Fort JadhavGADH, Pune — Attraction in Maharashtra

Look at the end of the day, any hospitality service is put in perspective by its price point. What is acceptable at 5K a night, is not at 3 times the price. I am therefore very surprised at seeing the number of 5 star reviews here.

I am by no means a professional luxury traveler. I am not used to having a red carpet laid out for me. Most of my travel has been for business purposes. I say this therefore as someone who still felt this place has a long way to go to really provide a service the price point demands.

JadhavGADH also needs to make up its mind what kind of audience it is targeting. I went for a quiet anniversary weekend with my spouse. Unfortunately, this was also a weekend where they had let out what seems to be 70-80% of the property for a corporate retreat. This group had (understandably) hijacked most of the lawns and play areas, the restaurant (loud party with the classic Indian 'DJ Night') which meant we had to sit next to blaring music (and no buffet as promised), were hanging around in small groups drinking & smoking all over. Arrival and departure of these groups takes time which means a simple request with taking some of our luggage downstairs went unattended for 30 mins + since 'everyone was busy'. Again, I have been part of such groups and this is not a judgement on them but on the management who did not choose fit to inform the rest of the guests.

Service My key bugbear. They need a Service Excellence or a Customer Experience Manager pronto. Let me give you some examples: When we checked in, there was an empty plate, glass, bowls outside the door of the next room (someone had ordered room service). We must have called room service for various things (lock, towels, a bottle of water etc. at least 4-5 times in 24 hrs). No one who visited saw fit to clear this cutlery which was as it is when we checked out. How does a room north of 15k not have a mini-bar or a refrigerator in the room?! If you call for help, I expect it to come in 5-10 mins. Almost always had to follow-up Key cards/keys not working multiple time. An electric loose connection is fine in principle but to need to call someone 3 times is a sign of lax maintenance

Some other observations: The property is unique, and well maintained. I however felt it lacked an overall cohesive vision of how to present an old, unadorned Maratha fort. Its a nice place to walk and stroll around, and the clean air and the Deccan plateau topography is a welcome change. Rooms are clean and neat, without being spectacular. Seriously, there was nothing which made me go wow. Restaurants are meh. Once again, for a Maratha fort - it would be cool if they focused on upscale Maratha cuisine with some creative options. Instead in both the restaurants there is a mish-mash of the usual Chino-Punjabification of dishes. The food is good, but the overall experience was average. The aesthetic of the restaurants (especially Paaytha) also left a lot to be desired. The signposts from different localities across Mumbai and Pune are better suited for an Irani restaurant Hygiene (plates not very clean, flies hovering around) in a restaurant at this price point is again an absolute no. I get this is an open-air restaurant but sorry - at ~2k a meal, this is not acceptable. It is absolutely OK for all of your staff to not be proficient in English. But if they are speaking in English, they should be speaking it well. Otherwise 90% of guests will be perfectly comfortable in Hindi or Marathi.

I feel this has become quite negative, but let me also tell you some of the nicer bits: The Museum is wonderful. The audio-tour is fantastic. In fact, the highlight of the place for me - unfortunately the management doesn't seem to talk about it as much. We visited it towards the end of our stay, and I wished I had given it more time. The flyers/brochures could talk this up more. Some of the staff is very warm and genuinely nice local folks, who I enjoyed...

We had really high hopes from this property. We had heard rave reviews from friends & family, Google reviews just put the cherry on the top. We were expecting an exciting monsoon weekend with family. It was decent, the property is beautiful, we found it one of a kind. The history behind the place is astonishing to say the least.

Pros : (1) As mentioned above, property is amazing. We experienced everything - right from the grand entry to a very warm welcome with so much grandeur & culture. It still felt very homely.

(2) The rooms are spacious, very comfortable for 4 people (2 adults+2 kids). The bathroom space is quite big, we had booked Varsha suit which had open to sky bath, very unique & lovely concept.

(3) The property is huge. If you have an hour to spare, take the audio tour, it's worth exploring the property listening to the interesting bits, little stories, some trivia related to it. Even if you don't want to do the tour, just visit the aai museum near the paayatha restaurant. It's a must visit place if you're a history buff.

(4) Another thing we just simply loved is that they had a lovely trek from the tent area of the property. It takes about an hour or so but it's so beautiful in the monsoon, totally worth getting all sweaty & muddy. My 6 yr old climbed all the way to the top & loved every bit of it.

Cons : (1) They charge about 17k + taxes per room which is inclusive of 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The food is quite average, not at all as per the standard of a 5 star property. Quality is very very average, was expecting much more for the charges that are paid. Majority of times food wasn't hot, not refilled, communication lacking between the staffs, very poor management from the supervisor or any other person handling the floor specially during peak hours. They were not able to manage the crowds. Live counters we're serving burnt food. Tea/ coffee containers weren't working, gas smell around the live counters, very shabby food containers, no sense of hygiene by management & customers both. Tables were poorly set, since it's a ecotel, even table cloths & hand towels looked barely washed and so rough to touch.

We had seen much better standards at the likes of Taj/ trident ,even Marriott.

As mentioned above, if they're charging like a 5 star property, they should provide the food of much much higher standard.

(2) Majority of their activities are paid. We just did trekking ,audio tour & used the pool, all were free. They have 8-10 more activities which are chargeable.

(3) The service is very very average, not as prompt. Was expecting so much better. We were calling multiple times for basic things like water, luggage assistance etc.

(4) WiFi didn't work. They said router issue, which wasn't solved till we left.

Overall, all my points are for the aesthetics & the history behind it. The Royal feel doesn't leave you. It was a crowded weekend, would like to give them benefit of doubt & try a one day trip on a weekday. Till we meet again, Jadhavgadh...

Fort Jadhavgadh is one lifetime experience that you shouldn’t miss! What makes Fort Jadhavgadh epic? With a scenic backdrop and a 300 year old Maratha heritage, Fort Jadhavgadh will leave you completely awestruck! Restored and managed by Sir Vithal Kamath, this majestic property was built by Pilaji Jadhavrao-the Marathi General in Chhattrapati Sahuji’s army. This dates back to 18th century! Be it the royal entry by the Mavalas who play the traditional tutari to the impeccable rooms, there is something ineffably mesmerizing about staying at Fort Jadhavgadh, the only Heritage Luxury Fort Hotel in Pune, Maharashtra. How are the rooms & staff? -Each room is beautifully decorated with brass vessels, gold-plated vases, paintings and walls adorn monochrome and sepia photographs to give that historic feel. The hotel houses 58 rooms, consisting of three suites, 39 rooms, 12 royal tents and four neem cottages. Like most modern-day hotels, the rooms, suites and tents are equipped with all modern amenities. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful and are available 24*7 to solve all your queries or needs. All the rooms of the main fort are spacious and have been uniquely designed to let you gaze up at the stars and feel the cool hill breeze. High speed internet and valet parking is also available at the property!

What about food and dining options? -Apart from being mesmerized by the interiors of the property, one thing that totally blew our minds was the FOOOOD! The flavors were bang on perfect! There are two in-house restaurants here- Chhajja - The Coffee Shop and Payatha - The Authentic Maharashtrian Foothill Restaurant. Both these restaurants serve some delicious local and world cuisine to suit all guests!  We absolutely recommend their Maharashtrian delicacies like Thalipeeth, Puran Poli, Kothimbir Vadi, Gavran Chicken Curry with Bhakri and more. Oh yes! They also have an unlimited buffet spread at Payatha where one can eat to their heart’s content! Chajja, on the other hand serves delicious continental dishes. Do not miss the Chicken Club Sandwich and Cappucino here! They are toooo good! What else can I watch out for? Fort Jadhavgadh is a complete holiday destination that promises a fresh and exciting experience for all age groups. The hotel offers a wide variety of activities that allow families and friends to participate, bond and spend quality time together. Be it trekking or a visit to the Aai museum-dedicated to mothers, created by Dr. Vithal Kamat by reviving the fort’s horse and elephant stable houses, you can do a lot here. Do check out their website to know more about their offerings! One can also explore underground tunnels and the dungeons which are now used to store wine! Isn’t that just awesome?

All in all, Fort Jadhavgadh is one staycation experience we just cannot get tired of talking about! It makes you feel connected to your roots and the royal Maratha heritage...