Resort Review: Lakewood Resort & Spa

Location: Tapola (Near Mahabaleshwar)

Date: 30 April – 2 May 2023

We were invited by Lakewood Resort & Spa for a #staycation and we chose the long weekend of Maharashtra Day that suited our schedule. Although we had visited #Tapola before, the previous stay was at an Agro Tourism Tent. This visit was special as it was a beautiful lake-facing resort and a much-needed break.

Owned by a Pune Resident, this resort is situated on the banks of Shivsagar Lake. Unlike the other Koyna backwaters hotels, this faces a lake. We went there in April end and were expecting hard-hitting summer but when we reached there, we were pleasantly surprised by how cool the weather was. The mornings were cool and the nights were slightly chilly for Mumbai standards.

As the property is away from the main city and markets, it offers uninterrupted peace.

Rooms – They have cottages only and within that, they have bigger cottages available for a higher category of rooms. About 6-7 cottages are lake-facing, rest are all garden-facing. Rooms are equipped with all modem amenities. A big king-size bed, LCD TV, AC (which was barely needed in Summer) etc. Each room offers a big sit-out area. Room service is available and is quite prompt.

Food- We had both buffet and A la carte meals. They serve veg as well as non-veg food. The buffet has a decent spread with items for everyone’s liking i.e. a good mix of Indian food and a little bit of Chinese.

Meals: From our meals here are some items we personally liked – Gobhi Manchurian, and Bhindi Masala from the dinner. And Bread pakoda, Idli and Poha from the breakfast.

The breakfast buffet also offers a good spread including cut fruits, eggs, a live egg station, Maharashtrian items, South Indian Items, etc. The Paneer Chilli and Tikka which was ordered for A la carte along with our drinks was quite good too.

What we liked about the property is it’s so quaint! Apart from the sit-out areas of each cottage, they have also made viewing decks at different points which are at a higher level, where people can sit back and enjoy a cup of tea or a drink too.

Apart from all the above-mentioned facilities, the property has a fully functional pool and a spa, an outdoor gym facility and a conference hall. This hall can be used for any private parties as well. During our stay, there was a corporate group from Pune who utilized the services. At night, the resort hosts movie nights on special requests. How cool is that!

And the cherry on top is – It’s a pet-friendly resort. There were many pet parents who enjoyed a lovely staycation here.

Being just an hour away from #Mahabaleshwar, you can have a quick visit to the market or the cafes anytime you’d like.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and two nights literally flew away!

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Pros: Big cottages, lots of free space, and attentive staff

Cons: Food although good, can use some improvement

Details:

Address: Pali Tarphe Ategaon, Tapola Rd, Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra 412806

Website: https://www.lakewoodresortsandspa.com

Contact Number: 7588487554

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Verdict

In a nutshell – Lakewood Resort is an all-cottage resort in Tapola, an hour away from Mahabaleshwar. It offers an amazing lake view, spacious cottages, and all the modern amenities. Being close to nature it also offers the much-needed disconnect from the usual hustle and bustle.

Rooms: 4.5/5

Ambiance: 4.5/5

Food: 4.5/5

Service: 5/5

Value for money: NA - This was an invite