Shalako Service Villa

Sathish S

3 weeks ago on Google

The hotel has become not old but the amenities as wonderful. Best location for boys trip. Location has swimming pool (freezing cold water during winter as there no water warmer). Old pool table. Tablet tennis board. Three rooms. Cricket turf. Fire camp options. Food was decent. The care taker and his team are great and they come running to support.

Anil Nambiaruveetil

a month ago on Google

We recently spent a couple of days at Shalako Resorts in Vagamon for a family getaway, and while the stay had its high points, there were areas that could use some improvement. What We Loved The views from the cottage were absolutely stunning—exactly what we were hoping for when we decided on Vagamon. The food, prepared by the caretaker Mr. Selvam, was simple yet delicious, and his hospitality really stood out. He was friendly, accommodating, and honest to a fault. For instance, my brother forgot his watch after we checked out, and Mr. Selvam went out of his way to return it to us at a nearby AVT outlet. It’s rare to come across someone so genuinely helpful these days. Another highlight for us was the presence of a few stray dogs around the property. As a family of dog lovers, we thoroughly enjoyed interacting with them. They were friendly and added a lovely, homely vibe to the place. Room for Improvement That said, there were several aspects that could be better. The resort has three rooms on different levels: The ground floor and top floor rooms fell short of expectations in terms of cleanliness and upkeep. The middle floor was better but still had noticeable issues, like water seeping through the bathroom floor. Wet spots are clearly visible on the edge of the balcony ledge from the water seeping through the floor. The layout of the property also left something to be desired. The stairs connecting the floors were steep and not ideal for children or elderly family members, which made moving between levels a bit of a challenge. Another point worth mentioning is the hygiene. While the food was good, the cleanliness of the kitchen could be improved. The store room on the top floor, adjacent to the bedroom, was a definite downside—seeing cockroaches running around isn’t something you’d expect or want on a vacation. Lastly, while we enjoyed the presence of the dogs, the kennel’s location right in front of the kitchen door wasn’t ideal. It felt unhygienic and poorly thought out. A Note on the Owner I noticed some other reviews mentioned issues with the owner’s attitude, but we didn’t experience that. While we didn’t meet him in person, our interactions over phone and WhatsApp were pleasant. He even provided detailed directions to the property, which were very helpful, and graciously allowed us to use the kitchen to cater to our child with special needs. Final Thoughts Overall, Shalako Resorts has a lot of potential. The views are fantastic, and the caretaker, Mr. Selvam, truly elevates the experience with his warm and honest demeanor. However, the property does need better maintenance and attention to hygiene and layout to fully meet expectations. If you’re someone who prioritizes scenic beauty and good hospitality over luxury or perfect infrastructure, you’ll probably enjoy your stay here. But families with kids or elderly members might find the steep stairs and cleanliness concerns a bit off-putting. Pros: Stunning views Great food Exceptional caretaker (Selvam) Cons: Rooms need maintenance Steep stairs unsuitable for kids and elderly Hygiene issues in the kitchen and store room Poorly placed kennel It was a mixed bag overall, but the positives—especially the views and Selvam’s hospitality—did leave us with fond memories. We had a good family getaway. Hope to revisit the place some time again in the future after the necessary upgrades are done!!!

Mithun Yadav

a month ago on Google

After my marriage we took a trip to Kerala with my parents. Went to Munnar / Vagamon and Alleppey. Munnar hotel was nice but it being the last week of Dec was full. There were more than 20 rooms , very crowded. The pool was full at all times. As my wife was not comfortable with the large number of people in the pool so we did not get in. In Vagamon we stayed at Shalako a private villa. The first thing that impressed me was that all the staff were fluent in Hindi so no issues there. The rooms were neat and clean and the food delicious. My Dad is used to his morning tea at around 5 am and was a little irritated that the Kitchen was closed , but Selvam was up before 7 am so he was ok . The view from the rooms were amazing. For the first time in my life my father who is 60 played cricket with me and that too under lights, that is something I will treasure throughout my life.The pool was fun but the water was very cold. There is a temple on the hill so my parents were happy. Noticed some horses which I came to know were kept by the owner for his personal use so no horse riding, that wud have been fun. Overall great experience. We are back in Indore and I look back on my Kerala trip with fond memories.

Susan John

4 months ago on Google

We had an amazing time as a family. The rooms were large and well decorated, but most of all the view was stunning. We must have spent several hours just looking out at the hills that surrounded us. The staff was also extremely helpful and were available to tend to any needs we had. I would definitely recommend Shalako if you are looking for a once in a lifetime getaway.

shinju george

a month ago on Google

So this was a weekend trip with 9 school mates, including myself, which was booked through Hippie Camps. Now let's look into the pros first: 1. The route/ directions sent by the owner made it is easy to find the way. Google maps shows way through an estate route which is a hassle. We know, since we accidentally took it on our way back 2. We had asked prior arrival, if some foot items can be warmed anfd sausages fried at the property, which was done. the sausages were fried very well, not overdoing it, as has been the case at most places 3. The food served was quite good. The breakfast idlis were exceptional to say the least. Better than served at some restaurants! Now coming to the cons: 1. The photos in Google and the reality is not quite the same. Photos of the same has been shared with Hippie Camps for their knowledge. Further construction of the slopes, does not quite give a good view 2. Morning was waken up with condensate water dropping on myself. 3. Games room is in disarray. Pool table baize/ felt was torn at places. Construction material stored at corners. Electrical items just isolated by putting isolation tape on them 3. The mattresses on the permanent beds were quite hard to sleep on. The portable bed/ mattresses were better! 4. The pool, though pictures show a decent sized pool, can say for sure it cannot be used by even 9 people without bumping into each other. 5. The upkeep of the villa in general itself can be questioned and i am not talking of cleanliness, it is about general maintenance and upkeep. 6. The biggest con in this location is the owner.... and let me explain a bit. We reached earlier than the specified check-in time by about 1300hrs instead of 1400. Spoke to the caretaker, who mentioned that only the living room is available and bedrooms are being cleaned, to which we said that is perfectly fine since we arrived early and we made sure to stay in the living room. The owner comes from the construction site and following is the conversation: "Why are you here?" "The check-in time is 1400!" "This is an inconvenience" "What time would you be checking out" to which i said by 1100hrs and he was like" Oh so not at 1000hrs since you came an hour earlier" I certainly take responsibility for coming an hour earlier, but i am sure xthis could have been managed a lot professionally! PS: Seeing the previous reviews and how the owner has responded, let me add, we did not ask for any discounts at any point nor have we asked for preferential treatment. So if booking this propertly, be aware!! Minus the owner, the property is a pretyy decent place to relax and unwind! If reviews allows photos, will attach accordingly!