Hotel Malas

The breakfast was a real highlight, with South Indian food, cereal, and breads, plus parathas and eggs made to order. The chicken Keema stood out most. Families have a pool and a children's play area to use, and there’s plenty of parking on site. We spent one night in a basic non-AC room. It was spacious, with vintage bathroom fittings and classic lighting that gave it an old-world feel. Even so, it had modern basics like a large TV, an electric kettle, and a clean tea and coffee station. Recommended if you want that nostalgic atmosphere along with clean rooms and good service.

The food was amazing, and the service was just as good. There’s a cafe available to in-house guests around the clock, which is convenient. Mala’s family keeps the spacious property well maintained. It’s in Panchgani, a handy distance from the local market and sightseeing spots. A great place to spend quality time with family.

The rooms had recently been repainted, but several door stoppers, including the ones in the bathrooms, weren’t working properly. After we reported it, staff tried temporary fixes and said we should have raised it earlier, which didn’t feel appropriate. I stayed at Hotel Malas with my family expecting a high standard because of its reputation. Staff didn’t handle our concerns professionally, and the experience didn’t feel worth the price.

I cancelled the second day of our stay after the problems with the room and meals, then cancelled dinner that night and the next day’s meals, hoping breakfast might be better. When I went to the front desk, staff pressured me to stay and wouldn’t refund the money right away. They said the transfer would take 6-7 days, and the refund still hasn’t come through. I paid ₹28,000 for a two-day Malas Resort booking with three meals a day, so this was the final straw. I strongly wouldn’t recommend staying here, especially with the meal plan. The service, hygiene, food, and hospitality were far below what I expected for the price. It was stressful and unpleasant, and I’d advise families to avoid it. The duplex I booked had a ground-floor and a first-floor room, but the only separation from neighboring rooms was a shared door, so there was no sound privacy. The ground floor smelled strongly of mould, with damp walls, peeling wallpaper, and water seepage throughout. The moisture made the room feel cold, and the smell gave both my husband and me headaches. Maintenance seemed absent: chairs were torn, and yellow lighting seemed to hide stains on the sheets and pillow covers. The towels were dark brown and green, so it was impossible to tell if they were clean. In the bathrooms, the toiletries were soggy from the damp and the soap and lotion smelled medicinal. Wooden slippers were provided, but they felt unsafe on wet floors. The first-floor bathroom had two steps down, making it especially risky with those slippers, particularly for senior citizens. Meals were charged separately, with nothing complimentary. Breakfast cost ₹500, non-veg meals ₹600, and other meals had similar rates, but the quality was far below acceptable. With no consistent meal headcount, the food seemed to suffer. Lunch was poor: the papad was half-cooked, the green veg pulao was packed with dry spices and inedible, and the chicken dishes had barely any chicken left and weren’t refilled. The raita had sugar, and there were only 4-5 items. Ice cream took 30 minutes to arrive despite reminders, and chicken samosas took 15-20 minutes, even though only two families were dining. Staff kept staring at our table, and one waiter seemed more focused on à la carte orders than buffet guests. Breakfast was ₹500 for veg and ₹600 for non-veg, but the café had only ragi uttapam, malpua, and sabudana vada. Those are heavy foods for early morning at that price. They said kids ate free, but there was nothing suitable for them: no cornflakes, cake, muffins, or fruit. There was only orange-colored water labelled “orange cooler,” and no sambhar or chutney, just a cream served with the sabudana. The non-veg breakfast was jowar roti and paya, which seemed absurd. When I asked for upma and poha, a staff member mocked how I asked, which was extremely unprofessional.