Gir Serai - Ihcl SeleQtions

Prakash bhai coordination and services were excellent. 2 days with his car hiring services I never missed my own vehicle. Satisfied and well mannered train team of drivers, specially Narendra (munnabhai) and Rafiq bhai. Strongly recommend Gir car rental by Mr Prakash mahida at sasan gir 087586 28016 / 099091 11726.

Nature and wildlife lovers rejoice. For there is a place in the Gir forests of Gujarat, India where you could not only stay in luxury but also have the benefit of observing lions, deer, antelopes, owls and other animals in action from the nearby Gir National Park. That place is called Gir Serai by IHCL SeleQtions or in other words a Taj hotel I would like to refer as Gir Serai Taj and it is located right behind the offices of Sinh (Lion) Sadan i.e. Forest Department's sprawling office which also has a well stocked souvenir shop containing everything lion related ever! My solo stay in Gir Serai Taj was during the last week of June 2024 and coming from Diu Airport via a connecting flight through Ahmedabad from Delhi; I had a journey of over 7 hours to reach Diu Airport and then 2 hours further to reach the hotel. But all my tiredness went away, when I saw the smiling faces of Gir Serai Taj's staff to welcome me and the GM Mr. Rajiv Chandran himself was there to share some Chai and give an overview of the property and the Gir forest/safari. I was told that the hotel is a preferred destination for discerning travelers who prefer to stay in Taj's comfort while going for Gir Forest Safari (which ends in mid-June, though a smaller one operates round the year) and also for those who come there to do Darshan of Shree Somnath Temple which is around 50 minutes away by road. From the moment one enters the property through the narrow road, the trees serve as a reminder that you are now in the lap of nature and the nature/wildlife as such must be respected first since we in their home in the jungle, not vice versa. Bearing that in mind, I was amazed at how the entire team of Taj Gir Serai relentlessly worked to provide the signature Taj experience with their limited resources in addition to operating in a remote location! Few honorable mentions (in no particular order): 1. Mr. Asim Maity, Front Office Supervisor helped me with the overall hotel details before I made my booking and was instrumental in a smooth checkout while answering my queries regarding the invoice. He also got my boarding pass printed for me. 2. Mr. Milan Patal, Guest Service Assistant sent the cab rates and also coordinated the cab driver's contact details for my Diu Airport pickup to hotel. 3. Mr. Irfan, Housekeeping Supervisor alongwith Mr. Maibul and Mr. Kaushik did a great job in making my room good as new with a hint of a ginger-based room freshener when I requested for the same. Mr. Irfan even accompanied me to Sinh Sadan on my last day of stay to help me getting some souvenirs from the Gift Shop. 4. Chef Rakesh Kumar from the Gumtree Restaurant took my special order for Mushroom Soup, even though the same is not on the menu and served it with some sides of cheesy garlic bread. A Chef who truly is asking for feedback on his preparations and never says no to any custom dish, I was impressed! 5. Mr. Zaheed from the Gumtree Restaurant knowing fully well my penchant for Chai,

This is one of the most overrated hotel. Property is very old, in a rundown state, requires complete renovation. Basic facilities like temperature control in the room doesn’t work. Staff is good and is trying to meet customer expectations as much as possible even in the poor state of the property. Don’t be fooled by the images shown, hotel is nowhere close to it.