Lemon Tree Hotel, Hinjawadi, Pune

We had a peaceful, pleasant stay at Lemon Tree, and the staff were especially helpful when they arranged an early check-in for us. I appreciated that. The food was the weak point. I tried chapati, aloo paratha and dosa, among other things, but the taste wasn't up to par, and dishes arrived lukewarm. Better food and hot servings would have made the stay even better.

We enjoyed the meals at Citrus Café, with excellent taste and a good range of choices. Staff around the hotel were courteous, quick and helpful too. Our room, though, had a strong cigarette smell when we arrived, even though we'd been assigned a smoke-free room. It made us uncomfortable from the start. We told the staff, but they couldn't move us, which was disappointing given that we'd specifically requested a smoke-free room from Lemon Tree. The stay was average overall. Better checks before guests arrive and firmer enforcement of the smoke-free policy would have helped.

I was there for a long stay. Housekeeping was very good, and the laundry arrived right on time. The food was below average, though the staff were polite and courteous, and the location was good. I gave it five stars because when I raised shortcomings, they dealt with them straight away. I can't judge the value for money since the company arranged the stay and I don't know what it paid.

The bedding was clean, but the shower room was dusty. The rack holding the clean towels had a thick layer of dust and never seemed to get cleaned. One passage was leaking, with a bucket left underneath to catch the water. The bath and shower rooms are tiny. After reception gave me the room key, nobody came along to show me to the room. At checkout, there was no room service staff to help with my luggage. I can carry it myself, but that kind of help makes guests feel welcome. The receptionist could have smiled, too.