Shangri-La!

My friend wanted to celebrate her 18th Birthday in a different way. So, she took a few of us friends to her Bungalow in a resort called Shangrila, on the outskirts of Surat, Gujarat.

This resort is amazing, with numerous bungalows, rooms and a superb recreation centre! The entrance may not seem very promising , but as soon as you drive into this resort, be prepared to have a blast! The driveway is lined by beautiful plants on either side and further splits up into short lanes. These lanes have cute duplex bungalows on either side, each bungalow having it's own parking space. 

The lanes are short and sweet and a perfect set up for taking some amazing pictures. My friends and I took some memorable pictures in these lanes, which remind us of what an amazing time we had at this resort. The lanes felt so picture perfect and so apt , and I really loved them because they remind me of the lanes I walked through, in Austria! 

Each lane ends with a two storey building which has rooms for the guests to stay in. Each room has a super duper comfortable bed, a wooden study , a cozy armchair and a big bathroom. My room was so comfortable that I didn't feel like getting out of it :P

The recreation centre in the resort has a library, a kids' play area, a swimming pool and a mini theatre. The entrance of the recreation centre looked something like this.

The Library has a huge collection of books, new as well as old. It's a peaceful and perfect place for all book lovers.

The kids' play area has small slides and a few puzzles and blocks for them to play with. The interiors of the play area is done up very creatively, which goes perfectly with the theme "kids' play area" .

The swimming pool is somewhat L shaped, with the shallow part separated from the deep by a metal railing. Around the swimming pool, there are small tables  surrounded by chairs so that people can just laze around near the pool. There are also those lounge chairs on which one can relax after a swim in the pool. 

There also is a wooden swing near the pool, which one can chill on while watching people swim and other activities happening. From this swing, one can see almost the entire recreation centre.

The mini theatre is one to look out for. It has the most lavish seating I have ever come across. It consists of these huge armchairs which can be extended from the front as well as the back, in such a way that it allows a person to lie down while enjoying a movie. The mini theatre is perfect to spend the afternoon, a perfect cool down after a morning swim.

Just near the recreation centre is the restaurant. It serves buffets as well as food on order. The food here is absolutely scrumptious, with a variety of items to choose from the menu. From Noodles to Paneer Makhani & from Pesto Paneer to Ice cream, it has amazing dishes to offer! 

Another amazing part of this resort is its disco! All of us went there to dance and loosen up a little. I can assure you that each and every one of us have fond memories of that night! The disco has a huge dance floor, with seats at the corners, for those who want to sit and just enjoy the music. It also has a few steps that lead to some tables and the booth from where the DJ plays some cool mixes.We danced till our feet started to hurt and had one of the best nights ever! Everyone showed their moves which were quite interesting and amazing, might I add!

Now, coming to the description of my friend's cottage. Her cottage is a duplex, which has a very simple yet sweet entrance. As soon as you enter, there are sofas to the left and a dining table straight ahead. As you walk a little further  inside, there are a flight of steps which lead you to the upper half of the bungalow which is equally or even more fabulous than the lower half. It has a room which leads into a den, the den being full of comfy beds and even has a projector and a huge stereo system. All of us danced to some good music, the first afternoon and we all shared jokes and had a hearty laugh too! 

Each and every part of this resort was done very nicely and looked very attractive. It was one of the best outings I've had with my friends and I look forward to many more such trips! 

Such trips remind me why I love to travel and see new places! If you're looking to have a great time, this resort is a must visit, with friends and family!