Abhiruchi, Sinhgad Road (Wardens running a prison camp; Maharashtrian hospitality at its very best)

We went to Abhiruchi Village Cottage Restaurants (look up their site www.abhiruchivillage.com) for a saturday night's stay.

Pro-s
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Tracts of greenery.

Well constructed swimming pool. (read on)

The air smells green. Relax in hammocks.

The AC Room was freezing without the AC on (perhaps due to the Pune January season).

Cons
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The story begins.. brace yourself..

VERY VERY VERY VERY POOR maintenance.

If you want to see a first class swimming pool (well tiled) with carpets of moss and scummy water, then this is the one.

CAVALIER attitude towards customer service; ranging from the farm gate sentry to the room boy. Everybody from the office, watchmen and room-boys address you in singular ('Tu') while you address them with respect ('aap')... cantankerous ! Talk about customer orientation.

One is reminded of Gandhiji on the 'customer' - the most important person on our premises.... Abhiruchi does everything opposite to that. This requires special talent.

Food is a simple non-pompous veg fare. But INR 150 (USD 3.75) per head for what they dish out is DAYLIGHT ROBBERY.

Enquire about their horse ride, camel ride etc. 'First pay and then talk' seems to be their credo.

TV sets are available for as low as INR 2000 (USD 50). They have one grainy TV common for all guests. It doesnt receive ANY signal. So no way of knowing a quick update of whats
happening in the world. "Cable waale ke paas light nahin hai" comes the careless reply. A scrutiny reveals the presence of a dish antenna !

The filthiest bathroom/toilets you would have ever seen, replete with the latest and unseen species of mosquitoes and flying pests. Let me reserve my vocabulary.

They take pride that they have NEVER washed the bed covers or the pillow covers since inception. They forewarn you to bring your own towels, napkins and bedsheets. So you really can't fault them on this.

The website boasts of facilities not to be found at all. Try to procure a bucket of hot water for a shower. The roomboy conversation goes like this..
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With a grumpy irritated and disgruntled tone
"Why do u need hot water ?" (tula kaa paahije)

At my wits end
"Excuse me !?" (Maaf keejiye.. kya kahaa aapne)

With an expression as if he has been compelled to perform a rectal examination on a person with piles trouble
"To take bath or to drink ?"

"to take a bath"
On first thought - "to perform your coronation as the King of England at the Westminster Abbey" came to my mind; but I had to resist it.

"Wait till 7 in the morning" like a HC judge pronouncing a verdict..

Projecting an expression of urgency on my face "Sire.. I badly need a bucket of hot water pls.. I bathe atleast twice a day"

I thrust a tenner into his hands.

"You will get one bucket. wait for half an hour"

"Sire.. pls show mercy.. one bucket is too little"..
I thrust another tenner.

"Ok wait for half an hour.."

This was the ordeal for all the essentials.

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A stay at Abhiruchi is a humbling experience. You are humbled by the greenery and the staff who treat you like turd regardless whether you are a President or a peasant.

Are the owners (The Bhide-s.. I understand) even aware of the mess that is going on?

I shared these with a good Maharashtrian friend of mine, who guffawed "it happens all the time.. But you have to see / feel it to experience it".. My jolly good friend has strange ways of exacting revenges for past unpunished deeds.. Recommend Abhiruchi !!!

To end, Oscar Wilde had to say this about America -

America had often been discovered before Columbus, but it had always been hushed up.

Do we see a similarity?