Baghvan, Pench National Park

There's a real raw jungle vibe here. The food choices are limited, but what they make is great, and the staff are polite and helpful. Rooms have that five-star jungle feel, while the naturalist is enthusiastic and knows the local plants and animals well.

We had a fantastic three days at Taj Baghvan, Pench. Its location by the Touria gate, practically in the core zone, is convenient, and among the Taj Safari lodges it has the best connectivity thanks to being so close to Nagpur. The rooms had good facilities for the setting, and the internet was surprisingly good. Om from housekeeping kept ours clean and welcoming. The rooms felt well appointed. From arrival to departure, the service was personal and thoughtful. Rashmikant, the lodge manager, along with Kushvinder and Ajay, personally welcomed guests and made sure things went well. The food was excellent throughout. Chef Kanhaiya leads the kitchen, and every meal was carefully put together and cooked well. At the restaurant, Yuvraj, Karanveer, Nitendra, Sandeep, and Shyam anticipated what we needed and took great care of us at each meal. Our safari was superb, especially with Ms Namrata's knowledge and passion for wildlife adding so much to it. The whole stay was an amazing experience, and we can't wait to try the other Taj Safari lodges. Definitely recommend it for a luxury safari. The property is well placed for safari, but it is still a lodge in the buffer zone of one of India's leading parks and tiger preserves, where nature is free to do its thing. Taj is a major hospitality chain known for attentive service and facilities, but expect jungle life here: monkeys may get on the bungalow roof, birds chirp, and insects make noise. We had no mosquitoes or insects in our room, though they could show up. Letting housekeeping do its daily work helps keep unwanted jungle life away. The pool was a refreshing break, and there's a spa, bikes, games, and a table tennis table.

The full day safari gave us more flexibility, with no zonal restrictions, and roughly 12 hours in the park. It also includes all meals. A Taj naturalist drives and a guide is hired by Taj. Seeing tigers, leopards, or other wildlife is unpredictable, so a sighting isn't guaranteed. The forest service lets full day safari visitors enter 15 min earlier and leave 15 minutes later, giving more time and freedom to explore the safari areas. Service was the standout for us. Every person was welcoming and helpful, our preferences were already known, and no request went unaccommodated. Check-in was smooth and personalized, on a sofa. The property sits in the Pench National Park buffer zone among forests and a stream. Bungalow #1 was clean and a good size, with a nice view of the little river below. The bed was comfortable, and we slept well. The desk and sofa were comfortable too, with good jungle views. From the balcony, which overlooks the creek, there was a table and chairs, plus dumbbells, a yoga mat, and a jump rope in a neat bag. The bathroom was spacious and well supplied, including Forest Essentials products, just a two second walk from our room within the bungalow property. We liked both showers, indoors and outdoors. Hot and cold water worked fine, as did the showers, toilet with bidet spray, and sink. The grounds were clean and well kept, surrounded by the sights, sounds, and scents of nature. The meals were tasty and healthy, with lots of vegetarian and vegan or plant-based choices. The room amenities were good, and we felt special. Staff spoke Hindi and English. The evening Ganesh puja felt like an authentic celebration of India and local culture. A few people especially stood out. Pratipal at the gate always greeted us with a smile, raising both arms energetically to welcome us back or say goodbye whenever we arrived or left Taj Baghvan. Chefs Nandan, Kanhaiya, and Shubham gave us attentive service around our vegetarian needs. Head Chef Nandan made local dishes for many meals, including red spinach that looked like red kale or red chard, onion kheer for dessert, fresh mustard and peanut vegetable sabji, and parvar (pointed gourd). He made breads with millets such as jumkha bhakar, bajra (pearl millet), ragi (finger millet), and jowar (sorghum). What we thought of as simple village food turned into very tasty meals. Karanveer, Yuvraj, Nitendra, and Shyam served us wonderfully and escorted us to our rooms after dark. Gond artist Santosh Dhurwey had the calmest, warmest smile; his paintings are beautiful, and he didn't pressure us. Asst GM Ajay Kumar, Khushwinder, and Camp Host Rashmi Sahoo looked after our needs. Naturalists Erik, Kris, Subhay, and Namrata were all great. The infinity pool was a cool relief. There's also a spa, bikes, table games, and table tennis.

We loved the hospitality and the way the property was built to conserve nature. Bhairu sir, Ajay sir, Karan veer, Lakshman, and the rest of the welcoming team made the stay feel warm. They really go out of their way to look after you. A must visit.