Surya Retreat

Surya Retreat is over at 19-B, Metgutad, right on the Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Road. It’s a good location because you’re right between the two towns. We’ve been here for a while, and the 412806 area is always beautiful, especially when the fog rolls in during the monsoon. Our place is basically a small retreat for families and groups. We have rooms that are simple but they do the job. We spend a lot of time outside in the garden or dealing with the plants. In Mahabaleshwar, everything grows so fast because of the rain. The building itself is older, so it has that traditional feel. It’s not like those new hotels with glass walls. We have regular walls and wooden doors. We do our own cooking here most of the time, serving home-style meals that people seem to enjoy after a day of sightseeing. Sometimes the monkeys come around, which can be a bit of a hassle, but it’s part of living in this area. We’re not a huge operation. It’s just us making sure the sheets are clean and the guests have enough blankets for the cold nights. It’s a quiet life for the most part, except for the tourist season when the road gets really busy with cars. We like meeting the people who come to stay, hearing their stories about where they’re from. It's just a regular place to stay while you explore the hills.