Blue Bella Resort — Hotel in Maharashtra

This is one of the best resorts/campouts in the area. We initially had bookings to another place, but at the last moment there was a change of plan and we ended up at Blue Bella. It was a pleasant experience and the hosts were too good. We rented out a TIPI which is not your typical tent, but an elaborate spread which gives you a rustic feel along with the amenities one wants. Besides, it can accommodate 5-10 people if required, ideal for groups. Checkin - 4 PM to 11 AM. I was initially skeptic about the 4 PM login, but it makes sense that during noon, the tent tends to warm up.

Food - We opted for vegetarian and it was delightfully well cook and surprisingly deviod of excess oil. We had the best Palak Paneer and thick tur Dal when compared to the best restaurants visited in Pune. If you follow North Indian culniary varieties, you would immediately relate to the taste. The starters were well cooked (stuffed potato and paneer tikka). Since we opted to eat near the bonfire on a chilly night, it was turning out cold quickly. The hosts provided the option to reheat it, but the it surprisingly was tasting better even when cold. And not to mention the CHAI. We are not chai sippers (not even occasionally) but we ended up having the best chai ever.

Hosts/staff - The best I have seen in all these years of my moderate camping and stayouts, Kevin and Sreyesh you guys are an absolute delight to hang out with. Never felt like we didnt know you before, such was the comfort level you provided us with. Right from the cleaning lady to the helper (Negi from Ranikhet,UK if my memory serves me right), were very understanding. If I may count, Rocky and Beanie (the two over friendly mutts) were an absolute delight to have around.

Cleanliness - Absolutely spotless and well maintained washrooms and changing rooms. Good linen and cosy beds. What more can a camper ask for? Given the place is newly renovated and they are adding more rooms+tents is also welcome.

Surroundings - Sunset point, the lake, multiple restaurants (u can ignore them) and a mighty and popular waterfall during the monsoons and an excelled river trek (during the offseason), they hit all the right spots.

Verdict - I am sure there are multiple camps out there with varied budgets and offerings and no disrespect to these businesses, but touched by their humility and hospitality, given a chance I would again...

We recently stayed at blue bella lonavala and unfortunately, our experience was quite disappointing for several reasons.

Climate and Booking Misrepresentation: When making the booking, we specifically asked about the weather conditions and were told it would be warm during the day and cold at night. However, the reality was quite different. It was extremely hot during the day, warm in the evening, and only moderately cool at night. This significant discrepancy greatly affected our comfort during the stay.

Accommodation Issues: The tent was unbearably hot during the day, essentially turning into a heat chamber. There was a severe lack of ventilation due to poor design of the tent which had no straps or hooks to hold the window flaps rolled up, which made it worse. The tent had a musty smell which added to the discomfort. The single cooler provided was insufficient and did not effectively cool the space and made taking an afternoon siesta very uncomfortable. Additionally, we experienced power outages twice, which further exacerbated the discomfort.

Food Quality and Variety: The food was quite disappointing and did not offer value for money. Despite being unlimited, there was no variety, and we were served the same types of food on both days. Our preference for non-vegetarian food was not met satisfactorily—there were no starters, soups, or drinks provided. Moreover, the cafe area was teeming with flies and some small insects, which was very off-putting.

Cost vs. Value: For the price of 14k for two days, we expected a much better experience. Instead, we got a hot tent, a barely functioning cooler, and basic food that did not meet our expectations.

Positive Aspects: The only redeeming features of our stay were the view and the kayaking experience. These were enjoyable, but not enough to compensate for the overall discomfort and dissatisfaction.

Overall Impression: Considering the issues we encountered, we will not be visiting again or recommending this place to others. While the location might be more bearable during the monsoon or winter, the current setup does not justify the cost or the effort. And we would definitely not be recommending to visit here...

This place was a complete let down - We recently decided to take the team for a day outing to this place - For the rate they charged our company per head basis - the end result was least to my expectation. The only vantage point this resort has is its close proximity to the Waterfall. Though they have private access to the water fall ( behind the resort ) the gate was locked and we had to use the round about common route that was accessed by general public. This was least expected considering that the only reason people would ever decide to go here is because of access to the water fall. Car parking is also not freely available , at most you could park not more than 4 or 5 cars lined up one behind the other as there is a slight slope entry from their main gate to the restaurant. This will become very inconvenient when you have several cars and visitors. For most of the day I had to park my SUV at a public space where the general public parked.

The service is very low key - They have few staff who never come to ask if anything is required , you have to figure out where they are and ask them if you ever need anything. They are responsive thought !! It is now industry standard to provide 250ml packaged water for large corporate bookings - this was not the case - The drinking water they provided was from their kitchen filter. Even though they had packaged water , it was very selectively given only if you asked them for it . For the rate they charged us - it was a complete rip off , there was no welcome drink , no packaged drinking water, no starters , the main course was very straight forward simple layout of food items , evening snacks was not that great ( I am not going to list out what was served to us ) - it was simply put "mediocre". The dessert they served was a joke ! It appears that the folks who run this place are extremely cost conscious.

The food was well cooked and tasty however not worth the steep rate. We could easily get the same spread out at much...