travelling by train through Konkan coast?
OT - That was your post number 1234

[MX6]

goa is 3 - 4 hours drive from pune? . You can do that only if you borrow Rah's merc!

PM the lord of the ghats, who goes by the handle AshishPallod. He knows everything around here. He'll be able to direct you to good homestays.

[aargee]

Pardon my ignorance, I should've atleast googled, but what I intended to suggest was Goa as destination place.

[StarVegabond]

Goa or any Beach is ruled out, because it is May and would be very Hot.

Ladies seems to be wanting to chit-chat in shade or cooler place.

they do not want to be driven more than 2-3, max 4 hours including all breaks on the way.

[aargee]

Ok, I'm no expert here, but stumbled upon this to help you; find anything interesting?

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

What : To find a Home Stay for about 5-6 ladies plus 8-10 kids
Where : Around Pune max 200 KMs away, max 3-4 hours drive
When : May 7-10th, 3 to 4 days
What options : Mahabaleshwar, Konkan, Mulshi etc around Pune (suggetions welcome)
How much Budget : Low to Medium Budget (suggetions welcome)
Other requirements :
Clean, Good Place with lots of tourist attractions
Safe destination
Some entertainment for Kids as well
Options for some simple/easy trekking options with guide if available

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Goa or any Beach is ruled out, because it is May and would be very Hot.
Ladies seems to be wanting to chit-chat in shade or cooler place.
they do not want to be driven more than 2-3, max 4 hours including all breaks on the way.

three spots within reach,

1] mahabaleshwar [ best in terms of facilities]
2] matheran [though better in terms of facilities, too much walking make this destination miserable]
3] amboli [ 350km and 6 hour drive, though good, lack of market may be negative point for ladies].

choice is yours...oops...choice of your boss?

homestays at mahabaleshwar may be all booked for the season and it is very difficult to get it at such short notice.
better take three family rooms at any hotel or resort which will be safe with all facilities at hand.

i will find some suggested homestays and post it by tomorrow.

[Abhay]

1) Matheran would be best option, unless they do not like to walk (horseback is possible for the kids and they would enjoy it). Should be cooler (I use the term loosely) than most other places right now and you have some good hotels there
(although a bit costly).

2) M'war/Panchgani - has everything like Ashish said but a bit boring IMO

3) Plenty of good home-stay options in Konkan but as you said it will be hot/humid

4) Other resorts like (e.g Girivan )near Pune but not sure if 3/4 days at such a place is worth it.

[sinner]

My suggestion would be to visit Dapoli ... Ladghar Beach to be precise. Few pointers
- Clean and Secluded beach
- For just 100 bucks PP boat ride you can actually see Dolphins
- Very Economical (we rented a Cottage for 800 Bucks a Day)
- Its not Hot at all ( I recently visited)

You Can Google Pears Resort Ladghar. Also you can PM me for more details.

As i said i recently visited this place with my family.. a huge group of 15 people for two days.. At the end everyone was very very happy with the location.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Abhay

2) M'war/Panchgani - has everything like Ashish said but a bit boring IMO

Mahabaleshwar and boring?

No way.


Mahabaleshwar is cooler than any place in Maharashtra,
last week, i was there and my kids were shivering due to cool breeze in the evening.

@SINNER--- visit Dapoli ... Ladghar Beach to be precise.
- Its not Hot at all ( I recently visited)
As i said i recently visited this place with my family.. a huge group of 15 people for two days.. At the end everyone was very very happy with the location.

Recently means how many days back?

The group want 3-4 hour ride and cool place and i think Dapoli do not fulfill the requirement otherwise the place is good.

[pawan_pullarwar]

Matheran would be good choice, but its Vehicle prohibited area There is a parking outside the Matheran, you need to park the vehicle and walk or take horse ride around 2-3 km to get inside. Do not try to drive in the evening time at around 5-6PM, otherwise there will be traffic chaos. Another option is to park the vehicle at Nepal railway station and take Nepal-Matheran toy train but you need to book the ticket in Advance, sometimes you dont get the tickets.

Mahabaleshwar would be 2nd choice, make sure you stay in the cooler side of Mahabaleshwar, that would be I think somewhere between Punchgani and Mahabaleshwar.

[StarVegabond]

Thanks very much Ashish, Abhay, Pawan, Sinner,

I just now had a conf call with my boss and provided her with the upto this hour briefing and asked her about her choices

The options under consideration are as below

1. Mahabaleshwar-Panchgangi
This is recommended by me, but it seems all of them have visited Mahabaleshwar several times (together) when they were in college. So this needs a discussion among them whether they want to re-live the good/fun moments again.

2. Matheran - Neral
The toy train is certainly an attraction here, BTW, is it working now ?

3. Kashid-Nagaon-Raighad (this is a combo of fort+beach)
This option croped up from Boss's side, it seems they have been discussing, but it was not an option few hours ago. This proves Boss can be un-predictable.

4. Dapoli . I told about this option after Boss disclosed option three. This needs to be discussed among the co-travellers and then outcome would be known.


Dear Ashish: Now waiting for the info about the home stay option mentioned by you.

Any other suggetions, info are welcome.

[Buffetfan]

how about this - have always though what it would be like to have a family gathering at this place. Unsure though for only ladies as this place might get a bit lonely

The Verandah in the Forest (Matheran, India) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor

http://www.oktatabyebye.com/hotels/h...-matheran.html

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

T
3. Kashid-Nagaon-Raighad (this is a combo of fort+beach)
This option croped up from Boss's side, it seems they have been discussing, but it was not an option few hours ago. This proves Boss can be un-predictable.
4. Dapoli . I told about this option after Boss disclosed option three. This needs to be discussed among the co-travellers and then outcome would be known.
Dear Ashish: Now waiting for the info about the home stay option mentioned by you.

option three,

Please, do not stay at raigad fort,
i repeat,
please do NOT stay at raigad,
it is highly risky place to stay full of snakes,
last time, i stayed at mtdc raigad and found poisonous snake in the cottage, changed the cottage, found another there before shifting, could not sleep whole night in the third cottage.

if you prefer dapoli, i suggest, stay at karde [hotel kinara], the place is good with garden and plays for children bang in front of beach.

regarding homestays, i am still hunting the reliable and safe homestay, please wait.

[sinner]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Recently means how many days back?

The group want 3-4 hour ride and cool place and i think Dapoli do not fulfill the requirement otherwise the place is good.

By recently i ment April 1st Week. And let me give you a low down on this one.. We were there for two days.. and trust me we didn't even have to switch on the AC in our room. Forget AC it was sooo cold at night me and wify had to use blankets ( well 1 for me and two for her) at night with the fan switched off.

Quite frankly for me the highest part was driving on the Beach.

appart from that there are loads and loads of mango farms in that area.. Ratnagiri alphanso to be precise. And stealing mangos from there is a different kick all together.

Well anyways the decission is up to you..