Why Upper Deck??
•Being easily accessible from both Mumbai & Pune, Lonavala pulls a lot of crowd over the weekends & even during weekdays in the peak season. This results to a lot of crowd at various attractions in Lonavala.????????♀
•This is where UD comes to the rescue. ????????♀
•The Upper Deck is a true hidden jewel situated at a height of 2500 feet above sea-level and is on the highest peak of Lonavala promising romance, serenity and the best landscape views of Lonavala.
•A tourist attraction in itself, the property overlooks the Valvan Reservoir and the historic Rajmachi Fort.
•A 58 key luxury boutique hotel designed by Architect Hemant Bhatia,boasts several awards including “the Noteworthy Landscape Design” & “Best Boutique Resort” in Lonavala by LMC & by Inda Travel Awards-West respectively.
•UD is a pure heaven on earth ???? and is a popular destination in Monsoons but as per our personal experience we Absolutely Loveedd it in the Winters better than Monsoons.
Location & Accesibility
•A hassle free 5minute online booking (obviously, well in advance)followed by a scenic 3hrs ride (from Mumbai) will bring you to this gem, where you can escape the hectic noises of the city and unwind in a fantastic property seemingly above the clouds.????
•Alternatively one may even opt for the scenic 2hr train journey followed by a 15min rick ride to the resort.????????
•We had opted for a train journey as we are always on budget????????.
Rooms
•The Boutique resort has a total of 58 rooms categorized mainly into two types viz., Deluxe Rooms & Cottages; each room offering different views such as valley view, pool view, gaden view, lawn view, etc.
•Ours was a Cottage room offering endless views of the mountains,greenery & pool and was well equipped with comfortable king-sized bed, and amenities like air conditioning, 24hr Hot water, Tea Coffee Maker, Refrigerator, Electronic Safe lock.
•As soon as we walked into our room our jaws dropped ????. Not only did we have an absolutely stunning panorama view of the hills but we also had a balcony which would allow us not only to relax but also to appreciate the nature before our eyes. Afterall, a little balcony never hurts????.
Restaurant & Dining
•The resort houses a multi-cuisine buffet restaurant named Quarterdeck offering breathtaking views while you savour on a large spread of delicacies.
•The restaurant layout is very well designed, with the dining areas sitting just above the lawn, thus guaranteeing views of mountains, deck, lawn & duck pond to the guests who choose to eat at this restaurant.
•We had opted for a Full Board and the same is advisable if you are going to stay at the resort to enjoy the property since they don’t have Room Service facilities.(room service provided at the discretion of the resort for aenior citizens & infants)
•Coming to the spread, the scrumptious variety of delicacies are sure to make you go crazy when trying to make up your mind (at least that is how we felt).
•Two things that stood out for us was their Mutton & Naan. I must say that after our lunch at QuarterDeck on our first day, I was looking forward for dinner time, to return to this restaurant just so that I could have that Naan again.
•There was not a moment in the day where we felt remotely hungry before we were eating more. It seems all we did was eat – and We were surely not complaining.
• Another notable fact about the restaurant is its uses biodegradable crockery & some vegetables are grown organically within the premises of the resort and used in cooking.How cool is that?
• Guests can also visit Deck Cafe for light bites and beverages.
Resort Amenities
•The hotel ticks all the boxes ✅ when it comes to facilities; they have a small yet well-equipped gym with spectacular mountain views ????????♀, a stunning pool with open air jacuzzi bang in the middle of the resort????♂, indoor games like chess, TT, carrom????, outdoor children’s play area comprising of swing sets, slides,see-saw,etc ????and a a total of 3 conference halls that focuses on Corporate events???? and social gatherings.
•To add to the list of amenities, the resort provides ample parking facilities ????.Although there is no driver’s accommodation , food can be arranged for the drivers at additional charges.
Landscape!
•The beautiful landscape of the resort deserves a special mention.
•The Resort is planned along the terrain of the mountain and hence spread along at different levels accessible by means of steps. These steps form pleasant alleyways which are planted with colorful flowers.
•Vibrant Green Lawns form an integral part of the resort.
•Another notable feature was the terrace/roof gardens which camouflages with the nature.
•The flora and fauna found around the resort are similar to those found all over the western ghats of India, and makes for interesting viewing.
Service
Offering impeccable service from the moment you check in to the second you leave the hotel, their attentive staff is clearly well trained to offer top-notch experiences to every guest. We felt welcomed and taken care of at all times of our stay.????????????????
Nearby Attractions
The resort is also within trekking distance of a plethora of natural and historical places like Rajmachi Fort, Visapur Fort, Lohgad Fort????, Valvan Dam, Bushi Dam, Pawna Dam, Tungarali Dam, Famous Buddhist Caves Karla, Bhaja & Bedsa, Ryewood Park, MTDC Water Park???? & Boating ????and Bhimashankar Temple????
Suggestions!
•We would suggest the resort to engage in a tie up sorts of with local cab/rickshaw service for pick up & drop services for anyone who’s opting for Train journey as well as for people who want to explore near by attarctions in Lonavala.
•Would help if they add Hair Dryer & Clothes Drying Stand in their amenities as it a basic these days.
•Also, Iron board & Iron on request can be made available.
•We would suggest to put up proper signages towards the Lovers point. Wont want anyone to be missing the hidden gem that it is.
•In today’s world security comes with staying connected to people / parents back home. Connectivity is very important specially when u are in such remote places.We think the resort should take appropriate measures for better network reception and/or Wifi facilities.
What we loved!
•The views ⛰????????
•All the decks
•The Lovers Point ????❤????????????
•The Food ????????????????
•The Landscaping ????????????
Conclusion!
•Would we stay again at the Upper Deck if We went back to Lonavala?????Definitely YES. ????•The luxurious hotel details, the excellent service provided, food that is so good that you will keep you craving for mealtimes more than ever before and the comfortable rooms all give us a sense of escape all the while staying right in the middle of the mountains & clouds.
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