piyush

http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/ind...HHI/index.html

Hilton has a new resort near Lonavala. Looks like it's ~ 2.5 hours from Mumbai and 2 hours from Pune.

From the pictures it looks like an amazing place.

Rates are between Rs. 25,000 (US $ 450) and Rs. 40,000 (US $ 750) + taxes per night .

An excellent place to use 17,500 points + Rs. 3075 (+ taxes) .

The restaurants and SPA treatments are pricey as well. At these prices the nearby Aamby Valley starts looking like a bargain !

I e-mailed them regarding benefits for HH gold and got the following -

� Quick reservations and check-ins based on your villa preferences
� 25% bonus on all the HHonors Base Points that you earn
� Late check-out
� Express check-out
� Spouse stays free
� Two complimentary bottles of water per day
� Complimentary In-Room, High-Speed Internet Access during stays


From their website -

"Nestled in an unspoiled sylvan setting, amidst the breathtaking landscape of the Sahyadri mountain range in the Western Ghats, the all-villa Hilton Shillim Retreat & Spa is spread over 320 acres of pristine wilderness within the 3,500-acre private Shillim Estate and is a short drive from Mumbai and Pune.

Offering a sanctuary for the body, mind and spirit, this retreat features one of the most extensive spas in Asia, offering over 150 treatments. Here, expert therapists integrate the ancient philosophic, spiritual and artistic wisdom of South Asia with modern international techniques.

Food lovers will be spoiled with our extensive range of dining options, ranging from the relaxed to the extraordinary. Indulge in our exclusive �Dining by Design�, where you create your own unique culinary experience - from the setting, be it on a mountain-top or by a waterfall, to the cuisine, both organic and locally sourced, in keeping with our holistic approach to well-being.

Relax in your villa, set amidst rice fields and bamboo plantations and marvel at panoramic views from your private balcony. Our Villas feature a variety of amenities, such as an exclusive butler service and private therapy zones to allow you to unwind in complete comfort and privacy.

Sip champagne by the pool, or retreat to our tranquil Tea House, with its selection of health promoting blends. Oenophiles will appreciate our incredible wine cellar, offering regular tasting sessions and guests looking for adventure can enjoy activities including trekking to memorable visits to historic caves."

piyush

I made a reservation using points + cash.

After making that reservation I tried to make another but am not able to do so. I can see availability using points or points + cash if I'm not logged in. However as soon as I login the availability disappears. Wonder why that's happening.

Putra

I am interested to try this resort some day using points. Please share TR after you are back

more4less

+1

also how to transfer from Mumbai airport to the property without having to pay the hefty prices of the hotel limo.

Thanks,

piyush

Will do.


You can rent a car with driver. It'll cost you approximately Rs. 2000- Rs. 3,000/day depending on which car you want.

Alternatively you can have the car just drop you off and then pick you up which will cost you Rs. 2,000 - Rs. 3,000 each way.

I've used http://www.olacabs.com/ in the past and have been happy with their service.

Can some one try a dummy booking and see if they can book with points?

more4less

Thanks info piyush,

Availability with points - in April and May there is availability with points and also c+p.
If you want a particular date, kindly advise and I will check it.

piyush

You're welcome!

Thanks . I was just checking some random dates. Don't need another reservation right now.


Here is what it shows me when I've logged in -



Here is what it shows me when I'm not logged in -

Thunderroad

Anyone know whether this resort is near any good non-hotel restaurants, whether (preferably) within walking distance or a quick drive?

Also, is it near any towns or sites worth visiting, or should I think of it purely as a destination in and of itself?

Lookking forward to the first TR!

piyush

I had an excellent stay here. We were welcomed with cold towels watermelon juice. The GM Mr. Andreas also stopped by to have a chat and share his vision for the retreat. They thanked us for being loyal to Hilton and acknowledged our gold status. We got upgraded to a massive Spa Pool Villa with a nice size plunge pool.

http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/ind...ns/suites.html

No cars are allowed inside the retreat. We were driven to our villa by an electronic golf cart. To get anywhere within the retreat you could either walk or then ask them to send a golf cart to take you around.

The villas are beautifully made and very high attention to detail. Very good quality products in the room - tea (Dilmah), coffee (Lavazza) , water (Mulshi), toiletries (Peter Thomas Roth), etc.

As of now ~ 30 villas from the 99 vilas are operational. A majority of the bars, restaurants and other common facilities are not operational as well. They expect everything to be up and running by July.

It's a very very peaceful place and perfect to just take it easy and spend time in the midst of unspoilt nature. They have built a lot of nice places to meditate and do yoga. The SPA is top notch though expensive!


They have a complimentary cocktail reception every evening by the pool in spa where you get to meet the management and other guests.

As gold we got the continental buffet breakfast & anything we wanted from the menu complimentary as well.

Our butler had asked us to e-mail him some of the photos that we had clicked. While leaving they gave us a photo frame with one of the photos in it.

Some minor teething issues as well since it's a relatively new place.

The heater in the pool wasn't working well so it was too cold to use in the evening/night.

The only way to contact your buttler is to leave a message at reception. We often had to wait an hour after requesting something and we weren't even sure if they passed the message on to him.

They only have one multi cuisine restaurant operational right now with very few vegetarian choices. We asked the server for some recommendations and he suggested a vegetarian version of seafood dish on the menu. The seafood dishes are priced about 2.5x - 3x of the vegetarian dishes. When the bill came he wanted to charge us the price for the seafood dish. When we protested he reduced it by a third but it was still significantly more expensive than all the other vegetarian dishes on the menu.

Over all I highly recommend the Hilton shillim. I would say the best time to visit would be from August - October. It'll be green everywhere and you'll get to see a lot of waterfalls.

This youtube video is shot at Shillim in August, 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1wEW-dpcMc

piyush

Unfortunately no good restaurants within walking or a quick drive. The closest somewhat decent restaurant is in Cloud 9 resort which is about a 30 minute drive from the Hilton.

No sites/towns worth visiting nearby Shillim. My recommendation is to spend a night or two here as a side trip if you're visiting Pune/Mumbai.

Thunderroad

Wonderful TR, piyush! And thanks for answering my questions, as well as for bringing this to our attention to begin with. I have a few more questions, if you don't mind:

1. Am I correct in assuming that is a great place to stroll and hike around?
2. Any sense of what the elevation is?
3. My wife and I would most likely visit in February. What is the weather likely to be like then?
4. More specifically, is the climate basically the same as that of Pune, or somewhat cooler due to the altitude?
5. One of your posts estimated a 2.5. hour drive from Mumbai. Would you say the drive from Mumbai airport would be about the same?
6. About how much would you say a typical dinner would cost, with and without alcohol?

Thanks again!

piyush

You're most welcome .


1. Am I correct in assuming that is a great place to stroll and hike around?

Yes. The retreat is spread over 320 acres so there is a lot of open space. They organize hikes but I'm sure they'd let you hike on your own as well.


2. Any sense of what the elevation is?

I actually asked this question to the buttler but he wasn't sure. I'm guessing it's between 700 - 1000 meters above sea level.


3. My wife and I would most likely visit in February. What is the weather likely to be like then?

In early February it will probably get into the 40s (F) at night and be in the 70s - 80s (F) during the day.

Towards the end of February it will be between 50s (F) - 80s(F).


4. More specifically, is the climate basically the same as that of Pune, or somewhat cooler due to the altitude?

It is a little cooler or at least feels like that due to all the open space and green cover.


5. One of your posts estimated a 2.5. hour drive from Mumbai. Would you say the drive from Mumbai airport would be about the same?

I'd say between 2.5 hours - 3 hours if you go non stop.


6. About how much would you say a typical dinner would cost, with and without alcohol?

For a vegetarian dinner I'd say you're looking at ~ Rs. 1,500 - Rs. 2,000/person without alcohol and double that with alcohol.

For a non vegetarian dinner Rs. 2,000 - Rs. 4,000/person without alcohol.


Feel free to PM me or post here if you have any more questions .

This hotel is going from 35,000 points/night to 60,000 points/night so I'd advise you to book your February trip prior to the devaluation if you plan on using points!

more4less

Thanks very much piyush!

I found the cost of dining quite high for India but I guess it is normal for top resorts.

I may try to book a few nights with points pre-devaluation for 2014 and later cancel it if I cannot travel.

Thunderroad

Thanks yet again for the very useful answers and info, piyush. I may well be back in touch with more questions, but I think I've exhausted my list for now.

And FWIW, congratulations on the first TR in what I'm sure will be an interesting thread.

piyush

You're most welcome! Good idea to book some Points/C+P reservations now and then cancel if you don't need them. The only issue is that it from May, 2013 they are only letting you redeem points for the twin bed villas and not the king bed ones.