Escape to Paradise: The Comfort Gir Resort Awaits in Sasan Gir, India
Escape to Paradise: The Comfort Gir Resort Awaits in Sasan Gir, India
Escape to Paradise: The Comfort Gir Resort Awaits - (Or Does It?!) A Brutally Honest Review for Gir Lovers!
Okay, buckle up buttercups! Because this isn't your usual fluffy travel brochure review. I've just emerged from my (slightly) sweaty and (definitely) lion-inspired adventure in Sasan Gir, and I’m here to spill the chai. This is my take on Escape to Paradise: The Comfort Gir Resort Awaits, hopefully with enough info to help you decide if this is your jungle dream come true. Or if you should just stick to watching Lion King on repeat.
First Impressions & Accessibility – The Good, The Bad, and the Slightly Confusing:
Getting to Sasan Gir is an adventure in itself. It's a hike, let's be honest. Comfort Gir Resort, thankfully, is located reasonably close to the park entrance, which is a HUGE win after a long day of jeep safaris. They offer airport transfer, which is a lifesaver because navigating rural Gujarat yourself… well, let's just say my GPS and I had a very heated argument.
Accessibility: Now, this is where things get a little murky. The website says facilities for disabled guests, and they do have an elevator (hallelujah!), which is crucial. However, I didn’t explicitly see dedicated wheelchair access everywhere. I’d recommend contacting the resort specifically to confirm the level of accessibility that will meet your needs before booking – just to play it safe.
Internet & Tech - The Constant Battle:
Let’s be real, when you’re in the middle of nowhere, internet is a LUXURY. Comfort Gir promises Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! That's a big tick. And they say the availability of Internet [LAN] and Internet services. They also have Wi-Fi in public areas. And you get Internet! However, and this is my biggest pet peeve, it's a bit…spotty. Streaming anything bigger than a WhatsApp message could be a test of your patience. Plan accordingly, download all your Netflix binge-watching material before you arrive, and embrace the off-grid life as much as you can.
Rooms & Comfort - Plush or Practical?
Okay, the rooms themselves? Pretty decent. Clean, comfortable beds (extra long bed options for my tall friends!), air conditioning blasting, which is ESSENTIAL in the Gir heat. They even have bathrobes and slippers, which is a nice touch! I appreciated the blackout curtains – crucial for sleeping off those early morning safari wake-up calls. And, a window that opens! (Sometimes, I even needed to let some air into my room!). They have non-smoking rooms, which I heartily approve of.
Now, let's get into specifics:
- Available in all rooms: I would say, yes, all of the amenities are there.
- Additional toilet: I am not sure all of the rooms have this.
- Air conditioning: Absolutely essential in the heat of Sasan Gir.
- Alarm clock: Mine worked!
- Bathrobes: Plush!
- Bathroom phone: … Why?
- Bathtub: Nope, not in my room
- Blackout curtains: Blessed.
- Carpeting: Yes
- Closet: Yep.
- Coffee/tea maker: Bless them.
- Complimentary tea: Yes.
- Daily housekeeping: Spotless.
- Desk: Yes.
- Extra long bed: Score!
- Free bottled water: Hallelujah!
- Hair dryer: Yes!
- High floor: Depends on the room, but some have good views (ask for one!)
- In-room safe box: Secure!
- Interconnecting room(s) available: They say it, I’m sure it’s true.
- Internet access – LAN: Meh.
- Internet access – wireless: Meh.
- Ironing facilities: I'm sure they provide this on request
- Laptop workspace: Yes.
- Linens: Clean and fresh.
- Mini bar: They state that they have one, but I did not use it.
- Mirror: Huge.
- Non-smoking: Rejoice.
- On-demand movies: Not my vibe, but yes.
- Private bathroom: Yes.
- Reading light: Brilliant.
- Refrigerator: Yes.
- Safety/security feature: Many.
- Satellite/cable channels: Yes.
- Scale: Helpful to see if I could fit any more snacks in my luggage
- Seating area: Comfy.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Yes.
- Shower: Yes.
- Slippers: Luxury!
- Smoke detector: Needed!
- Socket near the bed: Excellent for phone charging.
- Sofa: Nice.
- Soundproofing: Not as much of a problem in the wilds.
- Telephone: Yes.
- Toiletries: Decent.
- Towels: Always clean.
- Umbrella: It might rain.
- Visual alarm: Not sure.
- Wake-up service: Yes.
- Wi-Fi [free]: Yes, but… see above.
- Window that opens: Airflow is key!
Dining, Drinking & Snacking - Fueling Up for Safari:
Okay, this is where things get interesting. The restaurants are, well, there. They offer a buffet in restaurant, which is convenient, but sometimes felt a little…canteen-y. The Asian Cuisine in restaurant was pretty good, I have to say. I loved the Soup in restaurant! The choices included A la carte in restaurant, not all of it was remarkable, but they were catering to a large group. There is a coffee shop, which is a lifesaver for the early mornings! And they provide Breakfast [buffet] with Western breakfast and they provide Asian breakfast. The poolside bar is a definite highlight. (That sunset with a cold Kingfisher? Bliss). There’s a Snack bar for those mid-afternoon cravings, and Room service [24-hour] – essential for when you're too exhausted to leave your room after a long day of lion-spotting. They provide bottle of water
Here’s a quick rundown:
- A la carte in restaurant: Varied, mixed quality
- Alternative meal arrangement: They offer, you have to ask.
- Asian breakfast: Decent
- Asian cuisine in restaurant: Surprisingly good
- Bar: Yes, a must-have.
- Bottle of water: Always provided!
- Breakfast [buffet]: Convenient.
- Breakfast service: Yes
- Buffet in restaurant: Canteen-y, but convenient.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Essential
- Coffee shop: Hallelujah
- Desserts in restaurant: Limited.
- Happy hour: Yes, thank god.
- International cuisine in restaurant: Pretty standard.
- Poolside bar: Sunset essential.
- Restaurants: Enough.
- Room service [24-hour]: Blessing.
- Salad in restaurant: OK.
- Snack bar: Helpful.
- Soup in restaurant: Fantastic.
- Vegetarian restaurant: They offer this.
- Western breakfast: Standard.
- Western cuisine in restaurant: Standard.
Things to Do and Ways to Relax - Spa Time? Maybe…:
The swimming pool is a welcome oasis after a dusty safari. It offers a pool with view! They offer a Fitness center, perfect for working off all those buffets (if you're into that).
And here's where it gets a little…vague. The website lists a Spa. However, I didn’t see much evidence of it being a full-fledged spa experience? I think they had some massage services, but double-check before you get your hopes up for a full day of pampering.
- Body scrub: They offer it.
- Body wrap: They offer it.
- Fitness center: Standard.
- Foot bath: Ask.
- Gym/fitness: Yeah, gym.
- Massage: Could be better.
- Pool with view: Yessss.
- Sauna: See.
- Spa: Questionable.
- Spa/sauna: See Spa.
- Steamroom: See.
- Swimming pool: Brilliant.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: Yes.
- Sauna: They offer it.
Cleanliness, Safety & COVID Considerations – Feeling Secure?
Honestly, I felt pretty safe. **
Escape to Paradise: Vish Hotel & Cafe, Nakhon Si Thammarat's Hidden Gem
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're about to dive HEADFIRST into chaos – the gloriously messy, imperfect, and utterly unforgettable chaos that is my trip to The Comfort Gir Resort in Sasan Gir, India. Forget your sterile, perfectly-timed itineraries. This is the REAL DEAL.
Day 1: Arrival (and Existential Dread, Basically)
- Morning (ish, because sleep is a luxury): Landed in Rajkot. The flight was… well, let's just say the coffee tasted like sadness. Found a taxi, which, let’s be honest, was held together with hope and maybe some duct tape. The drive to Sasan Gir? Beautiful, sure, with those dusty, sun-baked landscapes, but also… long. Very. Long. Like, "did I pack enough snacks for the apocalypse?" long.
- Afternoon: Resort Bliss (Sort Of): Finally, The Comfort Gir. My expectations were high. Maybe too high. Okay, the lobby was pretty, the welcome drink (a guava something-or-other, I think?) was delicious, and the staff were genuinely warm. Checked into my room, which, bless its heart, looked like it had been decorated in the late 90s, but hey, it had air conditioning, and for the love of all things holy, that was a win.
- Rambling Thought: I'm already feeling a pressure to be "on vacation," to maximize every. Single. Moment. This is ridiculous. I need a nap. And maybe a stiff drink.
- Evening: The "Orientation" (or, My First Gir Encounter): Met up with the resort's naturalist, who, bless his enthusiastic heart, was overflowing with facts about lions and leopards. He laid out the game drive options and gave us a pep talk. Then, I promptly forgot half of what he said because… fatigue. Dinner at the resort restaurant. Food was decent, until a rogue mosquito decides my ankle is it's next meal. I was not impressed.
- Emotional Level: A fluctuating mix of "Wow, this is beautiful!" and "Am I going to regret that extra samosa?"
- Imperfection Score: 6/10 (Room décor, uneven food, feeling of pressure).
Day 2: Lion Safari – An Epic Fail (and a Triumph of Expectations)
- Morning: Early Bird Gets… Disappointment? Woke up before the sun, ready for the 6 AM safari. I had my camera, my binoculars, and an almost unbearable level of anticipation. The jeep bumped, the driver took turns, and the forest? It was gorgeous. Truly wild and raw. Then… nothing. We saw a few deer, some monkeys, and a whole lot of empty space.
- Quirky Observation: The monkeys in the forest aren't afraid of cars, and are very judgemental. They look straight into the jeep and stare at you as if you were a zoo animal.
- Middle of the Day: Downward Spiral (But Deliciously So): Back to the resort, feeling deflated and a little bit like a wildlife documentary extra. The resort pool? Crystal clear and inviting. Spent the next few hours swimming, reading, and slowly accepting that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't going to see a lion. Had a truly divine lunch… a lamb curry that nearly brought tears to my eyes. (Okay, fine, it did bring tears to my eyes, but it was the good kind).
- Rambling Thought: So I had the most amazing meal and this will keep me going, right? Right?.
- Evening: The Evening Safari – Redemption! (Sort Of): Decided to give it another go in the evening. The forest felt different, more… alive. And then, there it was. A flash of tawny fur, a magnificent mane, a lion. He was, as they say, just chilling in the sun, giving exactly zero cares about my existence.
- Opinionated Language: I nearly lost my mind! Forget the blurry photos, the bad lighting, the fact that he barely glanced our way. I saw. A. Lion. It's everything.
- Emotional Level: From abject despair to roaring elation faster than you can say "roast mutton."
- Imperfection Score: 7/10 (Early morning fail, slightly underwhelming lion encounter, lamb curry induced tears).
- Doubling Down on the Lion Encounter: Let's be real – seeing a lion in the wild is life altering. It's a primal, visceral experience that cuts through the noise, reminds you just how powerful nature is, and also how very, very small you are. This is what I came for and honestly, I would go back for the lion alone.
Day 3: Birds, Bafflement, and… Bye Bye Sasan Gir!
- Morning: Bird Watching (and Total Lack of Expertise): The resort organized a bird watching tour. I'm not really a bird person. I have a vague idea that they're pretty, and I know the word "sparrow." Let’s just say I spent half the time staring at the sky, wondering if it was a bird or a large, feathered airplane. The guide, bless his patience, kept pointing things out. Eventually I enjoyed it.
- Emotional Reaction: Overwhelmed, because I'm usually not outdoorsy, but appreciative of the sun.
- Afternoon: Packing and Pondering (aka, More Existential Dread): Packing. The bane of my existence. While folding my clothes, I stared at the forest outside my balcony. It's still beautiful, but I can't help feeling, a bit… empty. Like I should have done more. Seen more. Appreciated more. Is this how people feel about life in general?
- Opinionated Observation: This trip wasn’t perfect, but it was real and that made it completely perfect.
- Evening: Farewell Dinner and Departures: One last resort dinner. This time, the food was excellent and the mosquito was nowhere to be found. Said goodbye to the staff. The drive back to the airport. Another long drive, a few final landscapes.
- Messy Structure: The packing and the emotional rollercoaster of this trip? The hardest part to put into words.
- Emotional Level: A bittersweet mix of exhaustion, lingering awe at the lion, and an aching desire to plan the next adventure.
- Imperfection Score: 8/10 (Birdwatching fiasco, packing anxiety, overall feeling of "was that it?") (In a good way).
- Final Verdict: The Comfort Gir Resort in Sasan Gir? It was a bit of a chaotic, imperfect, and often hilarious mess. But the lion? The lamb curry? That made it all worth it. Would I go back? Absolutely. After I've recovered, of course. Because, let's face it, vacationing is hard work.
Okay, so "Escape to Paradise: The Comfort Gir Resort Awaits"... What's the *real* deal? Is it actually paradise, or just a glorified hotel with a fancy name?
Alright, buckle up, because I’m about to spill the chai. "Paradise"? Let’s just say it’s got its moments. It’s not some perfectly curated Instagram feed come to life. More like… a *mostly* curated feed with a few blurry iPhone shots thrown in for good measure. The Gir Forest is stunning, no doubt. The resort? Well, it’s aiming for comfort, and hits the mark some of the time. Think: a perfectly comfy bed after a day of sweating in a jeep, but with a slightly iffy shower situation. More on that later. Paradise-adjacent, I'd say. Think of it as a gateway to paradise, not the whole shebang. You *will* be roughing it, it's Gir, after all.
The Comfort Gir Resort… sounds a bit… generic. What makes it *different* from all the other places in Gir? Besides the name, obviously.
Okay, true, the name isn't exactly groundbreaking. But let's talk about the *vibe*. They try (and sometimes succeed, bless their hearts) at giving you the "tribal luxury" experience. Think slightly rough-around-the-edges but with a focus on local experiences. They lean hard into the lion safari, which is what you're *really* there for, right? They (thankfully) are very focused on sustainability. Some things felt a little bit "trying too hard" to be eco-friendly, and that's where things get a bit messy. It really *does* depend on what you are expecting and that's the same for a lot of the hotels around here.
Speaking of lions… how likely am I to actually *see* one? And what if I *don’t* see one? Instant vacation meltdown?
The million-dollar question, isn’t it? See a lion? It's not a guarantee. I went with *high* hopes, and... well, the anticipation is a killer! Gir is their last abode, so you've got a good chance, relatively speaking. I'd say the safaris happen at dawn and dusk. The guides are *amazing*. They're like lion whisperers – though, let's be honest, the lions have their own schedules, bless 'em. But if you *don't* see a lion? Don't lose your mind! Trust me, I almost did. The forest itself is still magical. You'll see other wildlife. The thrill and fun of it all is just something else. I'm not even the biggest animal person, but seeing the wildlife... It makes you feel like you're a part of this ecosystem that hasn't seen a whole lot of change in millennia. Also, the sunsets in the forest are mind-blowing. So, no meltdown. Maybe a minor sulk. Pack extra chai for comfort.
Let’s talk about the rooms. What were they actually *like*? Did they have, like, running water?
Okay, the rooms. They ranged. Some were proper, some were… rustic. Mine was mostly fine. The bed was comfy. Thank goodness. The shower... alright, here we go. The water pressure was patchy. Sometimes it was a gentle trickle. Other times… it felt like a tiny, angry hose blasting me. I swear, I spent half my shower bracing myself. And the hot water? Mostly warm. But look, I survived. There's something about the whole experience. You go and embrace that you will get dirty, and even sometimes, not have hot water, and just accept it. The air conditioning worked, which was a godsend. So, yeah, running water, but temper your expectations. Especially for a place like this.
Food! What was the food situation like? Did you get a dodgy tummy? Be honest!
The food... a highlight! Honestly. I went with a healthy dose of skepticism, you know, expecting the usual bland "tourist food." But no! The food was genuinely delicious. Lots of regional Gujarati dishes. I ate so much. The *dal* was amazing. The rotis were fresh and soft. I'm not even kidding. I could have eaten them all day. And the best part? No, no dodgy tummy! (At least, not from the resort food. Who knows what that roadside *pani puri* did to me? Ha!).
Were there any… *unpleasant* surprises? Anything that made you think, "Oh, heck no, I'm outta here!"
Well, there was this one time… (deep breath) The power went out, and the backup generator was… temperamental. Let’s just say I spent an hour swatting at mosquitoes in the dark. And the mosquitoes in Gir? They mean business. Bring bug spray, people! And, okay, one other thing. The resort is quite focused on being "eco-friendly." I fully support that! But sometimes it felt a bit… performative. Like, recycling bins everywhere, but maybe not enough actual recycling happening. And the service, at times, was… slow. But you're in India. You learn to go with the flow. These things are actually nothing compared to the beauty around you.
Would you recommend the Comfort Gir Resort? Be brutally honest.
Look, if you're looking for a super-polished luxury experience, this ain’t it. But if you're after a base camp for exploring Gir, if you want to feel like you're actually *in* the forest and not just watching it from a glass-walled hotel, and if you're okay with a few rustic quirks… then, yeah. I recommend it. It's an experience. It's not perfect, it's wonky, but it's real. And that, in itself, is pretty darn special. Just pack extra bug spray. Seriously.
What's the Wi-Fi situation? Essential or a recipe for cabin fever in the middle of the jungle?
Wi-Fi? Ha! Okay, I knew going in that I was going to be off the grid. I was still prepared to *try* to work. It was… spotty. Which, honestly, was fine. It forced me to disconnect. To actually look at the stars. To listen to the sounds of the forest. So, essential if you absolutely *have* to be glued to your phone. But for me? Kind of a blessing in disguise. Embrace the disconnect. It’sTop Hotel Search
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