Staycation at Lonavala over the valley.

We have all been to Lonavala and stayed somewhere near the market, which is very crowded and expensive. Staying close to a market has its advantages, but you didn’t travel to Lonavala just for the market. You got to relax and enjoy the true serenity of the most popular hill station in Mumbai, especially when you are revenge traveling post the lockdown. Let me take you through our experience of staying away from the market and closer to nature.

We found the perfect hotel for our staycation with a beautiful valley view in Khandala called Hotel Girija. Situated next to the Ulhas Valley, Girija is built in a prime location with easy access to nature.

Hotel Girija

Accommodation

With over four categories of rooms, it can easily accommodate a group of your friends without having to pay a lot of money for expensive villas which may or may not have a valley-facing view. The rooms were clean & well maintained. The bathrooms are truly luxurious, with hot water running all day. The hotel staff are very friendly & will ensure that you get the best experience. If you decide to stay at the hotel, then killing time isn’t a problem since there is an indoor gaming room & a roof turf for outdoor sports at the premise.

Food & Snacks

If you are a Gujrati food lover, you must try their super delicious Gujrati Thali, which is served only for lunch. The menu is quite extensive and serves some of the best veg dishes like curries, Chinese, a choice of Rotis, etc. In the evening, with pleasant weather, we started craving some Pakodas and ordered a plate of Aalu Bhajiya & some coffee. The Bhajiyas were piping hot served with ketchup, chutney, & sprinkled with some chat masala, and I recommend you try it and try the cheese pakodas. You can bring food from outside, even if it’s Non-Veg, and eat inside your room.

Lonavala Market

In the evening we decided to visit the market which is just 10 minutes away from the hotel. After a lot of shopping and buying some dinner for us we went back to the room to eat & crash on the bed to finish the day.

1. Cooper's Fudge And Chikkis - Out of the many fudges Cooper's serves, you must try their Chocolate Walnut Fudge.

2. Maganlal Chikki Pvt. Ltd. - Must try the Cranberry Chikki from the Original Maganlal just before Cooper's.

Day 2

Khandala Ghat View Point

The Next Day

The following day we woke up to catch the sunrise and walked around a bit. Soon we went to the restaurant to eat our breakfast where Upma & Crunchy Medu Wadas was served.

After breakfast, we went ahead to take some pictures of the valley and caught a lot of fog which was beautiful. We checked out around 11 AM, cleared our bills, and started the journey back home. It was a very relaxing weekend, and staying at Hotel Girija near the valley just made it so much better.

Ceramic crockery

1. Ceramic Shop - Sant Kapoor, A fancy crockery store with various collections perfect for your home decor, kitchen, garden, and more. We bought a variety of things, and the cost was pretty reasonable.

2. Munchies - As you move forward, many vendors serve some of the most delicious munchies along the road. There are Corn, Pakodas, Wada pav, Maggi, fruits, and boiled peanuts. All of these munchies are served hot. Imagine a hot cup of tea and Wada Pav at the top of a mountain. If you can't, here you go! 👇🏻