Teddy Sirji visits India's most beautiful Holiday Homes - as seen on HomestaysDOS.com

23138020 – Laugh, Enjoy Nature and Taste Great Parsi Goan Food at this 3 Cottage Homestay in the Wilderness Off Belgaum

2010-06-13T23:58:00.000-07:00

If you want some adventure in life or you love nature or want something different than the usual this homestay is the ideal place. Right in the middle of the jungle 3 beautifully done cottages are hosted by a very Parsi Goan couple who started this place 30 years back to do some agriculture and farming. They are really good humored and will keep you in splits and entertained throughout your stay. The place is spread over 30 acres. Its a bit of a drive through the jungle to get to the place, but the drive is really worth as you get a chance to see parts of the forest. The place is full of beautiful looking birds, animals and insects. You can see different varieties of birds and insects in this area. To give an authentic jungle feel 2 cottages are without electricity. They have the traditional Lanterns to light in the night. The whole surrounding area which leads to these cottages and the dinning area is lit with these lamps. The dinning area is also lit by lanterns and candles. This gives the whole place an amazing feel. There is one cottage with electricity with 2 comfortable beds. Expect power cuts in the day or night. The bedroom is attached with a bathroom and has a small sitting area in the verandah. The other 2 cottages have a common sky view bathroom. The hostess is an amazing cook and makes some lovely Parsi home cooked delicacies. Both Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian Indian and Continental meals are included in the package. You can either take a jungle trek or car ride or visit a river which is a few kms away from the property. This place is situated 17 kms away from Khanapur Town which is an hour drive from Belgaum.

At Rs. 1600/ person/ night we highly recommend this place.

To book this place visit http://www.homestaysdos.com/property/23138020

32262179 Beautiful Heritage 4 Bedroom Property facing the Meenachil River in Kottayam, Kerala.

2010-06-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

A visit to this gorgeous property will take you back in time. Its a beautiful ancient keralite structure with all modern amenities within the home. It has 2 beautiful a/c and 2 non a/c bedrooms. The guests are taken care by a wonderful lady who is an excellent cook and makes both traditional Kerala cuisine and Continental food which is prepared both in a Traditional Kitchen with a fire place and a modern kitchen. There is a small library in case you want to read. Airport/Railway station pick up drops can be arranged on request. They have a private boat and you can have a ride on the river or country style fishing can also be done. The place is also ideal for people looking out for Ayurvedic massage or treatment. Good for families or small groups. There are regular trains running between Kottayam and other cities of Kerala. The closest airport is just 91 kms away in Cochin.

To contact the owner visit http://www.homestaysdos.com/property/32262179

23138020 -Posh 3 Bedroom Villa very close to Calangute Beach

2010-06-07T01:13:00.000-07:00

The golden sands of Calungute are just a few minutes from this elegantly done property. Located in the upmarket area of Holiday Street this luxurious villa has 3 bedrooms all with attached bathrooms and a modern kitchen with the basic kitchen items,microwave, coffee/tea electric kettle and finest crockery. Each bedroom has a sitting area, dinning, satellite TV and Wi-Fi internet facility. The place has a very warm feeling and is ideal for families or couples looking out for a luxury stay. The closest beach is hardly 3 minutes away from this place. The Calungute Mall which has some good collections of handicraft and other items is a 5 minute walk from the place. Calangute beach is one of the most convenient places to stay in Goa and has great restaurants such as Souza Lobo's very close to the property. A must visit!!

To Book visit http://www.homestaysdos.com/property/24608655/

15446517 - 3 Bedroom Cottage on a exclusive Private Island

2010-06-02T22:50:00.000-07:00

During Teddy Sirji's travels we sometimes uncover real gems. This is one of them. We've all heard of private islands in different parts of the world. Teddy Sirji brings you one of India's own private islands – where you can stay with your friends. The Island is about 3kms from Kundapur about 100kms from Mangalore – The owner has his own boat which will ferry you across to the island where you stay. This island has a riverside cottage that is really out of the world. The place is done up very well and surpasses hotel standards. All the three bedrooms with attached baths are river facing and absolutely great. There is so much to do over here....read, walk, bird watch, fish, take a ride in the boat, take long naps on the hammock, eat, drink, or just do nothing and gaze the river... There is a small dinning area in the middle of the island where you can have lovely Local, North Indian or Continental food. The meals are part of the package and are prepared by the caretakers wife. If you love the nature this place is absolutely recommended. Good for couples or families. If a larger group wants to visit the place arrangements can be done, however that will not be in the cottage but in a small villa which the host usually keeps parties or family gatherings on the island. Slightly away from the main Kondapur town (3 kms) its about 2.5 hours drive from Mangalore (100 kms). If you are looking for something different yet luxurious to experience, give this a shot.

To Contact the owner visit http://www.homestaysdos.com/property/15446517

29788107 -Lovely Sea Facing Villa in Trivandrum managed by a retired couple with 3 Rooms available for Guests

2010-06-02T00:46:00.001-07:00

This homestay is bang opposite the very popular Samkhum mukham beach of Trivandrum. During the reservation process you will interact with the owners' young son who studies in the UK and while there you will be under the care of his retired parents. The property is so close to the International airport that even if you have to walk you will still reach the place in 7 to 8 minutes. The villa has 3 bedrooms and a huge hall with an in house kitchen. The lady cooks very good Kerala food however the guests are also allowed to use the kitchen which is fully equipped. The garden and lawn area is being done and once completed will add to the beauty of the place. There are plans to construct a swimming pool on the terrace which will be ready soon after the monsoon. Place is very ideal of morning and evening walks at the beach, swim or just relax and view the ocean which has a spectacular sunset scene. You can also see fisherman getting ready for work early in the morning. The famous Indian Coffee House of Delhi is just a 2 minute walk from the Villa and is usually very crowded but gives a good flavor of how much the average Keralite loves coffee and conversation.

Contact the owner on http://www.homestaysdos.com/property/29788107

29124837: Gorgeous Glass and Wood Tree House, Lonavala

2010-04-26T03:19:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I've got a treat for you. Just visited a truly unique place slightly off Lonavala. This is literally a 20 acre private forest which has been converted by a very enterprising family into their forest retreat away from Mumbai. The forest had a unique topography and the family wanted to blend into nature and so this house has been designed with many unique facets:-

1. It has no grid power connectivity. All power consumed is generated using Solar and Wind on the property.
2. The Property is a tree house like no other. It is a metal structure that is built into the side of a cliff overlooking the valley. This ensures that you feel like you are floating with nothing below you.
3. The entire house has been build to keep it as airy and glassy as possible. Trust me this is unique. The house is on three levels with a bedroom on each one to ensure privacy for the couple inhabiting each bedroom. The main deck has a dining room, living room, and a bedroom, bathroom all in one space separated by screens giving it an airy feel while at the same time affording some privacy.

The property is done up to a very high level of quality. The furnishing is exquisite and there is a retinue of staff to keep you happy.

In addition to the original treehouse, the family has also built three mini tree houses. These are all independent Studio Rooms with private sitouts situated at a distance such that you are not visible to anyone and will not see anyone from your private pad in the air.

There are some other facilities too -
1. Outdoor BarbQ
2. Grill and Buffet table
3. Flower Garden and unique books on flora and fauna of the area.
4. A platform in the sky about 9 stories above the tree house accessible through a spiral ladder from which you can take in the views, enjoy your drink and grill some meat!! Believe me, just the walk up there is a rush!!

Disclaimer: This property is not in Lonavala city but en route to Aamby Valley so it is about a 30 minute drive from Lonavala through good roads. There is a small resort close to the property which probably has a restaurant though I don't see why you would need to go there as the property has a team of staff to take care of you.

Click Here to Contact The Owner

32907171: Cosy Independent Stay 2BHK in Cooke Town, Bangalore

2010-04-26T00:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a really nice option for those looking for a nice place for that visit to Bangalore. This is an independent stay 2BHK apartment in Cooke Town. Cooke Town is pretty Central and most parts of bangalore esp. the shopping districts - MG Road, Brigade Road etc. are easily accessible. The area is a throwback to what Bangalore used to be - nice, green with quaint bungalows. This particular apartment is on the first floor of a Bungalow. The owners are retirees who live on the ground floor. The area is nice, quiet, green and the apartment is fully furnished.

Here are some of the highlights -
1. 2 Bed Rooms - One Master and One Double Bedroom that would be ideal for the kids.
2. Fully functional living room with Television, Music System.
3. A mini kitchenette and fridge - This is big enough to cook simple meals and is ideal for a family that does not want to cook much.
4. A nice bathroom with shower and hot water.
5. An outdoors sitout - terrace garden, chairs etc.

The entire place has a nice and cosy feel about it and is ideal for NRIs who are visiting bangalore or else for those who are in town for a while (15-20days) on business and want to bring the family along, feel at home. Living here means the convenience of being in the heart of the city with everything close by and restaurants that deliver. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

To book this place, Click here to contact the owner

Cosy 4 Bedroom Villa in Lonavala

2010-04-23T00:18:00.000-07:00

Since this was my first review, I wanted to pick a place that was cosy and had a nice family feel.

This is a very nice 4 Bed Room Villa at just the right distance from Lonavala City. There are 4 Independent Bedrooms each with their own attached Toilet and Bathrooms - Air conditioning in each Bed Room.

In addition there is a nice lawn with swings, a living room with television, Couches as well as a Divan for people to sit on the floor and play games. There is a Carom Board which you can play outside and a very friendly Caretaker and his wife who will cook for you. They have a neat Menu and serve vegetarian and Non Vegetarian food.

What I liked:-
1. The nice lawn - ideal for games and the kids to run around
2. All bed rooms with attached bathrooms making it ideal for a bunch of friends and their families.
3. Ideally located - we were here in 3 hours from Mumbai.
4. Cosy, Warm place in a peaceful location.
5. The one Bedroom that is located outside the Vila - Ideal for the young honeymoon couple who is part of the group ;-)!!
6. The Bar B Q in the lawn and the experienced caretaker who can help with that.

Contact the Owner by visiting the Property Page on HomestaysDOS.com

The villa is available for rent on a daily, weekly basis and is ideal for a bunch of friends and their families or for a larger family to come together and take a quick weekend break from Mumbai. Teddy likes this place and recommends it!!

Handing Over To Teddy

2010-04-22T23:11:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

As you know, I have been adding to my team at HomeStaysDOS.com - As part of that we i've just had Teddy join our team. Teddy is cute but most importantly he's a travel enthusiast and he's going to visit properties across the country and write about them. He's already started his work and visited a number of properties but I wanted to share with you some photographs of him before our first trip together - I had to accompany him on the first. It was an early morning drive out of Mumbai and so Teddy was staying over at my home in the guest bedroom. I can tell you it took some effort to wake him up.

Teddy Asleep in my guest bedroom

What do we have under the blanket?

Finally Awake

Strapped in and all set for the drive

Ok Teddy, All the best!!

Introducing Teddy Sirji

2010-04-22T22:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself as the newest team member at HomeStaysDOS.com - I am Teddy and I am a Teddy Bear. I love traveling and writing, visiting new places and experimenting with different activities. I'm very adventurous, fun loving and love learning about culture, art, history and of course food. I also like Interior Design and Photography and will be posting a lot of photographs of the places I visit. Please send me your feedback and links to any places you would like me to visit so I will put them on my list.

It’s Goa Season!!

2009-11-10T00:27:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone, It is that time of the year again when finally the weather is nice, it’s not raining and there is ample opportunity to sit by the beach, relax, have a few margaritas and read. Yes people, it’s that time of the year when we can all head to Goa to relax, ponder on things we always want to but for which day to day life does not give us the time. It’s also a brilliant time to indulge in water sports (most water sports are not possible during monsoons) – my favorite being scuba diving and snorkeling in the sea but there are lots of other ones that are really fun – jet skiing and sailing come to mind. Things I love doing in Goa:-

1. Checking out the flea market

2. Going Crab hunting

3. Pigging out on sea food, Goa curry and Sausages

4. Drinking wine and Feni as if there is no tomm.

5. Swimming in the sea..

So everyone, what are you waiting for ? We have a lot of Goan homestays on our website some that start for as low as 200 Rs. A night- Go for it .. and remember – book in advance to get the best rates!!

http://www.homestaysdos.com/browse/Goa/

Things to do so you can enjoy your visit to India!!

2009-10-14T01:36:00.001-07:00

Image by mckaysavage via Flickr

1. Prepare well in advance of your trip. We are a huge and diverse country and the Four Zones- East, West, South and North - are all fairly different from each other. In fact, each of the States are very different from each other.

2. Decide on two things upfront- the duration of the trip and the budget you want to set for yourself. These will form the basis of all the planning.

3. If your trip duration is anything less than 10 days I would not suggest visiting more than one part of India. It will not give you an opportunity to really experience the place unless you want to do one of those run from here to there, listen to a guy talking really superficially about a place and then get into a bus to rush to the next place kind of trips.

4. Decide on where to go depending on the time you will be visiting as this governs what the best places would be to visit during that time.

5. Find an indian friend- We are spread across the globe and pretty much most people would have an indian colleague. Take their advice on places to do, things to see and maybe friends to hang out with in the cities you are visiting.

6. Think of interesting things to do in India that you can take back with you when you head back. This will make your trip really memorable. My picks would be doing a yoga course, or else doing a course on Indian food, culture or else learning a new sport - Scuba Diving, Golf are both quite nice sports to pick up in India. Doing something like this will let you make friends in the city you are visiting and give you a chance to socialize among the locals and learn about India like no other way.

7. Carry modest clothes. Being a foreigner in India means you will attract attention. It's best to dress modestly so you are not bugged by random beggars and roadside Romeos ;-) Trust me, you don't want to be romanced by these guys.

8. Try and visit with a romantic other or else a friend. Two is the best way to travel to India as you will find many situations where having a friend who can stand in line while you make enquiries or to hold the fort while you haggle is very useful.

9. Carry a cheap GSM cell phone. Prepaid service in India is dirt cheap and international SMS is supported no matter where you travel within the country. Get a prepaid SIM card the day you land and ensure you give it to your family back home. Save them the stress of not being able to contact you. Internet cafes btw are not so easily accessible and the speed can be a real drag.

10. Bring along a ton of passport photocopies and printed passport sized photographs. You tend to need them for a variety of purposes in India - e.g. getting your SIM card, signing an agreement with a Vacation rental landlord, using a cyber cafe etc.

11. Travel with limited clothes and budget for having to buy some indian outfits on your first night in the country.

12. Try and enter the country through a big city like Bombay, Delhi or Bangalore. Stay for a day there - these are all exciting places. Use the first day there to spend some time in a big shopping center - These are the names - Shopper's Stop, Pantaloon, Fabindia etc. where you can buy good quality indian clothes so that you can travel around comfortably.

13. Carry some of your fav. foods that will survive being on the road without airconditioning for many days :-)

And finally,
Relax.. Expect to learn new things and to experience one of the world's most vibrant, colorful and unique countries!!

Ways to enjoy your HomeStay experience

2009-10-07T01:41:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

So you've decided you want to take a real vacation and live in a homestay. Having lived frequently in homestays - here are some of my recommendations:-

Ensure you have communicated clearly with the owner how you are going to get to his place and that you have a detailed map (including important landmarks) as well as a local phone number etc. that you can call in case you get lost. It's advisable to print this out and carry it on your person as opposed to in your luggage or to be dependent on accessing it from your mailbox. Roaming may frequently not work and you don't want to be opening your bags or stranded in case your bags are lost.
Take some time to research the locality where the homestay is located and how to get to places around the same. This is where the owner can really help and I would suggest you also check out blogs as well as forums where you can interact with other travelers.
Carry your fav. toiletries even if the homestay owner says he will provide them. My experience is that the quality though better than the three star hotels in India may still not meet the needs of a true luxury traveler. I prefer to carry my own.
Research the weather before you go and carry appropriate clothes.
While most homestays will give you a fully functional kitchen, I prefer cooking light (mainly breakfast) and enjoying the nightlife outside at the most recommended restaurants. These can be shortlisted through blogsearch.google.com or else for the major cities through Burrp and TimeOut magazine. A good breakfast can easily be rustled up with commonly available ingredients depending on where you are - my recommendation would be to visit a grocery on your first day and get bread, milk, tea bags or coffee, eggs, some veggies (for a salad) and maybe some pasta (or maggi!!) A heavy breakfast means you can snack for lunch and eat out in the evenings like a king.
Depending on the facilities and where you are going, take along your jogging shoes, tennis racquet or swimming trunks. You don't want to be living in a place with a nice swimming pool and then having to go buy a pair of trunks to use them for a day.
Plan your days and ensure that the maid and the home owner is on the same schedule as you. Most tourist destinations have times and it's always better to beat the crowd so you don't want to be stuck at home waiting for the maid to come. I usually find it's unnecessary to have the place cleaned everyday and so if it is inconvenient me and my wife will ask the maid to come only once in 2-3 days.
Ask around if the place is safe to walk to late at night. If you don't get a enthusiastic go-ahead always take a rickshaw or taxi to the door i.e. to the lobby in case it is a gated complex or else inside the gate if is a building. Some places may require you to wait at the gate while the watchman opens it for you late at night and so request the taxi driver to wait till he does so. It's usually safe but waiting in the dark and in a lonely place can be scary for anyone.
If the place you are staying in does not have broadband, then it is also helpful to locate a convenient cybercafe from where you can check your email and keep your family and friends posted about how your vacation is going.

Top HomeStay Amenities to look out for

2009-10-03T09:50:00.001-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

1. Proximity to public transportation.
2. 24/7 hot water
3. Comfortable bed rooms.
4. Depending on the weather and the location, airconditioning.
5. For longer working vacations, availability of broadband internet.
6. Gym/ Swimming Pool.
7. Showers!!

Why stay in a HomeStay instead of a hotel?

2009-10-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Some quick reasons why everyone should stay in a homestay instead of a hotel:-
1. Visit some of the most beautiful places.
2. Live in more spacious quarters - a typical homestay will have a kitchen as well as a living room.
3. Meet interesting people - the owners of a homestay are usually smart people who can guide you to places to see and things to do that would be difficult to know if you were not a local.
4. Live for more extended periods in a place. There is nothing like a homestay to get a feel of a place and whether you would be comfortable living there for a longer time. e.g. If you were being asked to move to Pune, it would be smart to live there for a week or 10 days to experience the place beforehand.
5. Budget - Most homestays would cost less than half the price of comparable hotels.

So what are you waiting for?

Test Post

2009-09-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, Through this blog I will try and help everyone with my reviews and tips on some of the best places to holiday in India. If you own a hotel, guesthouse, homestay or a restaurant and you want me to review it, please let me know!!