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Old 15th September 2011, 15:27   #1
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Bad Experience in Amba Valley (Hornbill Resort)

Thought I should warn you all about the Hornbill resort. Ths story starts like this. I was searching for a resort to go during the long weekend of 15th Aug. I searched plenty of places but then I could get only Hornbill resort in Amba. I paid the booking amount online of 3k and decided to drive to Amba Ghat on 13th. But last minute I had to cancel as my daughter was not well. So I had to postpone by calling HornBill. They agreed rightaway.

Finally I decided to go on 9, 10 and 11 along with my friend who thought that I have chosen the best resort. So we both drove with our cars to Amba. Here starts the problem.

On reaching Amba Valley, there were no clear signs to the so called Hornbill resort as the sign was already covered with muck. In fact, we could not locate the Hornbill board and drove till Amba ghat way ahead. we had to rurn back in search. On finally reaching the resort, we were surprised to see some house that was being called as a a resort.

The water was covering every part hallway and was damp. There were some German Shepherd dogs and lab's that were stinking. Floor wipes were lying around. Mr Gupte welcomed us and then directed us to so called deluxe rooms that were not even worth being called as resort room. On reaching the rooms, there were dog's pug marks on the white sheet of the extra bed that was laid out. The bathrooms doors looked as if if it need to be replaced rather than repainted. On opening the washroom, the muck was lying all around including rats and lizards yuck lying around. It seemed that it had not been cleaned for some time now. We were all shocked but then thought we may have to look at lunch.

Finally we gathered some strength and managed to go for the lunch that was already delayed by our late arrival. We managed to walk into the dining area where there were some hens flocking around. The glass tables seemed to be un-clean. After the rooms and the dining area experience, we were worried about the food, but fortunately that turned out to be better experience(While Non veg fare was good, the veg fare was mediocore.)

After completing the food, we decided to go to Manoli dam, while sitting on the top of the Tempo Trax. The view and drive was good but we were worried what would happen at night and we would have to spend some 3 days in such a bad place. All money down the drain. after lot of deliberation and downing some glasses of wine and beer we decided to call off our trip the next day and start back home or take on to a different resort.

Morning time we again got into to the Trax (along with two more families with their perplexed faces) and started for Marleshwar. After a drive of 28kms we reached Marleshwar(some 14-15 people) in 1 trax. The trip and the view was again undoubtedly good. While starting back, the traffic cops stopped us for illegal usage of Trax. The driver was fined some 700Rs. Oh yes forgot to mention the leaking Trax when it rained.

Finally on reaching back to the so called resort, we bid bye to Mr Sunil Gupte and started for our homes again.

I would like to note the following points about this resort

1. Extremely unclean(agreed weather is not conducive at this time of the year but basic cleanliness is required). Place is infested with rats, cockroaches. They might end up eating your soap, food etc. It happened when we had gone out usual resort soap was missing. After some time, same happened to my friend. We then found that rats come in the washroom to pick up these eatable soaps.

2. Dangerous rides need to be taken at your own risk(eg: sitting in a frame on the top of a trax). Common sight in Amba. I would prefer safety over such riskiness.

3. Food was over all mediocore.

4. Place is helpful to babies and kids when they require special meals or likes of sterilizing bottles etc. But all these points cannot and will not be able to hide the fact that the place was extremely unclean.

While Mr Sunil Gupte harps about his so called great visitors and his experiences of being around the world while in Merchant Navy and this being his tenth business venture(some of them hotels in Mumbai), I was surprised to note his lack of cleanliness at his resort that could be compared only to Lalit Bhanot of the CWG scam. And all this at a price of 1500 Rs per person per night. He may even add some 0.5 days in case you have an additional lunch.

The prob with this resort is that

1. Does not seem to be a resort all. Looks more like a big converted house. I was not expecting great luxury but having rats eating our soaps and water around was not being my idea of a resort

2. Rooms were damp and were stinking. Agreed bed sheets do not dry, there are other ways to make keep the resort good smelling

3. Dog's pug marks on my bed. Unforgivable.

4. Vegetation growth everywhere. If resort wants customers, they should surely cut the vegetation down and make it look beautiful

All I feel is that this resort is trying to make money by giving a false picture on its website...

Let me know if some one has experienced this resort.
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Old 15th September 2011, 16:55   #2
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley(Hornbill Resort)

Quote:
Originally Posted by nayaksrinivasv View Post



The prob with this resort is that

1. Does not seem to be a resort all. Looks more like a big converted house. I was not expecting great luxury but having rats eating our soaps and water around was not being my idea of a resort

2. Rooms were damp and were stinking. Agreed bed sheets do not dry, there are other ways to make keep the resort good smelling

3. Dog's pug marks on my bed. Unforgivable.

4. Vegetation growth everywhere. If resort wants customers, they should surely cut the vegetation down and make it look beautiful

All I feel is that this resort is trying to make money by giving a false picture on its website...

Let me know if some one has experienced this resort.
@nayaksrinivasv, sorry to hear about your experience however thanks for sharing this as the resort name look very tempting "Hornbill"

Instead of coming back in half trip why don't you thought of trying the other resorts there, I have very good experience with Pavankhinda Resort, not very Hi-Fi but very clean and maintained by owner also they present a very good example on use of solar power for whole resort.

Yeh, the ferry on top of Trax is very common in that place however the drivers are very confident about the load balance and other technical things.
Bad Experience in Amba Valley (Hornbill Resort)-dsc02679.jpg
Also Pavankhind resort provide jungle safari, with veg and non-veg barbecue.

Thanks,
Vishal
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Old 15th September 2011, 18:54   #3
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley(Hornbill Resort)

That was a bad experience, cleanliness is one of the first thing that should come into the mind when going out for a leisure trip.
When I was reading the post I was thinking what kind of ride on top of a Trax would be and with these pictures all I can say it's very very unsafe and illegal practice. Drivers are always confident about anything but still this is something I'll never try. Why can't they just get some open top jeeps instead of putting people like luggage on top of a Trax. This kind of dangerous practice should be stopped before it spreads to other part of the country(oh yeah, it's very easy for people here to copy such things to make some quick bucks).
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Old 15th September 2011, 20:42   #4
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley(Hornbill Resort)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thar4x4 View Post
@nayaksrinivasv, sorry to hear about your experience however thanks for sharing this as the resort name look very tempting "Hornbill"

Instead of coming back in half trip why don't you thought of trying the other resorts there, I have very good experience with Pavankhinda Resort, not very Hi-Fi but very clean and maintained by owner also they present a very good example on use of solar power for whole resort.

Yeh, the ferry on top of Trax is very common in that place however the drivers are very confident about the load balance and other technical things.
Attachment 609884
Also Pavankhind resort provide jungle safari, with veg and non-veg barbecue.

Thanks,
Vishal
Tried that with Jungle Resort, but the reviews were not great either with them too(Somebody might have different thought also). So we thought that its better not to stay and get out asap.
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Old 16th September 2011, 00:30   #5
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley(Hornbill Resort)

Quote:
Originally Posted by nayaksrinivasv View Post
Tried that with Jungle Resort, but the reviews were not great either with them too(Somebody might have different thought also). So we thought that its better not to stay and get out asap.
@nayak,
Was this the resort?

Thanks for the update. Such candid reviews are very important. Would suggest you to put up this review on tripadvisor too - not only will it help future travelers, also the owners might be compelled to get their act together.

P.s. Didn't you take any pics? Nothing describes the situation like a pic does.
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Old 16th September 2011, 17:15   #6
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley(Hornbill Resort)

Should've searched Team-BHP before booking rooms there. Here's a post from another thread:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Figopian View Post
On the internet you may find one Hornbill resort. Do not dare going to this resort, I had extremely unpleasant experience here.
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Old 18th September 2011, 12:28   #7
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley(Hornbill Resort)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ninjatalli View Post
@nayak,
Was this the resort?

Thanks for the update. Such candid reviews are very important. Would suggest you to put up this review on tripadvisor too - not only will it help future travelers, also the owners might be compelled to get their act together.

P.s. Didn't you take any pics? Nothing describes the situation like a pic does.
I had planned to put up a review on tripadvisor about my experience at Hornbill, but couldn't find time. Now, looking at the experience here, I will put up something on tripadvisor too.
In a way I was luckier that I couldnot get to stay at Hornbill, though it ruined my family time. Can you imagin booking this resort a month before and for a group of 20 people and Mr. Sunil Gupte, when I called him once we headed towards the resort saying he has actually overbooked his resort and now we don't have any room?
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Old 18th September 2011, 12:49   #8
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley(Hornbill Resort)

@ nayaksrinivasv

Sorry to hear your experience.

I have been to this place last year. Now this is for which I am cursing myself. Had I put my travelogues in time and insync, you would have been saved from this situation.

Hornbill is not for family visits and stay.

When you take turn inside from main road, if you go further from Hornbill, you have another resort, "Amba Forest Resort" which is better for family stay.

Food is good @ Hornbill as you noticed.

Remember that Amba Ghat is a kind of upcoming tourist place and not yet noticed much.
People generally stay at Kolhapur and visit Amba, Pavan Khind, Panhala and places around.

Most of the so called resorts at Amba ghat are second home to Mumbai/Navi Mumbai/Pune/Satara/Kolhapur people.

About sign boards, I am not sure to blindly depend on them. Infact when we drove to Amba, it was Night and we remember reaching there at around 2 AM. But the guy was courteous enought to keep updating us the route and stand on main road till we reached the resort.

For me, Lessong Learnt: Too update my travelogues within time.

I hope the scenic view of Pavankhind and Marleshwar might have worked as band-aid to your bad experience.

Hornbill is strictly for bachelors who look forward to a budget stay in not so developed tourist place "Ambaghat".
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Old 18th September 2011, 13:23   #9
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley(Hornbill Resort)

@nomadabhi, In what universe is 1500/night/pp budget stay!
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Old 18th September 2011, 22:03   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tsk1979
@nomadabhi, In what universe is 1500/night/pp budget stay!
I agree. No way this place is good for 1500/night/pp. Having said that, as I said, if you listen to Mr. Gupte, on phone, you might fall for it. This calls for a detailed review, I will do one myself!
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Old 18th September 2011, 23:31   #11
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley (Hornbill Resort)

1500/night/pp....? way to much. When did I said, I paid that much. It was way less than this and included 2 breakfast, lunch and dinner of our choice.

As I said, it was a year before could not say much about current situation.
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Old 19th September 2011, 21:12   #12
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Re: Bad Experience in Amba Valley (Hornbill Resort)

@nomadabhi: I dont think it is worth any visit even for a Bachelor. The price includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea... Also includes rides to nearby places. All good on the food and the rides front. But that does not compensate for non hygiene. As I mentioned, when one calls its a property a resort, It better be looking good or at least maintains hygiene.

Also good views of Pawankhind and Marleshwar were actually a Band-Aid.

I was quite surprised with his talks of being around the world while being in Merchant Navy and Vienna.

So much that I think I need to take one more Leisure trip to get over this one...
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