Review : The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake, Gurugram
Posted on April 15, 2020 by Ghoomophiro
The Gateway Resort is Gurugram is a perfect place for a short getaway. Travel to nearby places and relax in luxury with nature surrounding the marvelous resort. Located near Damdama Lake, the resort is known for being extravagantly beautiful. The resort will let you experience a mixture of urban and nomadic life. We got the chance to stay at The Gateway Resort which is spread over 20 acres on a weekend and we couldn’t stop ourselves from sharing the entire experience.
How to Reach?
From Delhi Airport, the resort is located at a 58 km distance and it takes about one hour to reach the resort. Amidst the Aravalli Hills, the resort is located right near Damdama Lake. It is a well-sought out of the getaway place for people living in Delhi, Faridabad, and Noida.
Check-in and check-out.
Check-in from 3:00 PM
Check-out till 12:00 PM
Option for Early check-in and late check-out also available on request.
Why should you visit The Taj Gateway Resort?
We had a fantastic stay at the resort and it was just the perfect getaway from the busy city life. The great outdoors with a view of the Lake and rich hospitality of the staff made for a relaxing weekend. Since it is a luxury resort, all our needs were catered to and the staff was nice beyond expectations. Though the resort almost always has pre-bookings, it does not seem crowded. Spread across 20 acres of land, it leaves enough individual space for every traveler staying there. We had our private space, quiet and calm in the lap of nature. The green garden is great for relaxing walks and the viewpoint is suitable for Instagram-worthy pictures.
Types of Rooms:
We stayed in the Deluxe Resort Room but there are three options available. There is Superior Room Category which has similar to Deluxe category room, only cheaper and without a Bathtub. The suite was the most luxurious option and the Deluxe room fell somewhere in the middle. The rooms were spacious and had an attached bathroom. All the modern amenities, toiletries were available and there was a garden sit-out area. There were chairs where we sat in the garden and got the view of lush greenery. There was free wifi facility, king size bed, attached bath and a walk-in wardrobe. The rooms were clean and well-maintained.
Ambiance:
As soon as we entered the resort, we were greeted by the staff in a lobby made of glass and red store. The ambiance of the resort is luxuriously wild. They had top-class facilities with a nomadic feel. The entire property is stunning. The combined architecture of wood, stone, and glass gives a classy interior vibe. The greenery is used for aesthetic benefits and couples came to the resort for pre-wedding shoots. We saw some during our stay in the resort.
Activities available:
There are many complimentary as well as paid activities available in the resort. There is a fully-equipped fitness center which we did not use because we were there to relax instead of working out. But for gym freaks, the resort has the latest gym equipment, steam room as well as a Jacuzzi. We did enjoy the Taj spa with relaxing treatments. They have many services and I went for a rejuvenation treatment. The massage went on for 60 minutes and left me feeling quite relaxed afterward.
The pool is open to all and they had a kid’s pool next to the main pool. We did enjoy some non-alcoholic drinks at the pool-bar ‘Splash’. The view of the sunset from the poolside must be experienced for making the best out of your stay.
The activity area had options for ziplining and camel rides which are just as fun as they sound, even if they are paid. There is an entire section dedicated to paid activities. There were hanging bridge and wall-climbing activities. You could practice target shooting or archery. We did try the mud-bike but one has to request it. Kids that were staying in the hotel enjoyed bull-riding, bungee jumping and paintball. It made us smile to see them having so much fun. The paid activities are also available in packages so you can save money by choosing any package that you want. There are three options with a nominal fee. They also had a separate area made to be the playground for kids.
If you do not wish to pay for adventure activities, you can also go for complementary activities. We played table tennis in the recreation center, went cycling and there were also other options available like carom, basketball, air hockey, and golf putting.
If visiting with family, one can also try some of the paid group activities that the hotel arranges like Treasure Hunt, Karaoke Night, Bonfire or cricket.
What’s the best thing to enjoy?
The Chimes hill is a secluded spot where we sat and enjoyed the serenity of the surroundings for a long time. The sunset from poolside is an unforgettable memory we have.
What to eat and where?
There are so many options available to choose from. From authentic local cuisines to world-class food, organic and low-calorie meals or your favorite drinks, there is a vast menu to choose from. Starting from the 24 hr coffee shop, “Buzz” serves buffet for all three meals but we chose to dine there only for breakfast. They also had an a la carte menu yet we preferred the sumptuous buffet for the morning. Sian is their Oriental restaurant but we did not like much of anything on their menu. It had a great ambiance so we just ordered a few drinks and left, not knowing that the resort had a nice bar (Swirl) as well. For lunch, we preferred the restaurant by the poolside. The pool-side menu had a barbeque and grilled food and the hotel set-up a nice luncheon for us two. The food was completely organic and healthy. We even explored the other cafes for snacks. Cakes and Bakes had a nice range of pastries but the coffee shop remained our best dining place.
What was lacking?
We could not get a complete tour of the property because the golf cart broke down. But whenever they could, the staff made up for all minor issues. Any of the concerns that we had regarding pool heating or restricted menu were addressed.
Places to see nearby:
The best part about staying at The Gateway Resort is that all places worth seeing are nearby. The Damdama Lake known popularly for the migratory birds that arrive there during summers is merely 2 km away. We saw different species of birds like cranes, kingfishers, terns and waterfowl. On the way to the lake, we also spotted Neel gai and peacocks. We went boating in the lake since the atmosphere was so calm and scenic. There also many adventure sports activities available near the lake.
Bathe in the Hot springs:
Hot Springs of Sohna Town are 11 km away from the resort and the water in the hot spring is highly relaxing. It even has mythological importance than it is known for curing diseases since one of the Pandavas had dug it.
Pray at the ancient Shiva Temple:
In Sohna town only, there is a famous ancient Shiva Temple. If you are religious, you can visit the temple and offer prayers. Generally, it is not crowded except for the days of Shiv Ratri or another important festival when there is a grand celebration in the temple.
Complete Overview:
Our stay at The Gateway Resort was pleasant and memorable. We would like to specially mention the staff that was always courteous and polite during our stay and often went out of their way to make our stay even more comfortable. From our rooms to the facilities, everything was top-notch but that is to be expected from a brand like Taj. The surprise was that it was never noisy despite there being plenty of travelers staying there. We got our space, enjoyed everything, didn’t have to wait too long for the meals and went wherever we wished to without a second thought.
