THE LONAVALA MONSOON RECIPE

Mumbai: The nearest and quickest weekend getaway – Lonavala, has been the blue eyed boy for both Mumbaikars and Punekars alike. All the more, with the augment of rains, the place gets thronged by revellers from all the nearby regions making Lonavala one of the busiest tourist destinations in Maharashtra. The monsoon euphoria such builds that the legendary Lonavala chikki sells like hot cakes and the roasted corn like freshly roasted hot corns should. The popular Bhushi Dam becomes a beehive of people, all wanting to immerse a little of themselves in the overflowing waters gushing from the reservoir while the rains continue to lash on. However, barring all the traditional merriment that this paradise hill station offers, an attraction got newly added to Lonavala.

Rumourss Sky Villa & Resorts, the uniquely built boutique resort with its villas themed in the Japanese styled tree house chalets are the latest attraction featuring on the way to either Bhushi Dam, which is only 500 m further ahead or en route Tiger point. The resort which faces the Lonavala Dam is gaining tremendous popularity, firstly due to its stunning architecture that captures the attention even as one is passing by and secondly due to the spacious rooms the villas offer along with the view of the lake, the vast green expanse and the warm hospitality. Of course, the latter can be experienced only post a stay at the resort.

“I have myself always loved Lonavala and a yearly monsoon excursion with the family has been a tradition for me. So, when the thought of building a resort came to mind Lonavala was the obvious first choice. Also, the dream was to build something unique, hence the sky villas and offer exceptionally good hospitality. The villas are a novelty in themselves and offer everything that a conventional hotel can, besides adding a host of exclusive possibilities for our guests like encouraging bringing along their pets or inviting senior citizens for a day of relaxation, among many other customizations that we offer from time to time,” says Mr Devang Badiani, Managing Director, Rumourss Sky Villa & Resorts.

For couples, especially those looking to spend an evening cocooned in a nest of sorts, the attic provisioned within the villas are like romance personified. The attic is accessed by a small flight of stairs from within the room which leads to the topmost part of the villa. It is enclosed by large sized window panes on the exterior side and a wall on the other. Wedged right between this is a bed that looks out into the mesmerizing wonders of nature while the rain drops splatter and trickle down the windows from the outside and which make the warmth and cosiness inside all the more romantic.

“The villas have found their niche with the guests and vice versa, quite literally. From the total categories of guests staying at our resort, including families, business, leisure travellers, it’s the couples who are making for most occupancy. We have most repeat guests as couples and I can imagine why. The attic was built with the thought of making it as dramatic and romantic as it could while providing privacy for guests. We are thrilled to know that the idea is working and each day the number of couples visiting is increasing, especially in this season,” concludes Mr. Badiani.