Hotel Gokul

Hotel Gokul sits right along the Chinchwad Paud Road near the Mumbai-Bangalore Bypass Highway in Satode. Being by the highway means we see a lot of travelers passing through, some looking tired and others just in a hurry to get where they’re going. We’ve been here for a bit now, serving food and giving people a place to stretch their legs. The traffic outside can be pretty loud sometimes, but inside we try to keep things steady. It’s a basic setup. We serve local food mostly, the kind of stuff we eat at home. It’s not a five-star place, just a hotel where you can get a meal and a room if you need it. My brother and I run most of the daily stuff, from checking the kitchen supplies to making sure the rooms are tidy. We’ve had some interesting people stop by over the years, all sorts of characters from the road. Sometimes the power goes out during the monsoon and we have to use the lanterns, which makes it look a bit old-fashioned. We don't have a big fancy sign, just enough for you to see us from the road. The kitchen stays open late because travelers don't always arrive on a schedule. It’s hard work, especially on the weekends when everyone is driving to the city. We just do what we can to keep the place running every single day.