Bella Lake Touch AC Cottages | Pawna Lakeside Resort review
INTRODUCTION
Sometimes travel is not always about luxury or perfect comfort. Some trips become memorable simply because they offer a completely different experience from our usual routine stays.
This article features our overnight stay at Bella Lake Touch AC Cottages near Pawna Lake. We stayed here mainly because we were spending time around the lakeside area, and while returning, it became too dark to drive back comfortably. So we decided to stay overnight close to the lake itself.
The experience here was very different from our usual family resort stays in Lonavala. While the location and natural beauty were absolutely stunning, there were also several things that personally did not suit our family travel preferences.
LOCATION
Bella Lake Touch AC Cottages is situated directly beside Pawna Lake in a very scenic and peaceful location surrounded by nature and village areas.
The biggest highlight of the property is definitely the lake view and pleasant weather. The lake literally feels like it is right at your doorstep, making the entire atmosphere calm and refreshing.
However, reaching the property itself is quite difficult. Since the site is located very close to the lake and on sloping terrain, the roads leading to the property are uneven and not properly developed.
Driving our SUV here was manageable, but honestly, as a car owner, I still felt bad for my vehicle because the road conditions were rough in several stretches. No matter how strong the vehicle is, every car owner feels emotionally attached to their vehicle like another robotic child.
FIRST IMPRESSION
The site location is genuinely beautiful. The weather was pleasant, the natural surroundings felt refreshing, and the lighting arrangements inside the property looked beautiful during nighttime.
The cottages themselves were compact but neat and well-maintained. Since the entire property is built on a sloping site beside the lake, certain areas still seemed to require better finishing and fixing work.
The ambience here felt very different compared to regular family resorts in Lonavala.
Most visitors were couples, newly married couples, college students, or groups of young working professionals. Families visiting with children were comparatively very few.
OUR STAY EXPERIENCE
We booked a premium cottage room for our overnight stay. The room itself was compact but clean, comfortable, and properly maintained for a short stay experience.
The property overall gives more of a couple-oriented ambience rather than a family-oriented resort atmosphere.
Although people staying there were friendly and interacted sweetly with my daughter, I personally still felt slightly uncomfortable as a parent because the environment was not very child-friendly overall.
The camps and cottages nearby were mostly occupied by couples and groups of youngsters, which personally made me feel this may not be the ideal stay option for families traveling with small children.
However, luckily my daughter still enjoyed the experience because she loves nature and absolutely enjoyed being so close to the lake.
FOOD EXPERIENCE
Personally, we did not enjoy the food experience much.
Although the food had a home-cooked style, we felt the taste and overall quality could have been much better.
Another thing we did not personally like was the dining arrangement. The food was prepared elsewhere and then brought to the property for serving.
The serving system also felt slightly uncomfortable because the staff would not encourage taking dal or gravy multiple times separately. If you wanted extra, you had to take everything together initially.
For travelers who are particular about food quality and dining comfort during vacations, this is one aspect worth considering before booking.
STAFF & SERVICE
The staff members were mostly young local boys and were not in uniforms. The overall management style felt very locally handled rather than professionally managed like a commercial luxury resort.
However, they were still polite and helpful whenever needed.
One thing I personally love while traveling across Maharashtra is how warmly local people treat you when you communicate in Marathi. Since I was born and brought up in Mumbai and speak Marathi fluently, traveling across Maharashtra always feels like traveling within my second home.
Even in isolated or dark-looking village areas around Pawna and Lonavala, the surroundings generally remain safe because villages and local communities are always nearby.
TYPE OF ACCOMODATION: –
- Super Delux Camp
- Triangle Tents Opens
- Private washroom Cottages
We chose the third accommodation option, but the space still felt extremely compact. The room only had a single bed and nothing much beyond the basic essentials. It felt more like a luxury camping tent, the only difference being that it had enclosed walls, proper doors, windows, and air conditioning. There was just enough walking space beside the bed to access the washroom.
The washroom itself felt comfortable and not congested. Overall, it was definitely a different experience from the kind of stays we usually prefer. Since we travel with kids, we generally look for spacious accommodations where our child can move around and play freely, so that aspect felt quite limited here.
One advantage of this property is that you can spend most of your time outdoors enjoying nature, weather permitting, and only return to the room to rest and freshen up.
However, some basic conveniences were missing. There was no bedside table, so all our belongings had to be kept on the bed, making it feel cluttered. A small cabinet for valuables would have been useful. There was also no full-size mirror, and larger floor mats near the washroom would have made the stay more comfortable.
While the accommodation fulfills the “nature stay” concept, it lacks some of the basic practical requirements expected by family travelers. Still, we made the best use of the experience, checked out early the next morning, and moved to a nearby spacious resort. In many ways, it felt more like an overnight lakeside camping experience rather than a regular resort stay.
One positive aspect worth mentioning is that the staff remained attentive and were monitoring the property even at night, which made us feel safe and secure during our stay.
ACTIVITIES & AMBIENCE
One of the best parts of the property is direct access to the lakeside atmosphere.
If the weather conditions are safe and suitable, guests may also be allowed to enter and enjoy the Pawna Lake water connected to the property surroundings.
The lighting arrangements throughout the site looked beautiful during nighttime and added a peaceful vibe to the overall ambience.
This stay is more suitable for:
- Couples
- Newly married couples
- Young working professionals
- College friend groups
- Nature lovers looking for a different lakeside experience, like solo travellers
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
- The road to reach the property is rough and uneven.
- The ambience is more couple-oriented than family-oriented.
- Not very ideal for families with small children.
- Food quality and dining arrangements may not suit everyone.
- Cottage rooms are compact.
- Beautiful natural location but basic in several aspects.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, this stay gave us a completely different experience from our usual resort stays in Lonavala.
The lakeside atmosphere, pleasant weather, peaceful surroundings, and beautiful location were definitely memorable.
However, personally, I would not strongly recommend this ambience for families traveling with children, especially if you prefer a more family-oriented resort environment with better food arrangements and entertainment options for kids.
At the same time, if you are someone who enjoys nature, peaceful lake views, couple-style camping ambience, and unique offbeat stays, then this place may still appeal to you depending on your travel expectations.
