Club Mahindra Kandaghat Resort

The property is about 22 kms. from Solan and 30 kms. from Shimla, on the main Kalka-Shimla highway. It's mainly for Club Mahindra members and works as a self-contained place for families to spend time together. I found the gardens and open cottages with benches and chairs especially relaxing, and you can wander around or play indoor games. The whole atmosphere feels calm and removed from city life. The staff are polite, caring, and eager to help. People greeted us whenever we walked around, which made us feel welcome. The Travel Desk at reception can arrange local sightseeing and transport, including cabs and buses. Pick-and-drop from Kandaghat railway station on the Kalka-Shimla toy train route can also be arranged. It's at a lower altitude than Shimla, so it's hotter in summer, but the air is clean and there's usually a light breeze during the day. Nights are much cooler, so you may need a light woolen. I'd definitely recommend visiting.

We paid ₹10,000 per night for a family stay after looking at the rooms on Club Mahindra's official site, MakeMyTrip, and Agoda. The pictures made them look suitable for a 5-star property, but what we were given was a rude shock. The staff said the online photos were of the newly built building, while our rooms were in the old building, which doesn't appear online at all. I consider this misleading advertising, and customers should be able to see every room type before booking. We arrived at 7pm, and check-in took over an hour. By the time we raised our concerns, it was already 9 PM. They offered a refund, but it was too late to find somewhere else for the family. We appreciate that they also offered a complimentary dinner, but neither offer made up for the inconvenience. The staff were dismissive and unwilling to acknowledge the problems. The rooms had dirty sofas and floors that seemed not to have been vacuumed, bathroom tiles with stains and visible patches, damp walls with fungus or seepage marks, and dirty doors. This was unacceptable and a waste of our money. We won't return to any Club Mahindra property. Management should update its listings with accurate photos of all room categories so guests can make an informed choice.

Getting around the large property to reach reception was a bit difficult, since the rooms are spread out. The rooms themselves were good, and the staff were welcoming and well trained. Food preparations were excellent. In-room dining fell below average, though, both in friendliness and in how the food was served.

The grounds and landscaping made up for the location not being prime, and the staff were courteous. It's a good resort to stay at, but having your own vehicle is a must to enjoy the visit.