- Charming buildings and surroundings.
- Quiet setting.
- Swimming pool.
- Rooms in need of renovation and smelling of mould.
- Hot water available for only four hours each morning.
- No back-up power in rooms when power outages occur.
- Not all advertised facilities are provided.
- Poor service.
- Next to Matheran Police Station, Matheran, Maharastra. Phone: (91-02148) 230001.
- 43 rooms, including family and poolside villas.
- Rates from 2,400 rupees ($50) for an air conditioned family room. Includes all meals. 15% service tax extra.
- Only vegetarian food provided.
- Swimming pool, disco, restaurant, bar, gymnasium.
- Also has a small temple on the property.
- Mastercard and Visa accepted.
The Anand Ritz advertises itself as "a resort that has every mentioned comfort of a five star hotel". On the surface, it looks like a very attractive place to stay. Its serene, sprawling grounds are full of flourishing greenery and set in a quiet location. The regal looking buildings and villa style rooms surround a sparkling swimming pool. There's even a small temple on the property.
However, the interiors tell a different story. Unfortunately, the rooms are a huge disappointment and are in need to dire renovation to bring the hotel up to standard. My room smelled musty, paint was peeling off the walls, and enamel off the bathtub. There was even a small frog in the bathroom! As for the hotel's other facilities, they were just as poorly maintained or not even operational.
The hotel certainly doesn't have all the comforts of a five star resort either. I soon discovered that there were regular power outages in the area and backup power supply isn't supplied to the rooms. In addition, hot water is only available for four hours in the morning. I was provided with two worn towels, no bathmat or face cloth, and had to go begging for soap. As for the food, I had to be content with what ever they served me, which was traditional Indian vegetarian food. It was tasty, but I've never been able to stomach eating curry for breakfast!
Despite all this, I still quite enjoyed my stay at the hotel. After inspecting a few hotels upon my arrival at Matheran, I chose the Anand Ritz because it was peaceful and quiet. I was given a poolside villa for 3,600 rupees ($80) for two nights, including food. As it was low season and the hotel wasn't full, the rate was highly discounted and this is what made it acceptable to me. This hotel is definitely not a luxury resort, but it did allow me to relax and unwind.
