The Ark Wellness Retreat

A special thank you to Shyam, who was so helpful throughout our stay and made everything more pleasant. The staff overall were courteous and supportive. The resort has a refreshing green setting, with the owner having taken the initiative to plant a variety of trees. There’s also a well-stocked library, indoor games, a cycling track, and a jogging track. If you have a small baby, they provide a separate kitchen for preparing baby food. Our rooms were spacious, comfortable, and well maintained. The food was delicious with a good range of choices. It’s a little on the expensive side, but the quality and experience made it worthwhile. We had a truly memorable stay, and I’d recommend it for the comfort, greenery, and warm hospitality.

The food was good, but the service was awful. The waiter was rude and acted as though he was paying us to stay there. The spa was the one bright spot, though staff gathered near the spa rooms and chatted loudly enough to hear during a relaxing treatment. Annoying. The property also needs better upkeep. The rooms were nice, but the amenities weren’t: the pool is for kids, the cycles were broken, and the indoor games weren’t properly maintained. Staff were unhelpful, and the manager was the worst. He refused a simple cup of coffee despite there being a coffee machine, saying it wasn’t high tea time. He also failed to get a birthday cake ready on time as a surprise. We had been told check-in was at 1. I arrived at 2 and still waited another 30 minutes, even though I’d booked in advance to avoid a wait. A horrible stay. They need experienced staff who won’t ruin guests’ moods.

If you don’t have your own vehicle, arrange a return cab in advance, or getting one can be difficult. The swimming pool is only for kids, and the herbal garden they’ve posted so much about is just a small patch with common grass and trees. The Deluxe room seemed no different from a regular room and didn’t feel worth the price. Breakfast was also limited in both quality and variety.

The Ark is one of the best retreats we’ve had in a while. It’s well managed, the staff are lovely, and there are plenty of good food options. They also have some really good board games. We’ll visit again.