After reading reviews on the Net, we booked the Pond house
rooms for the 4 of us. We were glad we did, as we discovered that the 3
independent cottages were near the common dining area so were basically located
in a noisy section. The Pond House was far away from this area and relatively
secluded & quiet. Note though, that at night it is noisy, with the sound of
trains throughout the night.
Overview of Pond House
If you are planning to stay overnight or even spend an
entire day at Saguna Baug, I would definitely advise you to book the Pond House
rooms. If you wish to book a room for the day, you have to check out by 5p.m.
If you are staying overnight, you need to check out in the morning after
breakfast. It is really charming to stay here, with your own porch-dining area
overlooking the pond which is lined with coconut and mango trees.
When you initially look at the Pond House, you would
probably think that you had to access it via a boat. No, you don’t. There is a
path all the way right up to the Pond House. There are no steps either. A very
small covered bridge leads you into the Pond House.
You will get a constant avian visitor – the white-eyebrow
wag tail. We were very lucky to witness a kingfisher too, diving to catch fish
in the pond and got a glimpse of the pretty wire-tailed swallow.
Then there is the group of geese who sit in the shade of the
chikoo tree outside the Pond House.
Like humans, the geese have their own fixed
scheduled routine. They will sit quietly beneath the tree in the morning, then
set off in a single file (just like school students!!) towards the pond across
from the Pond House’s pond, slide into the water there and feast on the fish.
Once done, they will waddle back up onto the pond’s bank, form a sort of circle
and flap their wings vigorously and clean them with their beaks. Dried out and
happy, off they set out again in single file to return to their favourite
chikoo tree.
Once in a while the geese would break routine to swim in the Pond
House’s pond itself and then sun themselves on the ground at the entrance. On
one day we broke up biscuits and fed them, with one large goose angrily
fighting it out with the other geese to get exclusive share. Note that once you
feed them, they tend to follow you around so then you have to flap your own
wings (hands) and shoo them away otherwise they will even follow you right into
the porch area! Don’t allow them to do so – they will dirty up the place.
Below the afore-mentioned chikoo tree are 2 hammocks. Do use
them – it is great fun to swing in them. Don’t know how to swing it? Just place
one foot on the ground and give a sideways push. However, note that they are
very low slung ones so older people may find it difficult to rise up from them.
Best of all is having your very own exclusive boat! A staff
member will take you for a boat ride around the pond in the evening after tea.
You can even do the paddling yourself. Note here that, as the warning sign
states, you must NOT venture out in the boat on your own. We went boating on 2
evenings and at our request even had 2 rounds & not just one.
More information: Pond House rooms and facilities
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