Apr 21, 2003 05:41 PM
9657 Views
(Updated Apr 22, 2003 07:30 AM)
We (my friends and I), visited Mahabaleshwar in April 2003 and stayed at the Shreyas Hotel located opposite the ST stand. We opted for an all-inclusive deal i.e. Ac Cottage and meals at (what we now consider), an atrocious price. The only nice thing about Shreyas hotel is its garden with lots of flowers and birds that visit it. The service is atrocious, food is barely edible and the menu is monotonous. It would be criminal to stay at Shreyas hotel.
Site seeing:
Only Pratapghad fort is worth a look-see. All other “points” are time-wasters and if you happen to use a taxi, a means of relieving you of a lot of money.
Local Transport:
If you have it, take your own. If you are a couple, ask for a share taxi. The driver will find another couple willing to share the cost’s of a local sight-seeing trip.
Local purchases:
Strawberries, Mulberries, gooseberries, Raspberries are usually visible. When buying strawberries, make sure you buy it by the Kilo (a good price is Rs 55/kilo)
Honey:
Believe it or not, at least four independent local sources informed us that Mahableshwar does not produce honey any longer. This is because the pesticides used to protect the strawberry crops killed the bees in the region a long time ago. Today, honey is purchased from government agencies of Assam by the M.S. Khadi & Village Industries Board and resold under their brand name.
Most “Appeary” honey sold in shops at Mahableshwar, is made from jaggery and sugar. If you look at it closely, it looks like black sludge. So if you must buy honey at Mahableshwar, make sure you buy it from M.S. Khadi & Village Industries Board located at five minutes walking distance behind the ST stand. It may not be locally produced but at least it’s real honey!
Telecommunication:
If you use a pre-paid sim card for your mobile, make sure you carry a refill as the chances of getting one in Mahableshwar are next to none. Alternatively, we did see a fair number of STD booths.
Cash:
Carry lots of it! Mahableshwar does not accept credit cards and we did not see any ATM’s anywhere.
Conclusion:
Mahableshwar is a nice place to go either to put your feet up and relax or (I was told), for trekking specially in the rains. Before you go, make sure your hotel is a good one as it can easily ruin a nice vacation. Don’t rely exclusively on your travel agent. Ask your friends about experiences they had.
