Club Mahindra Poovar

I booked a pool-view room through Trip.com, but got a smelly room facing a wall. When I complained, the hotel said it had no record of the booking and took no responsibility. Beforehand, I’d called to check the room limit. The hotel can apparently only be reached by WhatsApp calls, since mobile calls went unanswered. They told me four guests were allowed, then charged extra for additional people and denied telling me that. I also saw salespeople canvassing for Club Mahindra membership. When I asked for a digital or printed copy of what they were saying, they wouldn’t provide one. It made me feel members would be fooled too. They said app bookings only get rooms in the building shown in the pictures, not the premium pool-view rooms. For a better resort in the area, I’d recommend Poovar Island Resort, Sarovar, or Isola Di Cocco. Their service, transparency, and location are all far superior. This was a nightmare stay. The receptionist, “Gayatri,” was rude and unprofessional, and her behavior toward customers was unacceptable. Avoid this place if honesty, cleanliness, and basic hospitality matter to you.

As a non-member, I paid around ₹15,000 per night for the standard room, the only option available to non-members. After this stay, I’m glad I’m not a member. The room was full of insects and mosquitoes, the floor felt sticky, and dust covered the tables. The toilets in both the room and restaurant looked like public toilets. I asked for the room to be cleaned, but staff took three hours to arrive. They still left the sheets unchanged, the tables dirty, and our used plates and bowls uncleared. Most activities inside the resort, including cycling and boating, cost extra. A few complimentary ones would have been better. The food wasn’t worth the high price either. When I told a restaurant staff member about our experience, he casually said, “For non-members, it will be like that.” It made me feel they were deliberately giving us poor service to push membership, especially since non-members pay almost three times the usual price. I can’t say how members are treated, but as a paying non-member, I found the experience unacceptable. Think twice before booking if you aren’t a member. I stayed at Mahindra Club, Poovar on August 15th and 16th. I booked the room through their website.

The pool villa stay was excellent, with well-kept rooms and clean washrooms. The property as a whole could use more maintenance, especially the restaurant, which looked dull. For the price, the food quality should be much better.

The location and ambience were up to the mark, and the food was delicious. Room service and room upkeep were very poor, though, and the service quality overall was poor too.