Chilling out at U Tropicana resort, Alibaug

All we wanted is a quiet, relaxing holiday – my cousin and me were meeting after a long time and we just needed to chill, not too far from Pune and yet not too near. An acquaintance  suggested the U Tropicana resort and off, we went to spend some time together, away from the daily routine.

We reached the resort by noon and as we entered the gate, I realised how green and beautiful the place was. The lovely landscaped lawns with small little buildings gave a feel of an eco-resort, though the resort could not be called so. The guard guided us to the reception that was in one of those cute buildings.

Check-in at U Tropicana Resort

The check-in was quite smooth and while we did our formalities, we were treated to some Kokum juice, a specialty drink in the Konkan area. The resort had a “U Choose” program where the guests were given a menu of hand-made soaps and the ones that they picked were sent to their room.

I was sold on the Lemon Grass one while my daughter picked Frangipani. Though we were to pick one, the guest relations manager accommodated us by sending us both. He also, explained the layout and the facilities of the resort and after a warm welcome, we proceeded to our rooms.

The Rooms at U Tropicana Resort

The main wing of the resort was built in the form of the “U” of U Tropicana and had a swimming pool right in the middle of the U. Our rooms were in this wing and while we could all walk there, we were offered a ride in an electric car. My daughter and niece were happy to jump onto it and while we did take a ride on it, I felt a little silly about it as the main wing was just about 100 m from where we were standing. 🙂

With 5 of us, we were given 2 deluxe rooms – one with double occupancy and one with triple. The bouncy bed and the crisp white sheets welcomed us in and the minimalist decor of the room had us feeling at home. The triple occupancy room had a very comfortable Sofa cum Bed. The housekeeping set the bed up with sheets and made it so comfortable that my niece and daughter fought about who would sleep there. 😀

The cute little balcony with sparrows chirping was a regular morning and evening coffee haunt, You could just sit there and close your eyes to feel the breeze.A total AD world way of enjoying coffee – look out at the green surrounding, feel the breeze in your hair and sniff your coffee before you sip it 😉

The rest rooms were quite big and well maintained. The one in the triple occupancy room earned a comment from my daughter – “Wow! This is so huge that we can sleep comfortably here” 😉

The rooms were well-equipped with a coffee maker, a flat screen TV, a working desk and wardrobes. Silk slippers and gowns were kept for the guest use in the room. I have to say that I felt like royalty as I slipped my feet into those silk slippers. They were just amazing.The hotel had free Wi-Fi throughout the resort. However, I found the same not working well within the rooms.

The Facilities at U Tropicana

The swimming pool was the main feature of this resort. It had a small jaccuzzi section within in. What we loved here was the water bed – all of us literally fought to get it – each one trying to topple the other off to get their chance. 😉

The hammocks section was another place that I loved. It had the right amount of shade and breeze, so much that one morning I spent reading a novel on it and not really doing anything else.

The resort also, has bicycles for its guests. You can use these within the resort complex. However, personally, I found the same quite boring as there is no circular paths within the resort. Each path ends at a wall and one needs to cycle in straight lines.

There is a library and some indoor games like pool and billards for the guests but I found the same requiring some bit of maintenance.The library was un-manned and the books could be better maintained.

The Spa

The Spa and fitness center was in one of those small buildings that I had mentioned about earlier. We made use of the Spa facility with a body massage and totally enjoyed it. The relaxing atmosphere of the spa, with its aromatic oils and dim lighting, had us relaxed, even before we started the massage. Besides the body massage, you can opt for a foot massage, head massage and facials.

The landscape

The one thing that I loved about this resort was the ambiance and landscaping. The beautiful green lawns, dotted with colorful flowers and chirping birds that played around these trees – a perfectly serene and enjoyable outdoor space. It was no wonder that I loved lying down on those deck chairs near the pool or the hammocks in the lawn. It definitely made me feel calm and peaceful.

The restaurants

The resort has an all-day dining restaurant in the same U shaped building. Breakfast for us was complimentary and the spread here was just amazing – from continental breakfast items to Indian ones. We ended up having dinner here as well and the a-la-carte options too, were absolutely delicious.

Besides this restaurant, the resort also, has an open bar and sitting for one to enjoy snacks and drinks while they enjoy the greenery and the pool at U Tropicana.

On the whole, on my scale for the 2 nights/3 days package that I had here, I would rate this resort as follows

The resort is not exactly on the beach, but 3kms away from Kihim beach. To me, this was one of the main drawbacks of the resort. Alibaug town, too, is around 11 kms from this resort. Hence, if you are looking at spending some time in the town or on the beach, you need to make sure you have a vehicle with you or you may have to rely on the vehicles provided by the resort. However, if you are looking for an idyllic holiday like mine, then U Tropicana may just be the place you want to head to.

Getting here:

• U tropicana is around 140kms from Pune. You can reach the same via the Mumbai Pune expressway by car or a taxi.
• The resort is 89 kms from Mumbai. Besides road, you can also, opt for a ferry ride of 45 minutes from the Gateway of India in Mumbai to Mandwa jetty in Alibaug. The jetty is just 12 kms from the resort and there are plenty of autos available to take you here.

Travel tips:

• Alibaug is pleasant throughout the year and hence, a visit anytime here, can be a good experience.
• The room rates are at an average of INR 5000.
• The official website for the resort can be accessed here
• There are a few shops and ATMs on the main road, a kilometer or so from from the resort. However, there are none near the resort. Hence, do carry your supplies and cash accordingly.